Modern Mining July 2016

MINING News

Disciplines unite at Wits to prepare mining for the 21st century way to developing an automated tunnel for mining at depths no longer viable or safe for humans to operate,” said Professor Cawood.

so that mining issues could be addressed in an integrated manner. “It has taken some time to achieve this, but the WMI now draws upon a for- midable battery of expertise and insights from disciplines like architecture, public health, law, global change, population migration, urban development, electron- ics and computer science,” he said. “These now augment the already substantial work being done within the School of Mining Engineering through its Centre for Mechanised Mining Systems and the Centre for Sustainability in Mining and Industry.” He said that South Africa’s deep level orebodies posed particularly difficult chal- lenges to mining operations, but argued that encouraging progress was already being made to show the path forward for both established and new operations. “Work on converting ‘indoor’ position- ing systems to underground applications is already underway, for instance, paving the

Innovative technology solutions for the struggling mining sector are the focus of a new unit at Wits University, bringing together various disciplines and headed by former School of Mining Engineering head Professor Fred Cawood. The Wits Mining Institute (WMI) will house the school’s Digital Mine project – already well advanced in developing a mock mine within the Chamber of Mines building onWits University’s West Campus – and a college network to develop 21st century skills at artisan/technician level. “The Institute’s mission is to make mining safer and more sustainable by har- nessing fast-developing technologies and practices fromdifferent sectors – which are sadly not always incorporated into mining applications quickly enough to address the industry’s many challenges,” said Professor Cawood. He said the breakthrough that the WMI hadmade was to forge working links across the university’s schools and research units,

Cutting edge software, sensors and related high-tech infrastructure were allowing developments such as real time underground airflow modelling, and access systems that could automatically exclude personnel restricted by health issues or legal compliance requirements. “This kind of intervention brings us closer to the concept of the intelligent mine, where the data required for good decisions is available in real time – and in many cases can inform automated responses that removes the risk of human error,” he said. The major funders of the digital min- ing infrastructure to date are Gold Fields, Aveng Mining, the Minerals and Education Trust Fund, Wits University, New Concept Mining and Sibanye Gold, which is cur- rently the largest sponsor. 

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July 2016  MODERN MINING  13