Modern Mining July 2018

COAL

The 15 000-ton capacity surface bunker also adopted an interesting approach by using pre- cast ‘planks’ up to 20 tons in weight to facilitate a safe and efficient construction process. Cast in a dedicated precast yard nearby, the compo- nents were placed sequentially by gantry crane and stitched by concreting. The design went on to be commended at the Concrete Society of South Africa’s Fulton Awards 2015, where it was described as an excellent example of hybrid or composite rein- forced concrete structures – demonstrating the benefits of precast combined with in-situ concrete. Over the next 30 years, Shondoni is expected to deliver between 8 and 9 million tons of coal per annum and currently employs about 1 200 people. 

underground crusher sizes the coal to -150 mm lump size. Section conveyers take product onto trunk conveyors, which in turn deposit it into underground bunkers; coal reports to the incline conveyor from the main underground bunker on Number 4 seam.

A view of Shondoni taken during the construction phase. The ventilation shaft can extract 1 050 m 3 /s using three 750 kW fans.

24  MODERN MINING  July 2018