Modern Mining September 2022

MINE SAFETY

Shining the spotlight on safety in underground mining

Underpinned by the mining industry’s drive for zero harm, com panies and industry bodies are progressing the development of technologies and equipment that ensure the safety of the sector’s workforce. By Nelendhre Moodley .

I n fact, this drive for zero harm recently saw the high-risk underground mining sector, which is associated with fall of ground (FOG) incidence, record six months without a mining fatality caused by a FOG in gold and platinum mines. According to the Minerals Council’s head of safety, Dr Sizwe Phakathi, this is significant because gold and platinummines have not had a FOG fatality free first six months of the year in the history of South African mining. There were 11 FOG fatalities by the end of June last year. In line with driving the agenda towards zero harm, the Mandela Mining Precinct (MMP), a pub lic-private partnership between the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the Minerals Council of South Africa, is at the forefront of iden tifying and steering the development of innovations related to the high-risk underground mining sector. This is according to programme manager: longevity of current mining & mechanised mining systems at the MMP, Martin Pretorius. Given that this segment of mining is challenging and hazardous, safety remains a priority with indus try going the extra mile to bring to market cutting edge technologies and methodologies that enhance safety. According to Pretorius, the company has been partnering with product specialists to develop

Mernok’s ‘MAXUS’ prototype with remote control.

ground-breaking equipment that is safer, increases efficiency and is environmentally friendly. “Most of the initiatives and technology devel opments in underground mining are aligned with longevity of current mining (LoCM) and mechanised mining systems (MMS) programmes that include developments around the Isidingo drill challenge, remote scraper winches with proximity detection, the development of remote charging units and e-log books for shift supervisors and autonomous mining that includes mechanical rock breaking.” Underground mining – a key economic contributor

Initial surface testing of scraper proximity prototype.

Although underground mining is a high-risk mining environment, its value to the South African economy cannot be contested as it employs thousands of people and contributes billions of rands in revenue to both mining houses and the country’s gross domestic product in the form of taxes and royalties. Commodities mined at depth are mainly gold, platinum group metals (PGMs), coal and, to a lesser extent, chromite and man ganese. The Minerals Council South Africa has pegged the overall export earnings in 2021 from PGM’s at R321,3-billion and

28  MODERN MINING  September 2022