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Research Articles (Mining Engineering): Recent submissions

  • Sub-standard practices : effects on safety performance in South African gold mines 
    Kleyn, G.; Du Plessis, J.J.L. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2016-04)
    Sub-standard practices and their adverse impact on safety performance remain a challenge in the South African gold mining industry. The purpose of this study was to investigate the root causes of sub-standard practices and ...
  • Matte - tap-hole clay - refractory brick interaction in a PGM smelter 
    Du Toit, J.; Cromarty, Robert Douglas; Garbers-Craig, Andrie Mariana (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2016-04)
    Penetration of matte into tap-hole bricks causes detrimental refractory wear, which can lead to furnace breakouts. The ability of the tap-hole clay to form a protective layer on the brick, thereby limiting matte ...
  • A proposed approach for modelling competitiveness of new surface coal mines 
    Budeba, M.D.; Joubert, Johannes Willem; Webber-Youngman, Ronald C.W. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2015-11)
    Cost estimation for surface coal mines is a critical practice that affects both profitability and competitiveness. New mines require these costs to be estimated using available information before a project begins. ...
  • Rock engineering aspects of a modified mining sequence in a dip pillar layout at a deep gold mine 
    Jooste, Yvonne; Malan, D.F. (Daniel Francois) (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2015-10)
    Scattered mining was practised on Kusasalethu Mine (previously Elandsrand Gold Mine) prior to 1998, but at deeper mining levels it was no longer feasible, since it would have resulted in unacceptably high stress levels ...
  • ISRM suggested methods for determining the creep characteristics of rock 
    Aydan, Omer; Ito, Takashi; Ozbay, Ugur; Kwasniewski, M.; Shariar, K.; Okuno, T.; Ozgenoglu, A.; Malan, D.F. (Daniel Francois); Okada, T. (Springer, 2014-01)
    It is important to note that creep is only one aspect of the time-dependent behavior of rocks. In Fig. 1, three cases are illustrated with respect to the complete stress–strain curve: creep, i.e., increasing strain when ...
  • Modelling and determining the technical efficiency of a surface coal mine supply chain 
    Budeba, M.D.; Joubert, Johannes Willem; Webber-Youngman, Ronald C.W. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2015-12)
    Determining the efficiency of a surface coal mine operation is an essential activity, which can help in deciding on the optimal use of input resources, including effective capital allocation, in generating a desired ...
  • Evaluation of some optimum moisture and binder conditions for coal fines briquetting 
    Venter, P.; Naude, Natasia (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2015-04)
    Coal mining is a thriving industry and 53% of the coal mined in South Africa is used for electricity generation. Mechanization has made coal mining more efficient, but fines generation has subsequently increased. Up to ...
  • Mining through areas affected by abnormal stress conditions at Syferfontein Colliery 
    Legote, C. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2015-04)
    This paper investigates the conditions leading to the indefinite termination of production in four critical primary panels at an underground coal mining operation, the observed shortcomings in the mining approach, and ...
  • A critical evaluation of the water reticulation system at Vlaklaagte Shaft, Goedehoop Colliery 
    Lombard, R. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2015-04)
    Water is a very important component in the production process at underground coal mines. Current unfavourable economic conditions have forced the coal mining industry to identify and address every possible bottleneck ...
  • Re-aligning the cutting sequence with general support work and drafting a support sequence at Simunye Shaft 
    Lombard, K. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2015-04)
    ‘Roof support awaiting time’ (RSAT) is a term used at Goedehoop Colliery’s Simunye Shaft to describe the potential production time lost due to the continuous miner (CM) standing idle waiting for roof support to catch ...
  • Stochastic simulation for budget prediction for large surface mines in the South African mining industry 
    Hager, J.; Yadavalli, Venkata S. Sarma; Webber-Youngman, Ronald C.W. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2015-06)
    This article investigates the complex problem of a budgeting process for a large mining operation. Strict adherence to budget infers that financial results align with goals. In reality, the budget is not a predetermined ...
  • Crush pillar support - designing for controlled pillar failure 
    Du Plessis, M.; Malan, D.F. (Daniel Francois) (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2015-06)
    The aim of any mine design is to ensure that the excavations remain stable for the period they will be in use. Various pillar systems are used to ensure that underground stopes remain stable and that mining activities ...
  • A decision analysis guideline for underground bulk air heat exchanger design specifications 
    Hooman, Marle; Webber-Youngman, Ronald C.W.; Du Plessis, J.J.L.; Marx, M.W. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2015-02)
    This paper discusses a study that investigated different underground bulk air heat exchanger (>100 m3/s) design criteria. A literature review found that no single document exists covering all design criteria for different ...
  • The Sasol Engineering and Leadership Academy 
    Knobbs, Clive G.; Gerryts, Erna W.; Kagogo, T.; Neser, M. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2014-12)
    Contrary to the way it is often portrayed, the average organization or company is far from being a cold, calculating machine. It is actually a highly emotive place where interaction with people is a fundamental part of ...
  • Efficient use of energy in the ventilation and cooling of mines 
    Du Plessis, J.J.L.; Marx, W.M.; Nell, C. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2014-12)
    Escalating energy and electricity costs have become one of the largest drivers of expenditure in mining operations. Over the last eight years, energy costs have tripled when expressed as a percentage of total expenses in ...
  • The presence of shear stresses in pillars and the effect on factor of safety in a room-and-pillar layout 
    Maritz, Jan Abram (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2014-12)
    Since the dawn of mining, pillars have been used as primary support to ensure stable workings. Early designs were based on trial and error, after which more scientific means developed over time. A vast amount of progress ...
  • Arnot’s readiness to prevent a Pike River disater 
    Weber, R. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2014)
    Methane explosions in underground coal mines are a major concern across the mining industry. After the Pike River disaster, Arnot Coal became even more aware of the explosion risk. To determine whether Arnot has adequate ...
  • Optimizing shaft pressure losses through computational fluid dynamics modelling 
    Kempson, William James; Webber-Youngman, Ronald C.W.; Meyer, Josua P. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2013-12)
    As a result of the rising electrical energy costs in South Africa, a method was sought to reduce the overall electrical consumption of typical shaft systems. A typical shaft configuration was analysed and the primary ...
  • A critical investigation into alternatives to compressed air in boxfront chute cylinders 
    Tonkin, C.J. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2013-04)
    Compressed air is widely used on South African gold mines. However, due to recent and proposed future electricity tariff increases it is quickly becoming too expensive to produce and use. Boxfront chute systems at ore ...
  • Continuous blasting improvements at Landau Colliery 
    Rakoma, M. (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2013-04)
    Following the blasting fatality on 17 December 2009, Landau Colliery was forced to change from the blasting practices that had been utilized since the start-up of the mine. Since then, attempts have been made to optimize ...