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By J. C. Vreugdenburg, B. A. Dippenaar, J. Muller, T. L. de Vries

Iron ore fines are agglomerated in the sintering process to produce sinter: an important feed material for blast furnaces worldwide. A model of the iron ore sintering process has been developed with the objective of being representative of the sinter pot test, the standard laboratory process in which the behaviour of specific sinter feed mixtures is evaluated. The model aims to predict sinter quality, including chemical quality and physical strength, as well as key sinter process performance parameters such as production rate and fuel consumption rate. The model uses the finite difference method (FDM) to solve heat and mass distributions within the sinter pot over the sinter bed height and time dimensions. This method can further be used for establishing empirical relationships with measured sinter properties. Inputs into the model include the feed material physical properties, chemical compositions, and boundary conditions that vary over time. Sub-models describe relationships between applied pressure differential and gas flow rate through the bed of granulated fine ore particles, combustion of carbonaceous material, calcination of fluxes, evaporation and condensation of water, and melting and solidification. Four sinter pot tests were performed and the model predictions validated against temperatures measured at depths of 100, 230, and 420 mm. Differences between predicted and measured temperatures indicated the need for optimization of some model parameters that are uncertain. Optimization resulted in an improvement in the correlation between the predicted and measured temperatures for all tests, although an acceptable level of agreement was not achieved in all cases. Using these parameter values, reasonable agreement was found in terms of typical performance parameters for three out of the four tests.

Jan 1, 2014

By S. Gan, E. van Niekerk, L. Birrell, D. Robbertze, L. Ncubi, B. Zhao

Quality assurance and quality control (or QAQC) plays a key role in safeguarding the level of confidence of the data generated during mineral exploration and mine development, and is also part of the reporting code requirements for resource estimation and reporting, as well as mining investment. Implementation of good policies and working protocols in quality management will result in the generation of reliable information, which is critical for decision-making on the future of the mining project. The use of certified reference materials, i.e., standard, blank, and duplicate samples, proves effective and efficient for ensuring the level of data confidence in terms of precision, accuracy, and sample contamination. This is well demonstrated by the practice of QC in the exploration programme for the chrysotile tailings storage facilities of Havelock Mine, using 1254 samples from 53 drill-holes. Different statistical tools were applied to analyse the assay results from these samples. The outcome substantiates that the QC practice established during the Havelock exploration project is aligned to best practice guidelines in the industry. The resource delineated indicates that the tailings material at Havelock could potentially become a significant source of supply to the global magnesium market.

Jul 2, 2022

The aim of this investigation was to study the influence that varying production rates have on iron sinter quality. This was done by performing sinter pot tests at different pressure drops over the sinter bed, namely 11 kPa and 15 kPa (for 500 mm total bed depths). During each of the sintering processes temperature-time profiles were recorded of the top, middle and bottom layers of the sinter bed. On completion of the sinter process the sinter cakes were divided into top, middle and bottom layers. The physical properties of each layer were subsequently characterized by performing a tumbler test and a sieve analysis. A comprehensive mineralogical study was also conducted on each layer. This study revealed that sinters of similar cold strength could be produced under the examined production rates. However, a higher production rate was accompanied by an increased amount of fines. The cold strengths of both sinters significantly increased from the top layer to the bottom layer of the sinter bed. This strength variation is not related in any simple way to the phase composition. Keywords: Sinter, sinter bed, production rate, phase composition, cold strength, tumbler index, sieve analysis, temperature-time profile

Jan 1, 2003

By M. C. Holton

South Africa has the world?s largest in situ deposits of platinum group metals, but economically exploitable resources are shrinking due to escalating costs and technical challenges. The South African National Research and Development Strategy comments that an increase in the knowledge intensity of the resource-based sectors is required to turn these resources to account. Highly trained human resources, continuous improvement, technological innovation, and smart acquisition of know-how will become the major differentiators in the global mining market. Mechanization and, ultimately, automation in mining have the potential to reverse the negative mining trend and resolve safety and other challenges. However, the adoption rate of mechanized mining in platinum (and hard-rock gold) has been slow for various reasons. Changing systems from conventional drill?and-blast to continuous mechanized mining is a big step-change endeavour. The problem of transformation is discussed, and the discipline of systems engineering is examined because of its successful application in aerospace and defence.

Jan 1, 2012

By N. Sacks, N. B. S. Magagula, I. Botef

"Low-pressure cold gas dynamic spraying was used to deposit WC-4wt%Ni and WC-4wt%Ni-1wt%Mo coatings onto mild steel. Dense coatings with very low porosities were produced. No decarburization occurred during deposition and no deleterious phases were formed. The coatings were subjected to standardized material characterization tests, as well as slurry abrasion testing to assess their wear behaviour. The wear tests were conducted in synthetic minewater-silica slurries, while distilled watersilica slurries were used as a control. The hardness of the coatings, 512HV0.3 and 458HV0.3 for WC-4wt%Ni and WC-4wt%Ni-1wt%Mo respectively, are comparable to those achieved using high-temperature coating processes. The abrasion wear rates for both coatings were less than 5 mg/min and 10 mg/min in the distilled water-silica and synthetic mine water-silica slurries respectively. The approximately 50% increase in wear rate in the synthetic minewater slurry is attributed to a synergistic corrosive wear mechanism. The predominant wear mechanisms were identified as binder smearing and delamination, with carbide grain fracture and pull-out. IntroductionSlurry abrasion is a common phenomenon in mining operations, particularly in pipelines transporting, for example, sand-water slurries. This type of wear can cause pipeline fracture, shortened operational lifetimes, and impede pipeline efficiency. To reduce or limit abrasion, thermally sprayed tungsten-carbide-based coatings are often used as pipe linings (Kanchan et al., 2010). This is due to their attractive mechanical properties, which include high wear resistance, stiffness, hardness, compressive strength, and tensile strength. These properties are provided by the coating microstructure and composition, which is a blend of hard, wear-resistant tungsten carbide (WC) particles embedded in a fracture-tough metallic binder phase (Brookes, 1997). Cobalt (Co) is the most commonly used binder due to its excellent wetting of the WC phase and moderate mechanical properties; however, its application is limited to non-corrosive environments as it has a low corrosion and oxidation resistance (Andren, 2001). Nickel (Ni) may also be used as a binder, and has been shown to have superior oxidation and corrosion resistance, but in some applications may not have the required mechanical properties (Kim et al., 2006)."

Jan 1, 2016

By D. Nardini

The need to move towards faster and safer mine development is a key priority in mining houses globally. In addition to this, South Africa faces an array of challenges introduced by labour-intensive operations; hence a study was conducted to look into improving development rates and labour productivity, specifically in the areas where trackbound flat-end development is required. The aim of the study was to propose a method to deliver fit-for-purpose tracked tunnels that advanced at a rate of one blast per end every single working day. A major part of the study was to optimize the selection of an appropriate trackless fleet and mitigate any constraints introduced with the mechanization. This was done by creating scenarios, based on a typical case study, looking into the aspects around safety, mine design, mine activity cycling, men and machine requirements, service installations, and trackless-trackbound interfaces. The case study was based on a deep-level gold mine developing twin headings with connectings; however, with the move to extend and deepen platinum operations it is foreseen that twin end development will become more prevalent due to ventilation, logistical, and other requirements. With the introduction of the trackless mechanized system suggested, development rates of 56 m of system advance are expected (189 m total development), with on an average of three headings and fixed blast times. Scenarios run with multi-blast conditions yield expectations of 75 m/month advance of the system, significantly higher than the conventional performance seen today.

Jan 1, 2012

By B. Samanta

LHD (load haul dumper) is now used as a loading machine for intermediate mechanization in underground coal mining. For survival in the intense competition in the global business environment in recent years it is essential that LHD machine should be reliable and maintained effectively and efficiently. This paper seeks to study the reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM)of an LHD machine with failure and repair data by Markov modelling. The constraints and reasons for machine unavailability are outlined. The reliability and maintainability of an LHD and its subsystems are evaluated. Possible modification or design alternatives are highlighted. Reliability and maintainability of an LHD system are disappointing. There is room to take decisions on optimal maintenance planning and machine improvement from this analysis. Keywords: reliability, availability, maintainability, Markov model, LHD

Jan 1, 2004

By J. D. Swanepoel, S. Horn, C. J. Badenhorst

Diesel particulate matter (DPM) is the particulate component of diesel exhaust, which includes diesel soot and aerosols. When released into the atmosphere, DPM can take the form of individual particles or chain aggregates, with most in the invisible sub-micrometer range of 100 nanometres. The main particulate fraction of diesel exhaust consists of fine particles and because of their small size, inhaled particles may easily penetrate deep into the lungs. The rough surfaces of these particles make it easy for them to bind with other toxins in the environment, thus increasing the hazards of particle inhalation. DPM is a significant health hazard in underground mining operations, where the use of dieselpowered equipment in confined spaces can lead to high levels of exposure among people working in these environments. Classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), DPM has been linked to severe health effects, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as an increased risk of lung cancer. Effective management of DPM is essential not only for protecting people’s health but also for ensuring regulatory compliance, maintaining operational efficiency, and safeguarding the long-term viability of mining companies.

Mar 5, 2025

By G. M. Brown, B. J. Ebacher, W. G. Koellner

Introduction There is a continual economic push to increase the productivity of mobile material handling equipment used in open pit mines. This includes the largest electrical machines: excavators (draglines and shovels) and haul trucks (Figure 1). Existing DC drive systems used on this type of equipment are a mature technology. They have no further economic potential to accommodate larger equipment be-cause of the high maintenance costs and the trade-off between power, speed and space limitations of their DC traction mo-tors. In recent years the large-scale introduction of AC drives in the rail transportation sector1,and the availability of poworful GTO and IGBT modules have led to the devolopment of compact, powerful, an drugged AC inverter drives specifically adapted to the mining market2,3. The major advantage of AC drives stems from the squirrel cage induction motor which eliminates the DC commutator. This leads directly to higher speed, increased power density, higher reliability, greater efficiency and lower maintenance of the traction motors. In the context of excavators and haul trucks, additional benofits driving the move to AC are (i) increased production rate due to higher machine speed, and power density, (ii) increased reliability and lower cost inverters using 3.3 kV IGBT's, (iii) active front-end (AFE) technology that improves compatibility with the mine power grid and an proved dynamic response,(iv) intelligent converter design that provides increased fault tolerance, (v) contextual maintenance software that facilitates trouble-shooting, and (vi) remote diagnostic capabilities. This paper describes how these and other features of AC drives lead to higher productivity in mining shovels, draglines, and haul trucks. Minimize the cost per ton of material moved The overall goal that drives design and sales of excavators and haul trucks is the constant requirement to reduce the cost per ton of material moved. Whether this involves blasting, loading trucks, or hauling material to the crusher or waste dump, equipment that reduces the cost per ton of material moved contributes to a more profitable operation. An accurate determination of the true cost per ton to move material must consider every aspect of the equipment and the circumstances under which it is used. Procurement and capital costs, fuel, operating, and maintenance costs over the useful life, and eventually the cost of scrapping should all be taken into account to determine the real cost per ton of moving material. We will focus on two broad areas that relate to the equipment itself; factors influencing the amount of material moved (Table I) and factors influencing the cost of material moved (Table II). Emphasis will be given to those elements in the tables that most influence the productivity of excavators and haul trucks due to the application of AC drive technology. Maximize the amount of material moved Maximize production rate he production rate refers to the quantity of material that can be loaded or moved per hour. This generally involves larger, faster, and more powerful equipment that operates more reliably to minimize down-time. AC motors Figure 2 compares the hoist motor speed-torque response of two 77 t (85 short ton) shovels, one AC the other DC. The absence of commutation limits on the AC motors enables the AC shovel to operate with a greater area under the speed-torque curve, resulting in faster lowering speeds and reduced times for the swing to return to the pit. This is especially important for short swing angles where the operator may have to wait for the dipper to lower. Reducing the cycle time by 6 to 8 seconds at the shovel translates into an increase in shovel production of about 20%. Larger equipment The bucket capacity of excavators has increased approximately 100-fold over the last century. Figure 3

Sep 1, 2001

By M. P. Brandt, T. P. Knoetze, I. I. M. Kessler

It has generally been accepted that the volatile mater in a coal is the factor that determines whether or not a specific coal dust is an explosion risk. This paper presents the results of an attempt to relate the explosibility index (Kex) of South African coals, as determined in a AD-litre explosion vessel, to the volatile mater content of the coal and the calorific value of the volatiles. A good relationship between the calorific value of the volatiles and the explosibility index was established, which makes it possible to calculate the violence of an explosion, as expressed by Kex, for South African coals. The Kex value is but one of a number of parameters that influence the explosion hazard in a specific colliery and cannot be used as the sole predictor of the propagation of an explosion underground. Other parameters include the ignitability of the coal, temperature, humidity, dispersibility of the dust, methane concentration, amount of incombustibles present, and ventilation.

Jan 1, 1993

By J. M. Benson

Metal powder compaction offers unique advantages in the manufacture of net-shape components using techniques such as laser sintering, conventional press and sintering, metal injection moulding, direct rolling, direct forging, and hot isostatic pressing. If the output from the primary metal production process is in powder form, then considerable cost and energy savings can be realized by direct conversion to semi-finished or final shapes. This possibility exists for titanium and possibly also for Ta, Zr, Hf, and Nb metals. However, these attractive benefits are associated with some significant risks. The high surface-to-volume ratio of powder particles coupled with the reactive nature of these metals means that special care must be taken when handling them. Powder explosions are unfortunately still a regular occurrence internationally and these often result in serious injury and loss of life. Even seemingly 'safe' compounds such as sugar, flour, and grain can be extremely hazardous when handled or milled and dust clouds are produced. In addition, exposure to airborne particles can have adverse effects on the human body, especially when particles are inhaled on a regular basis. Furthermore, the medical consequences of these are not fully understood, especially in the case of nanoparticles. The impact is often not observed immediately and debilitating illnesses may emerge only years or decades later. As far as is known, there are no South African guidelines for handling of metal powders. This paper attempts to provide an awareness of the risks associated with metal powders (including those produced indirectly by other metalworking/finishing operations) as well as some guidelines for their safe handling, based on international best practices.

Jan 1, 2012

By J. F. Brand, J. C. van Dyk, F. B. Waanders

"Syngas from Africary’s Theunissen underground coal gasification (UCG) project will be used for power production and synthesis of liquid fuels and commodity chemicals. However, some of the coal components, especially condensable water, oils, tars, inorganic trace elements, and a small fraction of fly ash and particulate matter, make their way to the surface via the production well and can cause adverse impacts on downstream processes. Africary’s standard design incorporates a cold gas clean-up system that relies on relatively mature techniques based on highly effective wet scrubbers and acid gas removal (AGR) systems such as Rectisol®, but with the downside of low energy efficiency and waste water generation. In this paper, novel technologies for removing contaminants and species separation from the hot (T > 300°C) raw syngas are compared. Comparisons are made between supersonic gas separation (SGS), Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube (RHVT), vortex gradient separation (VGS), and inertia vacuum filtering (IVF), and a vortex-based gas separation concept is proposed for UCG applications. IntroductionImpurities in gasification feedstock (coal, biomass, waste, etc.), especially sulphur, nitrogen, chlorine, and inorganic mineral matter, often end up in the syngas and can cause adverse impacts on downstream processes. Africary’s standard design incorporates a cold gas clean-up system that relies on relatively mature techniques based on highly effective wet scrubbers and acid gas removal (AGR) systems such as RectisolR, SelexolR or aMDEAR; but with the downside of low energy efficiency and waste water generation.Hot (T > 300°C) gas clean-up technologies are attractive because they avoid cooling and reheating of the syngas stream. Some available warm gas cleaning technologies include traditional particulate removal devices such as cyclones, candle filters, membranes, and molecular sieves. The warm gas desulphurization process technology developed by RTI LLC (2018) requires hot syngas to remove sulphur and has become commercially ready. Many other hot gas cleanup systems are still under development, given the technical difficulties caused by extreme environmental and operating conditions."

Jan 1, 2018

By J. Pelders, F. Magweregwede, S. M. Rupprecht

Increased depths of conventional gold and platinum mines, longer travelling times as working places move further from the shaft, and ancillary activities taking place in the mining cycle reduce the useable time spent at them workface. Current shift lengths of 8 hours 20 minutes may no longer be adequate ton complete required mining activities.The impact of mineworker commuting times on shift work is also not well understood. The aim of this research was to draft a framework to optimize shift cycles in order to maximize productivity, health, safety, and wellness in the South African mining sector. The framework was informed by a review of the literature, case studies at a local gold mine and platinum mine, and a workshop with industry experts. The findings indicate potential advantages of extended shift lengths and continuous operations, such as improved productivity, asset utilization, and employee morale. However, concerns included fatigue and the associated safety hazards, particularly when working longer shifts, night shifts, and numerous consecutive shifts. Job demands, personal factors, and commuting times are further considerations when scheduling shifts. The ideal shift system for the mining sector should holistically consider and balance operational requirements, health and safety, and employees’ and their families’ requirements, and suit the unique needs of each operation. Changes in shift cycles will require a structured change management process, which involves all stakeholders, and could help to enhance the viability of the South African mining sector.

Aug 1, 2021

By M. Ataei, F. Sereshki, R. N. Masir

Given the inherent risks and disruptions in underground coal mining operations, strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure has become a vital priority. This paper aims to evaluate the resilience of the underground coal mining environment using historical data and expert judgment. The study serves as a framework for optimising the utilisation of critical infrastructure to minimise operational disturbances. To achieve this, a practical methodology has been developed, incorporating nearly two and a half years of collected operational data, a hierarchical structure, and a systematic approach. Furthermore, a case study is conducted to demonstrate the real-world applicability of the proposed method. Finally, the resilience index isintroduced as a straightforward summation of ranked impact factors, providing a clear metric for resilience assessment.

Dec 15, 2025

By N. K. Singo, J. D. Kramers

The reprocessing of tailings resources to extract gold on an industrial scale has become common practice. While these projects are common in the Witwatersrand basin, similar low-technology processes are not operational in smaller goldfields. This study explores the possibility of reclaiming the tailings dump of the Louis Moore Mine in the Giyani Greenstone Belt, investigates potential hazards to communities in the vicinity, and identifies mitigation strategies. Auger samples were taken from the Louis Moore tailings at depths of up to 5 m. Aqua regia leach analyses show Au concentrations of up to 1 g/t. Inferred estimations based on ordinary kriging (OK) and inverse distance weighted (IDW) methods put the residual Au resource in the Louis Moore tailings dump at 0.20 t. Reworking the tailings is viable, although a potential environmental risk exists in the form of elevated arsenic concentrations. Further exploration is required to determine the mineralogical associations of Au and As. Tailings reworking would assist in raising funds for mine rehabilitation. The secondary tailings could potentially be repurposed, which would provide employment and facilitate community development, as well as deliver environmental benefits.

Jul 1, 2021

By R. Simon, P. Pagé, L. Li, P. Yang

The Mathews-Potvin stability method is widely used in the Canadian mining industry as a starting point to determine the maximum dimensions of mine stopes. However, it cannot be applied to inclined (more frequently encountered) mine stopes without conducting numerical modelling to obtain the stress factor A, defined as a function of the ratio of unconfined compressive strength of intact rock to the induced principal stress on the exposed stope walls. The need to conduct numerical modelling significantly limits the application of the Mathews-Potvin method. In addition, given its empirical nature and main application for preliminary design, it is deemed undesirable to conduct numerical modelling, especially elaborate modelling. Alternatively, theoretical methods can provide a much simpler and quicker way to estimate stresses around stopes and the corresponding stress factors. Over the years, a large number of studies have been conducted to estimate stresses around openings excavated with various crosssections. However, theoretical or graphical solutions remain unavailable for mine stopes that typically consist of horizontal floor and roof, and two parallel inclined walls (hangingwall and footwall). To remedy this situation, a series of numerical simulations is first performed for openings with vertical and inclined walls, including typical stopes commonly encountered in underground mines. A group of empirical solutions is then formulated to estimate the induced principal stresses at the roof centre and mid-height of the stope walls. The validity and predictability of the proposed solution have been verified using additional numerical simulations. The proposed solution can thus be used to calculate stresses and the resultant stress factors A around typical mine stopes with any inclination angle and height to width ratio, under any in-situ stress state, without conducting numerical modelling.

Aug 1, 2021

By W. Ferreira

Steel is produced in a basic oxygen furnace from hot metal obtained from a blast furnace. A sintered iron ore with good hightemperature properties (strength and permeability) should be used as feed to the blast furnace. The quality of this sintered ore depends on the reactivity of the iron ore used as feed to the sinter plant during the lime assimilation step in the sintering process. The penetration test is the standard method for evaluating the reactivity of iron ore with lime. It is, however, difficult to determine the exact depth of penetration from the standard test. A new test method is proposed that allows automatic evaluation of iron ores in terms of lime assimilation with increasing temperature. A comparison of the coefficients of variation for the new and standard methods for each ore type demonstrates that the results of the new test are more reproducible and more precise than those of the standard method. The test is also less time-consuming and easier to implement.

Jan 1, 2014

By P. Linzer, L. M. Linzer

The gravity method is often applied in mining-related scenarios such as geological and mineral exploration, detecting subsurface cavities and voids (“receptacles”) that may become sinkholes, siting of surface structures, fault-mapping, and more. It is also widely applied in geotechnical engineering to map subsurface karst profiles and to detect subsurface cavities, such as can occur in open pit mines. While it is widely acknowledged that, compared with other available geophysical methods, this method is the most applicable to the karst profiling problem, survey geometries applied in the field are often far from optimal. The gravity surveying specifications prescribed in SANS 1936 omit some key requirements for optimal survey outcomes, and this paper is intended to fill those gaps. The authors have seen scopes of work that require only a few measurements over the footprint of a proposed structure, indicating a lack of understanding of the nature of the gravitational field. A single gravity measurement is subject to the camouflaging effects of several influences, many of which can be larger than the anomaly caused by the subsurface density variation itself. Papers in the body of literature show an awareness of the need to map the regional field so that it can be subtracted to unmask the residual gravity anomaly, but rarely do they examine how instrument sensitivity governs the size of detectable anomalies or discuss how a detailed terrain correction can be instrumental for isolating faint targets. This paper aims to explain how to apply the gravity method correctly to mining and geotechnical problems, specifically in the detection of subsurface cavities. It discusses various factors to assist with optimising the acquisition of gravity data and its processing so as to maximise the practical value of gravity surveys.

Sep 1, 2025

By J. L. Havenga, L. J. van der Walt, J. T. Nel, H. Bissett

"SynopsisNew technologies used to manufacture high-quality components, such as direct laser sintering, require spherical powders of a narrow particle size distribution as this affects the packing density and sintering mechanism. The powder also has to be chemically pure as impurities such as H, O, C, N, and S causes brittleness, influence metal properties such as tensile strength, hardness, and ductility, and also increase surface tension during processing.Two new metal powder processes have been developed over the past few years. Necsa produces zirconium powders via a plasma process for use in the nuclear industry, and the CSIR produces titanium particles for use in the aerospace industry.Spheroidization and densification of these metal powders require remelting of irregular shaped particles at high temperature and solidifying the resulting droplets by rapid quenching. Spherical metal powders can be obtained by various energy-intensive methods such as atomization of molten metal at high temperatures or rotating electrode methods. Rapid heating and cooling, which prevents contamination of the powder by impurities, is, however, difficult when using these methods for highmelting- point metals. For this reason plasma methods should be considered.Thermal plasmas, characterized by their extremely high temperatures (3000–10 000 K) and rapid heating and cooling rates (approx. 106 K/s) under oxidizing, reducing, or inert conditions, are suitable for spheroidization of metal powders with relatively high melting points. Thermal plasmas for this purpose can be produced by direct current (DC) plasma arc torches or radio frequency (RF) inductively coupled discharges. In order to obtain chemically pure spheroidized powder, plasma gases such as N2, H2, O2, and CH4 cannot be considered, while Ar, Ne, and He are suitable. Neon is, however, expensive, while helium ionizes easily and it is therefore difficult to obtain a thermal helium plasma at temperatures higher than 3000 K. Therefore argon should be used as plasma gas. Residence times of particles in the plasma region range from 5–20 ms, but this is usually sufficient as 7–8 ms is required for heating and melting of titanium or zirconium metal particles in the 30 µm size range at 3500 K. In this study the melting and spheriodization of titanium powders was investigated by DC non-transferred arc and RF induction plasma methods. The powders were characterized before and after plasma treatment by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to observe if any melting or spheroidization had occurred."

Jan 1, 2015

By J. Saunders, N. Pretorius, G. Krafft, T. P. Katakwa

Imagine being able to see all the future planned mining activities in real time. This is exactly what SIMS (Short Interval Management System) will enable you to do. SIMS is a real time short interval control system that continuously measures and sets optimised plans for mining production processes. The system utilises algorithm-based software that takes resources (people, equipment, tasks, and workplaces) and gives you the best achievable plan. The algorithm was developed using methods found in the field of metaheuristics. A metaheuristic is a strategy to designed to efficiently search for optimal or near optimal solutions to problems that are very complex computationally. (Glover, 1986) There are several algorithms that have been developed to solve optimisation problems which are difficult to solve using traditional techniques. This has given rise to a field called evolutionary computing. (Simon, 2013) Examples of these techniques are genetic algorithms, particle swarm optimisation, and ant colony optimisation. These methods are used to solve problems in a variety of fields. As an example, Kok and Lane (2012) used particle swarm optimisation for equipment allocation in a mechanised underground mining environment. The first SIMS deployment took place in a platinum underground tabular mechanised mine near Burgersfort (province?) from 2017-2019. This included the development from a paper-based system to a fully operational online system. SIMS then moved to a second site and is currently being tested in a second platinum underground tabular mechanised mine in South Africa. Full deployment of the system is currently being phased in. SIMS was built in response to issues that have been plaguing the mining industry for years. These issues are all aligned into one major problem statement: how can we optimise mining production processes without compromising safety? This product was developed by combining years of mining experience with software development. SIMS is based on a four-pillar concept. Safety, productivity, accountability, and business improvement. SIMS uses a set of pre-configured mining and production rules, and with the resources that are available, to determine valid short term production plans. A background algorithm then determines the optimum plan to be executed. The system continuously produces a set of job cards that are pushed to respective operators on their allocated tablets. The management portal component allows you to view and manage all current and planned work on any connected device available. This allows real time visibility of completed, current, and planned work to operators, service departments and management, i.e., seeing into the future.

Sep 1, 2021