The challenges of deep-level mining

摘要

You have spent many years in deep level mines. Can you give us a summary of your experience? I was at Western Deep Levels in the 1970s when the first load haul dumpers (LHDs) and Hagglund loaders were put underground. This was an attempt to mechanise the cleaning phase of the stoping operation. It did not address the stope-face operations that were still based on hand-held, compressed-air-driven drills. In the 1980s, my exposure to mechanisation was limited to cleaning of stoping operations by LHD and feeding into mid-shaft loading at Erfdeel in the Free State. This allowed the mine to reduce negative cash flow while sinking the shaft.