Smart mining, sustainability and Mining 4.0 – these are all concepts that everyone in the industry has been talking about in recent years in connection with raw materials production. What is meant and aimed at here is a mining industry that no longer poses a risk for the life and health of its workforce, one that is environmentally friendly and takes account of the concerns and interests of the public at large, and especially local residents. At the same time, of course, it has to be commercially viable, which is a fairly challenging task if only in terms of the volatility of the commodity markets. In this context everyone involved – and that means not just the mine operators but the broader public too – needs to be aware of the fact that there is no such thing as absolute certainty, either in the mining industry or …Read more
With my best regards // Mit freundlichem Glückauf
Dipl.-Ing. Andreas-Peter Sitte
Chief Editor Mining Report Glückauf, Essen
ISSUE 01/2020
A 4.0D Leadership Model for Mining and Related Industries in the Context of the 4th Industrial Revolution
The mining industry of the 21st century needs a new kind of leader as certain leadership styles currently employed in South Africa are not sustainable. This paper explores the historical leadership styles that are now outdated (with specific reference to the South African mining industry, but in many ways also applicable to other countries) and proposes a different approach in dealing with future leadership-related challenges. One of the main aims among others, is therefore to start a broader discussion pertaining to the proposed new model that is discussed in this paper. Questions are postulated to explore leadership that can balance the leadership styles of the past – business acumen with technical capability on the one hand, and personality on the other hand – with increased intuitive discretion, a “feel” for people and the future, and the ability to deal with complexity and to make timeous decisions. Also to build organisational and industry resilience through the leadership characteristics identified.
Authors: Dr. Johann Uys and Prof. Ronny Webber-Youngman, PhD, Department of Mining Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria/South Africa
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Assessment and Prevention of Rockbursts Hazard in Polish Hard Coal Mines
Fig. 2. Distribution of USRSN (orange marker) stations and tremors registered in March 2019 (red circle) (11).
ining exploitation can, under certain conditions, cause the occurrence of tremors and rock bursts in rock excavations. In most of active hard coal mines in the region of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, seams that are classified as threat by rockbursts are exploited. Despite the restructuring changes in the Polish hard coal mining industry, and hence the limitation of coal extraction, there is no significant reduction in the total seismic energy of the recorded tremors. This threat belongs to the most dangerous natural hazards in Polish coal mining, in particular due to the fact that the depth of exploitation increases, and thus the mining and geological conditions deteriorate, which promotes the occurrence of increased seismic activity induced by exploitation and rockbursts. The article presents the methods of assessment of rockbursts hazard used in Polish mines as well…
Authors: Prof. Dr. Violetta Sokoła-Szewioła, Prof. Dr. Jan Palarski, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice/Poland
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New Mines in an old Mining District – Opportunities and Challenges of the 4th Mining Boom in the Ore Mountains Region
Fig. 2. Map overview of active licences for new ore and spar mining. Source: SOBA, 2020
ith the end of 2018 and the closure of the last two collieries, industrial hard coal mining in Germany came to an end. Unknown to most, at the same time metal ore mining in the Eastern part of Germany is booming again, with a large number of metal mining projects in different stages of realization and some mines even under construction. This article gives not only an overview over the current situation – 4th mining boom („4. Berggeschrey“) – but focusses on the tasks and challenges of setting up new mines in a densely populated and highly industrialized country in the heart of Europe like staffing, mechanization and automation, health and safety, environmental protection, and the minimization of the ecological footprint.
Authors: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Mischo, Technical University (TU) Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg/Germany, Prof. Dr. Bernhard Cramer, Sächsisches Oberbergamt, Freiberg/Germany
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Sinking of two Shafts on a Potash Deposit in Belarus with the most recent Shaft Boring Roadheaders: Conceptual Design and First Practical Experiences
Fig. 12. Decision made: Trimming the concrete form for its new position close to the face. // Bild 12. Entscheidung: Schalung nahe zur Sohle und Schalung verkürzt. Source/Quelle: Redpath Deilmann
he Republic of Belarus has a history of some 60 years of intensive mining for potash, which has always been exclusively executed by the government-owned company Belaruskali. Six working mines exist up to now. However, in 2016, the private-owned company Slavkaliy commenced the construction of a new mine, named Nezhinskiy Mine, located nearby the city of Soligorsk. The planning of this green field project from 2011 primarily intended the sinking of two freeze shafts using conventional drilling and blasting. Then, in 2016, Slavkaliy decided to conduct the sinking with a new type sinking technology: mechanical advance of the solid with machines designed by Herrenknecht AG, Schwanau/Germany.
Author: Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Ahlbrecht, Redpath Deilmann GmbH, Dortmund/Germany
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Mine Tailings Management: Integrated Solutions for Re-Handling and Re-Processing
Fig. 2. // Bild 2. IHC DMSU (Dry Mining Slurryfication Unit) (4).
ailings deposits are found everywhere in the world that has ongoing or legacy mining activity. These man-made deposits present both a challenge and can represent an interesting economic value source, if the still interesting constituents of such tailings resources can be economically and effectively recovered. The value of such deposits has only recently become increasingly of interest, and is based on the realization that many tailings facilities hold mineral grades comparable with competing virgin deposits and/or minerals, particularly in cases where virgin ore quality is deteriorating caused by factors like grades and/or liberation particle sizes.
Authors: Ir. Henk van Muijen, Dr.-Ing. Tobias Vraetz, IHC Mining & Tunnelling, Kinderdijk/Netherlands
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The German Overseas Mining Sector and its Future Prospects
Fig. 1. Top 3 producer countries in the global raw materials sector. // Bild 1. Top 3-Länderanteil an der weltweiten Rohstoffproduktion. Source/Quelle: DERA
ajor German companies with true mining expertise are regrettably a rare commodity these days and Germany’s overseas mining sector is now mainly in the hands of mid-sized enterprises. It is also worrying to see the monopoly position that China now occupies in the global raw materials market, both on the supplier and on the consumer side. On sober reflection it must be said that Germany has become largely insignificant as a primary raw materials producer on the international mining stage. And this is a market that has also changed. Germany’s dependence on imports of raw materials is steadily growing and a transformation is already taking place as regards the actual structure of commodity imports. There has been a dramatic reduction in the amount of energy resources being imported – due in no small measure to the impact of the German energy transition …
Author: Dr.-Ing. Martin Wedig, Fachvereinigung Auslandsbergbau (FAB) in der Vereinigung Rohstoffe und Bergbau (VRB) e. V., Berlin/Germany
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Africa: A Continent of Opportunity for Raw Materials Recovery
Fig. 1. Mining in Africa will play a key role in the necessary development and growth of the African economy. // Bild 1. Der Bergbau in Afrika wird eine Schlüsselrolle in der notwendigen Entwicklung und dem Aufstieg der afrikanischen Wirtschaft spielen. Photo/Foto: FAB
frica is a continent with enormous potential and the second fastest growing economic region after Southeast Asia. Mining is now carried out in over 100 countries around the world. Over 50 of these can be described as “mining countries”. These are countries in which mining products account for over 6 % of exports and are therefore of great national importance, not least because they create new job opportunities for the population. Over 90 % of mining countries are developing countries and most of these are in Africa. Given the increasing global population and growing material demands …
Author: Dr.-Ing. Martin Wedig, Fachvereinigung Auslandsbergbau (FAB) in der Vereinigung Rohstoffe und Bergbau (VRB) e. V., Berlin/Germany
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