Prof Chitombo's keynote addresses in South Africa in 2014

23 Dec 2014

The African Explosive Limited or AEL “Blasting Master Class” is an opportunity where AEL invites its clients in South Africa/Southern Africa to discuss current drill and blast issues, opportunities and new technologies. To AEL this is a forum to also get direct feedback from its clients on its range of products and mining services. 
Following the success of their inaugural Blasting Masterclass in 2013, the 2014 Blasting Master Class was held in Johannesburg South Africa. The theme was “Do you know what Explosives Energy you are buying?”. This was aimed at both the surface and underground mining market.
In order to introduce an International Flavor, Professor Gideon Chitombo of the BRC was invited to give a keynote on World Mining but focusing on “Future Mass Mining Options Under Considerations”. Such options were being designed to deal with the following:
1.    Depletion of near surface deposits and increasing discoveries of Deeper Deposits generally with Lower average Grades but with very large mining footprints (up to 200 ha)
2.    Deposits in Stress and Temperatures (Geotechnical/Geothermal/etc.) environments much higher than previous and current experience
3.    Environmental constraints (License to Operate) and associated legislation
4.    Stricter demands for better Energy and  Water management or utilization
5.    Increasing demand for production from Underground Mass Mining Sources  to supplement surface mass mining sources
6.    Developing new mining projects under Constraint Capital 

All this suggested that the mass mining industry including suppliers of products and explosives needed to change.

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