Mining in focus
while contributing towards skills development and shareholder wealth .
His views are in line with those of resource development strategist Dr Paul Jourdan , who also stresses that local manufacture of mechanised mining equipment will neutralise job losses during this transition to modern equipment . According to Jourdan , a vibrant South African mining equipment research-and-development initiative , as well as manufacturing hub that supplies both the local and export markets , will drive industrialisation . This will ensure that traditional jobs in the underground mining industry are replaced by secure and safer employment prospects in the supply chain .
Concerns about pace of change
Despite significant advances , there are still concerns that the rate of transition to a mechanised era has taken too long , and that the industry now needs to accelerate the process , considering more looming large job losses .
Anglo American CEO , Mark Cutifani , recently warned that the South African mining industry was at risk of shedding 100 000 jobs if it failed to modernise . This is over and above the 100 000 employment opportunities that have been lost in the industry over the past six years . Safety head of the Chamber of Mines , Sietse van der Woude , anticipates a loss of as many as 200 000 jobs over the next 10 years if the industry does not undergo meaningful change .
Burger stresses that ‘ home-grown ’ innovation is also key to the successful transformation of an industry that has relied heavily upon labour-based techniques for more than 100 years . “ Our solutions are based on extensive learning from prominent gold and platinum group miners ( PGMs ). They are the outcome of a process that was driven by the needs of the sectors , as opposed to a ‘ push ’ approach from international manufacturers in the supply chain . By allowing the mines to drive the process , we have developed successful solutions for unique local operating conditions ,” says Burger .
Practical applications
CMTI ’ s 10 tonne hybrid-diesel locomotive spent 18 months operating in local deep-level gold mines , where
As the pace of mechanisation in South African mines increases , South African underground equipment manufacturers are finding innovative solutions to complex problems .
proof of concept was finalised ahead of its commercial launch . Meanwhile , the company ’ s ultra-low profile ( ULP ) mining machines have exceeded expectations at several South African gold and platinum mines . Moreover , the CMTI Group is mining giant Sibanye-Stillwater ’ s technology partner , supporting the miner ’ s mechanisation drive . The company ’ s MT100 and MT1000 ULP equipment is operating in the Burnstone Gold Mine in Balfour , Mpumalanga . Canadian mining company Great Basin Gold ( GBG ) was the previous owner of Burnstone . The company , ironically , had the mining fraternity talking by deciding , at that time , to implement a long-hole-stoping and mechanised mining method , which in the end proved to be the mine ’ s Achilles heel .
Sibanye-Stillwater is using CMTI ’ s equipment at Burnstone to mine panels at heights of 1m , as opposed to previous heights of 1.5m , thereby reducing dilution significantly — one of the major problems GBG grappled with . “ By being able to extract significantly more gold-bearing ore and reduce waste-rock extraction , the mine will increase its yields and reduce its waste-disposal costs ,” says Burger .
Certainly , this is in line with Sibanye- Stillwater ’ s recent announcement that it is researching technology to make its mining operations safer and more productive . The process is being driven by mining operational executive and mining engineer Peter Turner , who has also
Leon Louw highlighted the important contribution of remote-controlled ULP technologies .
Mechanisation in the stope
CMTI ’ s MT100 and MT1000 ULPs are part of Sibanye-Stillwater ’ s Stope-Mechanisation Programme . Registered as a ‘ quick-win ’ project at the Phakisa Innovation Hub , these machines enable the mining house to extract a percentage of the estimated 2.2-million ounces ( oz ) of gold still contained within the strike and dip pillars of their gold assets , without inducing excessive seismicity , or dramatically impacting regional stability .
Neil Froneman , Sibanye-Stillwater ’ s CEO , has on many occasions stressed the need to fast-track mechanisation in the gold and PGM mining sectors . Froneman , who also serves as the vice-president of the Chamber of Mines , warns that output in the South African gold mining industry is expected to slump to only 50 tonnes from the current 150 tonnes and risks almost dying out completely by 2033 if it continues to rely on mining methods that are over 100 years old . Froneman is confident that mechanisation will allow existing gold-mining output levels to persist to until at least 2025 , or even 2045 .
“ Semi-mechanised equipment will extend the life of a low-grade mine by up to 15 years , as opposed to only four years using conventional methods , while full-scale mechanisation will
[ 26 ] MINING MIRROR MARCH 2018