Rope access company Skyriders has conducted routine inspections of two smokestacks and a cooling tower at Dundee Precious Metals ’ Tsumeb Namibia mining operation . The task was completed using a combination of rope access and remotely piloted air system ( RPAS ) drones .

The drones completed a general internal visual inspection , followed by detailed visual inspection and core sampling by a six-person rope-access team . “ The deliverable was a comprehensive report , with recommendations signed off by our consulting engineers ,” says Mike Zinn , marketing manager at Skyriders . The deployment of drones makes for rapid and safe visual inspections . This allows decisionmakers such as engineers and plant owners to formulate a more focused inspection plan , homing in on the areas of

concern picked up during the drone inspection .

Introduced by Skyriders in 2015 , the use of drones has become an integral element of the company ’ s turnkey service offering . This comprises visual inspection using drones , detailed inspection by means of rope access , repairs undertaken by rope access , and then using drones as a quality-control measure to inspect and verify the final repairs .

This is the maiden project that Skyriders has undertaken for Dundee Precious Metals , with Tsumeb Namibia being an important showcase for its project and service offering . With commodity prices remaining under strain across the board , Skyriders ’ turnkey rope-access solutions extend its clients ’ inspection and maintenance budgets , saving both time and money .

The smokestack at Dundee Precious Metals ’ Tsumeb Namibia mining operation .

Skyriders

[ 34 ] MINING MIRROR AUGUST 2018