THE underground mine of the future will use huge hard rock borers with extensive use of conveyors linked to the borer, instead of the blast-and-clear method used today.
THE underground mine of the future will use huge hard rock borers with extensive use of conveyors linked to the borer, instead of the blast-and-clear method used today.
This is according to SA Capital Equipment Export Council managing director Sybil Rhomberg.
“This would make for a much more capital intensive mining. However the labour cost would be considerably reduced,” she said.
Rhomberg also believes that much great crushing and screening would be done underground to reduce the waste brought to the surface.
“A major change would be the greater use of pneumatic conveyors to bring ore to the surface,” she said.
As for open-cast mining, Rhomberg said she did not see major changes other than more larger shovels and more use of large mobile conveyors rather than trucks to convey ore.
N Sybil Rhomberg
Managing Director
SA Capital Equipment Export Council
+27 11 849 7388
Mobile: +27 82 337 2932
osiriscon@icon.co.za
