HIGH PROFILE
the market. In mining, this is in fact the most
common application of our systems. If a rock
falls and doesn’t hit anything, or put anything or
anyone in imminent danger, then how much of a
threat is it for an operation that is in the
business of moving rocks around? But if
operations will be affected adversely, or if there
is an imminent safety concern, that is of course a
different situation that must be addressed.
Unfortunately this happens mainly after an
incident has happened
Q As a company do you find that greenfield
mines don’t really factor in rockfall protection at
the beginning of the project? Is this now
changing in that they will plan for it when they
know part of the planned pit wall has unstable
geology like a fault zone?
Q Mesh has long been used in underground
mines, what makes MINAX ® different from other
mesh options in terms of performance and capability?
A The basis for MINAX ® and all of our meshes is
high-tensile steel wire. This is used in a chain-
link type construction of mesh that offers a
unequalled balance of extremely high energy
capacity yet very low elongation in case of a
rockburst incident. Because we are using high-
tensile steel, we can use a light gauge of wire
which will still be stronger than other meshes,
thereby offering a very lightweight mesh which
has advantages for shipping logistics, in-mine
logistics, installation etc
Q Again, what is the technical and sales
arguement for using MINAX ® underground
Q Are you working with companies that supply
bolter and other mine utility equipment such as
Normet and Atlas Copco?
A Yes, in order to offer complete solutions to the
mining industry we are in ongoing contact with
all the main bolter suppliers and also with
various bolt manufacturers such as Normet
Q Do you also see a potential demand from
underground mining contractors?
A Absolutely as contractors have the same
interests as owner-operator mines – the productivity
and safety of their workforce. In fact, some of the
MESHA ® machines in use are operated by
contractors. The contractors are very important
Q Is it also useful that many large open pit mines
already using your products are going
underground hence they already know Geobrugg
well as a solutions provider?
instead of shotcrete or bolting?
A As mentioned earlier rockfalls are not
considered an issue where you have a good
design of an open pit mine taking into account
known geological conditions and structures.
Rockfall is caused by errors of handling, weather
and other external impacts. If the new mine
knows there is a fault zone, the pit wall angle,
angle between benches, or ramp angle is
adapted before any kind of protection measure
like mesh or barriers is installed. In general, the
berm/bench arrangement they design also acts
as protection as the mine will use a catch berm
for rockfall mitigation A Massive cost savings if you can eliminate the
shotcrete, but that said many mines and
contractors have invested a lot in shotcrete
A Well, yes and no. The open pit and
plants and machines. Sometimes shotcrete is
underground operations to have different people
required, but it all depends on the ground
and operate as quite different entities, with
conditions and what the client wants/prefers
unique problems and paradigms to their
whether that be the mine owner or the contractor.
respective situations. Thus, to get a foot in the
Therefore, it’s not a question of MINAX ® or bolting,
underground industry, we have to understand
it is the combination of MINAX ® with shotcrete or
Rockmore
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13:02
the underground
world as well
as Page
we do 1 the
with bolting which makes the
difference. June16
It’s a bit PROOF_Layout
open pit world. IM
like the sandwich technology in carbon fibre
Q Do you compete with rockbolting and
shotcreting or work hand in hand with these
other methods? Q You have carried out
key tests in Chile and
other locations, are any
mines now using
MINAX ® commercially?
A Not really compete, but rather complement.
Bolting and shotcreting are either different
solutions to discretely different problems, or
they are used in concert with our systems and
products for an overall solution. It’s about what’s
best for the specific project and client’s
preference as they may have some
machines/gear on site they can utilise which is a
big cost factor in the decision
Q Moving on to underground, as a company are
your solutions for underground mining still at an
early stage and why have you opted to move
more into this area? Is it to diversify the business
or address a real need for your solutions in
underground mining, or both?
A The need for stronger meshes is a given, since
mines are going deeper so vertical stresses are
getting higher. A solution with our strongest 4
mm mesh allows our customers to advance in
zones in their mines where an advance three
years ago would not have been possible
applications
Drill
More
with RockMore
Equally is the MESHA ®
handler now being used
commercially in an
active mine yet?
A In all the leading
underground mining
markets, we have
several applications in
the early stages and will
have more to report on
this in about six months.
But in South America,
two customers are using
MINAX ® in good
quantities on a regular
basis and are using the
MESHA ® as the main
handler to install the
MINAX ® . In other regions
we are s