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Aggregates

Aggregates are granular materials used in construction, comprising crushed stone, sand, gravel and recycled concrete. The industry supplies essential bulk materials for roads, railways, buildings, drainage systems and other infrastructure projects. Aggregates are typically produced through quarrying operations that extract rock, followed by crushing and screening processes to achieve specified size grades. The sector serves construction, civil engineering and ready-mixed concrete markets, with demand closely tied to infrastructure investment and building activity. Production requires substantial capital investment in quarrying rights, processing plant and haulage equipment. Quality specifications vary by application, with higher-grade aggregates commanding premium prices for asphalt surfacing and concrete production, whilst lower grades serve bulk earthworks and road base applications. Southern Africa's aggregates industry supports mining, urban development and transport infrastructure programmes across the region. The sector faces challenges including environmental permitting, rehabilitation obligations, transport costs and competition for land use near urban centres. Major producers operate networks of strategically located quarries to minimise haulage distances, as aggregates are low-value, high-volume products where freight costs significantly affect delivered pricing. The industry has consolidated in recent decades, with multinational materials groups and regional specialists dominating supply to major projects and metropolitan markets.

Aggregates Updates


From start-up quarries to expanding operations, Pilot Crushtec’s modular sand-making plants provide a scalable foundation for sustainable growth and long-term productivity
Lowering the Entry Threshold for Quarry Start-Ups
22nd June 2026

Breaking into the aggregates and sand market has never been easy for small operators. High upfront capital costs, long equipment lead times and the technical risk of stitching together multiple... 


Afrimat CEO Andries van Heerden
Afrimat posts solid results; sets focus on growing cash generation, reducing debt
21st May 2026 By: Schalk Burger

Although it remains profitable, is able to service its debt and posted good results for the financial year ended February 28, JSE-listed construction materials and industrial minerals mining... 


Metso opens Cape Town hub to support ports business in SA, rest of Africa
15th May 2026 By: Irma Venter

Metso has expanded its global bulk-materials handling network with the opening of a new regional hub in Cape Town. The Finnish group supplies technologies, solutions and services to the aggregates,... 


Aerial view of Astec-Telestack equipment on a quarry
Multifunctional machines cut costs and boost efficiency for quarries
30th April 2026

The use of versatile, multifunctional machines is becoming increasingly popular in the local aggregate sector in an effort to mitigate rising input costs, says Astec Industries regional product and... 


Sandvik Rock Processing drives crushing and screening excellence across Africa
Sandvik Rock Processing drives crushing and screening excellence across Africa
24th April 2026

Global crushing and screening solutions provider Sandvik Rock Processing delivers innovative productivity-enhancing technologies to mining and quarrying operations across Africa. With a strong... 


Next-generation Lokotrack LT400J delivers high-output, energy-efficient primary crushing to Africa
Next-generation Lokotrack LT400J delivers high-output, energy-efficient primary crushing to Africa
24th April 2026

Africa’s mining, aggregates and construction sectors will gain a productivity and efficiency boost with the arrival of the Metso Lokotrack LT400J - now available through crushing, screening and... 


Cape Town Economic Growth MMC James Vos, Ian Barnard, Jon Allen, Finnish ambassador Pekka Metso and Jabu Mdaki open the new Metso office in Cape Town
Metso opens Cape Town hub to support ports business in SA, rest of Africa
22nd April 2026 By: Irma Venter

Metso has expanded its global bulk-materials handling network with the opening of a new regional hub in Cape Town. The Finnish group supplies technologies, solutions and services to the aggregates,... 


The Nkomati anthracite mine
Afrimat to report higher full-year EPS, HEPS
21st April 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

JSE-listed Afrimat expects to report a 22.1% to 32.1% year-on-year increase in earnings per share (EPS) to between 76.9c and 83.2c for the financial year ended February 28. In a trading statement,... 


Image of the Metso Lokotrack LT400J at a crushing facility
Diesel-electric mobile jaw crusher for mining, quarrying and recycling sectors
16th April 2026

Crushing, screening and materials handling equipment supplier Pilot Crushtec asserts that Africa’s mining, aggregates and construction sectors will gain a productivity and efficiency boost with the... 


Charl Marais, Sales Manager at Pilot Crushtec
Next-Generation Lokotrack LT400J Delivers High-Output, Energy-Efficient Primary Crushing to Africa
20th March 2026

Africa’s mining, aggregates and construction sectors will gain a productivity and efficiency boost with the arrival of the Metso Lokotrack LT400J - now available through Pilot Crushtec. The... 


Olympus construction site in Sandton
ACI keeps steady in fourth quarter, will need more interest rate easing to grow
19th March 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

The Afrimat Construction Index (ACI) increased only marginally, by 0.3%, year-on-year but decreased by 1.1% quarter-on-quarter in the fourth quarter of 2025, remaining at about 100. The index was... 


Image of a mobile jaw crusher from Astec Industries
Mobile equipment benefits mines, quarries and aggregate producers
12th March 2026

A move from fixed installations to mobile options is increasingly being sought by operations in an effort to reduce costs, meet skills shortages and improve safety and environmental impact, says... 


The Nkomati anthracite mine
Afrimat reports stable performance, expects trading conditions to remain difficult in coming year
17th February 2026 By: Schalk Burger

JSE-listed industrial minerals and construction materials producer Afrimat, in a pre-close operational update for its financial year ending on February 28, said trading conditions were expected to... 


Image of Metso HRC 8 high pressure grinding roll, distributed by Pilot Crushtec
High pressure grinding roll transforms unsaleable materials
6th February 2026

A high pressure grinding roll (HPGR) designed to deliver crushing efficiency, shape and gradation in demanding sand and aggregate applications is now available from Pilot Crushtec. The Metso HRC 8... 


Metso’s HRC 8 high pressure grinding roll, available from Pilot Crushtec, is engineered to transform difficult feed into high quality manufactured sand
HRC™ 8 is turning waste into high-value sand
26th January 2026

With demand rising for high quality manufactured sand and pressure mounting to reduce unsaleable materials  and environmental impact, Metso’s HRC™ 8 high pressure grinding roll (HPGR) is proving to... 


Two images of graded and sized aggregrates
Ensuring quality aggregates for reliable construction 
22nd January 2026

In the construction sector the correct sizing and grading of aggregates can determine the strength, durability and long-term performance of a structure, with poorly graded aggregates potentially... 


Amit Dawneerangen, Construction Materials Executive: Sales & Product Technical at Afrisam
Quality aggregates are the foundation of strong, durable construction
13th January 2026

In the world of construction, the quality of materials directly determines the strength, durability and long term performance of any structure. Among these materials, aggregates - whether used in... 


MMD image for post
MMD Mineral Sizing Africa partners with Terex Magna
28th November 2025

Africa's mining sector stands at a critical juncture. As operations scale up to meet global demand, the need for high-capacity, mobile equipment that combines productivity with compliance has never... 


An image of Afrimat group CEO Andries van Heerden
Afrimat interim results buoyed by asset integration
23rd October 2025 By: Tasneem Bulbulia

Multi-commodity, midtier mining company and construction materials provider Afrimat has made several key improvements, and the results of these interventions are now becoming tangible, as evidenced... 


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pqt: 0.098s - ct: 0.164s - 280pq - 2rq
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