DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING AND THE ENVIRONMENT

MINING ENGINEERING
UNDERGROUND MINING 2106 ASSINGMENT 1
GROUP MEMBERS
SIFISO MAPHOSA G0210963J
PANASHE MASHAMAIRE G0210588H
DILLAN MASENDA G0210888D
SICELO MAKANUKO G0211353L
DESMOND MASUKU G0211773Q
GRAIG T. NDINEYI G0212088M

Due 11/11/2022

Question 5

a) Which two conditions contribute to bad ground in shaft sinking practice and how would you
predict bad ground conditions for shaft sinking activities

Different fragments in the shaft sinking due to differences in rock strength.

Muddy conditions due to the occurrence of underground.

b) Discuss any 10 factors of the criteria used in choosing the most suitable drifting system for a
mine roadway

Haul Trucks and Construction/Maintenance Equipment

Different mines use a variety of haul trucks for ore and waste transportation. As expected, the
oil, sand operation, which is the largest handler of materials, used the largest trucks.

Haul Road Length

The 13 mines surveyed had a total of 50km of in-pit road with an average life expectancy of
1.4years and a total of 100km of ex-pit roads with an average life expectancy of 8 years
(Table 1-3).The haul road length varies widely from mine to mine. Temporary haul road
 lengths ranged from 0.5km to 10km whereas the length of permanent haul roads varied from
1.3km to 14km

c) State and explain 4 ways in which underground mine development impacts on the natural
Environment

Destruction of natural habitat. Oil, fuel and chemicals spill contaminating soil and rivers. Air
pollution from mining processing operations. Drainage and run off from mining sites
including acid mine drainage.

Question 6

a) Explain why pneumatic drilling machines tends to last less than hydraulic drilling machines

Hydraulic systems are simpler and easier to maintain because those systems use less moving
parts compared to pneumatic systems. Pneumatic drilling machines have high linkage which
causes friction.

b) What factors are considered before acquiring a drilling machine

Resources, availability, reliability, lining up scope and budget, technology