Mining Mirror July 2018 | Page 23

Mining in focus Mining needs a breath of fresh air Underground mines should regard ventilation systems as the lifeblood of its operations, writes Leon Louw. A chieving production targets and ensuring that all workers return to the surface safely, are two of the most important goals for underground mining teams. The health and safety of employees are non-negotiable but at the same time, there is always pressure from management to improve production β€” a catch-22 for underground operational managers and supervisors. Innovative methods and simple adjustments to traditional ways of mining are often introduced β€” and not always by top management. Workers often take it upon themselves to push that extra metre in the stope, which means a bigger bonus at the end of the month. These measures often do result in improved production rates, which reflects positively on the balance sheet, but sadly, it more often leads to injuries or fatalities, of which the monetary value can never be estimated. If an underground operator has used all its available resources and runs an efficient, streamlined operation by cutting costs to the bone but the targets continue heading north, he or she needs to ask more questions. How can productivity be improved? Production targets, rates, and productivity are all related to the quantity, type, condition, and utilisation of mine equipment and the number of work areas. As more work areas are opened up, the challenges become more complex, but production rates are improved. At the same time, as the equipment fleet becomes bigger, demand for fresh air and cool temperatures increase. Underground trucks and equipment generate heat, dust, and fumes, and fresh air is critical to dilute contaminants to levels specified by regulatory authorities. Effective ventilation, temperature control, and sufficient airflow and its role in increasing production are often overlooked. Health depends on ventilation Regulatory bodies require that workers operate in a healthy work environment, meeting specified minimum standards. Often, underground operations are unable to achieve these goals and in many cases compromise production to comply with the law. Conversely, some mines operate in contravention of safety regulations to achieve their business targets. In both these scenarios, inadequate ventilation is the problem. This is often the result of either a lack of knowledge or poor and ineffective planning. It is a serious issue if underground planners disregard ventilation as critical to the planning process and to the success of the operation, and then leave the ventilation details to be managed by a junior ventilation officer, as if it is not of primary importance. Ventilation is an integral part of the underground planning process, especially when the design changes or the mine expands into new areas. To ignore the full cost of ventilation in the budget results in a substandard ventilation system. Ventilation is an area in underground mining where improvements can be made to enhance safety, efficiency, and productivity, and it is of the utmost importance for ventilation systems to operate optimally. β€œIn ultra-deep South African mines, ventilation and especially cooling systems are essential,” says Nicolaas C. Steenkamp, an independent mining consultant. The intense heat in deep JULY 2018 MINING MIRROR [21]