Quarry Southern Africa January 2019 | Page 21

WINNING road layering, and are produced according to SANS 1083:2018 Edition 2.6. Products are manufactured to the highest technical specifications to meet multi-purpose application needs.” Products are used in multiple construction markets from small, medium to large enterprises. Predominantly, the materials produced are used by concrete manufacturers, road and building constructors with regards to base and sub- base layers. It supplies various readymix concrete producers, as well as construction companies with products in and around the Johannesburg area. Beneficiation of aggregate is a major component of what happens at Jukskei Quarry. “AfriSam Readymix is being supplied with concrete aggregates produced at this operation. Aggregates is a much sought-after product, and we supply not just AfriSam but also commercially supply other readymix concrete manufacturers in the market, as well as to various general civil contractors for concrete or road building purposes. It is for the use of infrastructure development in and around Gauteng,” says Celliers. “We are not aligned with any specific contractor, but supply to the general market, based on material need and proximity to the site. We are not limited to a specific geographical footprint, and supply materials anywhere depending on commercial justification.” Mining and crushing Depending on fluctuating market demand, Jukskei Quarry is capable of producing in excess of one million tonnes a year, says Celliers. All stone is mined by conventional drilling and blasting methods, with blasted material being loaded to haul trucks by excavators from the muck pile and transported to the primary crusher. The material is then processed by means of crushing and screening, to produce aggregates. The products are then sold and removed from site by utilising front end loaders and haul trucks. Minimal over burden stripping is conducted through the local contracted load-and-haul company. Drilling and blasting is also conducted through a competent contracted drilling and blasting contractor, based on a rock-on-ground commercial contract. The pit is almost at its final wall on the northern boundary, and for the next 20 years mining activities will involve straightening out these final quarry high walls, expanding the floor and also expanding eastwards. Celliers describes the aggregate Jukskei produces, “Our products range from -8mm crusher sand; to 9.5mm, 13mm and 22mm concrete stone; and to G1 and G5 clear sub- base aggregate, the latter is predominantly used for road construction and sub- structures.” The Jukskei Aggregates operation consists of two different crushing plants situated around the site, A plant and B plant, each of which produces a different sized product. There are also two readymix concrete batching plants situated on site so as to reduce the cost of transport; as well as a laboratory for testing all the aggregate/ ready-mix. “We do daily lab testing of aggregate to pick up if anything is out AfriSam works manager, Daneel Celliers. the geographical area in which it is situated, encroachment of high end residential and commercial property will pose challenges in the near future. As a result, AfriSam has changed its mining methodology, while ensuring compliance with environmental and legislative requirements in the forever changing surroundings. “We also have an evacuation plan when blasting, and close off the top road not permitting vehicles to enter or leave for the duration of blasting,” says Celliers. The commodity mined at Jukskei Quarry is granite with the local reef consisting of granite and reddish de-composed granite. “Our aggregate products are for concrete, base and sub-base material for www.quarryonline.co.za  QUARRY SA | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019_19