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| PROJECTS |
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| Technical Expertise and Wealth of Experience |
The following provides an insight into the depth of the technical expertise and field experience of the Shaft Sinkers group.
Shaft sinking
Sinking of shafts through every type of rock strata, ranging from small diameter exploratory shafts to large diameter surge chambers and ultra-deep multiple shaft systems for mining.
Large underground excavations
Design and construction of underground caverns - small or large - for the containment of: hydro power or pump storage power plants; normal or high pressure oil and gas.
Civil and mining tunnelling
Turnkey project handling from concept through to final construction of horizontal and inclined tunnels and caverns, including lining tunnels to withstand high pressure water such as hydropower penstocks.
Mine Infrastructure
Design and construction of infrastructure including: dams, pump stations, workshops, settlers, sub-stations and ore passes. The company also provides high-efficiency custom built drilling and mucking machinery.
Mining
Shaft Sinkers applies conventional and mechanized mining methods at deep and shallow underground mines.
Turnkey Project Planning and Implementation
In the case of longer term projects the company’s policy is to acquire the resources necessary to guarantee successful contract completion. For example in Rustenburg, South Africa, Shaft Sinkers acquired a residential development to house its labour force working on an adjacent platinum mine. Shaft Sinkers provides housing for employees and their families, for the duration of the project, as well as requisite amenities including recreation and conference facilities.
Agreed Target Cost Contracting (ATC) – innovative approach to projects
This is a collaborative agreement between the client and the contractor in which it is agreed to combine skills and strengths into a single team with the objective of reducing risk, planning, designing and executing a project as cost effectively and efficiently as possible.
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| Current projects |
Yalea Underground Mine
| Location: |
Mali |
| Client: |
Somali |
Project:
The project involves sinking a single trackless decline, developed at -9.5º to the horizontal and equipped with a conveyor system, for both ore and waste handling purposes. The decline is developed at dimensions of 6.5m wide and 4.5m high, and will have a final length of 2400m. This project also includes the excavation of associated development of strike drives and level accesses, as well as long-hole massive stoping, utilizing long-hole drillers like the Simba drill rigs, LHD's and crushers.
The design of the portal of this decline was done by Shaft Sinkers METS division.
The decline is used to access the ore body below Loulo and Yalea Open Cast mines, which ranges from 10m to 25m in thickness.
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Saffy Shaft - Development & Stoping Contract
| Location: |
Marikana East, Rustenburg, North West Province, South Africa |
| Client: |
Lonmin |
Project:
Saffy Shaft was sunk, equipped and commissioned by Shaft Sinkers. It was completed with no fatal accident. The scope of work was since extended to include mechanized development, and stoping was added later as well.
This shaft is one of the first two deep shafts to use the full fleet of ultra low profile (ULP) mechanized equipment developed by Lonmin and its partners. The second, being its sister mine, is Hossy Shaft.
The project includes expansion of haulages East & West up to the capital footprint, inclusive of all associated development of reef and underground infrastructures like workshops and stores. The stoping is done by hybrid method involving both mechanized and conventional methods.
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Teesta - 1200 MW Pressure Shafts
| Location: |
India |
| Client: |
Teesta Urja Limited |
Project:
The project involves sinking of 2 pressure shafts, both with a final depth of 730m. The diameter of 5.4m will allow for the installation of a steel liner, 500mm concrete lining and 75mm fibre reinforced shotcrete.
The steelwork of the headgear is designed by our METS division and the area around the two shafts will be geared to allow for the services needed to sink both shafts to the required depth.
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Impala 17 Shaft - Main Vent & Fridge Shaft
| Location: |
Rustenburg, North West Province, South Africa |
| Client: |
Impala Platinum |
Project:
The No 17 Shaft project is premised on known and proven technology and a detailed knowledge of the geology. It is the second "fourth generation" shaft complex on Impala Rustenburg, the first being the No 16 Shaft, also currently under construction.
The project entails the sinking of three vertical shafts, the Main, the Vent, and the Refrigeration Shaft together with a 43m Bulk Air Cooler (BAC) Shaft, and all associated tunnels. The Main Shaft will have a final depth of 1920m at 10.0m in diameter; the Ventilation Shaft will be 1750m deep with a cross-sectional diameter of 9.0m; while the Fridge Shaft will be 1360m deep with a diameter of 6.0m. All three shafts are lined with concrete.
No 17 Shaft complex started in September 2007, is planned to produce approximately 226 ktpm of reef from eight operational levels upon its completion. The levels will access both the Merensky and UG2 reef horizons.
The shafts will feature eight double "D" stations, an intermediate pump station, main pump station and skip loading facilities.
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Kalagadi Manganese
| Location: |
Hotazel, Northen Cape Province, South Africa |
| Client: |
Kalahari Resources |
Project:
This involves an establishment of a new Manganese mine in the Northern Cape province near Hotazel. The geology of this is characterised by thick layers of sand, layers of clay, shale, calcrete, etc. Thus it provides for challenging conditions for mining and sinking.
The project includes Sinking of the Main and Ventilation Shafts, together with the underground development and mining operations, building up to the production target of 250 000 tons per month. The Main Shaft will have a depth of 356m and a 9.0m diameter and the Ventilation Shaft will be 322m deep with a cross-sectional diameter of 6.7m. Both shafts will be lined with reinforced concrete.
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Karee 3 Shaft - Decline Development Contract
| Location: |
Marikana West, Rustenburg, North West Province, South Africa |
| Client: |
Lonmin |
Project:
Karee Mine is required to sustain the production output from the current No.3 Shaft UG2 workings. The Karee No. 3 Shaft UG2 Decline on Lonmin Platinum Ltd, Marikana Division, will enable the mining of the UG2 on four levels between 21 and 25 levels. The Sub-Decline will balance the depletion of Karee No.3 Shaft from a production and mining efficiency point of view. It will also ensure continued availability of stope faces at this shaft.
This involves sinking of a 7mx4m Sub-Decline shaft at -11 degrees from 20 level to 25 level with the associated level development on four levels (at 22, 23, 24 and 25 levels). Also inclusive, is the development of a 'chair lift decline' and all construction associated with the conveyor belt down the decline and ore passes needed to transfer ore from levels to the conveyor belt on the Sub-Decline.
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Moab - Khotsong Mine
| Location: |
Near Orkney town, along the Free State-North West Provinces border,
South Africa |
| Client: |
Anglogold-Ashanti |
Project:
Moab Khotsong Mine - formerly known as Vaal Reefs No. 11 Shaft - was sunk, equipped and commissioned by Shaft Sinkers (1991 - 2000). It is currently the world's deepest, single lift, men and material shaft.
The current scope of work entails development of tunnels leading to reef, with all supporting infrastructure like ore passes and raises leading the mine to full production. It also includes all construction and equipping of the mine with services like rails, electricals, air and water reticulation, pumping facilities, etc.
Work completed since 1991 includes the following:
Sinking and equipping of Main Shaft; sinking and equipping of RV Sub Shaft; sinking of silos and settlers; sinking of vent bypass; sinking and equipping of vertical and decline pipe shafts; sinking and equipping inter level declines; developing and equipping U/G winder chambers.
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Hossy Shaft - Development & Stoping Contract
| Location: |
Marikana East, Rustenburg, North West Province, South Africa |
| Client: |
Lonmin |
Project:
Like Saffy Shaft, Hossy Shaft was sunk, equipped and commissioned by Shaft Sinkers. The scope of work was since extended to include mechanized development and stoping was added later as well.
This shaft is the second deep mine to utilise a full fleet of ultra low profile (ULP) mechanized equipment which has been developed by Lonmin and its partners. The first, being its sister mine, Saffy Shaft.
The project includes expansion of haulages East & West up to the capital footprint, inclusive of all associated development of reef and underground infrastructures like workshops and stores. The stoping is done by hybrid method involving both mechanized and conventional methods.
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Impala 16 Shaft - Main & Vent Shaft Sinking
| Location: |
Rustenburg, North West Province, South Africa |
| Client: |
Impala Platinum |
Project:
The project includes sinking of the Main and Ventilation Shafts, together with the underground development operations, building up to the production target of 250 000 tons per month. The Main Shaft will have a final depth of 1657m at 10.0m diameter and the Ventilation Shaft will be 1400m deep with a cross-sectional diameter of 6.8m. Both shafts are concrete lined.
Started in 2004, Impala 16 Shaft was instrumental in the designing and construction of Impala 17 Shaft complex, where key learning points from the former were adopted and applied.
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Eurochem Shaft No.2
| Location: |
Kotelnikovsky District, Volgogradskaya Region, Russia
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| Client: |
MCC Eurochem OJSC |
Project:
The project is aimed at accessing deep seated deposits of potash salts on the Gremiachinskoye deposit in the Kotelnikovsky District of the Volgogradskaya Region of Russia. These potash salts are used in the manufacturing of fertilisers and other chemicals.
Having started on 1st August 2008, this project required the sinking and lining of a 7m diameter shaft which will have a final depth of 1157m. The first 80m is done using a "Herrenknecht" machine (see picture below). The concrete lining design varies at different depths to accommodate changes in geomorphologic characteristics of the ground. The project will culminate with the construction and equipping of the shaft with conveyances to hoist people and other cargoes to and from workings underground, and will also act as a return air shaft for an adjacent shaft and workings underground.
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Hernic's - Bokfontein Mine
| Location: |
Brits, North West Province, South Africa |
| Client: |
Hernic Ferrochrome (Pty) Ltd |
Project:
This involves the establishment of a new Chrome mine in the North West province near Brits. The geology of this mine is characterised by thick layers of norrite and shale. Thus it provides for challenging conditions for mining and sinking.
The project includes sinking two declines, the Main and the Ventilation Decline Shafts, together with all the associated underground development and mining operations, building up to the production target of 80 000 tons per month. The Main Decline Shaft will have a final length of 3000m and a cross-sectional area of 6.0m x 3.5m, the Ventilation Decline Shaft will be 2800m long, with a cross-sectional area of 5.0m x 3.5m.
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| Recent projects |
Gotthard - Bassistunnel Sedrun Shaft (Switzerland)
| In 1998 the Consortium of Shaft Sinkers, Murer, Zschokke Locher, Marti and CSC began sinking and construction of the 8.5m diameter, concrete lined Sedrun Shaft. The shaft connects the upper and lower level access tunnel and the ventilation shaft with the main Gotthard - Basistunnel some 800m below. Excavation of the underground cavern formed part of the contract. |
Houay Ho Hydropower Project (Laos)
| A 750m x 4m diameter shaft for a hydropower project in Laos was sunk with a four boom drilling rig by a team comprising of local and South African crews. The shaft lining was done from the shaft bottom to the surface. The entire concrete lining phase was completed at a rate of 25 metres per day. |
Mineracao Morro Velho (Brazil)
Three shafts were sunk over a ten year period by a team of local miners under the supervision of experienced Shaft Sinkers' personnel.
During the execution of this project Shaft Sinkers crews achieved a milestone of one million fatality free shifts for sinking operations. |
PT Aneka Tabang Shaft (Indonesia)
| The first 95m of this 300m deep, 5m x 3.5m rectangular shaft located at a remote site in Indonesia was manually sunk by means of paving breakers until hard rock was intersected. The difficult terrain necessitated the transportation of heavy machinery and equipment to the site by helicopter. |
Lower Kihansi Hydropower Project (Tanzania)
| The sinking and construction of a 510m deep x 5.64m diameter, shotcrete lined shaft for the Lower Kihansi Hydropower project in Tanzania was undertaken by Shaft Sinkers' specialist personnel working with Tanzanian crews, utilizing pneumatic 4-boom drilling jumbo and cactus grab. |
Konkola - Dewatering Tunneling (Zambia)
| The tunnelling contract was completed in 2002. High water levels persisted throughout the execution of this project. |
The pre-sink of the two 9.6m diameter shafts required extensive civil work for the headgear foundations. The shaft headgear was constructed concurrently with the pre-sinking of the shafts to a depth of 60m, which traversed Ventersdorp lava and shale and was executed with hand-held drilling machines. Pneumatic loaders were used for the mucking of the spoil into kibbles which were hoisted to the surface by means of Scott derricks.
- The Drakensberg - Pumped Storage Scheme
The construction of this project was jointly undertaken by Shaft Sinkers and LTA and commissioned in 1982. The complete scheme is housed in underground caverns and includes a machine hall which is 16m wide by 196m long and 46m high. Two vertical pressure shafts and two pressure tunnels of 6m diameter and 1500m in length convey the water from the turbines to the upper reservoir.
- Vaal Reefs - No. 10 Shaft
This 1 890m deep x 9.5m diameter rock-ventilation shaft was completed in September 1990. Whilst working on this project, Shaft Sinkers achieved 200.4m in one month - the world's first mechanical sinking record. High sinking rates like this enabled Shaft Sinkers to bring the mines' entire infrastructure into operation two years ahead of schedule.
The Twistdraai expansion project called for the sinking of two shaft systems. Each shaft system comprised the sinking of twin declines of 488m and 584m long, the sinking and lining of a 159m deep oval vertical shaft, equipped with a brattice wall to create up, and down-cast, ventilation compartments.
- Palabora Underground Mining Project
Shaft Sinkers completed two adjoining vertical shafts to the largest open pit copper mine in Africa. The production shaft had the tallest concrete headgear in the world, at 107m high. The concrete lined shaft is 1291m deep x 8m in diameter. The service shaft is 1275m deep x 10.5m in diameter. Sinking was carried out using eight boom drilling rigs and 0.84m3 cactus grabs. The production shaft is equipped with four 30 ton capacity skips, able to hoist 30 000 tons per day, which is one of the highest tonnages in the world hoisted through a single lift shaft. The service shaft is equipped with a single deck (35 ton capacity main cage) operating on wall mounted guides.
- New Denmark - Central Coal Mine Service Shaft
The sinking of a 207m deep shaft was completed within a period of two months after the completion of the site establishment and pre-sink phase. This shaft was sunk conventionally using pneumatic hand-held drilling machines.
- Western Deep Levels 75 Level Developments
Team members employed on this ultra deep project were acclimatised for heat conditions and donned specially designed ice jackets to maintain an acceptable body temperature for the duration of a shift. 3.5m x 3.2m haulages and crosscuts were excavated by means of rail bound equipment. |
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