Modern Mining September 2023

but we’ve modified both the machine and the manner in which it is employed and the results are exceptional. We’ve replaced the long operating levers with joysticks – this is less fatiguing for the operator, who can now lash and load while expending a quarter of the energy.” He adds that the drill jumbos being used by UMS all have remote control capability, allowing the operator to stand in a safe position at all times. On its Brazilian contact, UMS will be turning to the traditional cactus grab for lashing the blasted rock with kibble tipping in the headframe in the event of the raise bore hole becoming blocked. “Cactus grabs have largely fallen out of favour because of the safety issues they present,” says Macnab. “Nevertheless, they are extremely effective and can outload any other machines around. We’ve worked in close conjunction with our supplier in South Africa to address the safety concerns associated with this equip ment and – to further promote safety – we will not have anyone working at shaft bottom during lashing.” Aside from its US and Brazilian contracts, UMS’s third major shaft con tract is for the sinking of the production and ventilation shafts for Lucara’s Underground Expansion Project (UGP) at its Karowe diamond mine in Botswana. Hull says that UMS’s current shaft work will continue to keep it busy for at least two to three years to come. “Our contracts in Brazil and Botswana both have about 30 months to run but our New Mexico contract will be finishing next year so we will be working hard over the next few months to renew our order book. We already have some additional work at the Brazilian proj ect and elsewhere in South America, as well as other locations in which we operate, so we’re very confident that we should be able to sustain and exceed the strong growth we’ve experienced over the past several years.” 

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