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March 2017
MODERN MINING
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feature
MINING CONTRACTING
the arm to
Aveng Mining
An Aveng Mining team
working in Shaft 1 of the
Platreef project, which
is being developed by
Ivanplats, a subsidiary of
Ivanhoe Mines (photo:
Ivanplats).
Underground – which used to be known as
Grinaker-LTA Underground Mining – is one of
only a handful of companies worldwide able to
sink deep shafts. “Our credentials in this area
were established by the successful completion
several years ago of the more than 1 500 m
deep, No 4 shaft of the Konkola Deep project on
the Zambian Copperbelt. Since then we have
also completed – in collaboration with a South
American partner, Mas Errazuriz – a nearly
1 km deep, 11 m internal diameter vent shaft at
Codelco’s Chuquicamata copper mine in Chile.
This was another high profile project with a
number of interesting features – for example,
because of seismicity the shaft has a 0,5 m thick
concrete lining.”
Aveng Moolmans and Aveng Shafts &
Underground used to operate as separate enti-
ties. In 2012, however, the decision was taken
to integrate them, a process which was fully
implemented in 2015 when the two business
units were merged and consolidated under one
roof with Aveng Shafts & Underground mov-
ing into Aveng Moolmans’ modern premises
in Boksburg. Aveng Moolmans is currently the
bigger part of the business and in Aveng’s 2016
financial year was responsible for R3,5 billion of
Aveng Mining’s turnover of just over R5 billion.
White has responsibility for both business
units as MD of Aveng Mining. A civil engi-
neer by training, he comes from the Aveng
Moolmans side of the business (which he joined
in the 1980s, when it was part of the then LTA
Group). He has worked all over Africa and at
one point was based in Accra, Ghana, as GM of