LEADERS IN MECHANIZED SHAFT SINKING
SHAFT SINKING operation , in Limpopo Province , will deliver up to 7 Mt / y of kimberlite ore to produce around 4 Mct / y of diamonds , according to majority owner De Beers .
The production shaft , currently being used as a man and material shaft , has been completed and equipped , and is currently in operation , while the service shaft is currently 1,000-m deep with off-shaft development work underway at the 94-level and 100-level , du Plessis said .
“ We are also engaged with sinking three underground silos , the first of which is complete ,” he said . “ In a mega project like this , there is also extensive underground infrastructure where our sinking crews are utilised .”
At Palabora Mining Company near Phalaborwa , in Limpopo Province , the company is sinking a 1,200 m ventilation shaft – and is about 200 metres from bottoming out .
The third project is a 950-m vertical shaft for Ivanplats at its Platreef project in Mokopane , in Limpopo Province .
The Venetia Underground Project is significant for Murray & Roberts Cementation for more than just scope .
The contractor employed technology for the sinking of the two shafts that had never been used in mining projects in Africa , taking the learnings from its sister company in Canada .
“ A significant advance , for instance , was the use of a pre-sink gantry crane at Venetia in conjunction with portal crane technology and pre-sink stage winders ,” du Plessis said . “ This allows us to move away from handheld drilling and use stage-suspended machines instead – making the operation safer .”
The company was also able to drive the portal crane from one shaft to the other , improving its set-up times and efficiencies . It has also developed its processes on one site to include excavators in the mucking work , further enhancing safety .
So successful have these innovations been that the wider Murray & Roberts Group has been applying them in countries like Mongolia and Australia , according to du Plessis .
When it comes to innovation and winning work , Murray & Roberts Cementation puts its safety developments front and centre of any contract bids : it is fast approaching a milestone of 7 million fatality-free shifts .
“ This is a real achievement in a sector that works in environments so close to mining ’ s energy points ,” du Plessis said .
Outside of this safety element , the company ensures schedules are kept to by using short interval control processes , maintenance management systems and assisting clients with equipment selection .
On the latter , the company stocks specialised equipment like kibbles and stage winders as part of its in-house equipment fleet , ensuring it is equipped with the latest technology and control systems to provide a safe sinking operation .
“ Applying this equipment optimally also demands our world-class skills – from mechanical , electrical and electronic experts to rope specialists ,” du Plessis said .
“ This is providing the foundation for us to expand our footprint beyond South Africa , into other African countries where miners are needing the highest standards of performance and safety in shaft sinking and related projects .”
Another opportunity to expand the company ’ s project portfolio across Africa is by leveraging mechanised sinking technology .
On this front , Murray & Roberts Cementation continues to carry out significant raiseboring work in Zimbabwe , Burkina Faso and Tanzania , and du Plessis says the company is also open to collaborating with equipment OEMs when it comes to other technology options .
“ There are several technology options available and , with the right client and project , we hope to pilot this technology in South Africa ,” he said of potential shaft boring technology .
Sinking without harm
Cementation Canada , also part of the Murray and Roberts Group , sees such technology being considered more often in the shaft sinking process as the industry remains focused on
ANY MINERAL . ANY GEOLOGY . ANYWHERE .
For more than 130 years we have safely and successfully sunk more than 500 shafts with a depth of over 230,000 m .
We are a member of The Redpath Group , operating on all five continents and belonging to the world market leaders in the field of mine construction .
LEADERS IN MECHANIZED SHAFT SINKING
We provide our customers with a complete range of services from design and engineering to construction , maintenance , reconstruction and rehabilitation . Contact us with your shaft-related inquiries .
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Shaft station level 700 m , Slavkaliy mine Nezhinsky , Belarus www . redpathdeilmann . com