Modern Quarrying

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January - February 2016 MODERN QUARRYING 15
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
HISTORICAL
FEATURE