Mining companies under pressure to diversify and/or increase market share understand the risks involved in mining operations. These companies require independent, reputable and experienced service providers to qualify, manage and engineer mining related risks on their projects. Ukwazi Mining Engineering and Project Management division responds with relevant solutions, delivered by some of the leading minds in the market.
Consultants in this division have practical experience covering the length and breadth of the mining operation, from mine overseer to mine manager. Qualifications typically held include Mine Manager Certificates of Competency for Coal and Metalliferous mines, and relevant management qualifications.
Our collective experience covers both open pit and underground mining methods on small and large operations. Our capabilities in this regard can be summed up as follows:
Open pit mining engineering
- Pit optimisation and sensitivity analysis
- Detailed pushback and final pit design
- Equipment selection & optimisation
- Production planning and scheduling
- Operating and capital cost estimation
- Implementation strategies
Underground mining engineering
- Evaluation of open pit/underground interface
- Cut-off grade determination
- Conceptual design and scoping studies
- Shaft placement and access system design
- Mining method assessment and scenario modelling
- Detailed mine layout and design
- Ore handling systems
- Operating and capital cost estimation
- Integration of all aspects related to mining
- Equipment selection
specific services as they are required.
These include:
- Investment proposals;
- Scoping studies and all levels of feasibility studies;
- Labour structures;
- Planning Outsourcing and Benchmarking;
- Reserve Estimation and Technical Audits;
- Outcome driven implementation of planning systems;
- Optimisation studies using linear programming solutions;
- Customisation of planning systems including scripting in JavaScript and TCL/SCL; and
- Trade-off studies and scenario planning.
Our mining production experience and practical operational exposure includes the following:
- Tabular gold mining (Conventional)
- Massive gold mining (Drift and fill)
- Tabular PGM mining (Dip Mining, Breast Mining, Bord and Pillar mining and Semi- Mechanised mining)
- Coal Mining (Board and Pillar mining with CMs and conventional)
- Open stoping (Base Metals)
- High stoping width Manganese Mining (Bord and Pillar)
- Kimberlite (Block caving)
- Base Metals (Block caving)
- Open pit alluvial diamonds mining
- Open pit Iron ore mining
- Open pit Coal Mining and Strip Mining
This division has been called on to deliver solutions for leading mining companies on a wide range of projects in South Africa and other parts of Africa.