The energy efficiency of ventilation and cooling systems installed at deep-level mining operations will be a central theme of the tenth International Mine Ventilation Congress (IMVC), reports local organising committee (LOC) chairperson Frank von Glehn.

The theme of this year's conference, which will be hosted by the Mine Ventilation Society of South Africa (MVSSA) at Sun City, in the North West  from August 2 to 8, is Managing Mine Ventilation Systems in the Modern Context: Meeting Mining, Economic, Sustainability, and Health and Safety Challenges.

Von Glehn tells Mining Weekly that, through the event, the MVSSA aims to offer participants a world-class congress experience that will showcase mine ventilation research and technology in a South African context.

“We know that deep-level mining operations would not be possible without the provision of adequate ventilation and cooling. For this purpose, the congress will discuss ways in which sophisticated planning and scheduling software can be used to enhance deep-level operations while reducing energy costs,” he elaborates.

Von Glehn maintains that proper planning is at the centre of energy use at mining sites, especially at deep-level operations that require a lot of energy to function.

“At greater depths, temperatures increase, owing to the effects of autocompression on  air and water and greater release of geothermal heat energy, which result in an increased demand for cooling. This, in turn, requires increased airflow and refrigeration.” 

Von Glehn adds that moving bigger volumes of air across greater distances requires more power. “The air quantity required is also influenced by the level of mechanisation in the mine, particularly in cases where diesel-driven equipment is used.”

He states that discussions at the IMVC will also focus on the simulation and modelling of ventilation and cooling systems, adding that the MVSSA will publish journals, which will include the technical papers that will be presented at the congress, soon after the event.

Von Glehn further says that discussions on these issues through global gatherings, such as the IMVC, are necessary for the growth of the mining sector.

“There will be about 30 exhibitors showcasing their products, which include dust filtration systems, fans, air-ducting and ventilation products, instrumentation, monitoring systems, mine-specific air heaters and safety equipment. 

In addition, consultants and energy experts will showcase their projects, design concepts and software modelling applications.”

Site Visits and Presentations

Von Glehn says that congress participants will be taken on a site visit to the world’s deepest mine – gold mining major Anglo Gold Ashanti’s Mponeng gold mine, in the North West – as well as to JSE- and NYSE-listed miner Sibanye Gold’s Driefontein mine, west of Johannesburg.

“Mining at Mponeng takes place 3.5 km below surface, with the mine’s cooling being provided by slurry ice from surface. At Driefontein mine, attendees will visit an underground refrigeration plant and view the mine’s energy management system.”

Von Glehn confirms that there will also be visits to several platinum mines, owned by mining majors Northam Platinum, Impala Platinum (Implats) and Anglo American Platinum (Amplats).

One of the trips will showcase Northam platinum’s Zondereinde shaft, in Limpopo, which operates solely on hydropower and does not use any compressed air.

Other scheduled outings include two trips to Implats’ Rustenburg operations – the first to No 17 shaft to view the 56 MW surface refrigeration plant and the second to No 14 shaft to view its trackless system.

There will also be trips to Amplats’ Bathopele mine, in Rustenburg, to showcase the mine’s mechanised mining method, and to Dishaba mine, in Limpopo, to showcase the mine’s 24 MW surface refrigeration plant.

IMVC participants will also have the opportunity to visit platinum producer Lonmin’s Karee mine, in Rustenburg, for its up-dip and down-dip stoping system.

Finally, there will be visits to Anglo American’s R4.2-billion Zibulo colliery, in Mpumalanga, and the award-winning Anglo American Thermal Coal and BHP Billiton 50-million-litre-a-day water reclamation plant near eMalahleni.

Meanwhile, LOC editorial committee chairperson Marco Biffi tells Mining Weekly that international ventilation experts will host workshops on mine ventilation systems, including planning ventilation and refrigeration for deep-level mines, as well as real-time portable gas monitoring and fan engineering, two days before the conference officially gets under way.

Biffi adds that technical papers that will be presented at the congress were due by February 14. “We have had outstanding feedback from the mining industry and academics, and have received papers from South Africa, China, Japan, the US, Canada, Chile, Tanzania, Poland, Australia, Brazil, Germany, the UK, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Peru, India and Colombia.

“Judging from the amount of interest in these issues contained in the technical papers, the programme will include sessions on energy optimisation, heating and cooling networks, ventilation on demand, monitoring and surveillance, fires and explosions, and mine planning, among many other topics,” says Biffi.