RUC CEMENTATION MINING COLLABORATES ON STEM UNITED PROGRAMME

STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and maths and leading STEM education provider, Fire Tech Australia, will introduce thousands of Western Australian Year 9 students to the world of robotics and drones, with the launch of STEM united, a school programme aimed at promoting careers in STEM.

According to a recent report, 75% of all future work roles will require STEM skills and the programme aims to bridge young people’s interest in STEM and its real-world applications. Industries are increasingly adopting robotics and drone technology and it is vital that the workforce of the future is well versed in these technical skills and where they can be applied.

RUC Cementation Mining, along with funding partners WA Mining Club and Platform Communications, have provided their financial support to the programme enabling Fire Tech Australia to offer free STEM lessons to low and mid socio-economic status schools.

Says Barry Upton, RUC Cementation Mining managing director, “Personally, I see RUC’s investment in STEM united as a no-brainer. The RUC leadership team and Board fully support the programme, not only is it necessary from an industry perspective, but also from a corporate social responsibility perspective. It is the right thing to do.” R

BOIPELO MINING CONTRACTORS WINS NEW CLYDESDALE MINING CONTRACT

Empowered joint venture company Boipelo Mining Contractors has won a contract from Universal Coal for mining and related services at New Clydesdale Colliery in Mpumalanga.

New Clydesdale Colliery produces thermal coal for the local and export market and is one of four collieries operated by Universal Coal.

Boipelo Mining Contractors is a joint venture between Murray & Roberts Cementation and the Amandla TM Group.

Work began in February 2019 and the turnkey contract covers three underground sections of the mine. The current operation is on the #2 lower with a complete suite of equipment to support three continuous miner sections. Boipelo Mining Contractors is also responsible for the installation and maintenance of the conveyor and ventilation infrastructure.

“Opportunities do exist in the current operation for expansion and we will continuously be on the look out to improve efficiencies in order to surpass our contractual obligations. The transition to Boipelo Mining Contractors has been well received and was achieved through extensive consultation with New Clydesdale management and the affected employees,” says Charles Makgala, executive partner at Boipelo Mining Contractors.

“This is an exciting project for us and will employ 175 people directly, over and above which there will be sub-contractors on site when necessary,” says Allan Widlake, Boipelo Mining Contractors executive partner and new business director at Murray & Roberts Cementation.

“We are bringing a depth of coal mining experience and expertise from both JV partners and are confident that we will deliver an efficient and cost effective solution to the client,” concludes Widlake.

As part of the mining services offered, Boipelo Mining Contractors will also be negotiating the geological features of three mining sections, which is likely to require drilling and blasting of dykes in the orebody when necessary.

CEMENTATION AMERICAS – GODERICH MINE REHABILITATION

The world’s largest underground rock salt mine, the Goderich Mine in Goderich, Ontario, Canada, is situated on the east shore of Lake Huron. Development of the mine began in 1957 when Cementation Canada was contracted to sink the production shaft (#1 Shaft). The shaft, with a diameter of 4.9 metres, was completed to a depth of approximately 540 metres in 1959. A ventilation shaft, (#2 Shaft) of similar dimensions, was completed between 1961 and 1963; it was later converted into a service shaft.

By 2010, the shaft conditions in the original #1 and #2 Shafts had sufficiently deteriorated to the point that an extensive rehabilitation programme was required. Deterioration was evident both inside the shaft barrel and the headframe structures – due to age, freeze-thaw effects and salt creep on both the shaft liner and the surrounding rock mass, which opened up new areas of water inflow. In 2015, the mine owner, Compass Minerals, and mine contractor, Cementation Canada, formed a team to design and implement innovative methods to repair and revitalise the shafts, as well as the demolition and reconstruction of two headframes to deliver years of future service.

The rehabilitation scope was divided into two general zones. The upper zone is within heavily waterbearing carbonate rocks where the damaged liner was allowing water inflows and creating the potential for further deterioration. A new liner needed to be installed within the preexisting concrete liner, as removing the old liner would risk flooding the mine. An inventive welded steel lining and installation system was chosen, as it resulted in a smaller reduction in shaft diameter compared to other options – reducing the shaft diameter to 4.4 metres.

In the lower zone, there are alternating salt and dolomite/shale layers and the existing concrete liner had been damaged by salt creep and geological movement. To accommodate creep deformation, the proposed rehabilitation plan called for the removal of the damaged liner and the installation of compressible fill behind a new structural concrete liner. As this is a complicated construction methodology, the Cementation team looked for a simpler design solution and a high strength concrete liner, capable of withstanding the radial creep forces, was then implemented.

In addition to the demanding ground and groundwater conditions, the project dealt with the challenge of not interrupting active mining operations on a very tightly constrained mine site in the middle of a busy harbour. This required careful planning and execution at all times to maintain mine operation. Further challenges included work platform design and modifications for all the various aspects of the project, including stripping, steel lining, grouting, blasting, concreting and re-equipping the production shaft. Despite many challenges, Compass Minerals and Cementation partnered together to complete this complex project within budget and schedule, and most importantly, without a lost time incident.