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Install Paper 1 Material
o Download the Installer file from the website
o Double click of the Installer and allow it to install the information on your computer
o When done, the Installer will create an Icon on your desktop that reads 'Rock Mechanics Theory', use this icon to open the document. You do not need to open any other files, but work through th...
Rock related safety is a major issue. The Chamber of Mines' Mine Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) initiative is helping to address it. Find out more by reading on.
In 2003, representatives of the South African Mining industry - employers, labour unions and government - set historic and significant milestones for health and safety, to be reached by 2013, en route to zero harm for all employees.
The Chamber of Mines realised that the milestones, let alone the targets, would not easily be met without significant effort on the part of mines. Therefore the Chamber of Mines Learning Hub was ...
Roger Johnson's enjoyment of his job is based on the people he works with; the diversity in terms of commodity, geographic location and mining method; and the challenges and opportunities to introduce new technology, better practice and improved solutions. Here, he shares some of his ideas and experiences with Rock Talk.
Roger Johnson (56) had more of an interest in sport, the outdoors, music and social activities than in academics in his time as a scholar as La Salle College on the West Rand, but that was no predictor of his future.
Today, he has a slew of degrees and other qualifications t...
Comprehensive rock engineering learning material for the South African mining industry is almost complete – and you can download it for free. Read more about it.
The writing of comprehensive rock engineering material for the South African mining industry started in the first half of 2011. It should be completed by end of March this year. At the time of writing this article, Paper 1 was complete. It should be available for download, free of charge, on the Sanire website by the time you read this article. The other papers will be available for download as and when they are completed.
Why is t...
The Bushveld platinum group metal deposits are two distinct, shallow-dipping stratiform tabular ore bodies which strike for many hundreds of kilometres. Mining is extensive, with depths ranging from close-to-surface to 2300 m. The mining method is a variation of planar open stoping. Pillars are widely employed to support the open stopes. In the deeper levels, in-stope pillars are required to fail in a stable manner soon after being cut, and the residual pillar strength is used to stabilize the hangingwall. These pillars are commonly known as crush pillars. Little work has been done in the p...
The University of Pretoria's Jannie Maritz asks: Are teaching and learning really making an impact? At Tuks, he thinks they are. Read on to find out why.
The University of Pretoria's department of Mining Engineering celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011. The first mining engineering student enrolled for the degree in 1961 and subsequently graduated in 1964.
A lot has changed on and around the campus, yet one thing has stayed the same: The quality of mining engineer graduating has improved. Every year, Tuks Mining is delivering around 30 newly developed mining engineers into the industry. ...
When mine open pits reach significant depths or are developed in high horizontal stress environments, the mechanics of their behaviour are not well handled by the commonly applied methods of slope stability analysis. In such cases, numerical models are required to reliably design pit slopes and estimate levels of instability. These methods, among offering many other benefits, can estimate deformations, one of the most commonly monitored aspects of slope
behaviour and important indicators of the onset of instability. Recent advances in computing power and numerical modelling software have made it possible to apply these tools to routine problem-solving. The training course is designed to equip engineers with the skills needed to model and design open pit slopes using the two-dimensional Finite Element program, Phase2. The basic course outline is detailed overleaf.
Dr. Reginald Hammah, a Senior Geomechanics Specialist in the Mississauga office of Golder Associates Ltd – Canada, is a rock mechanics specialist with over a decade of experience in the field. He specializes in numerical modelling and the application of software tools to geomechanics problems, including stress and stability analysis of slopes and underground excavations. Dr. Hammah, while at Rocscience Inc., a geomechanics and geotechnical engineering software company, participated in the development of programs such as Phase2, Slide and RocData. Dr. Hammah was instrumental in the development of practical Finite Element Method tools for modelling jointed rock masses.
The course is developed for mine slope engineers and personnel who seek to enhance their skills in analyzing and designing open pit slopes.
If you have any queries, please contact Taryn Kent at: (011) 254 4800, fax: (011) 315 0317 or e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Course Infomation: Carl Fietze, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.