The joint venture, named BME Mining Canada, will grow its presence in phases, beginning initially with sales and expanding to capital investments and services as dictated by client needs. It will serve as a manufacturing and service group for both the surface and underground markets.

A key capability, BME noted, will be drill and blast services at mine sites. It will begin by focusing on northern Ontario and more remote operations.

"We believe that BME's underground expertise and technology contribution to the partnership will be significant - providing customers with leading-edge tools and services for quality blasts," BME CEO Joe Keenan said.

"Consbec was looking to extend its offering and to expand into underground in Canada, so the synergy makes complete sense."

In the future, the pair are hoping to introduce other activities to the Canadian mining community, including non-electric assembly, and bulk emulsion and underground equipment manufacture.

BME, part of Omnia Group, is one of the largest emulsion explosive suppliers to the open-pit sector in southern Africa.

Consbec is the only private Canadian company that manufactures and transports bulk emulsion.