West African Mines Benefit From Weir’s Localised Operating Model

 By Bradley Riviera

As West Africa’s mining industry continues to evolve, Weir has established a strong regional footprint built on local expertise, operational capability and in-country capacity. This approach is designed to meet growing customer expectations around efficiency, sustainability and advanced technology.

“Weir has made proactive investments in training and skills development to build the talent required to meet operational demands across the region,” says Andrew Ayirebi, Regional Manager for West Africa. “This commitment allows us to deliver seamless service, regardless of where our customers are located.”

The development of local technical capability has become increasingly important as West Africa’s mining sector places greater emphasis on local economic participation, while also expecting OEMs to operate closer to mine sites. In response, Weir has aligned its regional strategy with its global philosophy of thinking globally while acting locally.

“Our people are central to delivering sustainable value,” Ayirebi explains. “Our operations in Ghana and Senegal are fully managed by local teams, supported by an active presence in Mali, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.”

Weir’s focus on customised solutions enables it to support a broad range of commodities mined across the region, including gold, bauxite, iron ore and lithium. The company is also transitioning to configured-to-order systems, a move aimed at reducing lead times while improving efficiency and supply-chain stability.

“We partner with customers throughout the mining lifecycle,” Ayirebi says. “Our sustainable mining and processing solutions are supported by on-site services and rapid response times.” He notes that Weir adds value across key operational areas such as comminution, classification, slurry handling and dewatering.

Grinding, one of the most energy-intensive stages in mining, remains a major focus. According to Ayirebi, Weir’s high-pressure grinding roll technology can reduce energy consumption in comminution by up to 40% when compared with traditional SAG mill technology.

At Endeavour Mining’s Lafigué open-pit gold mine in north-central Côte d’Ivoire, Weir’s HPGR technology has helped lower energy use, reduce carbon emissions and decrease grinding media consumption. The solution has delivered operating availability above 97% and is expected to generate annual energy savings of approximately $2.6 million, while avoiding an estimated 18,500 t/y of CO₂ emissions.

Significant investment in research and development also underpins Weir’s offering. Technologies such as its wear-reduction solutions for pumping systems and its range of positive displacement pumps are designed to reduce energy usage while efficiently transporting high-density slurries over long distances.

Weir’s classification technologies further support optimal particle size distribution, improving downstream process efficiency. Digitalisation is another key enabler, with the company leveraging its intelligent solutions to provide real-time insights into equipment condition and performance.

“Our acquisition of Micromine earlier this year significantly strengthens our ability to help customers optimise their operations,” Ayirebi adds.

He concludes that Weir’s vision for mining extends beyond mineral extraction to include safe, responsible and environmentally sustainable practices — a priority that is increasingly relevant across West Africa as miners seek to deliver natural resources more efficiently and sustainably.