Gap851 Final Report Main Body

List of figures

Page

Figure 1.1 Occupational health and safety performance milestones for the different mining sectors (figure courtesy of D. Adams, MHSC, 2005) 8

Figure 1.1 Occupational health and safety performance milestones for the different mining sectors (figure courtesy of D. Adams, MHSC, 2005) 8

Figure 1.2 Gold mining sector accident analysis (Adams & Van der Heever, 2001) 9

Figure 1.3 Rockburst fatality rate 1984-2002 (Van der Heever, 2004) 9

Figure 2.2 Mind map showing the rationale and methodology for rock-related research 14

Figure 2.2 Mind map showing the rationale and methodology for rock-related research 14

Figure 3.3 SIMRAC research portfolio (Van der Heever, 2004) 22

Figure 3.3 SIMRAC research portfolio (Van der Heever, 2004) 22

Figure 3.2 SIMRAC rock engineering strategic effort matrix 2000-2002
(Adams & Van der Heever, 2001) 22

List of tables

Table 2.1: Planning Tools 16

Table 3.2: SIMRAC scheme to categorise rock-related research projects. 20

Table 3.3: “Mind map” scheme to categorise rock-related research projects 21

Table 3.4: Technologies for managing the rockburst risk that have emerged in the last two decades 47

Table 3.5: Summary of directory of rock-related researchers, 1993-2005 50

1Introduction

The Safety in Mines Research Advisory Committee (SIMRAC) was established in 1991 to advise the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC). SIMRAC’s task is to formulate research programmes that will produce tools and understanding to eliminate, control or minimise the occupational health and safety risk at mines and to oversee the implementation of the research programmes. The first research projects started in 1993. Since then SIMRAC has spent more than R250 million on rock-related research, representing some 500 man-years of effort. The improvement in injury and fatality rates was initially disappointing, but the coal sector has shown a marked improvement since 1999 and the gold sector since 2002 (Figure 1). There is no place for complacency, however, as some 100 lives continue to be lost annually due to rockfalls and rockbursts. SIMRAC commissioned this project to assess its efforts and achievements during the first decade of operation, and to provide guidance that will enable it to deploy its resources optimally in the future.

Figure 1.1 Occupational health and safety performance milestones for the different mining sectors (figure courtesy of D. Adams, MHSC, 2005)

In this study, SIMRAC processes and research outputs are benchmarked against local collaborative research programmes that have run concurrently (DeepMine, FutureMine, Coaltech 2020 and PlatMine), as well as global best practice. In the making of comparisons, it is important to note that there are some essential differences between mining practice in South Africa and in countries such as Australia, Canada, and the USA, particularly with regard to the gold and platinum sectors.

• 
  The ore bodies of the Witwatersrand Basin and Bushveld Complex are shallow dipping, tabular with vast lateral extent, and extend to great depth.
  
• 
  The South African mining industry has traditionally been labour intensive. While the number of employees has declined substantially since the 1970s owing to a contraction of the gold mining sector, the number of workers going underground daily in gold mines still exceeds 200 000.
  
• 
  The ore bodies are not easily amenable to mechanisation, as the rock is generally hard, abrasive, and brittle and the ore zones are narrow.
  

It is crucial that these differences in ore bodies and mining practices are appreciated when international benchmarking is carried out, as it is likely that factors other than the scope and quality of research contribute to differences in safety statistics, e.g. mining methods, training, work organisation, regulations and enforcement.

The rock-related fatality rate (rockfalls plus rockbursts) for the gold-mining sector has fluctuated between 0,52 and 0,76 fatalities per 1000 workers per annum during the nine-year period 1992-2000 (Figure 1.2). Taking a longer 20-year view, however, it is evident that there has been a reduction in the rockburst fatality rate as a function of production, despite the increasing depth of mining and larger percentage of extraction, which, other factors being constant, would be expected to increase the incidence of rockbursts and associated casualties (Figure 1.3). While the average annual expenditure by SIMRAC on rock-related research (about R20 million per annum from 1993-2004) is quite substantial, it should be borne in mind that the mining industry generates about 7 per cent of South Africa’s gross domestic product, supplies about a third of South Africa’s exports, and employs over 400 000 people. To give illustrative figures, total mineral sales in 2000 amounted to R98,4 billion and total direct taxation paid by the mining sector was R2,5 billion (Chamber of Mines of South Africa, 2000). In 2003/4 the total SIMRAC levy amounted to R38 million. There were 420 000 mine employees, yielding an average level of research funding of R90 per employee per annum (Mine Health & Safety Council, 2004: 20).

Figure 1.2 Gold mining sector accident analysis (Adams & Van der Heever, 2001)

Figure 1.3 Rockburst fatality rate 1984-2002 (Van der Heever, 2004)

Essentially, this investigation seeks to answer four main questions:

1. 
   Did SIMRAC address the most important issues? The scope of the programme and the processes used to identify research needs are reviewed.
   
2. 
   Did the researchers succeed in filling the identified knowledge and technology gaps? The quality of the research work and the efficiency of its execution are evaluated.
   
3. 
   Were the research findings effectively transferred to practitioners and implemented on mines? If not, what has hindered knowledge transfer and implementation, and how can these be improved?
   
4. 
   How should SIMRAC direct the rock-related research effort in the next decade? Trends in the global and local mining industry are reviewed and research priorities identified.
   

The research methodology is first described. A Status Report that analyses and evaluates the large body of completed work and work in progress is then presented, followed by a Foresight Report that identifies future research needs. Finally, the findings and recommendations are summarised. A catalogue of all rock-related research projects, a directory of researchers, an inventory of research equipment and facilities, transcripts of interviews with stakeholders, reports submitted by members of the international review panel, and the contractual project outputs are appended to the report.