uring February 2020, the Murray and Roberts Training Academy (MRTA) hosted a group of students from the Department to visit its training facilities in Carletonville. The MRTA is a division of Murray & Roberts Cementation (MRC). It is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and is accredited with the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA).

The MRTA is widely recognised as one of the leading training providers in trackless mechanised mining engineering, shaft sinking, mining services, and health and safety training. Through the training that it offers, it is able to ensure that its footprint in the mining industry is on par with industry best practice.

During the industry visit, the students were exposed to several activities related to mining. These included shaft sinking (pre-sink operations, shaft lining and services activities, shaft bottom activities, and winder and banksmen duties), conventional mining (with a particular focus on competency skills programmes), mechanised mining (loading, hauling and dumping, truck hauling, support, drilling and the installation of services. They also learned about various delivery methodologies, such as virtual reality, trackless mechanised mining simulation, two-dimensional blast wall simulation and mock-up facilities.

Dr Bertie Meyer, who coordinated the visit and accompanied the students to the training academy, shared some of the students’ comments.

David Wium Olivier found the excursion very insightful. “Many questions arose, which were answered expertly and thoroughly; especially considering the diverse assortment of training facilities, which was geared towards realistic interpretation. Although many questions had no straightforward answer, I definitely realised the meaning of a complex problem,” he remarked.

Siphesihle Buthelezi considered the visit to the MRTA to be very informative. “The mock-ups capture the mining life cycle from shaft sinking through to production. The knowledge I gained about these aspects has added value to my Mining Engineering degree,” he concluded.

Itumeleng Petlele learned a lot from the visit. “The technology that is used in the mining industry is amazing. I got to understand how most of the equipment that is used for shaft sinking functions.

Thobeka Cebekhulu describes her visit as eye-opening. “Most of the concepts that were discussed at the training academy were concepts that we only knew in theory. By being able to envision the actual workings in the mine improved my understanding of the class content, she said. “Experiencing the simulation room and driving the equipment was really exciting.”

Enia  Nhachengo liked the fact that the instructors explained each section in depth, making it easier to be able to relate to various concepts in class. “I also found it important to know the major differences between conventional and mechanised shaft sinking methods. From the machinery side, it was interesting to know when it is most feasible to use which machine,” she remarked.

Kyle Rubikesan found it to be a really great experience. “We got to see the practical application of mining in a simulated world. We could also identify dangers, and see the real-life consequences of mining activities,” he said.

Mazwi Magubane remarked that he found the visit to be informative. “It renewed my interest in mining. The use of the load haul dump and drill rig simulations, along with the virtual reality system changed my perspective of mining from that of an archaic, non-innovative industry to an industry ripe for innovation and disruption. The depth of knowledge and enthusiasm of the instructors contributed greatly to my understanding of shaft sinking and mining processes,” he concluded.

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