Modern Mining January 2019

DIAMONDS

ore in 2021

alliance’ to deliver the massive and complex project on time and within budget. “The surface decline has now been com- pleted to 460 m below surface and we are continuing with lateral development towards the ore bodies,” said Sahu. “The shaft sink- ing has been completed to 940 m below collar with a good safety record having been main- tained. The major focus now is on developing the shaft stations and loading box within the production shaft to enable the equipping of the shafts to begin.” He added that work on the sur- face infrastructure – notably, the main winder house, the bulk air cooler facilities, change houses and an electrical sub-station – was also progressing well. Sahu, who has enjoyed a 10-year career within the Anglo American group, was appointed as Head of the VUP in July 2018. He succeeded Christoff Kühn, who has now taken up the role of Project Director of the Quellaveco copper project in Peru. “The VUP, through continuous mine design optimisation, has the ability to accelerate the

Above: Inside the surface decline. It has now been completed to 460 m below surface. Left: The headgears of the two vertical shafts of the VUP.

EPCM contractor for the VUP while Murray & Roberts Cementation is the contractor for the vertical shafts, declines and underground development. All agreed that the VUP – which has been under construction since 2013 – is proceed- ing very well, with the teamwork between De Beers, WorleyParsons and Murray & Roberts Cementation having been a major contributor to the success of the project thus far. The three companies, in effect, have created a ‘tripartite

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January 2019 _ MODERN MINING _ 45