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MODERN MINING
November 2015
CONSULTANTS/
PROJECT HOUSES
feature
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
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
BBE celebrates
25 years in business
Staff of BBE celebrate the
Group’s 25th birthday. CEO
Dr Steven Bluhm is sitting in
the centre of the front row.
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.