Modern Mining September 2018

SHAFT SINKING AND RAISEBORING

a difficult mining market the balance coming from the hydroelectric and civils sectors.

Over the six months, Master Drilling achieved a utilisation rate of 68 % on its raise- bore rigs – down on previous years but not significantly so – with the average revenue per operating rig per month being US$109 953. Equivalent figures for slim rigs were 69 % and US$63 802. “The uptick in the global economy and com- modity cycle is bearing fruit in our business as we receive new contracts and a steady flow of new enquiries that feed into the pipeline,” said Pretorius, commenting on the results. “Our presence is growing in Central and North America as well as in Europe, following the acquisition of Bergteamet, where we have been engaged in customer projects across various countries and commodities. “We also continue to maintain our pres- ence in the local mining sector where viable opportunities arise, while the value we can add across other exploration activities, such as water exploration, is becoming increasingly evident.” The Bergteamet acquisition that Pretorius refers to dates back to late 2015, when Master Drilling announced that it had acquired a 40 % stake in the company, a major raisebore drill- ing operator in Scandinavia, which at the time had a fleet of 18 raisebore rigs. Earlier this year it acquired the remaining 60 % of the com- pany. Another acquisition has recently been announced. This will see Master Drilling acquir- ing the businesses of the Randfontein-based Atlantis Group, which specialises in raisebor- ing, blind boring and other drilling services. As part of the transactions involved in the R107,5 million Atlantis deal, Master Drilling has also committed to supporting Atlantis’s current empowerment partner, Laone Mining & Engineering. It will be providing three boring machines to Laone that it will use to service an existing raiseboring contract that it has with Petra’s Cullinan diamond mine. “This transaction also provided a great opportunity to support an ambitious and driven 100 % black-owned engineering business with the appetite to make their mark in the raisebor- ing industry,” commented Pretorius. One of the key pillars of Master Drilling’s strategy is technological innovation. In February 2018, the company announced the launch of the Mobile Tunnel Borer – which

allows for continuous mining without blasting. The machine has recently been manufactured and commissioned in Italy and will be tested at a site in Italy this month (September). Progress also continues on the Blind Shaft Boring System (BSBS), first announced at the 2016 Mining Indaba in Cape

Above: The reverse circulation blind shaft boring machine.

Below: Master Drilling’s Blind Shaft Boring System (BSBS).

Town. The system can be used for the blind boring of ventilation, rock hoist- ing and man-and-material shafts in varying sizes

between 7,5 m and 11,5 m exca- vated diameter, and up to 1 500 m in depth. The system does not require a pre-sink, allowing for the breakaway of levels, simultaneous shaft lining and diameter/depth changes without major modification. An experimental trial involving the testing of a pilot shaft system as part of the BSBS ini- tiative is scheduled for the first quarter of next year. The system is designed to complement Master Drilling’s raiseboring and mud-flooded, air-lifted reverse circulation shaft boring capabilities. “Our innovation journey is on-going and will remain a critical element of the growth and sustainability of our business, alongside peo- ple capacity and development, and increased profitability. We believe this strategy positions us well as we continue to look for expansion opportunities,” said Pretorius. 

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September 2018  MODERN MINING  45