Modern Mining November 2015

CONSULTANTS/ PROJECT HOUSES

BBE celebrates 25 years in business

Bluhm Burton Engineering (BBE), which specialises in the fields of mine ventilation, refrigeration and cooling, recently held a very well-attended function in Sandton to celebrate its 25th birthday. While totally South African in origin, BBE has a genuinely global reputation and is planning to extend its international ‘footprint’ even further.

consulting engineers with a long and varied experience in mine ventilation, refrigeration and cooling practices – across all mining meth- ods and all types of orebodies, in all climates around the globe. BBE team members have authored some 350 published technical and scientific papers, been editors of technical journals and have co-authored a number of standard text books on mine ventilation, refrigeration and cooling. They have also received numerous awards for engineering and scientific achievement over the years and can boast five past presidents and two honorary life fellows of the Mine Ventilation Society of SA. BBE’s comprehensive services range from conceptual investigations through technical feasibility studies and the analysis of alter- native ventilation and cooling distribution systems to the selection of the optimum system, the preparation of detailed engineering design specifications, estimating and project execution and management for existing mines and new projects. Computer software is an essential compo- nent of all planning and design work in the mining industry and the company prides itself on being up to date with innovation and state- of-the-art technologies. Over the years, BBE has been a major contributor in the development

T he company was founded in 1989 by Drs Steven Bluhm and Rod Burton, who were originally em- ployed by the Chamber of Mines Research Organisation. They were shortly joined by two of their colleagues, Frank von Glehn and Russell Ramsden. With entrepreneurial flair and some fortuitous tim- ing, they embarked on providing a specialised consulting service to the mines at a time when the mining companies were rationalising their in-house consultants and specialists. From humble beginnings, but with extensive experience gained in the world’s deepest and hottest mines, they gradually developed a hub for their expertise. Young and energetic, they adopted a simple philosophy: taking every phone call, paying attention to detail, meeting deadlines and honouring their commitments. Today the BBE Group is a team well over 100 strong, the majority of whom are professional

Staff of BBE celebrate the Group’s 25th birthday. CEO Dr Steven Bluhm is sitting in the centre of the front row.

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50  MODERN MINING  November 2015