Mining contractors Grinaker-LTA Mining have designed a new, small shaft sinking headgear for petrochemicals giant Sasol’s Thubelisha mining project.

“The cantilever headgear, we believe, is unique to the industry and will be a first in South Africa. 
“This headgear allows for quick erection and is substantially lighter in weight because it uses approximately half the steel of a traditional headgear. 
“It also provides more flexibility and the company believes that this innovation will prove Grinaker-LTA Mining’s shallow shaft-sinking capabilities,” says Grinaker-LTA Mining engineering division GM Martin Hobbs.

He explains that, instead of having a headgear that spans the entire shaft, the headgear has been cantilevered over the shaft.

Another advantage of the cantilever headgear is that it can be erected in days, rather than weeks. 
It is erected with smaller 
cranes and smaller founda-tions are needed, which means that the whole project is more time efficient and less expensive.

At the Thubelisha mining project, Grinaker-LTA Mining is responsible for the sinking of the two vertical shafts, the decline shaft and about 3 000 m of underground development, as well as an underground coal bunker.

Grinaker-LTA Mining contracting division GM Ockert Douglas reports that site establishment, collar construction and sinking winder foundations will be completed by mid-October.

The company is endeav-ouring to complete this project accident free. 
“We have safety officers on all three of the shafts to ensure that the project adheres to Sasol’s safety procedures, as well as Grinaker’s internal safety procedures,” he says.

A significant focus in shaft sinking is the major drive towards increased safety.

When Grinaker-LTA Mining begins a project, it has risk assessment procedures already in place that it adapts to meet each project’s requirement. 

Douglas explains that the safety of this project is integral to any future work that Grinaker-LTA Mining hopes to do with Sasol because of its stringent set of safety procedures.

As part of its safety proced-ures, Grinaker-LTA Mining will be installing an electronic safety management system that links the company to all its shafts. 
The Thubelisha project will be one of the first projects to have this management system installed.

“We have also engaged the Department of Mineral Resources in all our proced-ures and methodology, and all our equipment is tried 
and tested in the mining industry, which proves how serious Grinaker-LTA 
Mining is about safety,” says Douglas.

He emphasises the import-ance of encouraging and training new-generation sinkers because the biggest constraint in shaft sinking is the lack of skills. It is also important to keep up to date with new methods of sinking.

“The project management team members are young and are some of the company’s strongest managers and part of what is considered the new-generation shaft sinkers,” says Douglas.

“We send people to First World sinking countries to look at the different method-ologies and techniques to be used here in the future.
“In the shaft sinking market, Grinaker-LTA Mining is among the best in the world,” concludes Douglas.