In an effort to contribute to the overall growth of the global market, Enterprises University of Pretoria (Enterprises UP) together with experts from the Department of Mining Engineering at the University of Pretoria (UP) successfully presented the Open-Pit Mine Planning and Design course to delegates from various mining houses in South Africa.

The five-day course was held at the Hotel@Hatfield from 15 to 19 November 2021, facilitated by VBKOM’s George Olivier and associates.

The unique short course in Open-Pit Mine Planning and Design enabled delegates to learn the basic theory of open pit mine design and the application thereof, whilst having the chance to interact with experts in the field. The course covered topics not limited to pit optimisation, physical pit design mining cost modelling, mining capex and opex, mine water risk in slope stability, monitoring and maintaining open pit slopes and assessing the risks with open pit mining.

Emphasis was placed on a holistic approach to Open pit and Open cast mining, and to consider the social-, environmental- and economic impacts mining has on communities and Africa as a whole; whilst ensuring that mining operations are aligned to the strategic and tactical business objectives.

The VBKOM course facilitators included:

• George Olivier:  BEng (Mining), PrEng, MMCC, MBA
• Wilhelm Warschkuhl:  BEng (Mining), BSc (Hons), PrEng
• Werner Heenop:  BEng (Mining), MMCC
• Paul Obermeyer:  BSc Hons (Geology), MSc (Geology)
• Mientjie van der Vyver: PhD (Metallurgy), PMP, SACNASP
• Ruben Els: BEng (Mining), MMCC

Associate course facilitators were:

• Wolter de Graaf:  BEng (Mining) PrEng, MMCC
• Dave van Rensburg:  MEng (Mining Geology)
• Henk Fourie:  BEng (Mining), PrEng, MMCC