The Mukona Group continues to invest heavily in skills and equipment, allowing it to remain abreast of the latest developments to offer specialised solutions for small to large geotechnical projects.
The company is currently in the process of acquiring new equipment to expand its in-situ testing capabilities to assist mines in complying with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM).
The GISTM, introduced in 2020, has set a new standard for tailings management and raised the bar for corporate responsibility around tailings dams. To comply with the new standard, mining companies are adopting and implementing best practices not only in planning, design, and construction, but also in operation, maintenance, monitoring, closure and post closure activities.
According to Solly Phalanndwa, Mukona Group’s Founder and Managing Director, this has resulted in a greater demand for geotechnical in-situ testing at tailings dam facilities. Mukona In Situ, a division of the Mukona Group, has been offering geotechnical and geo-environmental site investigation since 2019, specialising in cone penetration testing (CPTu) techniques, pressure meter testing, electric vane shear testing (eVST), resistivity testing, MOSTAP sampling and flat dilatometer with seismic testing (SDMT).
As demand for specialised testing and equipment grows, Mukona In Situ is expanding its range of equipment to ensure that the latest and best solutions are available to the mining market in Southern Africa. “We are building on our full suite of solutions to the civil engineering environment and fully investing in the mining environment so that we can offer a complete solution in terms of drilling and CPTu testing,” says Phalanndwa.
New Sonic Drilling Rig
The company has invested in a Comacchio GEO 602 sonic drilling rig, currently enroute from Italy. The machine, which is likely the first of its kind in South Africa, is a compact and powerful drilling rig suitable for many geotechnical works.
“In line with the GISTM, it is best not to use water when drilling cores in tailings dams for slope stability analyses, as the introduction of water can create instability. The sonic drill rig offers the ability to retrieve 100% core from the tailings without the use of water,” explains Phalanndwa.
Mukona’s rig will be fitted with two heads: the sonic drilling head for drilling through tailings, as well as a rotary head for drilling through hard layers and rock, and automatic SPT hammer for in-situ testing.
The heads are interchangeable and can be swopped out while the rig is in position, allowing flexibility in drilling cores regardless of the material encountered. In addition, the machine is equipped with an arm for rod handling, eliminating the need for manual handling of rods during operation.
“This is important because it allows us to comply with mines’ safety regulations and increases overall safety for our operators. It is a versatile machine,” says Phalanndwa. Mukona recently sent an operator and mechanic for a week of training at Comacchio’s offices in Italy to ensure the team is fully equipped to operate and service the machine once it arrives in South Africa.
SAICE – Civil Engineering, May 2024