Implementation of mechanized roof-bolters for low-seam hard-rock mining

Kempenaars, Cornelius

Implementation of mechanized roof-bolters for low-seam hard-rock mining

dc.contributor.author	Kempenaars, Cornelius
dc.date.accessioned	2020-02-28T11:12:25Z
dc.date.available	2020-02-28T11:12:25Z
dc.date.issued	2019
dc.description	A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering Johannesburg, 2019	en_ZA
dc.description.abstract	As commodity prices decrease and health and safety requirements increase, it is of the utmost importance to understand the complexity of converting the existing conventional mines to mechanized mining operations. This is necessary for the mining industry in order to remain competitive, as there are minimal numbers of new mining ventures taking place. There have been many previous attempts to do this type of conversion in the mining industry that have not been successful and also not well-documented, thus the knowledge is lost to the industry. The intention of this case study is to understand the process followed by a specific mine in converting from a conventional roof-bolt installation to a mechanized roof-bolt installation method in an already semi-mechanized operation. The objective of many mines is to improve the health and safety of the employees who are exposed to dangerous areas, as well as to improve productivity and efficiency to ensure a more competitive position in the market. That objective also applies to this case study. By evaluating this project through a process of interviews with role-players, based on knowledge gained from the industry and aspects that were seen as important in various other literature studies, it was possible to determine what worked, what did not work and what lessons were learned during this project that could be valuable to the industry. Through this process it can be determined which of these aspects impacted on the implementation of this type of conversion project. It is also clear that each conversion project will have its own dynamics but there will be the basic elements such as the types of equipment, human factors and management processes that will apply to most mechanization projects. The biggest driver for the success of mechanization in the mining industry will be with regard to how to ensure job security while introducing mechanization, which does not apply only to the mine itself but to both the mining and manufacturing industries. Dwarsrivier Mine overcame this big hurdle by making a profoundly bold decision, namely that no one would lose his job. In essence, this ensured a more candid approach to making this implementation process a success. The improvements that the new equipment brings must be understood, as well as what the consequences will be in other sections or departments of the organisation. Setting realistic targets for the short and long term will be valuable, and allowing time for the operators to mature will give the highest return on investment in the implemented equipment.	en_ZA
dc.description.librarian	MT 2020	en_ZA
dc.faculty	Faculty of Engineering	en_ZA
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/10539/28994
dc.language.iso	en	en_ZA
dc.title	Implementation of mechanized roof-bolters for low-seam hard-rock mining	en_ZA
dc.type	Thesis	en_ZA

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