METALLON GOLD ZIMBABWE (PRIVATE) LIMITED

Creating a golden future

BULAWAYO MINING COMPANY (PVT) LTD

END OF MONTH REPORT

APRIL 2017
ATTACHEE: IGNATIUS MPOFU
MINING DEPARTMENT
INTRODUCTION

Shafts play a major role in mine planning and development so their design, location and
maintenance are important. Factors considered:

Depth of shaft
Shift handling (workforce)
Materials handling
Ventilation requirements
Ore and waste tonnage to be handled

The purpose of the shaft crew is to inspect and maintain in good working order

Travellways
Shafts
Grizzlies
Ventilation doors
Dams
Shaft structures (pipes, wires)
Shaft stations (signage and barricades)

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Shaft- A vertical or near vertical passageway made in the earth for finding or mining ore
and ventilating underground excavations.
Skip- A self-dumping special conveyances used in a shaft for hoisting ore or rock.
Cage- The conveyance used to transport men and equipment between the surface and
the mine levels, which is suspended from the hoist on steel wire rope.
Guides/ Runners- one of a number of vertical beams reinforcing the walls of a shaft and
dividing it into vertical compartments. They direct the skip into channels so they do not sway.
Bunton/ Dividers horizontal steel beams used to strengthen shaft structures.
Brattice -partition in the mine to regulate ventilation or support sides or roof.
Downcast Shaft The shaft in which clean air descends to ventilate the underground
workings.

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Uses of shafts

To access the orebody

To transport men and material to and from underground
For hoisting ore and waste from underground
To serve as intake and return airways for the mine (ventilation)
To provide secondary egress as required by mining law

NORTH SHAFT

The skip is for hoisting ore and waste from level 25.

Ore or waste hoist movement

Time cycle

Skip loading time =43sec

Skip travel to surface =3min 50sec

Skip tipping time = 12sec

15 skips per shift

Target=1200t per day

Capacity of skip =5tonne

North shaft Bin Level

Full 1/2 3/4

Bin 1 270t 135t 67t
Bin 2 196t 98t 49t
Total 466 tonnes

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 Shafts Dimensions

HOIST ROOM

A hoist or winder is used to raise or lower the conveyance. A liquid starter

A double drum hoist is used for:

North shaft
Main shaft
23N7 shaft

Single drum:

16N7
Shaft bottom hoist

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SAFETY FEATURES OF A HOIST MACHINE

Mirrors
Bank Approach alarm
Deadmans Switch
Sirens
Overspeed trips
Trip wires with trip switches
Brakes
Indicator lights
Emergency brakes

SAFETY DEVICES IN SHAFTS

Catch plate / detaching plate

Trip wires
Speed sensors on shaft collar
Lazy chain when loading shaft
Humble hook
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DRIVERS LOG BOOK

This is a book in which all activities carried out in the shaft and hoist room are logged in. It contains
the following information

Appointments: competent people are appointed according to sections 172 of Management

and Safety regulations of 1990 to carry out work in the winding room and in the shafts.
These people include
1. Mechanical
2. Fitters
3. Electrical
4. Riggers
5. Engineering
6. Shaft timberman

The appointments are signed and dated.

Machinery Record book

Drivers Logbook Machine Checklist: this checks the following items
1. Main brakes
2. Emergency brakes
3. Direction controller
4. Depth indicators
5. Ammeter
6. Clutch
7. Signal devices
8. Safety devices
9. Warning devices
10. Indicator lights
11. Winding rope

Remarks by the driver are included and any special instructions.

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Tools for shafts exam

2kg Hammer
Pinch bars 0,3 m, 1m
Tape measure
Hood

Tools for shaft maintenance

Chair plates
Joining plates
Oxygen tank
Acetylene tank
Bolts and nuts M16 40mm, 50mm ,60mm
Hemp rope
Spanners (size 24, 36)
Hood
T-bar
Washers

Humble Hook / Safety Detaching Hook

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 Shaft examination log book sample

Weekly Shaft Examination: Reg 172(1) b, 172(3) (any defect by which the safety of persons may
be endangered shall be recorded in the Driver's Log Book)

DATE
GUIDES
BUNTONS
PLATFORMS
LADDERS
BRATTICE
PIPES
CABLES
WATER RING
SIDE SCALING
SHAFT LINING
STATION HANGING
CODE OF SIGNALS
SHAFT NOTICES
STATION KEPS
STATION GATES

Remarks are then written at the bottom of the log book to signify any other activities carried out
or unusual conditions encountered within the shaft. This is recorded by the shaft timberman and
he signs to affirm his findings.

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 Installation of hood

Preparatory Activities

The Shaft Timberman communicates with the Hoist driver verbally and by writing in the
drivers logbook where the driver countersigns to acknowledge that he is aware and
understands the work to be carried out in the shaft.
The Shaft Timberman posts notices in all stations to signify that the shaft maintenance is in
progress.
He then tests the pull-bell if it is in good working order by ringing 13 knocks and the driver
replies with 13 knocks.
The driver tests his conveyance to ensure that it is in good working order.
The shaft is then locked by ringing 6-6 knocks to which the driver replies by ringing 6-6
knocks too.
The shaft bank is cleaned for a radius of 2m.

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 The cage is lowered until its roof is level with the shaft bank; material and hood are then
secured to the conveyance. Material (oxy-acetylene bottles and tool-box) is anchored to the
humble hook using tightened hemp-rope.
Equipment includes 2kg hammer, oxy-acetylene cylinders (complete set of torch), one long
and one short pinch bars, 40mm-50mm and 60mm M16 bolts and nuts, tape measure, chair
plates, jointing plates and spanners (24mm and 36mm), hemp rope.
The shaft crew consisting of three men and a supervisor then secure themselves to the
humble hook or winding rope using safety chains and are to have the following PPE:
overall, gumboots, PVC gloves, oil skins, cap lamp and appropriate hard hat.

Activity Description

Shaft crew ring 3-3 to raise the conveyance slowly and the crew start checking the
conditions of the guides visually and also by sounding them using a 2kg hammer.
Shaft crew then ring 1 to stop the conveyance then 2-2 to lower the conveyance slowly as
the crew continues examining all the shaft infrastructure for any defects within the shaft.
When the shaft crew comes across loose bolts, shaft obstructions, blocked drain or any other
problem 1-bell signal is sounded to stop the conveyance and the problem identified and
rectified appropriately. A runner-gauge is used to check if the guides have closed in or
opened out.
The conveyance is stopped at each shaft station using a pull bell to clean the shaft station
of loose debris for a radius of 2m from the shaft collar.
The shaft crew continuously sounds the side walls of the shaft for bad hangings using a 2kg
hammer.
On reaching the lowest level, the material and equipment are secured then 3-3 knocks are
rung and the conveyance returns to surface.
On completion of the shaft examination, the material and hood are removed from the
conveyance and the bellman rings 2-1 knocks for the test run of the conveyance to its lowest
level and check if everything is in good condition, the bellman rings 6-6-6 to re-open the
shaft.
The Shaft Timberman removes all the posted notices from the station and marks another
entry to the drivers logbook that shaft maintenance has been completed.
The Shaft Timberman logs his findings of the shaft examination and countersign.

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Transportation of heavy material

Preparatory Activities

The Hoist Driver is verbally notified of the work to be carried out by the Shaft Timber-man
and this is recorded in ink in the Hoist logbook to which the Hoist Driver counter signs to
acknowledge that he has understood. Time of commencement is also recorded.
The driver must check if his brakes are in good working order before transportation, if they
are malfunctioning the Fitter is immediately called to attend to the hoist.
The On-setter/Bellman locks the shaft by ringing 6 6 bell signals to which the driver
responds by sounding 6 6 bell signals.
Electricians test the bells before commencement of loading by ringing 13 bells to which the
Driver responds with the same bells.
If overhead clearance is small, the Electricians remove the trip wire to create more space.

Activity Description

If transportation of material is being done underground, a flexible eye bolt and pin is secured
into a pin hole. The eye bolt and pin are used as anchorage for the lifting equipment, e.g.
chain block.
A chain block is hooked onto the eye bolt and this chain block is used for any lifting
requirements.
The material to be transported is aligned to the shaft compartment according to the position in
which it is required to enter the shaft (usually there are transportation eyes, most heavy
material is aided in the transportation process through these). If applicable, the chain block
is used to align the heavy material by lifting and positioning it.
Either in the middle or end of long heavy material, a chain 0.5m in length is fastened on the
material using a D-shackle to which the chain block is hooked.
A sling about 3m in length is placed on a steel bar and inserted in the transportation holes on
the floor of the cage and allowed to suspend underneath the cage.
The Bellman then raises the cage/skip by ringing 33 whereby the Shaft-crew man secures
his chain and draws the sling out of the shaft.

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 A shorter sling is inserted in a transportation eye on the heavy material and is fastened with a
D-shackle to the sling overhanging from the cage.
The Bellman rings 3-3 to raise the cage/skip slowly whilst the chain block is slacked until the
heavy material is suspended in the shaft. During this stage, no person stands in front or at the
sides of the heavy material.
The shaft crew secure themselves and they then position and firmly secure the material using
a hemp rope tied to the cage/skip.
The Bellman rings 2-2 for lowering slowly or 33 bell signals for rising slowly to the desired
destination of the heavy material.

OBSERVATIONS

Shortage of bolts during shaft maintenance.

Shortage of washers necessitating fabrication of washers. Results in depletion of
oxyacetylene tanks and wastage of other material.
No siren and lights on Loco on North shaft.
Shortage of pipe flanges.
Rail switch of North shaft results in multiple derailments and therefore delays.
Spillage of ore from the skip into the shaft damaging structures.
Poor housekeeping of spillage.
Water influx in the shaft due to blocked drainages. This contributes to rust.

RECOMMENDATIONS
New bolts, nuts and pipe flanges to be ordered.
Buy new washers instead of fabricating them.
Install siren and lights on loco as per law requirements
Install new rail switch to increase the effectiveness of the loco and reduce delays.
Engineering solution to the skip to reduce spillage into the shaft.
Good housekeeping to increase safety.
Regular drain maintenance.

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CONCLUSION
The major factors that ensure a safe and good working skip/ cage are
Regular shaft examination.
Regular shaft maintenance.
Use of correct tools and equipment to effect repairs.
Maintaining good standards of safety and quality of work.
Communication between hoist driver and shaft maintenance crew.
Well trained and alert hoist drivers.

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ATTACHEE............................................................DATES........................................................

(IGNATIUS MPOFU)

MINING TRAINING OFFICER ............................DATE..........................................................

(MR T. CHOKERA)

MINE CAPTAIN (STOPING)................................DATE..........................................................

(MR J MANYENJE)

SENIOR TRAINING OFFICER ............................DATE..........................................................

(MR E. DAMISO)

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