SA Mining September/October 2022

ADOPTING A APPROACHCARBON-INTENSIVELESS

Mining has long been viewed as one of the heaviest users of fossil fuels, so it is no surprise that the industry is increasingly seeking new energy alternatives. Many mines are either considering or have already begun using energy from renewable sources.

In this issue, we take a look at the methods –including solar, wind, and green hydrogen – being used, as well as the manner in which mining companies are undertaking such ventures.

The growing trend towards green energy has also seen a shift in emphasis onto base metals, with demand beginning to rise, as the decisions taken at last year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference prioritising the shift to renewable and green energies are responded to.

We note that the importance of base metals has begun to increase, as the demand for these often-overlooked minerals begins to develop – with the Northern Cape tipped to be South Africa’s next big green eco supplier.

Mining equipment has also been affected by these shifts, with the industry recognising that South Africa sees the need to be more efficient and less carbon-intensive in this regard.

Today, the industry is investigating some of the alternative technologies and digital equipment on offer. These include hydrogen technology for mine vehicles, as well as a broader hydrogen economy, digital methods of monitoring and optimisation and the benefits of providing autonomous operation for mining equipment.

We also look into the sustained improvement

seen by Southern African Development Community countries, miners and supply partners with experience on the ground. Miners in the region are enjoying high commodity prices and improved supply chains, despite the global disruptions due to the pandemic.

In addition to these improvements, experienced supply partners are set to have even more significant gains in the coming years in respect of commodities including iron ore, platinum group metals, gold, manganese, cobalt and copper.

The drive towards zero harm is ongoing, and thus the safety, health, environment and quality space has received a lot of attention. We consider the impact of digital technologies, which are significantly improving thisFromarena.digitised safety files that are less resourceintensive and far more effective, to virtual reality training solutions, and on to digital technologies improving blasting safety, with a quick look at some non-digital safety solutions.

We also consider how environmental, social and governance is ultimately about moving beyond a compliance and reporting approach, to one focused on sustainable, profitable growth, as well as the role of carbon tax in driving towards netInzero.our cover story, we blow open some of the myths around the industry’s detrimental effect on the Earth, demonstrating that, with few exceptions, today’s mining operations are designed, developed, operated, and ultimately closed in an environmentally sound manner. ■

MIN NGSA

EDITOR

Rodney Weidemann

Tel: 062 447 7803

Email: rodneyw@samining.co.za

ONLINE EDITOR

Stacey Visser

Tel: 011 280 3671

Email: vissers@businessmediamags.co.za

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Shailendra Bhagwandin

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Email: bhagwandinsh@arena.africa

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS

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PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR

Neesha Klaaste

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Email: neeshak@sahomeowner.co.za

SUB-EDITOR

Andrea Bryce

BUSINESS MANAGER

Claire Morgan

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Rodney Weidemann

The growing trend towards green energy has also seen a shi in emphasis onto base metals. “ “

RECOGNISEDBARRICK

AS KEY PARTNERSOCIO-ECONOMICTOTANZANIA

Barrick Gold Corporation has been recognised as the largest contributor to government revenue in 2021, confirming its position as a key partner in the socio-economic development of Tanzania.President and chief executive Mark Bristow says that since the company took control of North Mara and Bulyanhulu in September 2019, its total in-country investment has totalled $1.995-billion.Inthefirsthalf of this year, it has paid $158-million in taxes, royalties and levies, $42m in distributions to the government in the form of dividends and shareholder loans, and $210m to local suppliers. It has also paid $140m of its $300m settlement with the government.

“When we took over these mines, they were a moribund burden on the government and their investors. Today they are well placed to deliver their annual production guidance and have the potential to produce at least 500 000 ounces of gold annually for more than 10 years, at the lower end of the cost spectrum as a combined complex,” Bristow says.

“We are continuing to replace resources depleted by mining and we are targeting new opportunities as well, increasing our footprint around Bulyanhulu through the acquisition of six highly prospective licences. We’re also updating the geological models in the North Mara region and identifying potential targets elsewhere in Tanzania.”

WÄRTSILÄ ENABLES PRODUCTION EXPANSION FOR LARGEST GOLD MINE IN SENEGAL

The technology group Wärtsilä will supply an 18MW extension to the power-generating facility and upgrade the electrical and automation system of the existing power plant at the SabodalaMassawa gold mine complex in Senegal, West Africa.

The mine is owned by Endeavour Mining, a leading global gold producer, and the upgrading and extension project will allow for the complete integration of all the site’s powergenerating capacity, while ensuring the availability of the needed electric power to maintain and expand the mine’s production schedules.

The Sabodala-Massawa mine is the largest producing gold mine in Senegal and the planned mine expansion will transform Sabodala-Massawa into a top-tier gold asset with incremental production.Thethree Wärtsilä 32 engines to be installed are 20% more fuel-e icient than the plant’s existing engines. Their fuel e iciency minimises the environmental impact by reducing harmful CO2 emissions. In addition to their outstanding performance, they have the flexibility to support a smooth transition to the integration of solar power and energy storage into the system.

The upgrade of the electrical and automation system will optimise the interconnection and control for the existing power plant with the extension. The project is expected to be completed and commissioned before the end of 2023.

IMPERIAL TO ACQUIRE 100% STAKE IN J&J GROUP

Imperial, owned by DP World, is set to complete its 100% acquisition of J&J Group, the largest integrated logistics operator on Mozambique’s Beira corridor. J&J Group o ers end-to-end logistics solutions along the Beira and NorthSouth corridors, specialising in the transport of break-bulk, containerised, project, fuel and out-of-gauge cargo between Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mohammed Akoojee, COO of DP World Logistics and Group CEO at Imperial, notes: “This acquisition complements

our ‘Gateway to Africa’ focus as it optimises and expands our reach in Africa by providing scale in end-to-end crossborder transportation services in key countries and new industries. This is possible through well-established routes, port capabilities, a well-developed asset base, including a fleet and warehousing space, as well as an entrenched customer portfolio.”DPWorld operates nine ports and terminals across eight countries in Africa – Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Somaliland and South Africa.

BOSHOEK SMELTER SUPPORTS LOCAL SMME WITH MACHINERY WORTH OVER R2-MILLION

As part of its drive to develop local businesses from within host communities, the Glencore Ferroalloys Boshoek Smelter operation has donated a 16 000-litre water bozer and a skid steer, worth over R2-million, to Rustenburg-based business Radinku Construction Transport and Allied.

The relationship between the Boshoek Smelter and the local black-owned small, medium and micro enterprise (SMME) began 10 years ago, when the business had a contractual agreement with the smelter to deliver its slag in the Macharora community.

“Wherever we operate, Glencore’s corporate strategy is to establish firm partnerships with local community service providers. We aim to actively foster strategic relationships with local businesses to participate in our supply chain or partner with us. Not doing so would mean we run the risk of operating as an island in a bigger community and that completely goes against our mission of progressing together,” says chief community and social responsibility o icer for Glencore Ferroalloys, Conroy van der Westhuizen.

In addition to the machinery donation, Boshoek Smelter also supported the business with o ice equipment and furniture. Through the support given by Glencore, the business will now be able to employ two more drivers, thus creating more job opportunities and improving the lives of community members.

VIRTUAL REALITY OPENS NEW DOORS FOR ENGINEERING TRAINING

New ground is being broken at the Murray & Roberts Training Academy (MRTA) for cementation, where virtual reality tools are helping learners in engineering fields to understand schematics and diagnose faults on trackless mining machinery.According to Tony Pretorius, education, training and development executive at Murray & Roberts Cementation, the MRTA is probably leading the way in this respect.

“We are pioneering the use of virtual reality (VR) to split circuits in trackless mining machinery, allowing our engineering learners to read schematics and identify components. They can also use the VR platform to identify the flow of hydraulics and perform fault diagnosis.”

Looking at a real machine, he notes that it is di icult for learners to physically see the components making up the di erent circuits – such as the steering and brakes circuit and the drilling and drivetrain circuit. In the VR space, these circuits can be split from each other – with the schematic represented on the actual equipment.

“By hovering over a particular component on your machine, the VR platform will highlight that component on the schematic – allowing the learner to see a complex schematic on the machine itself,” he says, adding that there have already been better results from the learners moving into the practical workshop phase of the course.

The cost of fuel in South Africa has skyrocketed on the back of the global energy crisis, pushing up other operational costs as well. The ZenergiZe range of battery energy storage systems from Atlas Copco o ers a clean, e icient and cost-e ective solution to these challenges by o ering a simpler way to capture and store renewable energy for immediate or later use.

When powered or charged by renewable sources, the energy storage system consumes zero fuel operating in island mode, assisting customers with significantly lower fuel costs. When used as a standalone power source, ZenergiZe produces zero CO2 emissions. These systems also boast zero noise levels owing to their high-density lithium-ion batteries.

Atlas Copco’s large ZenergiZe units can work in parallel with other energy storage systems and act as the “brain” of a microgrid, storing and managing the power coming from the di erent sources and regulating the load for each of the applications associated with the microgrid.

The ZenergiZe units are capable of a remarkable 40 000-hour lifespan. This means more than 5 000 cycles or over 1 600 days of continuous operation without compromising on power. The systems also require virtually no maintenance, further enhancing uptime and availability.

ZenergiZe energy storage systems.

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THAT IMPACT HOW NGOs AND CONSERVATIONISTS PERCEIVE MINING SEVEN MYTHS

By Rodney Weidemann

Mining is known to be very disruptive to the local environment. Historically, mine operations had little, if any, regard for the environment, and were usually abandoned with no thought given to cleaning up the mess once an ore body was depleted.

In fact, notes Niketiwe Dlamini, environmental specialist at Kangra, with a few rogue exceptions today’s mining operations in South Africa are designed, developed, operated and ultimately closed in an environmentally sound manner. On top of that, considerable e ort goes into the continued improvement of environmental legislation.“Inmining today, the term ‘environment’ is broader than just air, water, land, and plant and animal life. It also encompasses the social, economic, and cultural environment and, ultimately, the health and safety conditions of anyone involved with, or a ected by, a given mining activity,” she says.

“NGOs and conservationistsenvironmentalplayacritical role, seeking to strengthen the country’s stance on environmental issues and support e orts to conserve natural resources and protect human and environmental health. However,

in their e ort to conserve the environment, certain myths are perpetuated. Let’s look at some of the critical ones.”

Myth 1: Mining uses excessive amounts of land

In reality, less than 1% of the total land area in any given jurisdiction is allotted for mining operations, and usually far less than that. Even a modest forestry project a ects far more trees than the largest open-pit mine. Mining activities must also meet stringent environmental requirements before a company can even get a licence to operate.

“The assessment process applied to mining operations is very detailed, and based on a long string of standards and regulations that ensures the mining footprint is kept to a minimum. Environmentalist conservation groups may claim that the mining industry takes up a lot of agricultural land, but there’s more than enough evidence to the contrary,” adds Dlamini.

Myth 2: Mining is always detrimental to water supply

“Quite the opposite is true here actually,” she says, “as before mine operations start, a mining company must submit an application for a water-use licence, which will include detailed water studies, which are then evaluated by scientists and government

o icials. The application includes presentation of impacts and mitigation measures and scrutiny of engineering designs, all to ensure minimal impacts to water resources.

“Many organisations, including our group of companies, even install water supply systems in local communities that lack easy access to this basic resource. Some overzealous conservationists blame the mining industry for consuming huge amounts of water, but in fact it normally only uses around 1% of the total water supplied to a given community, and 80% of that water is recycled continuously.”

Acid mine drainage is a consequence of old mining methods and laws that were not environmentally friendly. It’s also common for the rocks being mined to be naturally acidic, generating a problem now being thoroughly addressed during the application process for the water-use licence.

A number of mining operations are investigating and implementing solutions such as reverse osmosis desalination treatment processes, and post-closure passive treatment options, to manage unavoidable decant and seepage and protect water resources.

Myth 3: Mining is invasive to the natural environment

CARING FOR COMMUNITIES

Obviously, mining activity has led to negative outcomes for certain plants and animals, says Dlamini, not to mention the rocks themselves, which are blasted and hauled away. However, the industry has progressed a long way in the past few decades, and apart from rare accidents, the worst is behind us now.

“The key determinant here is compliance. All mining activity must comply with strict environmental guidelines, leading up to and during operations, and also following mine closure. A er mining activity ends, the company is required to rehabilitate the land. In some cases, the land is remediated into forests or farmland. Financial provisions are made to the regulator before any mining activities occur, to ensure rehabilitation is completed to required standards.”

Myth 4: Mining and exploration poses a threat to our food security

“The fact is that agriculture still takes up 79.4% of land use, with other land uses being forest and woodlands, urban built-up land, wetlands, grasslands, barren rocks, water bodies and more. Mining actually takes up less than 1% of land use,” she says.

“According to Statistics South Africa, in the past 24 years, only 2.1% of agricultural land has been lost. Furthermore, over the

years, mining activities have decreased. There are 526 registered mines in South Africa, of which 192 are operational. The impacts of all exploration and mining activities are assessed under the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014 (as amended), including impacts on agricultural land.”

Myth 5: Land owners have no rights

Mining companies can’t compulsorily acquire property – there are no provisions in any legislation that allow for this. Land owners can refuse mining on the surface of their land where it contains agricultural land or other significant improvements, such as houses and gardens. Land owners can negotiate the terms of exploration on their land. Their land cannot be accessed for exploration before an agreement between explorers and landholders is reached.

Myth 6: Mining and farming can’t coexist

“One of the misconceptions in the current debate about mining, exploration and farming is that that the existence of one negates the other. This is not, and should never be, the case. Traditional mining practices have coexisted with agriculture and tourism for about 200 years and will continue to do so,” she says.

“We know mining does have an impact on

the land it uses, and we work hard to manage these impacts because coexistence between key industries is the only way to ensure local communities continue to grow and prosper.”

Myth 7: Land is useless when mining is finished

Before any mine is launched, says Dlamini, a closure plan must be submitted and approved by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy. Many mines across SA have been rehabilitated to create forest plantations, recreation, grazing and farm land.“The Minerals Council South Africa’s guidelines for the rehabilitation of mined land – although not promulgated in local legislation – remains a key document used throughout the mining industry towards reinstating post-mining land capabilities to the pre-mining landscape.

“Ultimately, while there is no denying that mining has significant impacts on the environment, current practices and legislation have reduced this significantly, and it is these practices and laws that have helped bust the myths outlined above,” she says.

■

1%: the amount of community water an average mine uses. Some 80% of this is recycled continuously.

Kangra water project.

Traditional mining practices have coexisted with agriculture and tourism for about 200 years and will continue to do so.

– Dlamini

“ “

Mining actually takes up less than 1% of land use.

CAN MINING BE RENEWABLE?MADE

Mines, traditionally heavy users of fossil fuels, are increasingly seeking new forms of energy. Itumeleng Mogaki speaks to mining industry experts about the most popular forms of renewable energy being considered by the sector

By Itumeleng Mogaki

The mining industry is one of the heaviest users of Eskom’s electricity. Clearly, then, the impact of load shedding has been felt by this industry in a major way, so it is no surprise to learn that many are considering a shi to renewable energy.

According to Andrew van Zyl, director, partner, and principal consultant at SRK Consulting, mines are considering, and in many cases already, using energy from renewable sources. This includes solar, wind, and green hydrogen, supplemented with pumped storage.

“The low-hanging fruit for decarbonising mining in South Africa is clearly to replace its coal-generated electricity with renewablegenerated electricity. Companies are doing this in several ways: by developing their own solar or wind generating capacity, partnering with energy providers, or broadening their corporate mandates to acquire businesses specialised in renewable energy,” says Van Zyl.

In addition to solar and wind farms, he says mines are also looking at using their underground and surface infrastructure for pumped hydroelectric energy storage.

“By using deep vertical sha s, or even steep topography on the surface, the potential energy of water can be harnessed by hydroelectric turbines during peak hours. This water is pumped back to height during hours of low energy demand.”

He says these options allow mines to reduce their scope 2 carbon emissions simply and relatively quickly, by replacing highcarbon electricity from Eskom.

“At the same time, they aim to achieve cost benefits and better security of supply. Importantly, this could relieve some load shedding for other customers,” says Van Zyl.

RENEWABLE CHALLENGESTRANSFORMATIONANDSOLUTIONS

He says a more challenging technological path is being pioneered to replace diesel engines in large mining haul trucks. “The

– Van Zyl “ “

Hydrogen is an extremely exciting fuel, with high energy density and potential for enhancing transport applications.

launch earlier this year of the first ‘hydrogen truck’ on a large SA platinum mine suggests a promising way forward to reduce carbon emissions related to diesel engines by as much as 80%. To enhance its renewable basis, this solution must use renewable energy to produce ‘green hydrogen’.”

He further explains that developing and applying this kind of technology is harder to do than simply switching the source of electricity.“Successfully replacing diesel power with hydrogen or battery power will require a significant reconfiguration of the traditional supply chain. Even once the development challenges have been overcome, and the capital viability proved, there will still be the need to ramp up manufacturing. This needs to reach a rate that meets demand from mines.”Healso suggests that most renewable energy initiatives in the short term will feed into the mines’ existing electricity supply network, and will thus be feeding a range of onsite functions, such as hoisting, cooling, minerals processing, conveyors, and o ice facilities.Janice Foster, market managing director – energy at engineering and infrastructure advisory firm Zutari, believes it is imperative for the mining industry to reduce its reliance on carbon-intensive energy sources. “This is a problem likely to be with us for the

SHELL EFFICIENCYSOLUTIONS:LUBRICANTUNLOCKINGINMINING

Lubricants can deliver significant business value by contributing to improved productivity and reduced costs. Shell Lubricant Solutions has worked with customers to develop and distribute a Mine Lubrication Opportunity Survey to identify key points where lubrication can unlock the most value. Improvement opportunities are then implemented after careful collaboration between the customer and Shell Lubricant Solutions.

Over the last five years, Shell Lubricant Solutions has documented projects that delivered over $139 million in customer savings – $43 million of which was achieved by mining companies. These savings represent only a fraction of the real-world total, which could be as much as 10 times higher. These figures indicate great potential for a reduction in total cost of ownership (TCO) and industry-wide increases in

Effectiveproductivity.engine

lubrication is critical to protect expensive equipment and reduce downtime due to frequent oil changes, maintenance, or even component failures.

Below are some of the ways in which Shell Lubricant Solutions creates business value in mining.

Shell Remote Sense

Time is of the essence in oil condition monitoring. Shell Remote Sense complements and enhances traditional oil monitoring services and can be fitted to a wide range of equipment, including engines, gearboxes, axles, and hydraulic systems. The sensors provide real-time alerts and transmit diagnostics while the equipment is operational, which means there is no need for service interruptions. Small issues can be caught and attended to before they can become big problems.

Shell LubeExpert

The Lubricant Service Experts are highly trained technicians that spend most of their time at customer sites, inspecting critical machinery (like excavators, draglines, shovels, mills, and kilns) and identifying potential lubrication issues. They also instruct customers on the need for preventive maintenance, which can lead to millions of dollars in savings and can help avoid major breakdowns.

Shell LubeMatch

A free online tool that provides instant lubricant recommendations for a wide variety of vehicles. Available online (www.shell.com/ lubematch) or as a mobile app. The most robust oil selector tool in the market, available in 138 countries and 21 languages.

Shell LubeCoach

A customised training programme, led by Shell technical experts with substantial field experience. It offers practical coaching to customers’ staff on lubricant management techniques.

Shell LubeAnalyst

A global oil and equipment monitoring service that helps customers assess lubricant condition, identify potential problems, and benchmark equipment performance against comparable oil samples from around the world. Available in 95 countries and 28 languages, it has more than 60,000 users worldwide, and analyses over 750,000 samples a year. The service allows customers to monitor equipment without interrupting operations, and provides guidance on interpretation of results.

Shell LubeAdvisor

A cost-effective, efficient, and non-invasive service aimed at companies that want to prevent breakdowns and unscheduled maintenance. This state-of-the-art fibre-optic tool enables inspection of key internal engine components, including difficult-to-access areas such as the cylinder head, valves, cylinder walls and pistons, without dismantling the engine. Access is gained through the injector, glow, or spark plug. Technical staff will provide a detailed condition assessment, including recommended actions.

A global collaborative network strengthens the innovation capabilities of the Shell Lubricant Solutions Research & Development teams. These R&D teams reside in Technology Centers in Shanghai, Hamburg, and Houston. We are committed to delivering value to customers and thus we invest significant resources in developing new lubricants, greases, and digital solutions.

near future. It is both the energy security challenge, as well as the requirement to reduce the carbon footprint of our energy supply.”Sheadds that Eskom’s Just Energy Transition (JET), established in 2020 to progress the evolution of the transition to a cleaner and greener energy future, is probably the most important consideration from a local perspective.

“The bulk of our power supply is still coal-based. As we transition away from fossil fuels, we need to ensure there are opportunities for participation of all stakeholders, especially the thousands employed in the coal mining industry,” says Foster.

POTENTIAL IMPACT OF A HYDROGEN ECONOMY

Hydrogen is an extremely exciting fuel, with high energy density and potential for enhancing transport applications, according to Van“TheZyl.hydrogen fuel cell has been applied to motor vehicles, and just recently, a mining truck. However, the inclusion of batteries into solutions using hydrogen does present the problem of weight, especially in very heavy mining haulage applications.

“Solutions to the weight problem include either further progress in the generation of green hydrogen and the use of fuel cells in mining trucks, or in reducing the weight of the batteries required. This could be achieved either through development of more e icient batteries or facilitating the charging of the batteries during haulage,” he says.External communication principal at Anglo American Platinum, Nomonde

Ndwalaza, says the hydrogen economy is a big focus area for the company.

“From the perspective of clean energy, as well as new commercial uses for platinum group metals , we have spent significant time and money investing in industry e orts to make it a viable reality,” says Ndwalaza.

“Our recently launched hydrogen truck is a concrete example of this commitment. We plan to replace our entire fleet of trucks at Mogalakwena with green hydrogen, produced from solar energy onsite.”

The Mogalakwena solar project is in addition to Anglo American’s broader renewable energy plan to add 3GW to 5GW of renewable energy to the grid in SA, thereby adding much-needed electricity capacity and reducing carbon emissions.

Ndwalaza notes that the hydrogen truck is also an anchor investment in the proposed hydrogen valley the company has been working on with government and other private sector partners.

“The aim is to establish a hydrogen valley stretching from Mogalakwena, along the key trade corridors, to Johannesburg and Durban. This will provide alternative energy sources to a variety of projects in di erent industries, and reduce emissions,” she says.

GOVERNMENT’S ENERGY ACTION PLAN: A POSITIVE OUTLOOK

Commenting on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s new energy action plan, announced in July to address the country’s energy crisis, Foster says the plan sends a strong and positive message across the board, from the mining sector to transportation and other heavy power consumption industries.

“What is great about the president’s new action plan is that he has opened

the energy challenge to a shared solution with opportunities for everyone to have an impact, no matter how big or small.”

Foster says: “A highlight of the plan is doubling the new generation capacity for wind and solar power for Bid Window 6 of the Renewable Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) from 2 600MW to 5 200MW, of which Zutari has supported client projects in all REIPPPP Bid Windows to date, including the latest.”

At Anglo American Platinum, Ndwalaza suggests they have welcomed the president’s action plan to stabilise SA’s electricity utility and to adopt wide-ranging reforms to bring on the additional capacity required to ensure energy

“Withsecurity.thesereforms, SA has an opportunity to address its energy crisis and manage its just energy transition in a manner that positions the country for future growth and resilience,” says Ndwalaza.

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FAST FACT

Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ dual electrification strategy, based on battery-electric and fuel cell-electric trucks, aims for more than half of new vehicles sold in Europe to be emissionby

During the fossil fuels transition, we need to ensure there are opportunities for participation of all stakeholders, especially those employed in the coal mining industry. – Foster “ “

EQUIPMENTSKILLSALIGNINGAND

The Dover Test© is a computermanaged skills test designed for operators of earthmoving equipment, and was developed in and for the mining industry, covering the skills needed for both surface and underground operations.

Developed by Dr Nick Christodoulou, owner of Dover Systems, in 1986, the Dover Test is a Health Professions Council of South Africa-approved test of psychomotor skills and“Thecompetency.originof the skills test goes back to the 1960s, and is the mechanisation of assessment for safety, productivity and relevance. Recent studies by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and various universities point to a causal link between the psychomotor skill set of machine operators, accident/incidents, and safety,” says “MechanisationChristodoulou.isabigpart of the mining world today. A variety of studies have been done, both locally and internationally, to establish a baseline for safe and e ective mechanised mining methods.”

He explains that human error was reported as being 45% responsible for a large number of fatalities (Bonsu et al, 2017). The accidents are all categorised in the grouping of slips and lapses (attention and

concentration), violations (attitudinal) and bona fide mistakes (actions and reactions). These combine the notions of fit-for-purpose equipment and competent people (Bullock, 1979).Inthis context, he continues, the careful selection of operator skills that are aligned with the equipment to be used becomes paramount. SA Reportable

Accident Statistics (Mining Safety, 2007 – an article from Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy) includes machinery, transport etc. Mistakes, either as a development, or as procedural, account for 43% of reports, followed by other rule violations (Bonsu et al, 2017). Lenke et all (2011) report skill-based errors as factors. This includes psychological possibilities

These tests provide an overall potential of accuracy of action and risk identification in a fit-for-work mechanised environment. “ “

Matching operator to equipment is essential.

The importance of having competent operators for large mining machines cannot be overstated. Fortunately, there is an objective test that has been developed to test the skills and assess the competence of individual operators

and making equipment unfit for use by modification.“Trainingand competence are also recognised as major systemic problems. This recognises the requirement for competencies to be established as a primary need to training and machine operation. This speaks directly to safety and risk management.”

LOCAL STUDIES

“The role of an objective and valid instrument – The Dover Test© – becomes important in this context. Early identification of the lack or absence of the necessary skills opens the pathway to future problem prevention. The role of such a psychological assessment battery in mechanised mining was developed in 1986. Dover was given a brief by a local platinum group metals mine to develop a battery of psychological tests to skill their operator group suitably for mechanisedAccordingequipment.”toChristodoulou, a local study was completed using potential operators for underground equipment, in Brits, North West. A control group was studied at Kiruna Mine in Sweden, using the same mechanised equipment. The mine used standard mechanical and fitness criteria to select the potential trainees.

“The Dover Test© was used as a culturefree and skill-relevant test, using a group of five sub-tests and an overall rating of good, average or poor scoring. These tests measured the capacities identified with regard to recognition and reaction, attention and concentration, coordination and estimation of movement, and general insight,” he says.

“These tests provide an overall potential of accuracy of action and risk identification in a fit-for-work mechanised environment. The control study in Sweden and Germany – being the countries of origin of the equipment – helped to create the profile of a ‘Good’, ‘Average’ or ‘Poor/Problematic’ candidate.”Thisprofiling established the Dover Test© as a reliable, valid and contextually meaningful means of assessment, he continues. The test has since been adopted by the major mining houses, as well as incorporated in the South African labour legislation for mechanised mining (Government Gazette 38493, par 8.10.23, February 2015). Here physical and psychological fitness is required.

A er he developed the required values and responses in 1986, he says the Dover Test© was introduced to various large mining houses.

“The test batteries were subjected to scrutiny by the Human Sciences Research Council in 1992 and 1995. A high test/ retest correlation was also found with the individual sub-tests. These tests substantiated the decision-making hypotheses and objective measurement of the Dover Test©,” says Christodoulou.

Dover has since developed a bi-annual set of norms for the di erent groups. These are incorporated in the test batteries.

HELP AND TRAINING

The Dover Test© (registered with HPCSA #18/11/101, July 2018) is a computer-based skills measurement test. Christodoulou points out that the object of the test is to identify an overall skill potential – measured and reported as percentage of accurate responses – in an objective environment. The various A, B and C candidates are identified overall, but individual strengths and weaknesses can also be identified.

“Many companies use the test as an inhouse-based assessment for selection. This covers recruitment, as well as reassessment of skill levels on an annual basis. Training on the implementation is a vital component of the supply of the test equipment. This is done practically or virtually, depending on the client’s situation.

Operator competence is vital.

“While the administration of psychological tests is permitted by law, the interpretation of psychological tests is a function reserved for registered psychologists and psychometrists, and professionals working with people.”

He notes that Dover is therefore compliant in the work as set out by the Equities Act, Labour Law and HPCSA. Dover is o en asked by clients who have already purchased the Dover Test System to assist with training, how to administer the tests as well as interpretation thereof.

“Training is onsite or online. For first-time users we recommend onsite training.”

Dover also has a machine operator guide, which is used by many companies to define the categories of equipment best suited to the candidate. “These have been developed with industry input and matching test results,” says Christodoulou.

The Dover Test© provides information around the potential risk and repercussion of accidents/fatal incidents that may occur, and even potentially the legal implications. Dover provides clients with proper training to ensure that the clients are well informed and

act within the law. In fact, he says, legal and union issues have been successfully resolved using the Dover Test©.

“Dover is by far the leader in the market when it comes to such services. The company conducts research on mines and other industries, confirming the validity of the Dover Test© for SA conditions and the SA market, as well as in international sites. Norms, updated bi-annually, training videos and seminars keep our users on track with changing environments and needs. All sta are qualified and Dover is also approved by universities to provide internships for psychometrists.“Itisnosurprise to learn that Dover is the preferred supplier for a number of mining houses and rail services, as well as in the construction, transport and aviation industries, and across the public and private sectors. We operate locally and internationally, with a ‘standby’ help desk. We o er our tests and reports in various languages, and it should also be highlighted that reports will also be made available on a central database/cloud storage platform,” he says.

■

■ Taylor (2013) reports that mining fatalities are a real factor in the industries. This is a global figure assessment, which includes conventional and mechanised data.

■ Mechanisation is a major advancement in the industry, which needs to take into account a di erent human factor to that of traditional mining.

■ Despite the developments, according to mining safety, there has been an increase in fatalities and accidents in South African mines, which includes mechanisation and transport (both underground and surface).

For more info visit our /Doverwww.doversystems.co.zawebsiteorcontactSystemsondover@iafrica.com+27(11)886-1400/1

The test has been adopted by the major mining houses, and incorporated into South African labour law. “ “

E ective assessments reduce human error.

MECHANISATION AND ACCIDENTS

WHY ESG HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT

Environmental, social and governance is ultimately about moving beyond a compliance and reporting approach, to one focused on sustainable, profitable growth

By Rodney Weidemann

Environmental, social and governance is a measurement framework that the market expects from companies and their products and services. ESG measures the impact a company has on the environment within society, while and a er providing its products/services.AccordingtoMinnette Le Roux, an environmental specialist at NSDV, it is required of JSE-listed companies to disclose their ESG impact. When it comes to mining, just ticking the environmental compliance boxes can prove a few jabs shy of boxing clever. The initial saving is real enough, but there are equally real, and significantly greater, rewards to be had further down the line, by taking a more holistic and forwardlooking“Environmentalapproach.  management is a multidisciplinary activity in which the competing interests of the economy, the environment, and people’s quality of life need to be balanced, to satisfy the needs and aspirations of all people and future generations,” she Environmentalsays. lawis infused with notions of equity, transformation, redress and justice. These notions play a critical role in

current environmental management and will play a critical role in future environmental management. In the first place, these laws provide a safety net should developments fail to address an environmental problem. Secondly, environmental law can act as a brake on any development that harms the environment. Finally, environmental law provides a right to people to participate in the environmental decision process.

“There are consequences to not having environmental law. For example, it will result in developments taking place without securing an ecological sustainable development and use of the natural resources, hindering justifiable sustainable economic and social development,” says Le Roux.

Her colleague Nicolas Marsay, NSDV’s ESG and circular economy specialist, says civil society’s opposition to large businesses infringing on their rights and environmental laws are only as strong as the legislation of that country allows for. A weak environmental legislative framework will pose less of a “safety net” for people to oppose an environmental problem or prevent a development from harming the environment.

“For African countries to strengthen their environmental laws and provide civil society with a stronger voice, they should actively participate in the negotiations and ratification of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs),” he says.

By participating in MEAs, African countries would be encouraged to formulate environmental laws that encourage the establishment of environmental policy goals to for example:

■ Protect and improve the health, environment and livelihoods of the people of Africa with priority to the poor majority.

■ Preserve the natural heritage, biodiversity and life-supporting ecosystems in Africa.

■ Support regional economic development on an equitable and sustainable basis for the benefit of present and future

“Ourgenerations.advice is to adopt the holistic approach now by partnering with an environmental, social and corporate governance team of specialists, to co-create a sustainable and profitable ecosystem for your venture – a model that lends itself to doing good while also making good business sense, and that’ll prove truly transformative in more ways than one,” says Marsay.

NET ZERO AND THE ROLE OF CARBON TAX

Nirvasha Singh, partner, Carryn Alexander, partner and Amanda Nkwanyana, associate at Webber Wentzel, note that a reduction in carbon emissions is integral to South Africa’s global commitment to achieve net zero.

The South African government strategically introduced carbon tax to combat global warming by encouraging a low carbon economy. The structure of the carbon tax legislation incentivises compliance to convert to green sooner rather than later – particularly those sectors that are typically heavy carbon emitters.

Carbon tax was introduced in a phased manner, starting with a relatively modest rate, together with transitional support and exemptions. Currently, companies are entitled to carbon tax allowances of up to 95% to assist financially in transitioning their operations to low carbon and cleaner technologies. However, these allowances will not remain for all three phases.

In the 2022 Budget, government announced its intention to ramp up the carbon price and strengthen the price signals to promote behaviour changes over the short, medium and long term. It proposed increases in the carbon tax rate for the 2023 to 2025 tax periods by a minimum of US$1, increasing gradually to US$20 in 2026 and at

least US$30/tCO₂e in 2030.

Additional short-term tax relief was introduced by government through the energy-efficiency savings tax incentive, which provides a tax deduction equivalent to the monetary value of actual energyefficiency savings (kWh) achieved, subject to a certificate of approval issued by the South African National Energy Development Institute.

It is proposed that this incentive be available until 1 January 2026, for relief from the proposed higher carbon tax margin, to encourage companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help stimulate new energy-efficient practices and industries during this period. Companies must rapidly take advantage of this temporary relief by transforming their activities through investments in energy efficiency, renewables, and other low-carbon measures with the aim of reducing their carbon footprint.

Investing in low-carbon energy sources will help to fulfil any business’s ESG obligations. Commitment to ESG principles is important for many reasons – including attracting investors and talent. ESG-focused investments can also importantly reduce your carbon tax liability – and the savings are greater for early adopters.

While paying extra tax is inevitably

resented, monitoring and controlling carbon emissions is more than just a tax obligation. It is fundamental to everyone’s commitment to achieving South Africa’s sustainability through a low-carbon and circular economy.

It is also worth noting that the new global clean energy economy has made way for industrial opportunities in strategic alternative minerals such as platinum, vanadium, titanium, cobalt, copper, manganese, chromium and lithium. The exploration of these alternatives will lead to a reduction in emissions and pollution levels, which will also lead to a reduction in carbon footprint, and thus a reduction in a business’s carbon tax liability. n

The carbon tax allowances companies are entitled to in order to assist financially in transitioning their operations to low carbon and technologiescleaner

Up to 95%

The structure of the carbon tax legislation incentivises compliance to convert to green sooner rather than later.

– Webber Wentzel “ “

ADDRESSING THE PPE GENDER GAP

The limited availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) for women is a critical workplace health and safety issue. In addition to undermining e orts to protect worker health and safety, a lack of adequate PPE can be a barrier to equality in the workplace for women.

Essentially, inadequate PPE means that women entering “non-traditional” fields, such as engineering, mining and construction are unable to perform their jobs safely and e ectively.

UNEQUAL FOOTING FROM THE OUTSET

Every day there are women in our workforce being issued with ill-fitting men’s safety footwear and PPE. In many industries, women are forced to make do. Some women, particularly those who work on predominantly male sites, are reluctant to draw attention to their special needs.

By Desiree Hlubi Brand Manager at Sisi Safety Wear

With a relatively small female component in occupations that are non-traditional, many manufacturers are reluctant to invest in the necessary research and development to produce correctly sized and proportioned products. The result, ill-fitting protective equipment that can jeopardise the health and safety of female workers and their co-workers.

WOMEN MUST BE FITTED, AND NOT JUST FIT IN In 2015, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy amended the Mine Health and Safety Act to include guidelines for a mandatory code of practice on the provision of PPE for women in mining.

Setting a stellar example for other risk-intensive industries to follow, these guidelines noted that the selection, provision, and use of PPE in the workplace should not only be based on hazard identification and risk assessment processes, but should incorporate ergonomic and comfort aspects of users so as to guarantee PPE e iciency for all workers.

Such an approach ensures that specific female anthropometries (measurable size and physiological di erences) are adequately accommodated. By taking the female anatomy into consideration when designing and manufacturing PPE, it is possible to ensure that women are properly protected against workplace hazards, and they can perform to the best of their abilities, without additional worry.

COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR INCLUSIVITY

As more women enter risk-intensive industries and join the relevant

unions, it will become important for these unions to use their collective bargaining power to properly represent their constituents.

More manufacturers need to take into account the changing nature of the labour force and realise that they have a duty to make available adequate protection for every worker with a PPE requirement.Employers also have a duty to action the policies made by lawmakers to ensure workplace safety. This is because meeting the PPE needs of women is not just an occupational safety requirement, it is essentially an employment equity issue.

Collectively, employers, unions and manufacturers can begin addressing the PPE gender gap by:

■ Undertaking PPE needs surveys in the workplace to learn about the problem areas of fit and comfort, and to gauge the true ergonomic and comfort requirements of women.

■ Ensuring that buyers seek out PPE providers who o er products in women’s sizes and fits, and that buyers only deal with product/ sales representatives who are knowledgeable in the proper fitting of PPE, for both men and women.

■ Being specific about size requirements of employees when ordering from suppliers – no more bulk orders of one-size-fits-all equipment.

■ Fitting and assigning each worker with PPE on an individual basis and ensuring that the proper size range is kept on hand at all times.

■ Involving workers in the process of choosing specific items they require, which means allowing them to try two or three model variations to determine which o ers the best fit and comfort.

■ Working with health and safety committees, health and safety representatives, and union representatives on PPE issues.

■ Networking with other stakeholders in the industry with similar needs to arrange to purchase collectively where the price of smaller sizes in limited quantities is prohibitive.

■ Working with manufacturers in the research and development of female-specific products.  Equality does not mean treating men and women the same. When it comes to PPE, equality means acknowledging the di erences between men and women, and catering to these di erences so that both are properly equipped for the task at hand. This is a small step towards levelling the playing field, but it sends a powerful message of inclusivity to all players in the industry.

■

The limited availability of personal protective equipment for women, particularly those entering “non-traditional” fields such as engineering, mining and construction, means they are unable to perform their jobs safely and effectively

traditionsTermsNEC3/4.and apply.

Cheerfully for the construction clients we’re proud to call partners here at NSDV, the South African government has proven to have as great a penchant for NEC 3/4 contracts as we do. While they can present unique challenges –the contracts, that is – working alongside people who know them backwards is your surest bet if saving costs, time and undue stress appeals.

Our familiarity with governmental infrastructure roll-out processes has also proven to be a significant plus for clients looking to ensure their operations are implemented as expeditiously as possible… and speaking of expeditious: we’re so anxious for you to start benefitting ASAP that we’ve developed a free NEC3/4 for Newbies tip series.

To access our free NEC3/4 for Newbies tip series, or if your building contracts could use further structural assistance, visit us at nsdv.co.za

OF BASE METALS IN AN GREENEMERGINGECONOMY

The growing trend towards green energy has seen a shift in emphasis onto base metals, with demand beginning to rise

By Benjamin van der THEVeen RISE

The importance of base metals has always fallen behind that of valuable minerals such as platinum group metals (PGMs). However, with the agreements made over previous UN Climate Change Conferences Of Parties (COPs), including COP26, prioritising the shi to renewable and green energies, the importance of base metals has begun to increase as the demand for these o en-overlooked minerals begins to develop.

Speaking to Gravitas Minerals MD Tebogo Kale in order to further understand the rise in importance of base metals, he says: “To expand on the importance of base metals in the renewable market, our state is struggling with provision of electricity from Eskom, so there will definitely be an uptick in base metal demand. And we are already seeing it in the prices. Nickel is expensive. Zinc is picking up, with old mines in the Northern Cape, such as PRCA that were deemed closed, now being reopened.”

NICKEL’S BACK

A research paper published by S&P Global Market Intelligence further backs the increase of nickel and other base metals. The paper states: “Nickel prices have climbed since April 2021, propelled by favourable demand and supply fundamentals, and positive sentiment around future demand for nickel – primarily for use in batteries.

“The extraordinary AISC margin in 2021 was driven mostly by the surging nickel price and increased by-product credits from platinum group metals. The average AISC margin for primary nickel mines rose sharply to $2.67/lb in 2021, supported by a realised nickel price that increased 27.2% year over year, to $7.97/lb, despite a 14.6% rise in the average AISC, to $5.31/lb.”

Kale further emphasises South Africa’s ability to correctly use its available base minerals, suggesting that in his view, we are busy depleting minerals. When you look at our infrastructure and everything else, he notes, there is base metal in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South

Africa. We should be readying ourselves for tier two manufacturing, where we would get resources from Africa flowing down to us. And down here, we’ve got the industrialisation to make finished green technology products.

“By creating a renewable industry, we will need more energy, and this is where the combination of green energy and traditional coal energy will be crucial in South Africa’s future within the green sector,” he says.

“In terms of base metals, Northern Cape is the next big green eco supplier in this country – that’s my view. There’s zinc, iron ore, lead, and cadmium. At Gravity, as we are readying ourselves for manganese that goes into batteries, and the Northern Cape has 80% of the world’s manganese.”

BASE METALS WITHIN BATTERY TECHNOLOGY

Base metals are fundamental in creating batteries to supply power to electric vehicles (EVs), infrastructure and mines. While the world is focused on lithium-ion batteries as a

SA’S CENTRE OF THE GREEN ECONOMY

The future of South Africa’s green economy can be found in the Northern Cape, which is populated with one of the world’s most extensive supplies of base metals and minerals. Gravitas Minerals MD Tebogo Kale believes that the Northern Cape will be the next big green eco supplier.

For South Africa to truly capitalise on base minerals within the green sector, he says, it needs to invest in the industrialisation of green technologies and the upli ment and education of communities and focus on “collaboration and co-creation, which is the new innovation”.

primary energy storage device, SA Mining spoke to Shane Bradshaw from Energy Management SA, to understand further the di erent types of batteries used within the renewable sector.

Bradshaw explains the limitations and di erences between lithium-ion batteries and dry-state graphite batteries. “When it comes to lithium-ion batteries, there are health and safety issues that come with the chemical reaction used to generate energy. When the batteries overheat, this can result in lithium runaway.“Other limitations that lithium-ion batteries have is in their life cycle, which is limited to 6 000 cycles. This may seem like a lot, but only really provides 10 years of functionality, dependant on how much the batteries are being charged and the temperature range in which they are being charged – with the optimal being 25°C and 45°C.”This, he adds, means that the lifetime of these batteries can drastically change in extreme temperatures and atmospheric changes. “Dry-state graphite batteries are commonly referred to by the market as super-caps. These, by nature, are charged by

static. This means an inrush of current, and then, when you discharge it, it’ll outrush the current at 100% when not in a controlled environment.”

GRAPHENE IS GREAT

Graphene is the new buzzword around the market, he notes. Everybody is talking about graphene. You can store a lot of energy in it, but you hardly control the energy flow that you’re holding in the graphene.

“And this is why battery Iithium-ion technology is so important. The graphite has static discharges, and through the battery management system, the dry-state battery works like a lithium battery. The di erence is there’s no chemical involved in the reaction,” Bradshaw says.

To further understand how super-caps work, he says there is 7% lithium in the entire battery, and the lithium is used to control the electrolyte between the layers of the graphite. “The major benefit of dry-state batteries is that they do not experience any limitations that lithium-ion batteries experience. You can pierce this. You can hit it. It operates minus 42 to plus 80°C and isn’t

a ected by atmospheric pressure changes.”

Another benefit to super-caps are their life cycles, which are currently marketed at 35 000 cycles, far surpassing the average life cycle of lithium-ion batteries, even ones operated in optimal environments.

Bradshaw mentions a complete decarbonisation project that he is working on. The project consists of turning a mining town that hasn’t been operational for the past five years into a completely green and self-sustainable mine using photovoltaic panels. This will operate dry-state batteries powered by PV energy, and o er the ability to farm underneath the solar farm created by these panels, to supply 427 houses, as well as theSpeakingmine. about the project, he notes the capability of the dry-state graphite batteries: “The graphite batteries are going be drawing heavy currents for the mine side, which lithium cannot provide. The dry-state batteries are going to be there for the next 20 to 25 years. But as the energy market grows, we will start looking at using vanadium batteries to help mines achieve their decarbonisation requirements.” ■

In terms of base metals, Northern Cape is the next big green eco supplier in this country. Kale “

SUCCESS IN SADC

By Benjamin van der Veen

The sustained improvement seen by Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, miners and supply partners with experience on the ground is resulting in significant gains, with more to come in the following years.

Miners in the region are enjoying high commodity prices and improved supply chains, despite the global disruptions due to the pandemic. In addition to these improvements, experienced supply partners are set to have even more significant gains in the coming years.

Vital commodities include iron ore, platinum group metals, gold, manganese, cobalt and copper. These commodities are currently benefiting both South Africa and Zambia. Improving prospects for diamonds, uranium and coal also make for some optimism in countries like Botswana, Namibia and Angola. In the longer term, there is a hopeful outlook for platinum and other minerals in Zimbabwe.

“The key to mining success in the region, however, lies not with commodity prices; these will always be cyclical and unpredictable. It resides really in the institutionalised knowledge of the companies that operate here, and their understanding of how to respond constructively to the prevailing conditions and future trends,” states Ralf Hennecke, BME’s managing director.

DEALING WITH SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES

Among these considerations is supply chain security. As a supplier of critical mining inputs like explosives, BME o en deals with supply chain issues such as weak infrastructure or border e iciency. It is hoped that through constructive dialogue, gradual improvements in supply chains can be ascertained, a ecting the cost of doing business in these economies.

industry players with a long heritage in SADC can draw more readily on their business networks to implement this vision. They will also see the value in preparing to meet localisation imperatives.

While some countries in the region have well-developed regulatory frameworks on this score, others are yet to implement their plans. It will be vital to be well informed of future business demands and plan decisively. These in-country partnerships also imply investment in local infrastructure and skills transfer to build capacity in the local supply chains on which mines are built.

Another consideration is evolving regulations on local business participation and a heightened concern with safety and environmental impact. Responsible mining companies have embraced these principles, and it has long been standard for service providers to align with the stringent expectation of zero harm.

As the mining sector strives towards shared value, practical empowerment measures call for more proactive partnerships with in-country entities. Those

A firm understanding of compliance requirements goes together with building a secure value chain that delivers fit-forpurpose solutions. Only if a mine can rely on receiving the inputs it needs can it generate a secure future for itself and its host communities.Itisworthadding that mines are generally well supported by their key suppliers when it comes to achieving their social licence to operate, including the engagement and upli ment of host communities. In-country partnerships also allow companies to build capacity in the local supply chains.

INVESTMENTS IN ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe has seen a profound development investment within its platinum group metals sector, with Zimplats investing $80-million into one of Zimbabwe’s largest mines.

After recently completing a nearly $100m reconstruction project of the Bimha Mine, Zimplats is investing an additional $80m into the mine. The recent investment will upgrade the Bimha Mine.

The company’s chief executive officer, Alex Mhembere, says: “The redevelopment of Bimha Mine was completed within budget at $99.8m. The upgrading of Bimha Mine is progressing well, targeting achievement of 3.1 million tonnes per annum in the first quarter of ZimplatsFY2024.”isalso upgrading the Mupani Mine, which is targeted to produce 2.2 million tonnes per annum on completion in 2025, ramping up to 3.6 million tonnes per annum in 2027. The business has invested as much as $166.9m in the project as of the end of December, from an approved project budget of $388m.

RETHINKING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES

In line with global trends, mining in Southern Africa is seeing the active acceptance of environmental and commercial sustainability. A decrease in greenfield investment opportunities, paired with higher ecological and regulatory hurdles to starting new mines, has increased the focus on improving operational efficiencies.

It is also a direction driven strongly by technological innovation. As the sector pursues the goal of intelligent mining operations, the region’s miners are applying

digital tools to streamline activities, raising efficiencies and reducing carbon emissions.

We are seeing this first-hand in the blasting sector, notes Hennecke, where software, electronic detonators and other digital tools are constantly fine-tuning the quality of blasting and the productive impact on how mines work.

By ensuring better fragmentation, for instance, energy use is optimised in downstream functions like loading and comminution – leading to less power consumption and a lighter carbon footprint.

However, few of these innovations can be achieved without decades of experience in the field, where mines and technology providers can develop and apply their technical insights. Nowhere is this currently more telling than in the area of data generation, gathering and analysis.

As mines leverage real-time information from every machine and function on their sites, technology must be developed to interrogate data for better and quicker decision making.

Not only must this data be intelligible and useful, but it must also be integrated into the mine’s chosen platforms. This has required suppliers of services, equipment and materials to develop a depth of expertise in the digital space so that whatever their core offering to mines, it can be tracked, measured and assessed through the mine’s dashboard.

Beyond the operational efficacy of such systems, mines and their partners must also be aware of how best to ensure the security of this data – and comply with evolving local regulations governing data protection. Once considered a niche field for technology specialists, data management is increasingly becoming core to every sector, including mining.Themineral opportunities of the SADC region remain exciting to all those involved. It is the task of the mining sector to realise those prospects most responsibly and sustainably – sharing the value with a broad base of stakeholders. Those with local experience and expertise are best placed to do this. n

The key to mining success in SADC lies not with commodity prices – it resides in the institutionalised knowledge of the companies that operate here. – Hennecke “ “

ENVASS OFFERS INSIGHT INTO NEW MINE CHALLENGESCLOSURE

While an effective mine closure is as vital as everything else in the mining chain, there are challenges in such an undertaking, and opportunities to be unlocked

Asuccessful mine closure is one where the mine closes at the destined life of mine, and the physical, biophysical, social and socio-economic relinquishment criteria are well defined, achieved or in the process of being executed. Further, financial provision for the closure process must be in check, accessible and subject to budgetary controls.Also,government’s and other shareholders’ expectations should be known, while all options related to repurposing land and infrastructure –including aspects such as third party handover, land end users and salvage values – should have been explored and conceptualised accurately into the closure plan. If this is done, it will allow investors to “walk away” and reinvest elsewhere.

Mine closure is an elusive mining phase, far more so on mining projects where latent and residual post-mining impacts are most likely to manifest, and that might influence or a ect the final land use objective. These are typically related to control of extraneous water, acid mine drainage and/or seepages, groundwater and/or hydropedological contamination plumes, subsidence and the long-term stability of tailings and/or waste rock facilities.

Complex social or socio-economic structures, multiple surface rights, first right of refusal agreements and integrated tenement and servitudes, along with the presence of sensitive ecological zones, can also complicate the closure strategy. A mine might be subject to various legal requirements for closure associated with the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, National Environmental

Management Act, Waste Act and Water Act requirements.Othercomplications might include the need to transfer certain tenements, such as water rights, access routes and/ or secondary services including electricity supplies, water lines, sewage lines and/or treatment plants, to end users.

These internal and external factors require accurate in-depth analysis, and are best contextualised with insights and inputs from the mining right holder, for the closure vision and objectives to be well conceptualised. Closure risk should be assessed on at least two levels. Firstly, to screen out closure risk typically associated with a specific closure domain, which forms the basis of the closure risk response strategy that can integrate with the Rehabilitation Strategy and Implementation Plan.

Therea er, based on the planned closure activities, to identify and rank the physical, social and biophysical closure risks in terms of probability and extent from which risk responses are derived. The net result is a risk assessment that assesses the holistic closure risk, with practical consideration of closure activities.

It is therefore a combination of the annual closure plan, final closure plan and closure risk assessment that culminates in the financial liability and provisions requirement, ensuring full integration and institutional accuracy.

A notable dependency exists between the closure plan and the mine works plan, particularly that mining volumes over time (run of mine, waste, slurry, mining area disturbed etc.) are well understood and can be projected over the life of mine towards a

futuristic provision’s assessment.

A high level of accuracy is required in the use of integrated, market-related unit rates (contractor rates). This must consider variables such as diesel price (inland vs coastal), machine hour rates, labour hour rates and material cost. The level of risk averseness in a company will a ect the manner of risk response and provision, with it being possible to iterate high and low costs to achieve the most likely cost of a risk control, supported by qualitative experiential inputs.

South Africa is at the dawn of a new form of financial provision, most likely one requiring – as a minimum – a risk-based approach employing marketrelated rates, and seeking an alignment of closure planning with mine work planning to reduce overall exposure annually, establishing achievable final closure objectives. In this lies opportunity for the investors.Thischange in provision brings about uncertainty, particularly regarding the financial aspects and the e ect this will have on organisations’ bottom lines. It also provides an opportunity to dissect and refine the closure plan, reprioritise closure objectives and seek out alternatives (such as transfer, resale, repurposements, alternative end land uses) that might not have been as obvious in previous provision models used in South Africa.Tounlock such opportunities, businesses should talk to experts who have a long history of servicing and unpacking mine closure planning and execution programmes for mining right holders in Southern Africa. ■

ON THE TRAIL OF ZERO HARM

Safety in the mining environment starts with project safety files and continues until the end of the mine’s life. Digital technologies are significantly improving this arena

By Rodney Weidemann

Contrary to popular perception, the mining industry has not been slow in its adoption of digital transformation. In fact, it is an industry that for some time has been shi ing its business models in a digital direction, but for a far better reason than most Whereasbusinesses.mostorganisations leverage digital technology to assist in optimising processes, or in maximising the value of existing applications, the mining industry in South Africa – which operates on the principle of zero harm – has been using digital transformation to help safeguard employees in a number of ways.

According to Ingrid Osborne, cofounder and CEO at Saryx Engineering, digital technologies o er a safety aspect right from the start of a project. She notes that contractor management, and the management and control of safety files, remains time-consuming if it is still a manual process, while also being resourceintensive and unreliable.

“O en, when an incident occurs, relevant contractor information is not immediately at hand or easily accessible, creating uncertainty that could possibly lead to fines or penalties. For this reason,

Saryx created HSEC Online®, a solution that digitises the cumbersome manual safety file system and streamlines the contractor management process.

“Through this digital platform, mines – like other organisations – can action requests, submit documents for approval, and track compliance levels. The latter from an individual and company level, through to a site level and finally to a group level,” she says.

“Zero harm can always be tracked through to percentage compliance. A compliant company is a safe company, especially when it comes to the compliance of people and equipment. HSEC Online® allows mines to digitise checklists and define priority documents for certain occupations and job descriptions, thereby ensuring that when tasks are executed, the necessary processes are followed and tracked to completion by a qualified person.”Shesays collecting data in the form of actual plant information, pictures or documents, for all these actions, adds certainty and transparency. And doing this on a regular basis, with reminders, creates a consistent history of events which shows credibility.

“When an accident occurs on a mine, it generally involves a critical injury and/ or death. During these stressful times, the burden of proof lies with the mine to ensure that they have done everything practically and legally required of them to prevent such an event from occurring.

“It is essential therefore to be able to confidently access the information relating to the company, person(s) or equipment involved. Fast search-and-find algorithms ensure that these documents are immediately accessible and printable as evidence. Recommendations are easy to implement and come into e ect immediately.”Infact,she adds, with HSEC Online®, there is never a valid reason to have expired or invalid documents within a system. The solution has the necessary system checks to ensure this does not happen built into it.

“This is a system that reduces workloads by up to 90% and reminds you of things to come, actions to take, is proactive rather a reactive, and is super easy to manage. It boils down to the simple fact that it is incredibly powerful for an organisation to have real-time line-of-sight of compliance for every company they oversee,” says Osborne.

GOING VIRTUAL

The Dekra Institute of Learning, in collaboration with Virtutec, has recently launched a virtual reality (VR) and 3D PC based e-learning platform, designed to train people working in dangerous industries like mining.Denis

Vaden, COO of Virtutec, points out that VR is a highly e ective technology for teaching safety training, because the trainers don’t have to put the person being trained through dangerous procedures or processes. This is especially desirable and helpful for individuals who have not had any experience regarding the specific processes or physical environment. The VR experience simulates the real-world situation as closely as possible without having to experience potential danger.“Bymaking use of a VR headset, the trainer is able to simulate the relevant environment, ensuring it mirrors the real-life

situation as closely as possible. Therea er, when the trainee is placed in a real-world situation, there is a familiarity with systems and processes, as well as the environment,” he says.“Inaddition, VR technology promotes e icient and e ective knowledge retention.

A survey from global professional services company PwC has found that an individual’s knowledge retention via VR learning can be almost 300% improved, compared with many other forms of training. This is because learners are in a situation in which they are immersed in the environment with no distractions, which facilitates a deeper learningVadenprocess.”notesthat VR training can be very cost-e ective, especially when compared to the much higher costs of simulation systems, which provide training for only one person at a time. VR training, on the other hand, allows for multiple headsets to be

ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES

While the latest digital technologies are playing key roles in keeping mine workers safe, there are other solutions that are also being implemented that – although not digital in nature – keep both employees safe and employers legallySincecovered.itsdecriminalisation, the use of cannabis has become more socially acceptable, but it causes functional impairment, which can compromise the quality of work.

“Mining is an area of employment where there is a significant possibility of higher-than-normal rates of cannabis use. Add to this the fact that it is a very dangerous environment, and there are clearly a number of rules an employer has to follow, to ensure that workers under any kind of influence do not enter or remain on a mine,” notes Rhys Evans, MD at ALCO-Safe“Whileit is legal for personal use, this is only in a private space, so it doesn’t overrule the Mining Safety, Occupational Health and Safety or the Road Tra ic acts. The challenge lies in how to test for it. An alcohol test, for example, tests for current intoxication, but the nature of the original urine- or blood-based based tests for cannabis is such that this tests for the metabolyte of the drug, rather than the chemical itself – something that with this drug can remain in your sample for a number of weeks.”

There are, however, now salivabased testing methods that test specifically for the primary compound, THC, he says, and the window of detection in such a test is, on average, only between two and eight hours.

“This is a much more practical, e icient and speedy test than the other types, and more crucially, if a worker does smoke in their private time on a weekend, and gets tested in the week, they will not display a positive result, making it much fairer as well.“On the other hand, we still recommend to clients that in highrisk environments like mining, they introduce regular, but random, testing to act as an even greater deterrent.

“I suspect that due to the leniency in law and the attendant reduction in stigma, use of cannabis is increasing in SA. At the same time, we remain a very industrialised economy, so many workplaces are dangerous. Therefore, simple, easy-to-apply tests like this will only become more necessary as we move forward,” he says.

Safety at mines should be paramount.

acquired and used to train multiple trainees simultaneously. In this way, VR training can be highly leveraged for teaching mine safety, as it scales significantly better than some other forms of training.

“VR training can be custom-developed with specific training modules in mind for specific companies, who guide us through their standard operating procedures and requirements,” he says. “We are able to scale some of our existing products and training programmes, for example the working at heights programme. This means that the existing programme can be leased, whereby the so ware can be rented to the mine as a monthly package, which further assists with cost savings.”

Christopher Mörsner, head of the training division at Dekra IOL, says: “Dekra IOL is currently engaging with various mines, and the VR training is used here to simulate the operation of heavy equipment, where it is costly to buy the equipment that learners need to be trained to use.

“Without VR technology, mining processes on the ground must actually be stopped in order for training to take place. It is much easier and more cost-e ective in this regard to use the VR headsets. In addition, the VR training supports safety training – simulating real-life situations and demonstrating potential consequences. VR technology is an extremely e ective medium in which to train people for situations where safety is paramount – such as on a mine.”

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ONSITE

Recent global safety reports suggest that there has been a gradual but steady improvement in mine safety over the past decade. According to Ramesh Dhoorgapersadh, general manager for safety, health, environment, risk and quality at BME, safety is something that needs to be ingrained into every activity, in line with

recognised standards and procedures.

“The blasting philosophy of BME is expressed through innovation in our product development and our leading initiation technologies. This also means aligning our policies with customers’ own safety protocols and broader regulatory requirements,” he says.

Tinus Brits, BME’s global product manager – AXXIS™, adds that electronic detonation systems play an important role in achieving safe blasting. They allow detonators to be accurately initiated within milliseconds of each other, staggering the energy release rather than having five or six holes detonating at the same time. Reducing the charge mass per delay ultimately reduces the resulting vibration.

“We design our electronic detonators in such a way that key blast impacts are both measurable and predictable. With our integrated blast planning so ware, mines can simulate each blast before it is implemented – so that they can predict aspects like ground vibration, thereby ensuring it will be within the required parameters.”Heemphasises that mines apply world-class standards in this regard, such as the US Bureau of Mines blast-induced ground vibration criteria. These include the requirement that any blasting in the vicinity of communities, structures, houses, roads or other receptors requires a minimum safety radius.Where BME conducts blasts on behalf of customers, therefore, it applies a blasting radius of 1km from any people or communities, and 500m from any material that might be negatively a ected.

“For every blast, seismographs are then used to measure the resulting ground vibration and air blast. This confirms that the blast did indeed achieve the simulated design parameters, to fall within the regulated limits,” says Brits. ■

THE THREAT OF FIRE

Mining vehicles such as excavators, haul trucks and even drag lines are high-value assets that operate in arduous conditions where there is a high fire risk. This means that pre-shi and weekly inspections on mining vehicles are essential to ensure that the fire prevention system is in good working order.

According to Michael van Niekerk, CEO of ASP Fire, the design and installation of a vehicle fire-protection system requires that mining vehicles are subjected to a hazard identification and risk assessment of potential fires. Each vehicle needs to be assessed carefully within its specific operating environment to understand what hazards and fire risks that vehicle is exposed

“Inherentto.fire risks include the turbochargers and brake system overheating, as well as high-pressure hydraulic systems and electrical equipment that may ignite a combustible or flammable component of the vehicle,” he

Althoughsays.drychemical powder (DCP) extinguishers are highly e ective in fire-fighting, they o er minimal cooling properties. This can result in reignition of flames, especially in liquid fuel and rubber fires. The powder inside DCP extinguishers can also compact due to vibration when placed on a moving vehicle.

“A much more e ective and ‘greener’ solution,” he continues, “is water-mist hand-held extinguishers. Utilising water as the main agent and nitrogen as a propellant, these can extinguish most types of fires, including rubber and plastic, diesel and petrol fires, and electrical fires rated up to 245kV.”Henotes that the atomised mist generated by the extinguisher increases the surface area of the water by more than a hundredfold. The micro-droplets rapidly turn into cold steam when meeting burning or very hot materials, further increasing the surface area by 1 600 times. The endothermic reaction e ectively cools down any hot surfaces in the immediate environment.“Notonlyis the fire extinguished, but any hot spots also cool down without any thermal shock. The thermal heat radiation barrier created allows the operator to approach the fire without sustaining burns to deploy the extinguisher. A protection mechanism eliminates any false alarms. This consists of a heat-sensitive pressurised activation tube that requires heat to rupture and open a di erential valve on the main cylinder to activate the system.”

A further solution o ered by ASP Fire is an aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) for fire-extinguishing and vapour suppression of hydrocarbon fuel fires, he says. “The AFFF blanket blocks oxygen supply to the fuel and cools any hot flammable liquid by e ectively sealing the surface,” he says.

CONVEYORS

ONE MANYSOLUTION,ADVANTAGES

Continental, a manufacturerleadinganddeveloper of innovative conveyor technology, o ers a non-stick solution that helps to prevent material from sticking to belts and thus solves many problems at the same time.

“We o er ContiClean solutions for superior material release characteristics, for everything from cement to limestone,” says Chris Marchant, global product manager at ContiTech, a Continental AG company.

“These ready-to-use conveyor belts not only help customers reduce the costs associated with cleaning belts and systems, but can also protect from belt damage and improve safety outcomes.”ContiClean is especially useful for companies that transport very fine material, as Marchant explains: “The finer the material,

the greater the di iculty with release when transferring it from one conveyor system to the“Sincenext. the base material a er mining, crushing and additives is a fine powder, ContiClean provides a useful solution –especially for customers operating in the cement sector. In normal circumstances, if the system happens to be completely exposed and it rains, it becomes even more di icult to remove the damp or wet powder.”

HIGHER CEMENT DEMAND, MORE SUSTAINABILITY AWARENESS

Given the strong growth in demand expected for cement and concrete, increased sustainability, e iciency, safety, and profitability will play an important role in coming years. According to current forecasts, demand will increase by an

average of 2% to 3% per year, mainly due to increasing urbanisation and investments in infrastructure. Based on these expectations, cement consumption will have almost doubled by 2050 compared to today.

“ContiClean supports the production of cement and other materials in being more sustainable through a reduction of dustborne air emissions, pollution and waste,” Marchant says. “In addition to increased e iciency, the positive impact on the environment is of course a feature that helps companies operating in the cement industry reach their sustainability goals. Especially as the awareness for this topic is increasing.”

>

comparison.ContiClean

ConveyingContinentalSolutions

ConveyingContinentalSolutions

Continental is the most comprehensive, high-performance conveyor belt systems provider in the world. We provide our customers with the highest value, quality and record-breaking solutions, including conveyor belts, accessories and components, corresponding services and digital solutions for predictive maintenance and process monitoring. All while putting sustainability at the center of what we do. This is how we help our customers and their customers to improve performance, increase uptime while reducing the environmental impact – no matter where in the world they are.

Continental is the most comprehensive, high-performance conveyor belt systems provider in the world. We provide our customers with the highest value, quality and record-breaking solutions, including conveyor belts, accessories and components, corresponding services and digital solutions for predictive maintenance and process monitoring. All while putting sustainability at the center of what we do. This is how we help our customers and their customers to improve performance, increase uptime while reducing the environmental impact – no matter where in the world they are.

A LONG LIST OF ADVANTAGES

Standard belt covers and scraper systems may not provide su icient material release, which can then lead to many adverse e ects for “Adverseproduction.eects resulting from carryback issues include material build-up on pulleys, idlers and belt covers,” explains Marchant. “Any one of these issues can lead to increased cover abrasion, belt alignment problems, belt or system damage, and significant increases in the cost for cleanup. All of which contribute to safety and environmental hazards.”

With ContiClean, customers can benefit from increased material transfer, reduced material build-up on pulleys and idlers, increased belt cover and scraper life, reduced maintenance and safety issues, less downtime for maintenance issues, lower operating costs and increased profitability –the list of advantages is an extensive one.

POSITIVE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK, GLOBALLY

The feedback ContiTech receives from its customers is consistently positive, as Marchant explains: “ContiClean is a

global solution, with all regions reporting favourable customer feedback. For example, a system installed at a cement plant located in the United States reduced its carry-back issue by “Another95%.reported reducing their material build-up on the walkway underneath by 75%. The operator at this plant is incredibly happy with the results. Prior to the introduction of ContiClean, this was a major issue for the site.”Another customer in Chile, who conveys material with sulfuric acid, expressed a severe problem with material accumulating throughout the system structure. “The customer’s previous experience with a competitor solution was not successful. ContiClean’s non-stick release characteristic is present throughout the carry side cover thickness. We helped this customer not only to overcome their material accumulation

issue, but also to double their conveyor belt service life.”

TURNING CHANGE INTO OPPORTUNITIES

The benefits of ContiClean for customers are also in line with the most important strategic goals established by Continental. By 2050 at the latest, the technology company and its supplier partners strive for carbon neutrality along the entire value chain.

“Alongside Emission-Free Mobility and Industry, Circular Economy, and Responsible Value Chain, Carbon Neutrality is one of four major pillars we are building on today and will continue to build on in the future,” says Marchant.“Withthese e orts, we are following our sustainability ambition – providing the framework to turn change into opportunities.” ■

These ready-to-use conveyor belts help customers reduce the costs associated with cleaning belts and systems.

Conveyor Application in the US.

The Power of One partner for your mining solutions

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGYALTERNATIVEEQUIPMENT

WITHIN THE SA MINING INDUSTRY der some of the

With carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere at their highest levels, Barloworld Equipment is well aware of the monumental changes needed to reach carbon neutrality. Elia Nandjiwa, executive head for Resource Industries/Mining, Southern Africa at Barloworld Equipment, says: “Becoming more environmentally friendly matters to everyone. We know the ozone layer is getting smaller, we are increasingly seeing the impact of climate change on a global scale, and we want a healthier environment to live in and a sustainable future.”

HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY

Hydrogen technology is now reaping the benefits of unprecedented political and business momentum, with many strategies, policies, and hydrogen projects worldwide expanding swi ly. In the mining sector, hydrogen is forming part of many mines’ decarbonisation pathways, either as carbon-free fuel to displace diesel in heavy equipment – such as haul trucks and trainsor to generate electricity to power processing plants, with testing already under way and the potential for it to be used more widely before the end of the decade.

Earlier this year, Anglo American launched

a prototype of the world’s largest hydrogenpowered mine haul truck. The truck was designed to operate in everyday mining conditions at its PGM mine in Mogalakwena, Limpopo.The2MW hydrogen-battery hybrid truck, generating more power than its diesel predecessor and capable of carrying a 290-ton payload, is part of Anglo American’s nuGen Zero Emission haulage Solution (ZEHS).Anglo American says that nuGen provides a fully-integrated green hydrogen system, consisting of a production, fuelling and haulage system, with green hydrogen to be produced at the mine site.

MONITORING AND OPTIMISATION

While traditional methods of monitoring are well established in the mining industry, these methods are not necessarily suited for the new world of business imperatives.

IMS Engineering’s I-Most (Integrated Monitoring Optimization Support Technologies) aims to tailor to this new world with:

■ Increased plant availability

■ Reduced environmental impact

■ Lower operating costs

■ Reduced labour resources

■ Increased “green” credentials

I-Most can provide data insights into something as small as a single piece of mining equipment, or as vast as an entire process plant. This allows management and operational teams to make data-driven decisions to improve their operation, whether from a performance or environmental perspective. Additionally, a rules engine allows the operations team to monitor adherence to procedures.

Speaking about I-Most, IMS Engineering CEO Paul Brancher states: “A lot of what we are trying to do from an additional transformation point of view, is to take the data gathered from multiple sensors in and around a plant, and then clean this data properly and interpret it. At present, I think most plants are in the mining industry, and without the process we undertake, these plants will have lots of data, but not nearly the amount of analysis that should happen.

“Most o en, we find that the biggest problem is that the granularity of the data is not correct. When you look at this data, there are no trends that you can pick out, based on the daily data. As you start to move through the trends and you start looking more, weekly trends start to emerge, and then suddenly we get to the monthly granularity, and we start to see what is happening between the feed, the product, and the waste,” he continues.

The system currently integrates directly onto any control system and maps any available parameters, through secure protocols, to a centralised database in the cloud. A single piece of hardware with minimal space requirements is required.

One of I-Most’s applications on communition equipment is able to monitor the following condition example aspects:

■ Gap calibration monitoring

■ Hydraulic system health

■ Crusher heat generation

■ Crusher e iciency zones

■ Power curve area

■ Wear factor

■ Out-of-threshold alarms

■ Real-time raw data visualisations

■ Machine learning breakdown predictions

AUTONOMOUS ADT PLATFORM

A focus on improving ease of operation to provide more e icient and safer articulated dump trucks (ADTs) has consistently kept Bell Equipment at the forefront of innovation.

The global ADT specialist is now achieving success with autonomous vehicle operation, where its forward-thinking approach enables interoperability between di erent control systems and the trucks it produces.

An autonomous operation has three elements:

■ Machines that can be operated remotely.

■ External sensors that become the eyes and ears of the machine.

■ Sophisticated site control so ware manages operations based on communication with the other two

Accordingelements.

to Bell Equipment ADT product marketing manager Brad Castle: “Providing autonomous-ready machines will be a part of our core business in the future, but in terms of sensing and guidance systems, it makes sense to partner with market leaders and innovators, as we do with drive-train, hydraulics and electronics technologies in ourAddingtrucks.”to the flexibility, Bell provides a standard cab with no extra hardware taking up space, to create an environment where manual, remote or autonomous operation is interchangeable.“Thiswouldbe useful for mining contractors, for example. Once their ADTs have finished a contract on an autonomous site, the sensory and control system could easily be removed and the truck either fitted with a new system for another site or be used in a manual operation,” Castle notes.

A mix of di erent drive technologies will establish itself in the market in the coming years. This includes the fuel

cell as an essential building block. For alternative technologies of the future to gain momentum, it is now up to politicians, manufacturers, and service providers to pull together, optimise framework and production conditions and promote digitalisation and automation.

■ will be a part of our core business in the future “

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Whether your business is mining, construction, transport or logistics, Willard batteries are designed with technology and robustness in mind. For unparalleled durability and performance, Willard is the answer.

PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON FOUNDATION FAILURE IN ROCK SLOPES

While slope failures in open-pit mines occur mainly due to kinematic instability or shear stresses within the slope exceeding rock mass strength, the concept of foundation failure can prove useful in cases where ground profile anomalies occur.

I have personally encountered three instances, over a span of a decade, where the cause of slope failure could not be determined using the usual well-known methods. In these cases, slope stability analyses conducted on the slope design showed that the factor of safety (FoS) was above the recommended minimum value. At the same time, analyses of the orientations of geological structures did not point to any kinematic admissibility.

Nevertheless, the slope had failed – and it was di icult to recommend remedial measures because the cause of failure had not been established. A er close observation, it appeared that the ground profile was not typical. Instead, it was found that that there was weak material embedded within strong layers below the toe elevation of the slope, such as completely weathered layers in otherwise unweathered rock.

John Kwofie Principal Consulting’sEngineerGeotechnicalinSRKGhanaOffice

towards the weathered biotite zone and truncated at the fault like a broken cantilever. These observations suggested that the failure was probably caused by settlement within the weathered biotite zone.

At least 3m of settlement was observed within the weathered biotite material near the fault, and significant movement occurred adjacent to the fault. On each berm, the portion adjacent to the fault was depressed more than areas further away.

The di erential settlement caused by this zone of weathered biotite in a fresh rock material must have caused tensile stresses in the surface of the a ected rock mass – resulting in cracks in the slope that led to failure. Significantly, the failure stabilised below the 310m elevation, once mining exited the weathered biotite zone.

The existence of weak and compressible materials within competent rock introduces di erent stress behaviour into slope stability. Di erential settlement introduces tensile stresses into the rock mass causing cracking and dilation, which lead to failure that would not have occurred if not for the ground profile anomaly.

The weak foundation material appeared to be over-stressed, evidenced by the heaving of the ground at the toe of the slope failure, as encountered in general geotechnical shear failure. Reassessment of the cause of instability – from the perspective of bearing capacity failure – made it easier to see why the slope would fail when conventional methods did not predict such behaviour.

One of the instances was a footwall slope failure at an open-pit zinc mine in India, which occurred over a north-south strike length of about 100m. The northern end of the collapse was bordered by a fault, while the southern border appeared like a broken cantilever support, with shearing through the failed rock mass at that end.

The failure began with the appearance of cracks on the slope as mining progressed. All e orts to determine the cause of the sudden impending multi-bench failure proved futile – until the 320-310m bench was being mined, and a weak zone of weathered biotite, of so clay consistency and about 25m wide, was found adjacent to the fault in fresh rock.

The mining of the weak zone resulted in acceleration of slope movement. This ended in a tilted, failed rock mass that slumped

The excavation of the pit itself results in a progressive loss of confining pressure in the weak compressible material underlying the slope, making it even weaker. Even though the stresses on a weak foundation material are unlikely to increase, the reduction in the strength of the material with mining, due to the loss of confining pressure, is analogous to increasing loading intensity.

The decrease in confining pressure, which occurs as a result of mining, leads to di erential settlement in anomalous ground profile and ultimately loss of bearing capacity – causing slope failure.

The solution starts with awareness of the potential impact of foundation instability on slope stability, and incorporating this into slope stability analyses where required. Slope stability modelling –that includes any inherent weakness in the existing slope foundation – is more likely to simulate actual field conditions and provide a more reliable factor of safety than analysis that does not take foundation conditions into consideration. Adopting this approach would help design more stable slopes.

Slowing down the excavation rate during mining may also help, as this could allow weaker foundation material to adjust to the stress relief associated with the overburden mining. ■

Sometimes the cause of slope failure cannot be determined using the usual well-known methods. Understanding the cause is critical to safety in mines

BEYOND ZAMA ZAMAS

NEW VISION REQUIRED FOR GAUTENG MINING BELT

There is an alternative future for the Gauteng mining belt that o ers solutions beyond the current tensions between mine owners, local residents and zama zamas. A revitalised region has the potential to support a vibrant economy and attract job-creating investments that don’t depend primarily on extractive industries.

At many locations, mining companies are already working together with government, environmental groups and communities to repurpose operations and free up land for new activities, including housing.

A collaborative approach o ers more workable options to spatial planners to address the current situation, where the focus has too o en been on singular elements such as the presence of survivalist miners – or zama zamas – and the reaction of local communities who have become tired of criminal activity.

Reinier Minny Executive Director at Cadre Plan

The reality is that there are practical solutions for the future redevelopment of the vast metropolis stretching from Springs and Tsakane in the east, through Johannesburg and Soweto, to Klerksdorp and Merafong, the focal points of the current spate of community activism.Decision makers have for many years been looking for solutions to the legacy of mining activities – closed sha s, burgeoning unemployment, widespread poverty and the toxic scars of acid mine draining, decanting, tailings, dust pollution and the hollowed-out tunnels le in the landscape.

The challenges are complex, but solutions can be found. How do you inject vibrancy and sustainable growth into areas that have been overly dependent on a single commodity? How do you create viable living spaces for communities and protect them from the ravages of environmental decay? How do you engender a revitalised mining belt that can breathe life into flagging local economies and generate new opportunities for prosperity?Inthewest, where some of the world’s deepest sha s, such as Mponeng, have been sunk, the industry has produced a solution to consolidate tailings into a single facility. This will not only make mining activities more e icient, but also solve some of the most pressing environmental issues, while also freeing up vast tracts of land for other development.

In the south of Johannesburg, the reintegration of former mining land into the rest of the city has been taking place for decades. The iconic FNB Stadium and Gold Reef City were both constructed on mining land. Meanwhile, residential suburbs such as Booysens, long considered to be a “bad address”, now have the potential to be a hub for the growth of a future “smart city”.

Other areas in the south can benefit from infrastructure such as roads, water and power networks, and have huge potential for high-density housing, light industries, small-scale farming and agriprocessing.

A Spatial Planning Policy for the Mining Belt, commissioned by the O ice of the Gauteng Premier, sets out the broad framework for how this can be achieved. It recognises the potential to create a flagship development that can contribute to the province’s broader vision to create a fast-growing and dynamic Gauteng City Region. And it concludes that it is possible to unlock the intrinsic value of the mining belt through targeted spatial interventions and integrated development.

It calls for higher levels of collaboration between the mining sector, developers, spatial planners and regulatory authorities. It highlights the importance of access to quality data and intelligence regarding mining time frames, which will influence future regional infrastructure planning.

It emphasises the importance of improving the quality and speed of decision making with regards to mining-related environmental issues and to streamline bureaucratic processes. It expresses support for e ective enforcement against illegal mining, without constraining job-creating opportunities within smaller mining operations, and enterprises involved in rehabilitation and subsidiary industries.

From a spatial perspective, it is important to note that the Gauteng mining belt is a connected system rather than isolated fragments of a forgone era. Throughout the landscape, communities that have grown around mining activities share common characteristics, although immediate priorities might di er from place to place.

Solutions will therefore require a whole-of-society approach in which government decision makers work closely with spatial planners, researchers, mining houses, law enforcement and local communities to develop coherent policies.Theimplementation of the

policy will depend on a number of critical success factors, including the need to elevate it as a strategic priority for the province. A lack of action will have its own consequences and su icient resources will have to be allocated to this issue in terms of budgets, leadership support and political buy-in.

One initiative that might hold potential is the establishment of incentive development zones that can attract the attention of investors.Thereis a growing realisation that mining areas that were previously considered to be undevelopable have the potential to be rehabilitated and used for future urban growth. There are thousands of hectares of open land in the heart of Gauteng that have been underutilised for decades, and which can be released for development.

The fact that it is already served by Africa’s most sophisticated road and logistics network will increase its ability to become a hub for the location of future industries and commercial enterprises.

Such initiatives will not only contribute to the broader economic development of Gauteng – as Southern Africa’s regional core – but also redress decades of apartheid spatial planning and create a more equitable spatial form.

■

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GATES SETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS WITH NEW HYDRAULIC HOSE SOLUTION

Gates, a leading global provider of application-specific fluid power and power transmission solutions, has introduced its latest breakthrough hydraulic hose, MegaSys™ MXG™ 5K, which is lighter, more flexible and more durable than a typical 5 000 psi (350 bar) hydraulic hose.

A product of Gates’s pioneering materials science and process engineering innovations, MXG 5K offers wire spiral performance in a flexible, lightweight, innovative, high-pressure hydraulic hose using Gates’s patented Xpiral™ woven spiral technology. This is a breakthrough construction that exceeds all industry standards and its most published competitive hose performance in terms of both pressure and impulse life.

Tested to one million impulse cycles at 250°F (121°C), twice the legacy industry standard for spiral hoses, and with a bend radius that is also 50% of the industry standard, MXG 5K offers truly unparalleled performance.

In addition, this innovative new hose platform is 20% lighter, 25% more flexible and 5% more compact than legacy spiral hoses, improving the safety and ergonomics of hose installation while enhancing the performance of machinery by reducing weight.

Equipped with Gates’s XTP cover as a standard offering, MXG 5K also offers 25 times the abrasion resistance of Gates’s standard cover and more than 800 hours of ozone resistance to minimise downtime related to environmental conditions.

SANDVIK LAUNCHES AUTOMINE MAPPING SOLUTION

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has introduced the AutoMine® Mapping Solution, an innovative new product designed to maximise productivity and improve the safety of autonomous vehicle navigation in underground mining operations by using mapped data.

This solution is Sandvik’s next-generation product that enables a vehicle to safely record an underground 3D environment with a mine mapping tool, and convert 3D maps to 2D. Faster configuration, and the possibility to continue to operate other equipment in the area while it is being mapped, increases productivity and efficiency.

AutoMine’s innovative technology reduces the time and cost involved in manual mapping and enables a safer, more efficient autonomous underground operating environment. It can be used on all types of underground equipment (loaders, trucks and drills), eliminating the need for dedicated equipment and resources to map the area.

“With the AutoMine® Mapping Solution, we are progressing to the next generation of innovative automation solutions, bringing new technologies to the underground mining industry that are designed to maximise our customers’ productivity and safety,” says Ty Osborne, product line manager: underground automation sales at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions.

CONTINENTAL MAKE POWER SMART APP SAVES TIME AND COSTS

Continental has developed a mobile app that represents a new way of working with belts. Make Power Smart has been successful in the North American market and is now launching in Europe – for Android and iOS.

“Make Power Smart is a versatile onsite ‘first aid’ tool. With just a few clicks, the user gets a digital and interactive analysis of the belt, as well as important data on its condition. The benefits: ease of use, less downtime, longer belt life and lower costs,’ explains Mariano Alvaro, development lead for the app.

The Make Power Smart app digitises the information and most common tools used to analyse and set up a belt drive. This enables users to improve the belt drives themselves onsite.Those responsible for machines and systems with belt drives, sales professionals or application consultants can thus find the most important tools bundled in an app on their mobile device. The app provides advice and empowers the user to act accordingly. Practical features ensure the correct selection, calculation and tensioning, alignment and installation of drive belts.

“Our app offers important maintenance functions that our customers can access at the touch of a finger. Make Power Smart is designed not only to save costs while extending the life of belt systems, but also to improve their operation,” he says.

“This app represents a revolution because it allows our customers to troubleshoot their drive belts on their own without having to call the technician directly or interrupt the production process.”

WITHBETTERDIGITALTECHNOLOGY BLASTING

AECI Mining Explosives’ new, high-accuracy (sub-1m) Di erential Global Positioning System (dGPS) brings autonomy to the blast hole tagging process, thus maximising e ciency by eliminating potential human error on the bench and ensuring integrity of drill and blast operations.