Business Directory

ANALYTICAL LABORATORY
FOR MINING AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
TRAINING CENTER FOR CHEMISTS
AND
LABORATORY ANALYSTS

Cawood Laboratories

Contact: Janette Cawood
P.O. Box 443
Saldanha Bay
7395
Western Cape,
South Africa
Mobile: +27 83 656 7675

Laboratory Background
Cawood Laboratories commenced operations in May 2010.
Currently there are two laboratories operating.

A “container” laboratory provides manual sampling services from stockpiles, sample reduction and preparation facilities inside the Port of Saldanha. This laboratory primarily provides services to a client in the Port for exports of iron ore.

The analytical laboratory site is 4 kilometres from the West Coast Mall. It is equipped to perform sample reduction, preparation, wet chemical titrations, XRF spectroscopy, LOI and limited XRD scanning capabilities. There is capacity for expansion of techniques.

Staff numbers have increased to fourteen persons on a daily 24 hour shift roster or 12- hourly as dictated by client needs.

Contract-based work includes Iron Ore samples, Mineral Sands, Limestone and Clay samples. Additional ad hoc samples are received from clients. The work covers research aspects for technical institutions.

Presently the main thrust of analytical activity is focussed on methodology
for Iron Ore Geology/ Exploration samples by X-Ray Fluorescence
Spectrometry including Wet Chemistry Techniques and Nickel Chrome
Geology samples.

Consulting Services cover client requirements but frequently include:
Laboratory Auditing
Specialised Sampling on Stationary and Moving Lots
XRF spectrometry methods and calibrations
XRF spectrometry training
Laboratory Management training
IEC/ISO 17025 Standard laboratory accreditation training
Planning and design of new laboratories and sampling systems
Budgets and costs analysis for proposed new laboratories
Rationalisation of resources requirements
The Cawood Laboratories are linked to the In-service Practical Training of Chemists from Technical Universities. This facility is in the development stages but is expected to become fully functional in 2016.

SAMPLE PREPARATION INCLUDES FUSED BEAD AND PRESSED POWDER XRF SPECTROMETRY PREPARATION

Cawood Laboratories:
Recognizes the importance of our customers.
Through continuous improvement we deliver an excellent service.
Our personnel are committed to supporting our vision and values.

Training and staff development form the keystones of our Quality Management System.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCE
XRF CALIBRATIONS ARE COMPRISED OF INTERNATIONALLY CERTIFIED REFERENCE MATERIALS.
WET CHEMICAL TECHNIQUES GENERALLY APPLY PURE ELEMENTAL REAGENTS.

MANAGEMENT
Ownership of Cawood Laboratories: Senior BSc Honours graduate.
The three senior managers combined constitute prior industrial experience of 38 years in mining and commercial laboratories.
Staff Human Resources and Industrial Relations are outsourced to a Cape Town consultancy M Crotz. The payroll is handled by our accountants, Marlo Lennox at Wesrek in Saldanha. See references below.

CORE VALUES:
Safety First at all times
Strict control & adherence to safety regulations ensures a safe working environment
Customer Service
Our customers are our most important assets
Safe Environmental Practices
All hazardous substances are collected, removed & treated as per legal regulations
Integrity and Accountability
Taking ownership, responsibility and follow through at all levels
Upholding the Quality Management System
Commitment to a system that functions optimally
Staff Development
Proper training structures and interest in self development is encouraged

PROJECTS
Projects are based on customer requirements such as:
Geology and Exploration Iron Ore Sample Preparation and Analysis.
Mineral Sands Analysis with Trace elements included.
Nickel and Chrome Exploration Ore Sample Preparation and Analysis

Previous projects include:
Design, commissioning and managing laboratories in the corporate mining arena such as for the Anglo American PLC and for the South African Bureau of Standards.
Spectroscopy and other techniques are included in the scope of work, training and competence as listed:

Laboratory Auditing
Specialised Sampling Stationary and Moving Lots – ISO 3082, ISO 3086.
XRF spectrometry methods and calibrations
XRF spectrometry training
Laboratory Management training
ISO/IEC 17025 Standard laboratory accreditation training
Planning and design of new laboratories and sampling systems
Budgets and costs analysis for proposed new laboratories

QUALITY STANDARDS
Operations in the laboratory maintain the ISO/IEC 17025 Standard compliance
and various specific ISO Sampling Standards. Statistics and Quality Control
practices comply with the ISO 3085 International Standard.
We have annual maintenance contracts with all suppliers to maintain and review our equipment at the correct intervals for each item.

REFERENCES
The following clients may be contacted for reference purposes:

Mr Wikus Kotze, Operational Manager and Lize Langley, Safety Manager Kumba Iron Ore, Saldanha + 27 22 714 8900
Mr Frikkie Burger, Senior Contracts Manager Kumba Iron Ore Head Office +27 12 683 7232
Ms Lilian Barlow, Research Metallurgist, Kumba Value in Use +27 12 683 7093
Ms Susan Dry, Consulting Chemist at Anglo American PLC + 27 83 460 4789
Mr Jan Louw Ex- Richards Bay Minerals now retired +27 79 541 3115
Mr Jacques Stander SA Bureau of Standards +12 428 7900
Messrs Braam Basson +27 82 881 9650 and Wilhelm van Heusden, ThermoFischer, JHB + 27 82 499 1678
Marlo Lennox at Wesrek Chartered Accountants +27 22 714 4111
Mustapha Crotz HR and IR consultant +27 71 913 45 22