ZAC Mine Overseer Bekkie Booyens

Umbheki weMayini eZAC Mine uBekkie Booyens

ZAC Makes Solid Progress on Stonework 

ZAC continues to strengthen its focus on productivity through the efforts of dedicated stonework teams. Mine Overseer Bekkie Booyens and the various teams have been steadily increasing their outputs in recent months. 

Extracting coal is the end goal for operations, but getting the stonework done is just as important. A renewed emphasis has been placed on these particular operations to assist the main coal extraction teams to access coal.Their task is to develop roadways through the different stone intrusions to access the coal seams. 

Currently the monthly requirements of these stone teams is to develop 220 linear meters through stone per month and they are making good progress. 

ZAC’s Ngwabe Shaft has about 5 years life-of-mine remaining following the completion of a major development to access the lower seams in the Northern Reserve of the operation site. 

The life-of-mine for the shaft is based on ZAC completing the main development and establishing the sections in this reserve base. 

Deep E is a high seam shaft that produces good quality coal, making it a viable area to mine. The shaft is expected to keep producing for at least the next six years. It consists of two sections, a Continuous Miner section and a Drill & Blast section for panel and stone developments

Outcrop is probably the most challenging shaft to mine; however, it is worth the while due to the high grade of coal produced there. The mining is done via Drill & Blast sections – using low profile scoops to load and carry the coal. Outcrop is currently in the midst of developing through a major upthrow fault of 18m to access reserves in the northern extremes of the reserve.

I-ZAC iqhubekile nokuvelela emgomweni wokumba itshe  

I-ZAC iyaqhubeka nokugxila emkhiqizweni ngomsebenzi wamathimba amba amatshe azinikele. Umbheki weMayini uBekkie Booyens namathimba ehlukene bebelokhu bandisa imikhiqizo yabo ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ezidlule. 

Ukumba ilahle yiwona msebenzi omkhulu eZAC kanti umsebenzi wamatshe nawo umqoka. Manje lo msebenzi ugcizelelwa kakhulu ukulekelela amathimba amqoka amba amalahle ukuthi afinyelele emalahleni. Umsebenzi wawo wukuklama izindlela ezindaweni ezihlukene ezigcwele amatshe ukuze kufinyeleleke lapho kugcwele amalahle khona.

Kumanje, ngenyanga ukuthi la mathimba amba amatshe acabe indlela engamamitha aqondile angu-220 ngenyanga, kanti aqhuba kahle.

UMgodi iNgwabe waseZAC usalelwe yiminyaka ecela kwemihlanu ngemva kokuphothulwa komsebenzi omkhulu wokukwazi ukufinyelela ezinzulwini ngasenyakatho yendawo okusetshenzelwa kuyona.   

Isikhathi sokumba lo mgodi sincike ekutheni iZAC iqede umsebenzi wokwakha omkhulu nokusungula izigaba ezintsha kule ndawo.

I-Deep E wumgodi ojulile okhipha amalahle ezinga eliphezulu, okuyenza indawo enhle yokumba. Kulindeleke ukuthi lo mgodi uqhubeke nokukhipha amalahle iminyaka eyisithupha ezayo. Inezigaba ezimbili, okuyisigaba sokuQhubeka nokuMba nesigaba sokuMba nokuQhumisa amatshe.   

I-Outcrop cishe yiwona mgodi onzima ukuwumba, nokho kufanele imbiwe ngenxa yezinga eliphezulu lamalahle akuyona. Indlela yokumba le mayini wukusebenzisa izimba ezikhasa phansi, ukuqhumisa ngemishini neziqhumane. I-Outcrop kumanje iphezu komkhankaso womsebenzi wokuphendla indawo engamamitha angu-18 yokungena ezinkambini ezisenyakatho.