Name of the Project
Shondoni coal project.

Location
Secunda, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Client
Sasol Mining.

Project Description
The Secunda area remains one of the largest underground coal complexes in the world.

The project involves the construction of a new mine to replace output from Sasol’s mature Middelbult coal mine, which is nearing the end of its useful life.

The extractable reserves at Shondoni are estimated at about 190-million tons, which translates into an operating life of 20 years.

The mine is expected to produce 9.2-million tons of coal a year using a conveyor system that will transport the coal using a 21 km conveyor belt to Sasol Coal Supply (SCS). The single-belt, curved overland conveyor is one of the longest conveyor belts in the industry and one of the last key elements that needs to become operational before underground coal can be fed into the system.

The move to develop the mine forms part of what Sasol has previously described as an “intense capital replacement” programme involving four significant projects – Thubelisha, Impumelelo, Shondoni and Tweedraai – which will replace the long-serving Twistdraai, Brandspruit, Middelbult and part of the Syferfontein operations respectively.

Jobs to be Created
Occupation by production personnel started in April 2016 and will ramp up to a total of 1 190 site-based mining employees working in three eight-hour shifts.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Value
The Shondoni mining project is part of a R15.3-billion project undertaken by Sasol Mining to replace three of its ageing coal mines in the Secunda area. On completion of the project, the three mines will contribute to the supply of 42-million tons of coal a year to Sasol Synfuels.

Duration
The project is expected to be completed in 2016.

Latest Developments
The construction of the Shondoni mine is nearing completion, with first coal production expected this month.

The first key milestone – the handover of surface infrastructure and licensing of the winder and shaft complex – was achieved in February.

Since February, the surface infrastructure at the mine has been completed to facilitate its full operational status. Two office blocks include 156 offices, covering 4 950 m².

The complete building footprint is 24 500 m² and includes operational change houses, a sewage treatment plant with capacity to process 200 000 ℓ/d of effluent, 460 covered parking bays, roads, access control, paving and power. This complements the fully operational shaft system that incorporates personnel, ventilation, decline and materials shafts with fully licensed winders. Secondary systems, such as fire suppression infrastructure, service water reticulation, security fencing, lighting, walkways and electrical reticulation, are also all in place.

WorleyParsons SA Shondoni project lead civil engineer Frikkie Naudé has said that the construction of the surface infrastructure has included moving 1.092-million cubic metres of earthworks, the use of 39 500 m³ of concrete, and the supply and erection of 9 300 t of structural steel. Further, 36.5 km of road has been built, 37 200 m² of concrete and block paving laid, and power generation equipment with a capacity of 21.5 MW installed.

The team is now tasked with ensuring that the second key milestone is achieved, whereby the mine is set to produce its first coal through the underground conveyor system and then transport the coal using the conveyor belt to SCS, to be used in the production of synthetic fuels.

The unique overland conveyor belt represents one of the longest of its kind in the mining industry and will provide Sasol Mining with a cost-effective and efficient means of transporting its own coal to Secunda. Coal is delivered from the Shondoni mine decline shaft to a 15 000-t-capacity surface bunker for temporary storage before being transferred using the conveyor to the SCS site. A 4 000-t-capacity surface bunker was also built for temporary storage at SCS.

“The surface structure is accessible to the client, and the winder and shaft complex has been licensed by the inspectorate and is now fully operational, with all the infrastructure support in place,” concludes Bullen. 

Key Contracts and Suppliers
WorleyParsons (engineering, procurement and construction); Sandvik Mining (materials handling systems); Aveng Mining (shaft sinking); Aveng Grinaker-LTA (building infrastructure) and Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon, or WBHO (road and earthworks).

On Budget and on Time?
There were project delays during the year ended June 30, 2015, owing to a slower than expected shaft sinking process and a mining contractor having to deal with a four-month labour dispute.

The project is now expected to be operational in the first half of the 2016 financial year and to be delivered within budget.

Contact Details for Project Information
Sasol group media manager Alex Anderson, tel +27 71 600 9605 or email alex.anderson@sasol.com.
WorleyParsons (Secunda), tel +27 17 631 3447 or fax +27 17 631 3648.
Sandvik Mining Systems head of mining systems Manfred Schaffer, tel +43 316 902 62 65 10.
Aveng Mining, tel +27 11 821 1800.
Aveng Grinaker-LTA, tel +27 11 578 6000.
WBHO, tel +27 11 321 7200, fax +27 11 887 4364 or email wbho@wbho.co.za.