Mining contracting company Murray & Roberts Cementation is celebrating 21 years since the merger of Murray & Roberts RUC and The Cementation Company (Africa) in July 2004 and says it is committed to adopting cutting-edge technologies, enhancing safety and continuing to expand its footprint across Africa.

Murray & Roberts Cementation new business director Graham Chamberlain says the company proactively partnered with original-equipment manufacturers to test and apply new safety and efficiency technologies.

For example, the company collaborated with mechanised tunnelling company Herrenknecht to develop caisson shaft sinking methods with a roadheader, which enables pre-sinking or shallow shaft sinking up to 300 m deep and 20 m wide without human presence in the shaft, he says.

Murray & Roberts Cementation is also advancing mechanised tabular reef extraction and blind boring, focusing on rapid deployment and minimising worker exposure.

Training methodologies have been modernised through the use of simulation, virtual reality and underground mock-up facilities to enhance skills development at the Murray & Roberts Training Academy at Bentley Park, near Carletonville, says Chamberlain.

“As Murray & Roberts Cementation continues to expand its African footprint, we remain dedicated to innovation, safety and skills development. With fully incorporated structures in key mining regions, we are well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of the mining sector and drive sustainable growth in the years to come,” he adds.

Further, in December 2024, the company achieved eight-million fatality-free shafts spanning 12 years, which is indicative of its commitment to safety.

Since 2001, the company has sunk 21 shafts, 15 of them since 2012, totalling 15 000 m of vertical sinking. Additionally, it has completed 72 000 m of raise drilling, averaging 300 m a month, he points out.

“A key component of this success is the Rotary Vertical Drilling System, or RVDS, which has been deployed on 93 projects. This advanced drilling technology achieved 99.95% accuracy on a 950 m ventilation shaft at Ivanplats’ Platreef project in Limpopo, with only a 500 cm deviation,” Chamberlain says.

A core element of the company's success is its commitment and dedication to training through its training academy.

This facility plays a crucial role in bridging skills gaps in the mining sector, offering artisanal, supervisory and management training including the courses necessary for the blasting ticket and other government tickets of competency, he notes.

This facility also hosts official blasting ticket examinations conducted by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, he adds.

In addition to its commitment to technical and operational excellence, Murray & Roberts Cementation also remains committed to social initiatives with various education-focused initiatives conducted over the years; from hardware in schools to supporting sanitary pads campaigns in poor communities, so that girls do not miss any schooling.

Investments have been made in borehole drilling for groundwater and even a mobile science and mathematics laboratory for schools – made available through the whole Murray & Roberts group, says Chamberlain.

Murray & Roberts Cementation operates in Botswana, Ghana, Namibia and Zambia, which ensures it has a robust presence to serve the continent’s growing mining sector.