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MODERN MINING
January 2015
MINING News
The Murray & Roberts Underground
Mining platform not only has growth in its
order book but – with 22 active shaft proj-
ects underway globally – is the single most
active shaft-sinking group in the world
outside of China. This is according to Allan
Widlake, Business Development Executive
of Murray & Roberts Cementation.
The Murray & Roberts Group has sunk
the deepest single-lift shaft in South Africa
(at South Deep), the deepest single-lift
shaft in the USA (at Resolution) and the
deepest shaft in Canada (at Kidd). It is also
busy sinking what will be the deepest shaft
in the US, namely a winze, at Lucky Friday.
The platform comprises the following
businesses: Murray & Roberts Cementation
(Johannesburg-based); Cementation
Canada (North Bay-based); Cementation
USA (Salt Lake City-based); Cementation
Sudamérica (Santiago-based) and RUC
Cementation Mining (Perth-based).
The Murray & Roberts Group consists
of three additional operating platforms.
The new Oil & Gas platform was previously
known as Construction Australasia Oil &
Gas and Minerals, the Energy & Industrial
platform was previously known as
Engineering Africa while the Infrastructure
& Building platform was previously known
as Construction Africa and the Middle East.
“The Underground Mining platform will
be the main focus at Mining Indaba, with
the other three platforms participating too,
as a large part of their business is exposed
to themining sector.We believe that Mining
Indaba 2015 will be the premier event to
showcase our total service offering to the
mining industry, with synergies across all
four operating platforms,”Widlake says.
“We are utilising both the Australian
Sinking headgear at the Gloria Shaft in South Africa.
Murray & Roberts companies have 22 shafts underway
and Canadian experience in our platform
to introduce First World development and
shaft-sinking expertise to the South African
mining industry,”Widlake says. Additional
cooperation between South Africa and
Australia has involved the establishment
of internal joint ventures to bring skill sets
together for projects elsewhere in Africa.
Murray & Roberts Cementation itself
is focusing on West, Southern and East
Africa as its main target markets. “We
have opened an office in Zambia and
entered into a partnership with Enterprise
Générale Malta Forrest (EGMF) in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
In terms of Ghana, the Murray & Roberts
Group opened an office in Accra in 2013,”
says Widlake.
He adds that in Zambia, Murray &
Roberts Cementation is blind sinking
and equipping the main shaft at Mopani
Copper Mines’ Synclinorium project.
Similarly, Murray & Roberts Cementation is
carrying out shaft sinking and high speed
development at the Mufulira Deeps expan-
sion project for Mopani Copper Mines.
In South Africa, Murray & Roberts
Cementation is delivering a twin verti-
cal and single decline shaft (blind sink) at
Sasol’s Impumelelo. It is deepening the No 1
and 3 shafts at Petra Diamonds’ Cullinan
mine, in addition to slipe and line develop-
ment, while it is blind sinking a ventilation
shaft at Assmang’s Gloria mine.
Shanta Gold appoints Chief Operating Officer
Shanta Gold, which operates the New
Luika Gold Mine (NLGM) in the Lupa
goldfield of south-west Tanzania, has
announced the appointment of Dr Toby
Bradbury to the senior management team
as Chief Operating Officer, effective from
1 January 2015.
Shanta’s CEO, Mike Houston, has
informed the board of his decision to retire
on 31 March 2015 upon the completion of
his contract and it is intended that he will
be succeeded by Dr Bradbury as CEO effec-
tive from 1 April 2015.
Dr Bradbury has 30 years’ experience in
corporate, strategic and operational roles
across a broad range of commodities and
geographies through which he has gained
significant expertise in opencast and
underground mining operations, as well as
in the delivery of development and expan-
sion projects. Previous executive roles have
included Chief Operating Officer for Anvil
Mining in the DRC and Senior Vice President
at AngloGold Ashanti in Ghana, where he
had full accountability for all in-country
operations for both underground and sur-
face mining with gold production capacity
of 600 000 ounces per annum. He has a
BSc and PhD in Mining Engineering and a
Masters degree in Business Leadership and
is a Fellow of IMMM and AusIMM.
“We are delighted to welcome a min-
ing professional with the experience and
track record of Toby to the management
team,” comments Shanta’s Chairman, Tony
Durrant. “With the need to deliver both
opencast and underground mining at New
Luika in the coming years, Toby will add
significant value in guiding the company
through this critical period in its short
history. Joining now as Chief Operating
Officer will allow for a suitable period of
transition and help to ensure a seamless
handover.
“Mike joined us on a 30-month contract
in October 2012 with a remit to address
start-up issues at the New Luika mine,
develop a management team, strengthen
the balance sheet and develop a life of
mine and growth strategy. Mike has accom-
plished a number of important milestones
during his successful tenure. Production
has grown significantly from 5 748 ounces
in Q4 2012 to being on track to produce
83 000 ounces in 2014 at an all-in sustain-
ing cash cost of US$900 to $950 per ounce,
and is targeted at 83 000 to 85 000 ounces
in 2015 at a reduced all-in sustaining cash
cost of US$830 to $880 per ounce.”