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This editorial is written by candlelight – and thank goodness for resilient laptop batteries! Yes, it’s power shedding time again in South Africa. A situation to which we are getting used and with which we will be forced to live for months, if not years , to come. The damage to the country’s economy is … Continued

Tunnel boring machines in hard rock mining From the proceedings of the MVSSA 2013 conference: The Art of Precision Abstract Historically, mine planners have recognised the benefits of using Tunnel Boring Machine [TBM] technology to facilitate rapid access to ore reserves in hard rock mines. Recently methods that utilise TBM technology to extract ore from … Continued

The effect of automated mining on the occupational environment From the proceedings of the MVSSA 2013 conference: The Art of Precision Abstract Underground mining has changed dramatically over the last century reaching depths in excess of four kilometres. Mining operations are continuously looking for new ways in terms of technology to remove people from risk … Continued

Human Vibration, from theory to practice From the proceedings of the MVSSA 2012 conference: ‘ENGINEERING: A Solution to mine ventilation challenges Abstract The health and safety challenges that the mining industry faces are ever increasing. Humans interact on a daily basis with machinery in their everyday working environment. Vibration exposure is associated with numerous health … Continued

Fire detection and suppression on underground conveyor belt installations Background On 20th September 2004, a fire occurred on a conveyor belt installation underground at a platinum mine in the western limb of the Bushveld Complex. Nine people died during the fire despite wearing self-rescuer apparatuses and the relative availability of nearby refuge chambers. The cause … Continued