Gap851 Final Report Main Body

D – Survey of stakeholders

Questionnaire

SIMRAC PROJECT: SIM 04 02 06

ROCK-RELATED RESEARCH IN SOUTH AFRICA:

STATUS, IMPACT & PRIORITIES FOR FUTURE WORK

Since the establishment of the SIMRAC programme in 1991, more than R250 million has been spent on rock-related research. This represents some 500 man-years or about 40-person years/year of research effort. However, the improvement in injury and fatality rates has been disappointingly small. While R20 million per year may sound like an enormous amount compared to your salary, remember that the South African mining industry is huge and takes a significant human toll. It generates about 7 per cent of SA’s gross domestic product, supplies about a third of SA’s exports, and employs over 400,000 people. To give illustrative figures: in 2003 there were 250 fatalities on SA mines, of which 91 were rock-related; total mineral sales in 2000 amounted to R98.4 billion and total direct taxation paid by the mining sector was R2.5 billion.

SIMRAC commissioned this project (SIM 0402 06 – A holistic assessment of SIMRAC rock-related research to date) to help set the research agenda for the next decade. This study seeks to assess holistically the scope, quality and impact of SIMRAC research to ensure that the maximum benefit is derived from it and that any future research work is appropriately directed. An important part of the project is the collation of the views of interested and affected groups:

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  Rock engineering practitioners such as mine personnel, inspectors, equipment manufacturers, and consultants.
  
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  Senior production personnel e.g. mine managers, production managers.
  
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  Labour e.g. safety representatives.
  
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  Educators.
  

Please give your frank opinion of the contribution that rock-related research carried out by SIMRAC and other agencies (e.g. DeepMine, FutureMine, Coaltech 2020, PlatMine, or in-house) has made on safety in our mines. To prompt your memory, a list of all the rock-related research projects is included. Please also give your perspective on the objectives (safety, productivity, technological change, etc.) and related priorities for future research work. I appeal to you to complete the attached questionnaire and return it to me via email. I would urge you to do it within the next week. It should not take longer than 1 hour. The findings of the questionnaire will be enriched by interviews with a representative sample of these groups.

In addition, an international panel of reviewers will benchmark the scope, quality and impact of the work with that being carried out elsewhere in the world. They will also help to identify emerging trends and technologies in mining in general and rock-related research in particular.

Sincerely

Dr Ray Durrheim

Project Leader

CSIR Miningtek Tel: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

ROCK-RELATED RESEARCH IN SOUTH AFRICA: STATUS & NEED

Project SIM 04-02-06: A holistic assessment of SIMRAC rock-related research to date

Personal details:

Title, First Name, Surname, Year of birth, Contact telephone number, email address

Employer & current position:

Summary of employment history:

Period, employer, mine, position

Summary of relevant training

Year, Qualification/certificate, Institution

STATUS REPORT

		None	Just a few	Several	Many	Almost all
1.	FAMILIARITY WITH ROCK-RELATED RESEARCH WORK SPONSORED BY SIMRAC AND PROGRAMS SUCH AS DEEPMINE, COALTECH 2020, FUTUREMINE AND PLATMINE
1.1	I have read research report(s) or publication(s). If yes, list topic areas, research reports, or papers that had the greatest impact on your work.
1.2	I have attended workshops and conferences where research findings were presented. If yes, list those events that have had the greatest impact on your work.
1.3	I have supplied researchers with information ………. and have received feedback (derived benefits) during project …………………………………… If yes, list those projects to which you have contributed ….
1.4	I have hosted projects on my mine ……………………. and have received feedback (derived benefits) during project …………………………………… If yes, list those projects to which you have contributed.

STATUS REPORT

		None	Just a few	Several	Many	Almost all
1.5	I have worked as a consultant to a mine that has hosted research projects and have received feedback (derived benefits) during project …………………………………… If yes, list those projects to which you have contributed.
1.6	I have been the mine/industry champion for a project. If yes, list those projects to which you have contributed.
1.7	I have implemented research knowledge and technology produced by researchers. a) Through training programs? b) By changing mode of operation? c) By improving design components? If yes, list those projects to which you have implemented.
1.8	I have performed research work. a) Independently, my-self, company intern b) As a team member, as part of a multi-faceted project If yes, please list the projects in which you have participated.

STATUS REPORT

		None	Just a few	Several	Many	Almost all
1.9	I have participated in some form in defining SIMRAC research program components, how: If yes, please describe how you have participated and have submitted research needs to the following programs: ….
1.10	I have evaluated research proposals and have recommended about … % for execution: for example, …
1.11	I have evaluated research findings and products. Of those evaluate, I would rate … % as satisfactory or better, and useful in some form. Please list the projects that you have evaluated.
1.12	Overall the research program could be improved by involving more proposal reviews more progress reviews more final report reviews	Yes □ □ □	No □ □ □

STATUS REPORT

		Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neutral Don’t know	Agree	Strongly Agree
2.	IMPACT OF ROCK-RELATED RESEARCH WORK
2.1	Research work has provided me with knowledge and tools to do my job better (safer, faster, more cost-effectively). If you agree, please give example(s): please give examples of areas of improvement and impact on your work:
2.2	Research work has produced knowledge and technology that have improved safety in the South African mining industry. If you agree, please give example(s):
2.3	Research work has produced knowledge and technology that has improved safety on the mine(s) on which I have worked. If you agree, please give example(s):
2.4	Research work carried out by SIMRAC in South Africa is best described as. academic in nature practice-oriented in nature safety-focused productivity focused highly sophisticated (state-of-the-art; world class)	□ □ □ □ □	etc

STATUS REPORT

		Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neutral Don’t know	Agree	Strongly Agree
2.5	Research products (knowledge, technology) are effectively transferred to practitioners. If you agree, please give example(s): If not, please indicate what is missing:
2.6	Practitioners are able to effectively implement research results and products. If you agree, please give example(s). Software: … Hardware: …. Concepts: Theoretical solutions: Other: … for example: …. . If you disagree, please list barriers:
2.7	The R20 million per year that SIMRAC has invested over the last decade or so in rock-related research has been well spent. List two areas each, where you agree: …. …. and disagree: …. ….

FORESIGHT REPORT

3.	LIST up to 5 IMPORTANT CHANGES AFFECTING THE SOUTH AFRICAN MINING INDUSTRY THAT YOU PREDICT WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THE NEXT DECADE. For example: Rand/Dollar exchange rate will weaken. Greater efficiencies will lower the pay limit enabling large low-grade gold ore bodies to be mined. Availability of skilled practitioners will diminish.
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4.	LIST up to 5 ADVANCES THAT YOU THINK COULD SIGNIFICANTLY contribute to a better management of the above indicated changes.
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5.	LIST up to 5 ADVANCES THAT YOU THINK COULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE ROCK-RELATED SAFETY RISKS. For example: Accurate prediction of the time and place of rockbursts. More effective face area support systems.
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FORESIGHT REPORT

6.	THE FOLLOWING FACTORS COULD IMPROVE ROCK-RELATED SAFETY IN OUR MINING INDUSTRY. FIRST ADD ANY FACTOR THAT YOU THINK HAS BEEN OMITTED. THEN RANK THEM IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE. 1= most important, n = least important.	Rank
	Better training of in-stope workers
	Techniques to detect hazardous structures ahead of mining
	Greater mechanization, thereby removing workers from hazardous areas
	A quantum improvement in support systems
	Better supervision
	Ability to predict reliably the occurrence of rockbursts in space and time
	Stricter enforcement of regulations and codes of practice.
	Stress modeling techniques that accurately simulate rock degradation and failure.
	Implementation of existing knowledge and technology.

FORESIGHT REPORT

		Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neutral Don’t know	Agree	Strongly Agree
7.	NEED FOR ROCK-RELATED RESEARCH WORK
7.1	Research work should continue to be carried out in South Africa.
7.2	The research effort should be significantly increased.
7.3	The community of researchers has the competence to carry out the required work (i.e. they have the skills, knowledge and experience). If you disagree, please list the missing competences.
7.4	The community of researchers has the capacity to carry out the required work (i.e. there are sufficient researchers with the competence). If you disagree, please list the missing competences that you think are in short supply.
7.5	The necessary facilities exist to conduct the required work. If you disagree, please list the facilities that are needed.
7.6	The focus should be on the implementation of existing knowledge and technology rather than on doing more research work.
7.7	Research work should be abandoned.
7.8	Stricter enforcement of regulations and codes of practice will have a far greater impact than more research work.