Modern Quarrying January-February 2016

HISTORICAL FEATURE

When we are kids we like to play with toy trucks…

leaving an eyesore in the countryside with a wire fence around. The development of the Departments of Physical Planning and of the Environment has as in other parts of the world, led to a new approach towards the maintenance of the ecology of the country. ‘While the new regulations regarding rehabilitation and resto- ration of the countryside have been, and are, a considerable cost to the industry, they have been generally welcomed by all respon- sible quarrymen. Long-term planning of quarrying is now ‘a must’ and the Mines and Works Act and Regulations, which control the activities of all mines and quarries, stipulate that before opening a new quarry, a restoration plan showing how the deposit is to be developed, must be submitted together with a general idea of how the site will be restored at the end of the quarry’s life. ‘This has led to the springing up of many firms and individuals whose function it is to concentrate on landscape architecture and rehabilitation. The Institute of Landscape Architects was formed as a professional body in 1984 and produces an excellent quar- terly magazine Landscape SA . Many of these landscape architects are employed by the quarrying industry. ‘As has happened in other parts of the world, the quarry indus- try here sometimes suffers from over enthusiasm on the part of self-appointed ecologists and even from some of the govern- ment departments. It is greatly to the credit of the Government Mining Engineer and his inspectorate that he has been able to steer a middle course between the two opposing factions and has encouraged a practical approach to rehabilitation on the part of the industry; at the same time discouraging plans which would lead to unnecessary expense and sophistication. ‘The main complaint of the industry is that, while it is happy to abide by the existing regulations, it believes that they should be applied equally to all quarry operators. At present, quarrying carried out by government departments and provinces, does not fall within the scope of the restoration provision of the Mines and Works Act and Regulations. Quite frequently, these privileges are extended to private contractors working for such authorities. Agfed has taken up this matter with the Government Mining Engineer and some action has been taken in respect of private contractors’. Education and Training ‘Education and training has been a special concern of the Institute of Quarrying for the past 12 years. The majority of skilled person- nel working in the quarry industry have come from another sector of the mining industry. As quarrying has become more special- ised, the necessity for personnel trained in particular quarrying skills has increased. ‘Starting at the lowest technical education level, a course for open pit mining supervisors at N2 and N3 levels has been set up and is running at the Pietermaritzburg Technical College. The first candidate passed out a N2 level in 1985. Although this course is intended for the whole open pit mining industry, there has been no support for it to date from the coal mines and the large base metal mines, all of which played an active part in the setting up of the course. This has been a disappointment for the Institute, but part of the reason is the fact that the course does not qualify the successful candidate for government certification. This was

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MODERN QUARRYING

January - February 2016