WORLD PROSPECTS
Redpath breaking records in Ghana
The evolution of the world-renowned Obuasi mine in Ghana is continuing , with Redpath at the forefront . Redpath Raiseboring Africa , a division of Redpath , is currently engaged in a project to drill a deep ventilation shaft as part of the mine ’ s expansion .
Production at the historic property started in 1897 with a brief pause between 2014 and 2019 .
The operation is currently undergoing Phase 3 of a redevelopment plan established in 2019 to develop the infrastructure needed to increase production to 6,000 tons per day .
Redpath mobilised to site in August 2022 as part of the new Kwesi Mensah Ventilation Shaft ( KMVS ) project , which involves the excavation of a 941-m-deep ventilation shaft to a diameter of 6.3-6.5-m .
“ The primary purpose of the raise is to establish a ventilation circuit that will enable the delivery of fresh air to the mine ’ s deeper workings ,” Bennie Burger , General Manager of Redpath Raiseboring Africa , told IM .
Altogether , the project employs 15 crew members on a continuous rotation basis . Given the importance of accuracy and verticality of the raise , Redpath is making use of Micon ’ s Rotary Vertical Drilling System ( RVDS ), a pre-programmable , self-steering device for the drilling of vertical holes . Fitted on a Redbore 90 drill in this specific application , the RVDS consists of two modules integrated into the lower part of the
Dingo ’ s offering has evolved over more than 30 years from solutions focused on fluid analysis to a holistic platform in Trakka that , according to JP Bouchard , Chief Sales Officer , now consolidates “ more disparate asset health data than anyone else to generate the most comprehensive maintenance insight and value for our customers ”.
Trakka , at its core , is a cloud-based predictive maintenance software system designed to house all asset health data under one roof . The solution provides operations with the tools , insights and decision support to run a best-in-class asset health program , according to the company .
The secret to the company ’ s success , Bouchard claims , is a close-knit client relationship that sees Dingo maintenance and reliability experts often partially embedded with client teams . Such close interaction allows Dingo to capture feedback and continually evolve its roadmap .
“ It is , therefore , actually our clients who led us
bottom hole assembly between the drill bit and the first string stabiliser . A read-out unit consisting of a pressure transducer , an interface unit and a computer in the driller cabin complete the system .
“ Data from the RVDS tool is transmitted to the raise drill in real time ,” Burger explains . “ This feature allows operators to continuously monitor the performance and health of the system to ensure proper tool function and steering .”
Designed to drill near vertical holes over large distances , RVDS technology has been deployed by Redpath Raiseboring Africa in previous projects across the continent . At Obuasi , the technology was instrumental in completing the pilot hole to the client ’ s specifications , with a total deviation of only 0.03 % ( 0.2 m ) at breakthrough . As part of the project , the company established a recordsetting run of 691 hours on the system .
to release the Trakka Mobile Inspection App , now helping clients digitalise 100-plus maintenance inspections , and to increase the inclusion of OEM-agnostic onboard data on our platform ,” he said .
For many customers , saving a single
Just over halfway through reaming , the project has been accident-free from inception , according to Burger .
“ The project has required a robust safety management system with exceptional commitment and experience from the team involved ,” he said . “ Our core value of ‘ Safety – First , Last and Always ’ has been the key driver of our safety culture .”
Alongside this , Redpath has prioritised ESG when designing and carrying out the project .
Redpath Thonket , a joint venture between Redpath Africa Limited and Thonket Mining Services , has , since 2019 , delivered all Redpath-associated raiseboring projects in Ghana . This includes contracts on the Chirano gold mine , Wassa operation and Ahafo mine .
A local Ghana-based company now owns a majority stake in Redpath Thonket , ensuring local communities benefit from employment opportunities .
“ That combination and synergy between world-class experience and local knowledge have proven instrumental in the successful execution of various projects ,” Burger said .
The JV is planning to introduce smaller raiseboring machines to fasttrack operator training in 2024 .
Further , the company has ensured the water used during piloting operation is recycled through specially designed mobile settling dams . https :// redpathmining . com ; www . anglogoldashanti . com
Dingo on leveraging three decades of data
unexpected breakdown yearly for one of their key pieces of production equipment is enough to provide a full return on the investment in Trakka , according to Bouchard .
“ We are literally saving our clients millions per year avoiding equipment breakdowns , extending component lives , reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving fleet availability ,” he said .
In its current iteration , the Trakka platform automates a significant portion of the analysis , but what sets Dingo apart is its Condition Intelligence ( CI ) team , according to Colin Donnelly , Director of Customer Success at Dingo .
“ Once configured , the Trakka platform sifts through multiple datasets to quickly filter out noise ,” he explained . “ The system then applies customisable alerts and detailed business rules to assist our CI team in selectively reviewing only those results that need human expertise or experience .”
This CI team constantly adapts the system
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6 International Mining | JANUARY 2024