In the wake of a successful decline sinking project completed last year at Lubambe Copper Mine in Zambia, a joint venture between African Rainbow Minerals, VALE and Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings, Murray & Roberts Cementation has been awarded a new contract for trackless high speed development at the mine, a project scheduled to extend to January 2014. The original contract, which commenced in January 2011, comprised a twin decline system on the East Limb and ramps to access the ore body. This was completed in October 2012 ahead of schedule.

“Our team achieved 14 190 metres and we remained ahead of target against the mining schedule for the duration of the contract,” Wyllie Pearson, Murray & Roberts Cementation senior project manager at Lubambe, says. “The support regime involved welded mesh with split sets being installed by the drill rig operators after every blast from grade line to grade line, and extended to 0.5 metres from the face.

“Additional work included in the first contract involved the installation of 75m Level tips – 6.1 metres in diameter by 18 metres in length. These tips were raisebored. Construction of the tip and box front infrastructure were subsequently also awarded to Murray & Roberts Cementation. Cover drilling, which was included in the contract to ensure safe and effective development, was undertaken using Kempe diamond drills which covered advance development.” The latest contract involves all horizontal and inclined development for trackless high speed technology in Ramps 3, 4 and 5, situated in the mine’s Eastern Limb. The Murray & Roberts Cementation team will continue the development of infrastructure for two conveyor belt systems and will maintain the owner’s fleet of equipment.

Pearson says his project team comprising South Africans, Australians, Filipinos and Zambian personnel, is once again exceeding the development target. The first sand zone, 30 metres wide, has been successfully negotiated using Titan soil nails, Becker Arch Sets, 5.6 mm welded mesh and shotcrete as support mediums and the second zone is currently being developed. Sand is excavated out of the face using a Hyundai 35Z7 mini excavator.

“Although the new employees gained experience with the mechanised equipment being used on this project during our first contract, it was necessary to elevate the competency level for the latest project,” he comments. “We’ve extended the training programme to include maintenance and rebuilding on both the mechanical and electrical sides, civil and steel fixing and the efficient supply of services, as well as the development logistics required to achieve 1 450 metres per month. Underground vehicle training has been accomplished with the assistance of the client’s simulators, supplied by Sandvik, and final assessments and pass-out were undertaken in underground conditions.”

The equipment purchased by Lubambe for this contract was shipped to Durban harbour and transported by truck to the Zambian copper belt. The machinery includes five Sandvik DD320-26 split feed drill rigs, two Sandvik DD320-26 fixed feed drill rigs, two Sandvik LH514 and four Sandvik LH410 load haul dumper (LHD) units, nine Sandvik TH540 Trucks, three Getman emulsion charge-up utility vehicles, one Getman scissor lift, one Fermel scissor lift, one Fermel grader, one Manitou and seven Toyota Land Cruisers. The drill rigs are currently developing approximately 1 450 metres per month, while the LHDs and dump trucks are moving 63 500 tons of ore and 32 500 tons of waste — a total of 96 000 tons of rock on a monthly basis, from the development ends to the internal silos and surface stock piles.

All equipment for the contract is being maintained by Murray & Roberts Cementation and is audited by the OEMs to ensure continued compliance with requirements. Murray & Roberts Cementation has also established an on-site workshop at the mine incorporating a three bay facility with a separate washing bay, two administration containers and three store containers. Maintenance services are carried out during the day shift and drill rigs are brought in for a 12 hour service every week.

“Safety is the cornerstone of all Murray & Roberts Cementation projects and our vision is to develop a business culture that supports and delivers injury-free projects,” Pearson says. “This is underpinned by the Murray & Roberts Group safety philosophy, STOP.THINK.ACT.24/7, an approach that emphasises the importance of taking action to correct unsafe conditions and behaviour, while recognising positive behaviour. ‘24/7’ highlights the need to be safety-aware at all times, both at work and after hours.”

Murray and Roberts Cementation employees are taken through both Lubambe and Murray & Roberts Cementation safety inductions. The foreign supervision employees have also been through safety training at the company’s Bentley Park group training facility near Carletonville, South Africa, before being sent to Zambia. All employees undergo job specific safety training on site and to date, the team’s safety record is 162 809 fatality free shifts and 1 884 814 fatality free hours. Although transport logistics has posed a challenge from time to time, Murray & Roberts Cementation has a depth of experience in African logistics and has an established track record, particularly in Zambia and DRC region.