Murray & Roberts Advance Ore Pass Rehab Technology

Murray & Roberts Cementation’s tube-and-fill method of rehabilitating ore passes is proving to be a safe and durable way to move ore to the surface of underground mines.

When the ground condition of an ore pass deteriorates and prevents ore from moving smoothly, production invariably comes to a halt, explained Pieter Oosthuysen, Senior Project Manager Mining Services at Murray & Roberts Cementation. Ore flow within a typical underground mine is managed through an extensive system of passes, which allows ore to drop to the bottom of the mine – from where it can be transported to the surface and processed. Over time, these passes deteriorate through a combination of normal wear and tear, abrasive wear due to rock flow, changes in the stresses upon them and the quality of surrounding geology.

“Current rehabilitation methods used in the market have variable levels of effectiveness and application, but the ultimate goal is to remove people from these hazardous environments and find more innovative ways of rehabilitating these excavations,” he added.

Murray & Roberts Cementation has been doing this vital rehabilitation work for decades, and has developed better and safer technologies. Among its innovations has been its tube-and-fill method, first applied about seven years ago at an underground platinum mine in South Africa. The early installations have proved successful and are expected to outlast the normal five to 10 year lifespan of an ore pass rehabilitated in the traditional way with shotcrete.

For more information: https://cementation.murrob.com/press-releases_new.asp