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May 2015
MODERN MINING
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COMPANIES
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2014/02/05 7:44 PM
to roughly 30 %. Currently gold projects
account for 32 % of its revenues followed by
copper (15 %), iron ore (20 %), polymetallic
(16 %) and platinum (7 %). He also pointed
out that while the group was exposed to all
stages of the mining process (which he identi-
fied as the exploration, capital and production
stages), the bulk of its revenue (just over 80 %)
was derived from the production stage. “The
mining downturn has led to the cancellation
or deferment of many mining projects but
the effect on Master Drilling has been limited
since we rely on the capital stage – essentially
new projects – for only about 12 % of our
revenue,” he said. “The production stage of
mining has been far less affected by the min-
ing downturn.”
Pretorius founded Master Drilling in the
late 1980s with a single 24R Robbins rig and
has seen the company grow since then into a
major JSE-listed entity with a global reputa-
tion. Geographical diversification was part of
its strategy from the early days, its first cross-
border contract being undertaken in 1992 at
the Shabanie mine in Zimbabwe. A year later
the company went even further afield, being
awarded a contract at Barrick’s El Indio mine
in Chile, thus beginning its strong relationship
with Latin America.
Landmarks for Master Drilling along the way
have included the acquisition of its first Wirth
HG380 raise borer – then the largest in the world
– in 2001, the acquisition of Master Drilling
Exploration (formerly known as Drillcorp
Africa) in 2006, giving it a foothold in explora-
tion drilling, the design and manufacture of its
first dedicated low-profile, blind-hole drilling
rig in 2011, and its JSE listing in 2012. In 2013
it achieved a world record in directional drill-
ing on a Lonmin shaft, drilling a 1 070 m deep,
5,5 m vent shaft, partially completed.
The company’s record of innovation is
excellent and it is currently looking at ways of
getting around the main drawback of raise bor-
ing as compared to conventional shaft sinking
– the need for bottom access. It is also working
on adapting its existing raise boring technology
for horizontal drilling and – to this end – has
two development projects underway in coop-
eration with Sibanye Gold and Petra Diamonds
(at the Cullinan mine).
Photos by Arthur Tassell