MINING TECHNOLOGY
Growing demand for critical minerals is creating new opportunities for underground mine development across the continent.
is economic in nature as the cost of importing a machine of this scale for a single project can be difficult to justify from a commercial perspective. “To make such an investment viable, a greater degree of standardisation is required across the industry. For instance, if most shafts being sunk are nine metres in diameter, a machine designed to that specification could be introduced and deployed across multiple projects, allowing the capital investment to be spread over a larger portfolio of work. Moreover, these machines can be retrofitted and adapted to accommodate larger shaft diameters when required. This versatility enables the same equipment to be used across a range of projects and applications, lowering overall costs and delivering greater value to the industry.” Automation and data-driven systems for shaft sinking and raise boring
can often complete the excavation directly, provided the geological conditions are sufficiently stable. In such cases, ground support is installed only in weaker zones rather than along the entire excavation. Smaller-diameter raises are typically developed for ventilation purposes. The company has remote shotcrete capability for support applications down to a depth of approximately 200m. Cementation Africa also collaborates extensively with German company, Herrenknecht on advanced pre-sinking machine technology, which targets enhanced efficiency and safety of shaft- sinking operations. Among the key benefits of the pre-sinking machine—which Chamberlain is keen to see introduced to South Africa—is its ability to complete pre-sinking activities rapidly and efficiently. Its relatively compact footprint facilitates faster mobilisation and improved site accessibility.
Moreover, the technology offers potential applications beyond the mining sector, with Chamberlain highlighting its relevance in civil engineering, particularly that focused on water infrastructure. could provide an innovative approach to water storage. “Enabling the construction of underground water reservoirs offers substantial storage capacity while requiring a significantly smaller surface footprint than conventional facilities. This could reduce the need for large above-ground reservoirs and Given South Africa’s growing water security challenges, the technology associated infrastructure. In regions such as Gauteng, where water supply and infrastructure
“There are really two aspects to this: mechanisation and automation. With the latest advances in electronics, control technology, and AI-driven
programming, automated raise drilling solutions are already available and being used in the market.” Chamberlain explains that as raise boring machines become
Enabling the construction of underground water reservoirs offers substantial storage capacity while requiring a significantly smaller surface footprint than conventional facilities.
larger, drill rods and associated tools also increase in size and weight. By automating the rod handling process, the industry has “eliminated direct human interaction with the equipment during operation, significantly improving safety and
reducing the likelihood of accidents”. Today, a range of advanced technologies is used to assess and manage ground conditions. These include ground-penetrating radar systems for identifying fractures and faults, probe drilling ahead of advancing excavations, and downhole camera systems that allow engineers to visually inspect and analyse geological
remain critical concerns, this approach could potentially alleviate some of these challenges relatively quickly and efficiently. As such, we see significant opportunities for this technology in both the mining and civil engineering sectors.” Chamberlain notes that the primary challenge though,
22 MODERN MINING www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | SEPTEMBER 2026
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