MINE EXCURSION
MINE EXCURSION
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African Mining April 2020
The integrity of the steel in the vertical shaft is scanned with two
underwater cameras and the images are relayed on a screen 299m
below surface.
runoff and precipitation is the main cause of flooding and
not groundwater, and when Anglovaal built the shaft, they
did it properly and way above required specifications.
“The water is not our main challenge. At the moment, we
are running pilot water treatment trials, pumping 5 cubic
metres of water per hour. At full scale we intend to be
pumping out about 1 000 cubic metres of water per hour.
In total, we need to get rid of about 8.5 million cubic metres
that has accumulated in the shaft over the past 30 years or
so,” says Shamu, standing on the solid platform erected in
the shaft by the reconnaissance team contracted by PCDS,
the engineering company appointed to test the integrity
of the vertical shaft. The platform is at 299m below surface
just above the water level. Next to the platform there is a
big screen on which close-up images of the steel structure
and shaft are relayed via two underground cameras. The
camera’s stop every four and a half metres to get detailed
images. These images are scanned, inch by inch, by a team
of structural engineers and steel construction and shaft
sinking specialist.
Any anomalies in terms of pattern, colour, water movement,
or cracks are closely monitored and scrutinised again and
again, to look for signs of potential failure. “We had to use
divers to get the cameras and other equipment into the
water so that we could test the main steel members of
the shaft, which is really our primary concern. The lighter
steel components will be removed and replaced,” explains
Shamu. At first glance the steel frame looks fraught, but
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African Mining April 2020 www. africanmining.co.za