Bush clearing on high wall

Due to rain and some watery high wall, weeds and trees grow on Mine walls and this can cause problems for the geotechnical team on-site in terms of monitoring the high wall. If the bushes are not controlled or trimmed if not removed, they can cover the monitoring devices which are installed on the high wall. With our skilled technicians, M84 Geotech has the right equipment to clean out any bushes on high walls.

Rock scaling 4

Rockfall are a high risk in the mining environment and it’s very important that measures are put in place to remove loose rocks or put proper rockfall protection systems in place. Rock scaling is the removal of loose rocks or boulders which are at risk of falling. Tools such as crow bars, rock scaling airbags or rock breaking are used for safe removal of these rocks.

Dewatering pipe support

The safety of people and equipment working under any open pit mine high wall is our priority. Anything that can fall from the high wall is a risk for those who are working in the pit. This 150m water pipe was secured with steel wire and clamps with the wire anchored at both the top and bottom for extra safety. This will prevent the pipe from free fall in case of breakage, the wire and clamps will keep it on the high wall.

Monitoring prism installation 2

Monitoring Prism are devices used by the geotechnical team at the mine to monitor the high wall or any unstable or detaching rocks on a high wall. The devices are drilled on a rock held by a mounting plate and then we number and paint around the prisms so that the geotech team can know which prism is active or needs fixing. We mostly use rope access techniques to install these devices but if the height allows we use lifting equipment.

Drape mesh installation

A drape mesh is a passive rockfall protection systems used to protect a high wall or mountain against falling rocks. We say it’s passive because it’s not attached but only placed on the high wall for controlled rockfall. The system is anchored on top using anchors and a top rope then dropped on the high wall with rocks falling within the mesh, therefore avoiding free falling of rocks.

Fixing of drape mesh

The installation of a drape mesh is not a complicated process if the team involves knows what they are doing. Some projects will have their challenges depending on the site but a well experienced team should overcome whatever challenges they face. Here, M84 Geotech was called in to fix a drape mesh which was not properly installed and our highly skilled team did a stellar job.

Rock scaling 3

Keeping people, equipment and infrastructure safe from any rockfall hazards is one of the jobs we do so well. It comes with its own risks but knowing that we are eliminating risks so that other can work safely, it’s what motivates us.

Monitoring prism installation 1

We either remove any rockfall risks which we find on site or we install monitoring devices to monitor any risk which might arise. After clearing the high wall of bushes, we installed this monitoring devices for a mine in Limpopo, South Africa.

Securing a dewatering pipe

A 240 meter long dewatering pipe was secured using steel and clamps.

Rock scaling 2

This was one of the most difficult rock scaling project we have ever done. The amount of boulders found on this high wall bench were more than what we anticipated. Overtime we moved a boulders, there was another one found underneath, what made it even difficult was the fact that the boulders were cover by loose material which made it even more risky for our team. The project was successfully completed and the client happy but most importantly, our team did it safely, keeping our 100% safety record intact.

Rockfall protection net installation

These kinds of nets are also used as a passive temporary rockfall protection system and must be fit or spec for Mine use. We use this system for protection of rockfall in cases where a team will be working under a high wall and protection is needed urgently. The net will be installed because its quicker to install and cheaper than a drape mesh and once the work is done at the foot of the slope, the net is then removed and can be reused elsewhere if the need arise.

Rock scaling 1

Mine equipment are expensive and if they are not protected from free falling rocks, the mine can loose money, time and resources or risk closure by the mineral department. That’s why having an experienced team like M84 Geotech team is very important because we have the experience to remove even the most difficult boulders or rocks on Mine high walls. On this project, one of the biggest boulders was removed in a very tricky position.