Conditions in Africa are often harsh and unforgiving, creating an environment more hostile to mining than most. When roads end, temperatures soar or plummet, and security risks escalate, extraordinary explosives storage solutions may be needed.
While the African mining landscape can be unpredictable, explosives management has to adhere to demanding safety and regulatory frameworks. People’s lives and wellbeing, the safety of surrounding communities, project continuity, and the integrity of expensive goods are on the line.
However, sometimes tried-and-tested, standard storage practices just don’t cut it. Situations aren’t always ideal – some mines have no choice but to operate close to urban centres, while others are located deep in the untamed African bush. Sometimes they’re even located in conflict zones, where explosives are highly coveted for non-industrial means.
In these types of situations, specialised explosives management solutions providers like Mining and Energy Acuity (MEA) are critical for keeping everything above the line and the supply chain flowing.
In these rarer but significant cases, operators must turn to atypical storage solutions designed to meet the demands of specific conditions under complex environmental and socio-economic circumstances.
Remote or inaccessible sites
For example, the further a project moves from established infrastructure, the harder it is to rely on centralised magazines. In regions like the DRC, central Mozambique, or northern Botswana, transport is often unpredictable and roads vanish into seasonal mud. In such conditions, explosives must often be stored closer to the workface to avoid costly stoppages.
Sometimes, especially with large projects, warehouses are warranted. But mostly, containerised or modular magazines, designed for mobility, are the only option. These units can be trucked in, dragged over rough terrain, or even flown in by helicopter.
Unlike fixed bunkers, mobile designs must combine portability with full regulatory safety features. MEA has extensive experience in transporting materials through remote bush and erecting fully fit-for-purpose facilities in record time.
Harsh climatic conditions
Temperature and humidity are also concerns, as extremes can compromise explosives and create serious safety risks. In the Kalahari, heat can destabilise emulsions, while in tropical belts, rain and humidity can render ammonium nitrate prills unusable if stored poorly.
Containerised magazines therefore need enhanced insulation, double roof sheeting and ventilation units to allow fresh air circulation and temperature stabilisation, and continuous monitoring to ensure explosives remain stable under all conditions.
Dust, rain, and salt air can also damage storage units and packaging. To combat this issue, MEA’s designs use corrosion-resistant materials, sealed joints, and drainage to ensure magazines stay safe, dry, and compliant.
These interventions are expensive but unavoidable. You can’t store sensitive explosives in a tin structure facing 45-degree heat, or knee-deep in water. The solution must be engineered to keep conditions within safe thresholds, no matter how hostile the environment outside. That’s why MEA designs magazines that are fit for purpose – reconnoitring sites to select the best location, and engineering drainage systems that safeguard against seasonal downpours.
Security risks and conflict zones
Security considerations are always front-of-mind when constructing and maintaining explosives storage units. However, the requirements are considerably more demanding in regions plagued by theft, sabotage, or armed conflict.
Solutions here may include hardened bunkers with multiple access controls, remote monitoring, and integration with military or police security systems. In volatile conditions, explosives may even be co-stored temporarily with state security forces to reduce vulnerability. Mining operations are generally underequipped to uphold these rigorous, expensive, and time intensive safeguards. MEA bridges this gap with portable magazines designed to resist forced entry, featuring locking mechanisms that remain secure even when tampered with.
Temporary or emergency storage
The mining industry is no stranger to disruption with border closures, port congestion, or labour strikes that halt the movement of explosives at the worst possible time. To prevent project delays, companies sometimes establish temporary or emergency storage facilities near worksites.
Portable magazines, containerised storage, or adapted facilities can all be utilised, provided they meet safety and regulatory standards. It’s important to stress that, while temporary, these measures are no less rigorous.
A mobile magazine still carries the same risks as a permanent one. It must be engineered, inspected, and secured to the same standard, even if it only exists for a matter of weeks. This involves bringing in an experienced explosives solutions partner who will ensure no precautions are missed.
Every mine is unique. And while the rules don’t change, the way you apply them sometimes must. The African environment demands a careful touch, adaptability, and some design creativity. Companies like MEA are tasked with ensuring explosives storage becomes one of the strongest links in the supply chain.