Modern Quarrying Jan-Feb 2018

QUARRYING QUARTER 1 / 2018 www.crown.co.za MODERN

H&I keeps pace with the times Local quarryman blasts rock in Ireland Epiroc takes mining and civil engineering stage

IN THIS ISSUE

®

CONSISTENCY. IT’S WHAT WE’RE MADE OF.

Inspiring growth through the consistent delivery of solutions that empower our people and our customers. Afrimat Limited has established a strong foothold in contracting services through its Contracting International division operating from the Western Cape and Gauteng. Services include mobile crushing, screening, drilling and blasting, commercial quarries and readymix which offers mobility beyond fixed areas of operation. Afrimat offers services for bulk blasting in quarry and opencast mining and specialised restricted blasting in built-up areas and also blast designs for specialised blasting needs. The division operates in South Africa and internationally providing the full service package for all drilling and blasting, mobile hard rock crushing and screening services, load and haul and readymix solutions. Contracting International applies our expertise and years of experience in these fields to prepare bids for major clients in the construction, quarry and mining industry. Contracting International is part of Afrimat Limited, a leading black empowered open pit mining company.

A range of products built on the foundation of quality and durability

Aggregates

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Industrial Minerals

Contracting International

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www.afrimat.co.za

Tel +27 21 917 8840 Fax +27 21 914 1174 info@afrimat.co.za

QUARRYING MODERN

CONTENTS

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H&I group keeps its head up in difficult times

Local quarryman blasts rock in Ireland

Scania solutions tailored for optimal uptime

Some 16 years ago Rod Taylor was quarry manager at Ridgeview and Rooikraal before emigrating to Ireland. It is always good to hear about our quarrymen who have done well in other parts of the world, and MQ has Eike Grunwald to thank for putting us in touch with Rod and his quar- ry in the Mulafarry area of Killala County Mayo in Ireland. 32 Paint innovation sets safety bar 32 Hydraulic excavator proves its ruggedness 33 Liviero Mining choses top performer 34 Robust vibrating screens 35 Improvedmaterial flow for concrete trucks MARKETPLACE

Great Karoo Crushing (GKC) was formed in 1999 as a joint venture between Haw & Inglis (H&I) and the then Worcester-based Prima Klipbrekers (Afrimat) to fulfil the material requirements of H&I road con- struction contracts. Dale Kelly finds out more about the wholly-owned subsidiary and provides an update on some of the projects it is involved in. 4 New world record blast for BME 5 Wits Mining gets ECSA approval 6 AfriSam builds quality in downturn 7 CESA develops business skills 9 Mechanised mining partnership AROUND THE INDUSTRY

Vehicles in Scania’s construction range are rugged, robust and reliable. Known for their excellent manoeuvrability and handling, they are well suited for hard work in the most challenging conditions. Key benefits include reliable back up, increased payload and impressive fuel savings – all of which was confirmed by MQ ’s recent visit to a key customer in Durbanville, Cape Town.

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Conveyor belt safety in the 21 st Century – Part II

Part 1 of the above paper published in the November 2017 issue of MQ discussed the reasons behind health and safety legislation, the relationship between the employer and the employee and important sections of the Mine Health and Safety Act. Part II in this issue takes the history of the development of mining health and safety legislation further.

36 LAST BLAST – No nonsense water saving advice

ON THE COVER

QUARRYING QUARTER1 /2018 www.crown.co.za MODERN

Published quarterly by: Crown Publications cc P O Box 140 Bedfordview, 2008 Tel: +27 11 622 4770 Fax: +27 11 615 6108 www.crown.co.za

Editor Dale Kelly

Atlas Copco has emerged into two sep- arate groups of companies, Atlas Copco and Epiroc . Globally, the entire Mining & Rock Excavation Technique Business Area together with Atlas Copco’s Hydraulic Attachment Tools Division, has become part of Epiroc. The front cover shows the HB 7000 hydraulic breaker attachment, which is ideal for primary and secondary quarry breaking, demolition, tunnelling, trenching and foundation work. The HB 7000 comes standard with AutoControl, a monitoring system that allows the breaker to adapt its frequency and power output to match operating conditions. Read the full story on Page 10.

dalek@crown.co.za Mobile: 0834199162 Advertising Bennie Venter benniev@crown.co.za

Design & layout Adèl JvR Bothma

Average circulation 2 521 Printed by: Tandym Print

Circulation Karen Smith Publisher Karen Grant

www.modernquarryingmagazine.co.za

H&Ikeepspacewith the times Localquarrymanblasts rock in Ireland Epiroc takesminingandcivilengineeringstage

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.

INTHIS ISSUE

MQ JANFEB2018 covers.indd 1

1/30/2018 11:01:07AM

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MODERN QUARRYING

Quarter 1 / 2018

AROUND THE INDUSTRY EDITOR’S COMMENT

Unroadworthy truck stats on the rise

T his month I am writing about another sub- ject not being efficiently addressed by the authorities, if at all; and that is the increasing number of unroadworthy trucks that are on the roads. One only has to look at the number of scams that continue, often unabated; the court cases that are drawn out, sometimes for years; and sadly, the deaths due to the nonchalant attitude of some trucking companies. This last December it became personal when my pregnant daughter, her husband and my pre- cious 17-month old grandchild were almost killed by a five-ton truck carrying pallets, which veered across the highway when the driver lost control, pushing my son-in-law’s vehicle into the concrete barrier wall and spilling its cargo over the highway and into the traffic moving in the opposite direc- tion. It was a major pile up with several vehicles involved. My son-in-law, who drives a 3,0 litre Toyota Hilux, said they were fortunate to be driving a solid vehicle as opposed to my daughter’s sedan. Should they have been in her vehicle, the truck would have ridden right over the car. My daughter, who was in the passenger side was severely bruised by the impact and had to examined at the hospital; and my grandson’s window which was shatterproof, was completely shattered by the pallets. He would have been cut to pieces if this had not been the case. And here’s the thing – the truck’s vehicle license had expired and this included the road- worthy certificate, which had not been renewed since February last year. The company owner, who shortly afterwards conveniently left on an overseas trip, was extremely apologetic, offering all kinds of assistance and giving all kinds of promises which to date, have not been forthcoming. Why has this man not been cited for contravening sections of the National Road Traffic Act by operating an unroadworthy truck? And why has his trucking business not been investigated? The driver was in terrible shock and stood at the side of the road weeping, grief stricken at the damage caused and obviously terrified at the pos- sibility of losing his job. But it wasn’t his fault that the vehicle was unroadworthy. The owner should have been taken to the police station and duly charged, because ultimately, his negligence caused the accident.

Incidentally, the vehicle was a right off. Thankfully my family was unharmed. But am I angry? Yes I am. I am angry and bitterly frustrated. The high accident and death rate in South Africa – on average 43 people die on the country’s roads every day – is to be expected when one hears the statistics obtained in Fleetwatch’s Brake & Tyre Watch examinations over the past 10 years; these have revealed a failure rate of 68%, with 485 trucks out of 679 trucks tested, being declared unroadworthy. According to the CSIR and SA Road Federation’s Paul Nordengen, our low levels of enforcement mean that probably only about five percent of trucks on the road are involved in interactions with law enforcers on an annual basis, while he estimates that up to 40% of trucks on our roads are non-compliant. He says a recent survey in Mozambique has shown that 80-90% of the trucks are operating in an overload condition, with the maximum overload reported being a massive 53 t. Here in Cape Town, road traffic services uncov- ered a vehicle roadworthy scam after pulling over a dilapidated rubble truck, which had been cer- tified roadworthy only a few hours before. The tyres were smooth, the lights were broken, the shocks were defective as were the brakes, and yet the driver seemed unaware of any defects on his truck. He had no hesitation in presenting the roadworthy certificate which had been issued just hours before at a private testing facility. This isn’t anything new, it’s happening across the country and the system is completely flawed. It is also time to have a relook at some aspects of the SA Road Traffic Regulations, some of which date back to 1957. There are far too many cases of bribery and corruption in this sector. For those companies and those authorities taking shortcuts and not going the legal route in terms of road certification and licensing, just remember that if 43 people die on our roads every day – and one day a truck smashes into a loved one’s car – please don’t be surprised. It’s called Karma.

Dale Kelly Editor

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AROUND THE INDUSTRY

New world record blast for BME

T he blast was conducted on 29 September 2017 in the main pit of Kansanshi Mine, which is the largest copper mine in Africa by copper produc- tion, and involved 6 690 electronic delay detonators (EDDs) – successfully initi- ated using BME’s AXXIS digital initiation system. According to Wayde de Bruin, area manager for BME Zambia, all the holes were single-primed, with a set-up that included nine different shots, 18 slave blasting boxes and one master box. He says the blast moved approxi- mately 455 000 bank cubic metres (BCMs) and consumed a total of 400 t of emulsion explosives – yielding an overall average powder factor of 0,9 kg/m 3 , adding that the blasts were offset to keep the mass charge per delay to a minimum. Kansanshi operation, 80% owned by First QuantumMinerals Limited in North-Western Zambia. Blasting and explosives leader BME has broken the world record for the most electronic detonators fired in a single blast – this time in conjunction with its client Kansanshi Mining PLC at the

Block preparation for the AXXIS record blast.

In the latest blast, a seven-member crew logged and tested the blocks over a period of two days – pre-charging the shots on 20 September 2017 and com- pleting on 28 September 2017. Electronic initiation is becoming increasingly popular due to the reliability, accuracy and timing-flexibility of these devices, making blasting practice more predictable and allowing for larger and more cost-effective blasts. www.bme.co.za

“The highest timing recorded on this blast was 6 520 milliseconds.” BME’s AXXIS global product manager Tinus Brits, highlights the company’s technical ability to continually push the boundaries through its innovations and in-house research capacity: “This blast follows previous records that BME has achieved in the past with our EDDs. Just two years ago at Kansanshi, we set an in-house record with 4 141 EDDs in a sin- gle blast,” he says.

Hillhead’s Main Pavilion sold out With five still to go until Hillhead 2018 opens its doors in June, the organisers have announced that the show’s Main Pavilion is now officially sold out. With 97% of outdoor space already allocated and stands also selling quickly in the recently-extended Registration Pavilion, companies interested in exhibiting are advised to enquire immediately to avoid disappointment. Event director Richard Bradbury comments: ‘We have had an overwhelming response to the 2018 show both from existing customers wanting to rebook and from new enqui- ries looking to exhibit with us for the first time. Hillhead 2018 is set to be the largest exhibition to date, hosting more than 500 exhibitors for the first time.’ Visitor registration is open for the 2018 event which takes place from 26-28 June at Hillhead Quarry, near Buxton. www.hillhead.com

Aerial view of the Hillhead 2016 exhibition.

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AROUND THE INDUSTRY

Wits Mining gets ECSA approval Accreditation of Wits University’s School of Mining Engineering has been renewed for another five-year cycle by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), confirms Head of School Professor Cuthbert Musingwini. “This accreditation is a reassuring landmark for the School, indicating that our standards are remaining high and even improving. As importantly, it puts our graduates at an advantage when they enter the workplace – whether locally or globally – and when they wish to study further at other academic institutions elsewhere in the world,” he says. It allows Wits Mining graduates to register with ECSA firstly, as candidate engineers and later in their careers as professional engineers. TheWits Mining graduates also have their qualifications internationally recognised by employers and universities in other countries that are signatories to the Washington Accord. “The high standards met by the School are a key reason why it is one of the leading mining engineering programmes internationally,”Musingwini says. The School also remains the largest mining engineering programme in the English-speaking world; student numbers have been steady at about 850 undergraduates and post- graduates in recent years. In addition to attracting a high quality of local students, about 15% of the student body typically comes from countries outside South Africa. The ECSA accreditation will apply until 2022. www.wits/ac/za/miningeng

Concor Opencast Mining is well positioned as a Level 1 B-BBEE contributor.

New contracts for Concor Opencast Mining

Concor Opencast Mining has announced that the company recently secured two new contracts as well as an extension to an existing project. The company is part of Concor Construction, which was acquired by a consortium led by Southern Palace Group. MD Eric Wisse says that as a proudly Level 1 B-BBEE contributor the company is well posi- tioned to secure further projects in the mining sector. He says a substantial contract, worth R619-million, was confirmed with Anglo American Platinum ending the year off on a positive note. Concor Opencast Mining teams will provide load and haul services at the Zwartfontein Pit on the Mogalakwena mine. This is a 36-month contract. “Significantly, the company will also continue its work at the Blinkwater tailings dam facility at Mogalakwena for another two years, as an extension to an existing contract,”Wisse says. Concor Opencast Mining also secured a contract at Mafube Colliery’s Lifex project. Mafube is a joint venture between Anglo Coal and Exxaro. The scope of work on this contract comprises the devel- opment of the boxcut that will enable roll-over mining operations upon completion of the project. Another recently-awarded contract is the 36-month drill and blast contract at the Vlakfontein mine near Ogies in Mpumalanga. Wisse says that there has been an increase in enquiries over the past few months. “I believe this is directly linked to an increased opti- mism in the mining industry due to improving commodity prices, despite the other challenges this industry faces.” www.concor.co.za

Head of Wits University’s School of Mining Engineering, Professor Cuthbert Musingwini.

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AROUND THE INDUSTRY

CESA appoints new president At Consulting Engineers South Africa’s (CESA) 64 th Annual General Meeting held at the CESA Seminar in Johannesburg on 7 November 2017, Neresh Pather from Mott MacDonald Africa was inaugurated as president of the organisation for the next two years, succeeding Lynne Pretorius. Sugen Pillay, MD of Zitholele Consulting was elected to serve as deputy president of CESA for the same period. www.cesa.co.za

CESA president Neresh Pather.

AfriSam builds quality and reliability in downturn Seeing through the challenging eco- nomic times requires an even more intense focus on quality, as this is what drives efficiency and cost effectiveness, according to AfriSam GM Readymix, Amit Dawneerangen. “AfriSam has consistently differenti- highlights the importance of global ISO-9001 quality standards as the bedrock of the company’s systems and operations: “Controlling costs and quality internally is an ongoing process that feeds our con- tinuous improvement process, which is vital in the highly-competitive readymix market,”he says, and notes that barriers to entry for new readymix operators are not high, but that the market expects excel- lence in every delivery.

“Even through the hard times, we retain our staff and with low staff turnover comes growing capacity and insight,” he says. “This is a substantial value-add for customers, as they benefit directly not just from our smooth ordering and deliv- ery process, but from the advice and input they can get on technical and scientific issues related to all aspects of readymix and its applications.” The company’s levels of excellence were recently in the spotlight when it took both the Best Plant Award for itsWynberg facility, and the Best Fleet Award for its Gauteng readymix fleet, at the coveted Southern African Ready-mix Association (SARMA) awards. AfriSam’s contribution to the econ- omy goes beyond adding value to cus- tomers’ operations, extending to various inputs that help keep the South African construction industry on a world-class footing. “We value the opportunity to share best practice, so we play our role – along with some industry peers – on various standards committees of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) in con- crete-related fields,” says Pillay. “We also make our expertise available to organ- isations like the South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL), when it needs input on issues like the Committee of Land Transport Officials (COLTO) speci- fications for road and bridge works.” www.afrisam.com

ated itself in the readymix marketplace by our standards and reliability, and this strategy has paid dividends in recent years where margins are narrow across the industry. Our customers are more than ever looking to improve their own offerings to stay ahead under these tough conditions, and our proven systems and processes support them in this quest,” he says. Nithia Pillay, AfriSam’s national product technical manager Readymix,

“Through honing our operations and carefully monitoring every aspect of our performance, we drive our own efficien- cies and thereby make our offerings cost effective to customers,” he says. Underlying high performance levels is the expertise and experience in the busi- ness, argues Dawneerangen.

Capacity and expertise has made AfriSam a leading supplier of customised mixes; value-added products that serve a customer’s specific needs.

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AROUND THE INDUSTRY

CESA develops business skills A lack of investment in the development of skills for consulting engineering human resources over many years has resulted in a skewed and unbalanced scenario in the industry. When a graph is plotted showing the number of engineers against the age of these engineers, the picture that emerges is a graph of two peaks with the older (close to retirement) engineers on one peak and young (recently-graduated) engineers on the other with a trough of mid- dle management between the two peaks. The immediate challenge to the industry is the constraint faced by under-resourced middle management engineers in providing adequate experiential training of upcoming young engineers. The CESA Business of Consulting Engineering (BCE) programme is an annual development programme that provides a solution to this gap in human resource development. Presented by CESA’s School of Consulting Engineering, the BCE equips engineering staff in the consulting environment with the non-technical skills which form an integral part of the work of a consulting engineer, but which are not part of a normal tertiary engineering education programme. “The BCE is an essential element of developing not only engi- neers but for the survival and success of the industry at large. The business of engineering is more than the business of com- pletion of projects. To survive, it must be about the business of making meaningful decisions that can be beneficial to all parties: the client, the engineers and the community,” states Makotsene

Makgalemele, 2014 CESA Young Engineer of the Year who has successfully completed the BCE programme. The BCE programme is aimed at engineers and technologists with some experience in a consulting engineering environment. It is also suitable for other technical staff and senior engineering personnel employed in a consulting engineering firm. It is an ideal platform for engineers and technologists who have the potential to rise rapidly towards senior levels of management and respon- sibility in their firms and bring with them the skills and capability required at such levels. The students learn about the consulting engineering environment, business management, project finance, legal and contractual matters while getting exposure to aspects of inter-personal skills development which enhance their ability to work in teams and become future leaders in the industry. The 2018 BCE training programme promises to be one of the most successful ever. The course runs from February to December each year and a maximum of 25 students are accommodated. Students attend three one-week contact sessions in Johannesburg and have to prepare and submit written assignments throughout the programme. In addition, there is a written exam at the end of the year, all of which are factored into assessing the success or otherwise of prospective students. Only successful students are awarded a certificate upon completion of the programme. www.cesa.co.za

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AROUND THE INDUSTRY

Mechanised mining partnership Global miner Gold Fields has signed a R6-million partnership with the School of Mining Engineering at Wits University, investing in the research and skills demanded to promote mechanised mining in South Africa. The partnership will support critical research in rock engineering, resource modelling and mining productivity – which will feed into the success of the Gold Fields’deep-level, mechanised South Deepmine, as well as other underground operations. As part of the partnership, the School’s Genmin Laboratories building was also renamed the Gold Fields Laboratories. www.wits/ac/za/miningeng

Addressing the event was Professor Cuthbert Musingwini, Head of School at Wits University’s School of Mining Engineering, who highlighted the value of collaboration between academia and the mining sector in forging South Africa’s path towards safer, mechanised and productive mining.

Cutting the ribbon at the renaming ceremony of the Gold Fields Research Laboratory were Wits University Vice-Chancellor and Principal Adam Habib (left) and Gold Fields CEO Nick Holland.

Signing the partnership agreement at the event were Wits University Vice-Chancellor and Principal Adam Habib (left) and Gold Fields CEO Nick Holland.

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ON THE COVER

Epiroc takes mining and civil engineering stage

To enable further growth, Atlas Copco has emerged into two separate groups of companies, Atlas Copco and Epiroc. Globally, the entire Mining & Rock Excavation Technique Business Area together with the Hydraulic Attachment Tools Division of Atlas Copco has become part of Epiroc, while the industrial segment remains with Atlas Copco.

mining and civil engineering businesses forward, with customers first in mind. “ This separation milestone will create greater scope for growth and a stronger customer focus, establishing a solid platform for Epiroc SA to serve its respective customers more efficiently through the delivery of innovative product, system, technology and ser- vice solutions,” Ahuja recently told cus- tomers and members of the local mining and civil engineering industries. “We are committed to providing customers with products and services that enhance their productivity, energy, efficiency, safety and ergonomics.” He says that by transforming one world-class company into two, both enti- ties are provided with the best growth opportunities in their respective markets. “Becoming Epiroc allows us to collaborate closely with mining, infrastructure and natural resources customers. As Epiroc, we can bring new solutions to the market faster and create the best product offer- ing for our customers.” Originating from Greek and Latin roots, Epiroc means ‘at or on rock’ reflect- ing its focus on mining and rock excava- tion and natural resources, proximity to customers and the strength of the part- nership with Atlas Copco.

F o u n d e d i n S t o c k h o l m , Sweden, Epiroc is a leading productivity partner for the mining, infrastructure and nat- ural resources industries. With cutting-edge technology, the company develops and produces innovative drill rigs, rock excavation and construction equipment, providing world-renowned service and consumables. Spearheaded by newly-appointed chief executive officer Per Lindberg, together with the support of a new board, the evolution of Epiroc opens up a new chapter in the global mining and civil mining engineering sectors. Building on 144 years of history, Epiroc’s roots are in Atlas Copco, a com- pany known for sustainability, innovation, high ethical standards and quality prod- ucts and service. In short, Epiroc is born out of Atlas Copco’s mining and construc- tion business and aims to build on Atlas Copco’s proven expertise, quality and performance.

According to Lindberg, it is important to note that this change will not affect daily business. “All our operations, like research and development, marketing, manufacturing, distribution and service will continue as usual.” Still a subsidiary of Atlas Copco, Epiroc has begun the journey as an independent company operating under its own brand name and logo. The company will con- tinue using certain services from Atlas Copco, and shareholding will remain unchanged. Boasting its own new head office, the local board of directors com- prises Helena Hedblom, chair and non- executive director; Pat Modisane, minority shareholder representative and non-exec- utive director; together with three exec- utive directors: Sanjay Ahuja; Victor Scott and Lerato Mokgethi. On the Sub-Sahara African front, Sanjay Ahuja has taken up the reigns as regional general manager of Epiroc South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Under his leadership, the South African company will drive the

The new generation BC 2500 bucket crusher attachment offers higher output and greater reliability than previous models, processing some 80%more material due to its hydraulic drive system. The BC 2500 fits the 24-33 t carrier weight class.

Drum cutters are an excellent choice for rock or concrete wall and surface profiling, trenching, frozen soil excavation, soft rock excavation in quarries, demolition and trenching.

Sanjay Ahuja has taken up the reigns as regional general manager of Epiroc South Africa (Pty) Ltd.

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ON THE COVER

Services and equipment The mining and civil engineering busi- ness of Epiroc comprises: mining and rock excavation service; surface and explora- tion drilling; advanced drilling solutions; and rock drilling and hydraulic attach- ment tools. Equipment and applications include: • Underground mining: mechanical rock excavation; face drill / long hole drill rigs; underground loading and haulage; ground support equipment; ventilation systems; rock drilling tools; hydraulic drum cutters; hydraulic breakers; and underground core drill rigs. • Surface mining: blast hole drill rigs; rock drilling tools; hydraulic breakers; and hydraulic attachments. • Exploration: surface core drill rigs; reverse circulation drill rigs; and rock drilling tools. In line with the above, infrastructure equipment and applications include: • Underground civil engineering: face drill rigs / long hole drill rigs; under- ground loading and haulage; ground support equipment; ventilation sys- tems; rock drilling tools; hydraulic drum cutters; hydraulic breakers; and underground core drill rigs. • Surface civil engineering and urban development: surface drill rigs; well drill rigs; rock drilling tools; hydraulic breakers; and drum cutters. • Quarrying: surface drill rigs; diamond wire cutting machines; hydraulic

dimensional stone drill rigs; hydraulic breakers; and drum cutters. • Deconstruction and recycling: hydraulic breakers; cutters; pulveris- ers; grapples; magnets; compactors; and bucket crushers. In the natural resources field, equipment and applications include: • Geotechnical, well drilling, oil and gas: water well drill rigs; oil and gas drill rigs; rock drilling tools; and hydraulic breakers. “Change brings opportunities and Epiroc was formed to be an even stronger part- ner for mining, infrastructure and natural resources equipment,” Ahuja says. “You can count on us to listen to your needs and respond with leading-edge solutions. You can call on us to keep your equipment running reliably with expert service, and importantly, you can choose us with con- fidence knowing that we are fully commit- ted to safety, with environmental and social responsibility in everything that we do. “More than a manufacturer, we aim to be a collaborative partner that keeps its promises. Above all, our mission is to earn your first choice as a partner in productiv- ity by delivering the innovations you need when you need them, leading develop- ments in automation and exceeding your expectations. “We are building two world-class companies instead of one in order to drive growth and to service our customers even better,”Ahuja reiterates.“Although we will follow two separate roads in the future,

Since its launch in 2007, the HB 10000 hydraulic breaker – the world’s largest serial hydraulic breaker – has achieved exceptional productivity in rock excavation. we share a common heritage of innova- tion and commitment to the success of our customers.” Epiroc AB plans to list on the Nasdaq Stockholm stock exchange during the course of 2018. www.epiroc.com www.atlascopco.co.za

Report by Dale Kelly and photographs courtesy Atlas Copco

Atlas Copco to acquire local exploration manufacturing business Atlas Copco has agreed to acquire the assets of Renegade Drilling Supplies (Pty) Ltd, a South African manufacturer and distributor of drilling consumables for mining exploration. The business will become part of Epiroc South Africa’s Rock Drilling Tools division.

The acquisition is expected to be completed shortly. The purchase price is not materially significant to Atlas Copco’s mar- ket capitalisation and is not disclosed. www.renegadeexp.co.za

Renegade Drilling is based in Johannesburg and sells its products throughout the southern African region. The company manufactures and distributes mining exploration drilling con- sumables, such as drill rods, in-the-hole tools and diamond drill bits. It has 22 employees. “We are happy to bring the strong team at Renegade Drilling into our group,” says Helena Hedblom, president of Atlas Copco’s Mining and Rock Excavation Technique busi- ness area. “This acquisition will expand our product portfolio and establish a regional footprint for manufacturing of mining exploration consumables.”

Core barrels used in the drilling process.

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MODERN QUARRYING

Quarter 1 / 2018

FACE TO FACE WITH GKC

H&I group keeps its head up in difficult times

year, and he says that if everything goes well, “we will reach the 1 000 000 t mark again this financial year. Since the first crushing contract in April 2001, GKC crush- ing has now crushed 14 360 352 46 t, which is some 866 000 t a year.” During the year, the company moved and commissioned three crushing plants. Current crushing projects include: • Ngceleni Quarry: GKC is operating and maintaining the Blue Rock Quarry plant, which was bought by Blue Rock Quarry during the past year. The plant produces 5 000 t of aggregate on average, which is sold to the local communities. The foreman is Ruben Sindelo. • Libode Quarry: GKC is crushing vari- ous products for Blue Rock Quarry for commercial sale as well as supplying

side in-house, we are able to get a better price on our crushing products. We also service everything here on site which includes the generators for the various sites. We have about 12 crushing or build- ing sites on roads and bridges and I have my mechanics and service mechanics on each site for mechanical maintenance. We also maintain all of our crushing plants.” According to Du Randt, GKC’s crushing plants have crushed 621 715 77 t this past Great Karoo Crushing (GKC) was formed in 1999 as a joint venture between Haw & Inglis (H&I) and the then Worcester-based Prima Klipbrekers (Afrimat) to fulfil the material requirements of H&I road construction contracts. Dale Kelly visited GKC’s Chris Tait at H&I in Durbanville to find out more about the wholly-owned subsidiary and for an update on some of the projects it is involved in. G KC became a wholly-owned subsidiary of H&I in 2002. Starting off with two crush- ing plants, it has expanded to six semi-mobile multi- stage crushing plants, two mobile crush- ing plants and two screening plants. Tait heads up the plant and equip- ment side of the business, while his partner Jacques du Randt is the crush- ing specialist. “By handling the plant

GKC’s crushing plant situated at AfriSam’s Rheebok Quarry was commissioned in June last year.

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MODERN QUARRYING Quarter 1 / 2018

SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT POTLIGHT ON BRICKMAKING FACE TO FACE WITH GKC

upgrading of 35 km of road between the Birah River and the Openshaw Village on the R72. To date H&I has constructed 25 bypasses (ranging from 120 m to 1 200 m) for the accommodation of traffic and therefore could only start building main road layer works in November last year. Estimated final roadwork quantities are as follows:

working tirelessly in the least ideal condi- tions on a construction site, GKC would not be able to do what we do.” Talking further about H&I’s business, Tait says the Cape-based construction company was founded in 1984. “It is a leading independent contractor oper- ating throughout South Africa, and has recently expanded its focus to include certain SADC countries. “With GKC being responsible for ful- filling H&I’s significant plant and crusher equipment requirements, we are able to ensure that H&I has the capacity to tackle large road construction projects, often in remote areas. “About two years ago, we had eight mobile plants running but we have down- scaled slightly and also moved into the commercial sector,” he tells MQ. “We have two projects in Umtata that are crushing commercially for one of our sites and we are also going to crush commercially in KingWilliamstown. We are hoping to start up another crushing plant in Botswana close to the border and this will be our fourth commercial plant.” Some of the projects underway include: Birah GKC is crushing for the Birah project on the R72 between Port Alfred and East London. The H&I contract started in November 2016 and is due for completion in April 2020. The contract consists of the

Triamic’s Libode site with concrete aggregates. On average, the plant produces 10 000 t of aggregates, which are sold to the local communi- ties. The foreman is Carlo Dyason, and both quarries are managed by Morne Petrus in terms of technical and client issues. Ben Jankie is GKC’s administra- tor for both quarries. • Majola Tea Quarry: Crushing for the Majola Tea project has been com- pleted (308 590 t) and GKC is currently crushing for the Libode II project from the same quarry (119 303 t). On com- pletion, the plant would have crushed 426 893 t and it is envisaged that all crushing will be completed shortly. The foreman is Ben Burger. • Jeppe’s Reef Quarry: Crushing was completed in June 2017 (609 190 t) and the plant is currently undergoing a comprehensive maintenance before the next project. The foreman is Henry Jafta. • Hamburg Quarry: Establishment of the two crushing plants started in October 2016 and the plants were commissioned in March 2017. These plants are supplying the Birah proj- ect with crushed material and to date have crushed 224 762 t of the required 1 321 067 t. This is by far the largest crushing project undertaken by GKC, and is scheduled for comple- tion in August 2019. The foreman is Jaco Hanekom. • Rheebok Quarry: Establishment of the crushing plant commenced in February 2017 and the plant was commissioned in June last year. The plant is situated in AfriSam’s Rheebok Quarry and is supplying crushed G1 and G5 for the Abbotsdale and Hopefield projects, along with occa- sionally assisting AfriSam by crush- ing G2 and G5 for its commercial clients. To date the plant has crushed 134 342 t of the required 644 543 t. The crushing project must be com- pleted in April 2019. Du Randt says that the foremen listed above are only some of the key peo- ple involved in completing a successful crushing operation. “Management would also like to acknowledge each and every employee not mentioned here, who have contributed to the projects. Without them

Fill: ± 300 000 m 3 SSG: ± 190 000 m 3

Subbase: ± 180 000 m 3 Basecourse: ± 87 000 m 3 Surfacing: ± 515 000 m 3

Kalbaskraal This project is located on the N7 Section 1 between Atlantis South (26,3 km) and Kalbaskraal (39,1 km) north of Cape Town. The project comprises the construction of a new carriageway and the upgrading of the existing carriageway for the N7 over a length of about 12,8 km, between the new Atlantis South / Philadelphia Interchange on the southern limit and north limit just north of Kalbaskraal rail line crossing. Abbotsdale The contract commenced on 9 January 2017 and has a contract period of 36 months. Establishment of the two crushing plants at Hamburg Quarry were commissioned in March 2017. By far the biggest crushing project ever undertaken by GKC, these plants are supplying the Birah project with crushed material.

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FACE TO FACE WITH GKC

The Kalbaskraal project is located on the N7 Section 1, between Atlantis South (26,3 km) and Kalbaskraal (39,1 km) north of Cape Town.

Tait says that although the group focuses mainly on new roads, bridges and resurfacing, it has also moved into struc- tural concrete.“We entered the renewable energy market in 2013 and have to date completed turbine wind farms on the N7 near Vredenburg (47), a 43-turbine wind farm just before Port Elizabeth and three at Komga, north of East London. “We have also moved into the marine construction environment with the reha- bilitation of keys, construction of small craft harbours and large jetties and reser- voirs,” he adds. H&I’s expansion and diversification of construction services over the past 33 years has led it to market-leading status, but with innovation and entrepreneurship

The project is located on the N7 Section 1 between Leliefontein (39,1 km) and Abbotsdale (49,1 km) close to Malmesbury, north of Cape Town. It comprises upgrading the existing sin- gle carriageway to a dual carriageway with 2 grade separated interchanges at Abbotsdale andTierfontein. It includes the construction of minor and divisional roads to provide controlled access to adjacent properties, in the order of 12,0 km. Before any construction could commence, 10 km of Telkom optic fibre had to be rerouted from the RHS to LHS of the new carriage- way alignment. These optic fibre lines tra- verse all the way back to Atlantis and enter the sea at Melkbos, and then run up the East Coast under the sea to the UK.

deeply ingrained into its fabric, the com- pany is certainly not resting on its laurels. Some of the structures currently underway by H&I include: • Bonnievale: The work included the fixing of 10mx 350mm steel strength- ening plates to the soffit of the exist- ing bridge around the top section of existing piers, jacking up the existing bridge and replacing all the bearings and finally widening the existing deck to both sides; all of which was done over the environmentally-sensitive Kogmanskloof River. Although not a big contract in volume or in monetary terms, it was technically challenging with the key to success being detailed planning and adaptability to change. The bridge jacking operation was car- ried out by H&I and the team lead by Robert Dawson and Stephan Nel is looking at a planned completion date of March 2018. • N7 Hopefield Interchange: The scope includes reinforced earth-re- taining walls, three post-tensioned The Bonnievale project is located on the provincial road connecting Robertson and Bonnievale. Work started at the Kogmanskloof Bridge going through Bonnievale and stops 2,0 km on the other side of town. The project is 17,5 km long and consists of a rural section (13 km), peri-urban section (4,0 km) and urban section. The project is situated in the heart of the Robertson Wine Valley, where it is surrounded by hectares of vineyards overlooking the Breede River.

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SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT POTLIGHT ON BRICKMAKING FACE TO FACE WITH GKC

The Kalbaskraal project entails: upgrading the existing single carriageway along the project section to a dual carriageway with two traffic lanes on each carriageway, northbound and southbound; the dualling of the N7 includes a 16 mmedian and grade separated interchanges constructed at Klein Dassenberg intersection and the Kalbaskraal rail crossing; the closing off and rerouting the existing minor roads and property accesses to the N7 onto adjacent and new roads; establishment of an Atlantis Sand Fynbos restoration programme within the new road reserve; and new N7 bridge structures associated with the new improved road alignment and duelling of the road. Also included in the project is the construction of new interchanges and access ramps to the N7 at the Klein Dassenberg and Kalbaskraal interchanges; and the construction of new provincial roads and private farm access roads all linking up to the N7 via the interchanges.

in projects of significant size and com- plexity over the years; spanning areas of road construction, road rehabilitation, infrastructure, mining and building con- struction. And while the business’s core focus in South Africa and the neigh- bouring region revolves around national and provincial arterial roads and urban highways, H&I’s flexibility across build- ing construction projects facilitate urban infrastructure and select institutional, industrial, commercial, residential and other building projects. www.haw-inglis.co.za Report by Dale Kelly, and photographs, unless otherwise accredited, courtesy the Haw & Inglis newsletter, The Benchmark.

bridges and an agricultural under- pass. Structural work got underway in September 2017 with bulk excavation for the earth-retaining system of all three bridges almost complete. The team is currently busy constructing the walls of the agricultural under- pass. The Hopefield team is lead by Nur Minkie and Keith Hunter. • N7 Leliefontein – Abbotsdale: The scope of the project includes five bridges, four agricultural underpasses and four in-situ culverts. The team lead by Jean-Pierre Fourie and Robbie van Zyl set off at a flying pace in May 2017, with the structures available to them. • Libode II: The team is currently ahead

of the structures programme. The site comprises: 1 overpass 62 m length 1 overpass 84 m length 1 river bridge 80 m length 1 pedestrian bridge 51 m length and ramp and staircase 10 underpasses 490 t of rebar and 4 000 m 3 of con- crete is the makeup of these structures The team is well ahead of the underpasses programme, managing to have completed half the underpasses in nine months with some 17 months remaining to complete the remaining half. The team is also on target with the bridges programme. The Western Cape-based contractor has made a name for itself for its expertise

SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT POT IGHT ON BRICKMAKING REGULA UPDATE ASPASA

Aspasa – the voice of the industry management system should be the cornerstone of any safety programme.

A s this is the first issue of the year, Modern Quarrying would like to reiterate the importance of joining an association like Aspasa, and to underline the advantages, which include: • Industry member’s support • Information forums and regulatory issues including education facilitation • Lobbying powers • Expertise development and support to members in their business • Improved industry standing • Excellence in ethical conduct • Advice and representation in ethical and legal conduct • Advice and representation in health, safety, labour relations, transport and all other relevant legislation For any surface mining operation, the question of whether or not to join an association is an important one. However, Aspasa is truly representative of the sur- face mining industry. According to Aspasa director Nico Pienaar, while joining a long-standing, reputable association gives you the ben- efit of its name behind yours, “it’s also about the services offered as a member- ship. Once has to ask the question, is your membership worth the fee? “As a surface mining operation, you want to get on with the job; but you also have to keep up with new legislation and regulations,” he says. “You need to ensure that your health and safety practices are top notch and within the legal require- ments, and you need to ensure that you do everything that is required to maintain a financially secure business. The environ- ment, skills development and quality are important issues for any surface mine.” Discussing the benefits further, Pienaar says that as an Aspasa member, you become part of the mainstream industry, which means you can be actively involved in shaping the industry legisla- tion. “Your voice alone may not be heard, but a collective voice is able to influence legislation.” Members are held to a code of con- duct and ethics, good workmanship and

compliance to legislation, all of which gives customers peace of mind. As a member, access is available to the following services: • legal compliance • international and local liaison • government liaison • training and skills development Membership ensures that your voice is heard at local, regional and national level. “No individual business should allow itself to be left out,” Pienaar says. Members also benefit from the pow- erful synergy Aspasa has with strong gov- ernment committees. The Association is an information-gathering and lobbying network, which provides its members with relevant, up-to-the-minute informa- tion and advice enabling them to act on whatever threat or opportunity may arise. Looking at safety, Pienaar says an inclusive approach to tackling safety within the surface mining industry can dramatically improve safety and limit the amount of accidents on mines. “By fostering a caring attitude, training and behaving proactively to avoid danger- ous situations companies can change the culture on their mines to be completely safety orientated. “In addition to legal compliance and the Association’s own safety requirements, we are also encouraging members to be proactive and use information from the industry, as well as their own experience to build programmes that enhance safety.” He lists seven keys towards develop- ing a culture-based safety programme: • Governance: Policies relating to all aspects of mining operation safety need to be designed and imple- mented across the board. These need to be communicated to all stakehold- ers and need to be policed in order to ensure they are adhered to. • Risk management: No programme can be successful unless all the risks on an individual mine have been assessed and procedures put in place to mitigate these risks. A good risk • transport • technical • other

• Compliance: Fortunately, the laws of the country, as well as common-sense common law provides the minimum foundation for any safety programme to be built upon. Compliance to these means that the main risks are covered and that the programme can delve further into creating a safety culture. • Culture intervention: All too often mine culture is based on a ‘macho’ or get-the-job-done at all costs culture. This needs to be changed to adopt a more caring approach with constant reinforcement of safety messages. • Training: One of the best ways to invest in employees is to offer ongo- ing training that includes training on workplace safety. Research reveals that the cost of additional training is outweighed by the benefits and proves that it is better to be safe rather than sorry. • Implementation targets: From top to bottom, an organisation needs to be committed towards implement- ing a robust safety system that they are confident will work for them. An implementation schedule that takes into account the complexity of the operation should be developed and adhered to. • Long-term success: It is important to remember that maintaining a safety culture is a marathon and not a sprint. It involves a shift in thinking and behaviour, which takes time to rein- force. Where failings do occur, it is also important to analyse these and imple- ment new plans to improve safety. A programme such as this should be done in addition to all legal and statutory requirements. As an industry association representing Southern Africa’s quarries, Aspasa has gained the recognition of local and international stakeholders in the surface mining industry and become a world leader in the proactive guidance and management of issues facing this sector of the industry.

www.aspasa.co.za Report by Dale Kelly

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