Blasting ahead
By Robyn Grimsley
Since it was purchased by CBM in 2008 , Drift Supersand has made significant investments to upgrade production and improve safety .
2016 was a bad year for aggregates and for the construction industry in general — and 2017 is not projected to be much better . However , despite the slowdown and general struggle in the industry , quarries are busy . One quarry operator in particular is managing to stay ahead of the curve .
Drift Supersand
Aggregates and sand is the most mined material in the world , and almost all countries , even those without minerals , will have quarries . At a time when the construction industry is struggling , quarries are performing better than one might expect . And Drift Supersand is doing well even among these . Quarry Southern Africa was fortunate enough to be invited to attend a blast at the quarry in November 2016 , where we learnt more about the secrets behind its success .
Batting over a million
Drift Supersand ( DSS ) is an opencast mine located in Muldersdrift on Gauteng ’ s West Rand , producing aggregates for the building and construction industries . Situated on Roodekraans farm , DSS has a mining licence that covers portions 79 and 80 of the farm . A total of 57 people are working on site daily .
The quarry has been operating since 1975 / 6 and was bought by Consolidated Building Materials ( CBM ), a subsidiary of Consolidated Infrastructure Group ( CIG ), in 2008 . Since CBM bought DSS , the quarry has grown exponentially , from a small sand works operation to one of the largest quarries in the country by production , producing over one million tonnes of crushed sand and stone per year . CBM is strongly focused on growing business and improving operational activities . In fact , it owns two of the five South African
quarries with over a million tonnes per year production : DSS , and Drift Laezonia , located in Centurion , across the N14 highway from Diepsloot . After acquiring Drift Laezonia , CBM increased the mine ’ s monthly sales by 500 %, from around 20 000 tonnes to about 120 000 tonnes . In addition to the two quarries , CBM also owns Westonaria-based West End Claybrick & Roofing .
The DSS pit is currently at a depth of 75 metres , with two more benches planned , for a total planned depth of 100 metres . DSS ’ s mining licence is valid for another 25 years , which matches the projected life of mine ( LOM ) of 25 – 32 years almost exactly . According to mine manager Pietman van Wyk , DSS conducts annual surveys to monitor the quarry ’ s progress versus its LOM plan .
Committed to safety
Over the past eight years , DSS has made significant investments into ensuring the safety of all personnel and visitors . As an inherently dangerous industry , given the type of work and vehicles on site , mining is governed by strict safety regulations , outlined in the Mine Health and Safety Act , 1996 ( Act No . 29 of 1996 ), which Van Wyk refers to as his Bible .
This commitment to safety in all areas means that DSS has put in a lot of effort to upgrade the quarry to meet the specifications laid out by the DMR in the Act . This includes putting up roofs to cover equipment so it is not standing out in the rain ; fencing in electrical boxes and transformers to prevent cable theft ; and erecting bunny walls around diesel tanks to keep any diesel from contaminating the area should a tank start to leak .
One of the most notable — and noticeable — safety measures implemented on site is the clear , constructed walkways surrounding the plant . While the Department of Mineral Resources ( DMR ) recently promulgated legislation mandating the use of proximity detection systems ( PDSs ), Van Wyk firmly believes that the best way to cut down on accidents on site is to separate the people from the machines .
He explains that PDSs can potentially teach people bad habits when it comes to operating in and around large machines , making them reliant on the machines ’ reactions rather than their own . Technology — even the most advanced available — can fail occasionally , and it is a good idea to make sure that even where PDSs and similar technology are in use , people remain aware of potential dangers and avoid them where possible . Hence the walkways .
According to Van Wyk , the walkways were put in to minimise dangerous interactions between people and machines , and everyone on site has been using them since day one . “ This is a much better reaction than we
16 _ QUARRY SA | JANUARY 2017