Plant Equipment and Hire October 2018 | Page 18

ON THE GROUND The Osborn configuration features a process designed for efficient crushing and screening to minimise dust emissions in the production of calcite and lime. Using modern mining methods, the mine uses the latest advances in sorting technology, which is the IMS Engineering range, thereby sorting material to suit client needs.” Fana Shozi, Rossmin mine manager, stands on the edge of the mine pit while Dezzi equipment moves material behind him. 16 OCTOBER 2018 Regulatory considerations “Mining is becoming ever stricter from a legal perspective. You see from the number of recent fatalities in mining that safety is becoming a critical issue, albeit most of these incidents are related to underground mines. We all fall under the same mining regulations and so they apply as much to us — we have to comply with the same level of regulation as a large mine, even though we are small. That is a pressing challenge! “From a business perspective, we are currently trying to increase our penetration of our market. But we have a competitor right across the river that is more established than us and has a firmer grip on the industrial market.” With a presence that is less than two years old, and small, Shozi emphasises that to grow its market, the mine needs to be “nimble and efficient”. Shozi adds that despite the present economic challenges, Rossmin is growing and is planning the installation of additional milling capacity to take on the competitor in the fine industrial market. With customers, staff, and a variety of stakeholders at the core of its culture, today, Rossmin is a fully operational mine and, while the machinery and equipment on site may not be around for the duration of its license, they will go a long way in ensuring maximum productivity until replaced — hopefully by the same OEMs. ■