Johannesburg: 06 August 2018 – Wits University’s Centre for Mechanised Mining Systems (CMMS) – part of the Wits Mining Institute – will be presenting its popular three-day courses in mechanised earthmoving and in maintenance management this November.
The Mechanised Earthmoving in Mining – Equipment, Technology and Management course will be presented by visiting lecturer Professor Zvi Borowitsh of the Wits School of Mining Engineering and the Israel Institute of Technology. Professor Borowitsh is a specialist in mine excavation, loading and haulage optimisation, with extensive experience in large-scale earthmoving projects and in academia. He will also draw on industry experts to share their experience during the course.
Course content ranges from geo-mechanics and rock-breaking techniques to equipment economics and remote monitoring of earthmoving equipment. Delegates will also study and practice the most up-to-date computer programs such as Talpac and FPC for machine and earthmoving simulation, optimising system selection, and analysing machine and earthmoving costs. The course will be held from Wednesday 21 to Friday 23 November 2018 at Wits University in Johannesburg.
Later in the month, from 28 to 30 November, Professor Borowitsh will present ‘Maintenance Management in Mining – From Strategic Management to Field Practice’ – in conjunction with Edgar Bradley, an experienced lecturer in reliability and maintenance, and a well-known maintenance management consultant. Guest presenters will include leading specialists from equipment producers, mining companies and consulting firms.
“Studies suggest that equipment maintenance costs account for 30 to 60 percent of total direct operating costs in a mechanised mining operation,” said Professor Borowitsh. “While maintenance has in the past been viewed as an ancillary support activity, equipment maintenance and management is now clearly a central link in the mining value chain, and should be a core competence of any mining organisation.”
The course has been accredited for two CPD points with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), and comprises a mixture of lectures and case studies from university and industry-based lecturers. The content ranges from strategic management of mining equipment maintenance to optimisation of component life and real-time monitoring of machine health.
Professor Fred Cawood, Director of the WMI said that “We are delighted to introduce our first two courses in mechanised mining under the WMI umbrella. These courses are aimed at engineers and technicians, and will be followed-up by a best practice workshop on South African mechanised mining lessons and more courses on digital, mechanised and sustainable mining in 2019”.
Professor Fred Cawood, Director of the Wits Mining Institute. Photography by Jeremy Glyn for SBPR in March 2018.
For more information or to book a place on either course, contact Ana-Lucia Cheon at [email protected] or 011 717 7322, or Salamina Tlhwaele at [email protected] or 011 717 1188.