MechChem Africa July-August 2021

Depth of engineering capacity underpins mining Mining industry customers look to Murray & Roberts Cementation for engineering excellence to underpin their safety, productivity and profitability. Hercilus Harmse, engineering services executive at Murray & Roberts Cementation, outlines why.

own large fleet, as well as on behalf of mining customers. During 2020, over 30 full rebuilds wereconducted for customers, completewith on-site commissioning. “Our long history in the sector gives us a depth of knowledge and systems that comply with the necessary ISO certifications, as well as the stringent specifications of OEMs,” he says. “We work closely with OEMs to ensure quality assurance and quality control in line with customers’ expectations and codes of practice.” The capability includes a fabrication facility for light, medium and heavy steel structures. The company’s fabrication and boilermaking expertise is applied in a num- ber of applications, allowing completely new frames for LHDs and drill rigs to be built from scratch. “The local refurbishment and fabrica - tion capability is part of our wider contribu- tion to the skills base of the South African economy, which we must nurture in pursuit of inclusive economic growth,” says Harmse. “Local content is today a more formalised re - quirement in theMiningCharter, butwe have been working this way for many decades.” Murray & Roberts Cementation’s spe - cialised rigging team also plays a vital role in heavy riggingand installations, especiallywith regardtowindersandwinder ropes. Providing a scarce skill-set tomines invarious countries, the team tackles the roping up of new wind- ers, replacements, tensioning, servicing and remedial rope repairs among its other tasks. “In response to our own needs – as well as those of our mining customers – we are also active in container conversions for special- ised purposes,” he says. “We convert these 6.0 or 12 m containers into change-houses, laundries, offices, pumping stations or storage facilities, to name just a few uses.” The technical capability at Bentley Park covers the full scope of trades and skills in- volved in producing these structures – from metal work and racking to electrical wiring and plumbing. “Our in-house capacity and experience in delivering this range of engi- neering services ensures customers a cost- effective solution and rapid response times, while not compromising on quality,” Harmse concludes. www.cementation.murrob.com

offerings.” Located at the company’s 57 hect- areBentleyPark premises near Carletonville, south-west of Johannesburg, is some 9 690 m 2 of covered workshop space – con- stantly busy with a variety of engineering activities. The engineering personnel number almost70permanent, qualifiedtechnical staff, with more contractors brought in as work requires, says Harmse. The workshops link with theMurray&Roberts TrainingAcademy, situated on the same site, to further develop hands-on artisan and technical skills. “Key at our Bentley Park facility is our re - build and refurbishment workshop for track- lessminingequipment,” he says. “We cancom - pletely refurbish equipment such as load haul dumpers, drill rigs and utility vehicles from a range of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).” This work is conducted on equip- ment in Murray & Roberts Cementation’s

E ngineering remains the backbone of mining, and is a focus that Murray & Roberts Cementation continues to prioritise through its extensive capabilities in engineering services. “More than ever, our customers are look - ing to us for engineering excellence that will underpin their safety, productivity and profitability,” saysHercilusHarmse, engineer - ing services executive at Murray & Roberts Cementation. “This means retaining a formi - dablebaseof local expertise, awell-resourced engineering facility and a range of specialised

Fitting of an engine frame and components before assembly commences on a 5.5 t load-haul-dumper.

The rebuild of a load-haul-dumper underway at Murray & Roberts Cementation’s Bentley Park rebuild workshops.

26 ¦ MechChem Africa • July-August 2021