While contractors are employed primarily to execute projects on behalf of mining companies and project houses, underground mining specialists can also offer helpful insights from earlier stages of development.

So says Murray & Roberts Cementation new business director Graham Chamberlain, adding: “Over the decades, we have found that our early engagement with clients provides many vital opportunities to optimise their ideas and plans. Especially in the shaft sinking phase – which is highly capital intensive – the devil is in the detail, and there are many aspects to consider when working to achieve a streamlined and cost-effective process.”

Chamberlain highlights how the company is often engaged in the very early days of a project, to work with the client right from the concept and design phases. Third-party consultants even use Murray & Roberts Cementation to conduct project designs, he says, as this creates a more seamless flow into the execution stage.

“Our approach is to work with the client on developing a range of options for each aspect of the project,” he explains. “This provides a broader scope of what is possible, with each option being discussed in the light of the client’s goals; these alternatives can be steadily whittled down to the two or three best, so that an intensive comparison can be conducted to make a final selection.”

Chamberlain emphasises the importance of understanding local conditions – both regulatory and physical – in managing risk on shaft sinking, development and contract mining projects. Where there are requirements for local procurement and hiring, for instance, the company has aligned its policies and put them into practice. These social and labour regulations, which are well established in South Africa, are also being applied across Africa and even in some South American countries.

“Cost and productivity are key elements of success in our line of work, so risk needs to be carefully managed to produce the best outcome,” he says. “Many contractors operating globally in our field are not familiar with the unique requirements of the African market, and consequently, they often struggle to optimise cost and productivity factors in this region.”

Innovation also underpins the input that Murray & Roberts Cementation makes in planning for projects, Chamberlain continues, noting that steps have been taken to find safer alternatives in equipment use.

“Our work in the mining environment is complex, and must address matters from hoisting and logistics to safety factors and ground conditions,” he says. “The value of experience cannot be overstated, and requires careful consideration of all the options.”