Grouting services are one of the foundations on which Rosond has built a reputation in the mining industry, and as such is a critical part of its service offering, comments Director Carlos Da Silva. Cover grouting and drilling refers to creating a tunnel by means of drilling and grouting ahead of any excavation through the rock formation in safety. This is a routine procedure when mining in virgin ground. Various grouting materials are used, such as cement and chemicals, which are injected depending on what is intersected, whether water or various types of gas.

Rosond provides underground grouting services to clients for both primary and secondary support. Using a dedicated surface grout batching plant and then pumping the grout to underground relay stations ensures more flexibility in grout delivery to working places, while minimising the piping infrastructure needed and reducing wastage compared to conventional surface to working place pumping.

The Midrand-based drilling technology solutions provider has been at the forefront of inventive measures and designs in the grouting industry. From OEM equipment including pumps and grout plants, it has developed a grouting system that is cost-effective and efficient. Constant improvements are being made, including the addition of telematics, remote monitoring and support services.

“We cater for clients using grout packs for primary and secondary support systems, meaning less reliance on timber poles for support, thus reducing risks, fire hazards and shaft conveyance time. We also provide grout for haulage, winch bed and waiting place construction. Our clients are very reliant on grout pack support for their business models to succeed, and we form an integral part of the value chain,” highlights Da Silva.

“We minimise downtime and ensure safe, on-time service delivery, which is key. As more clients are looking at alternative primary support options, grouting can become a necessary service required by more mining houses in the future.”

Being an industry leader for 65 years, Rosond has a lot of experience in designing and implementing grouting services for clients, using its own OEM equipment and proven training and safety standards in order to provide a ‘one-stop, safe service’ from design to implementation.