Drilling expert Rosond is bringing new energy to the South African and the wider African mining sector by introducing innovative ways of working to the complex and very technical area of drilling.
The company, which is a 62-year old family-owned business with headquarters in Midrand in Gauteng, offers both surface drilling exploration as well as underground drilling and grouting services.
The group is using world-class technology, including data analysis, automation and software; to transform the way drilling is done in the mining industry. This technology was developed by the company together with an overseas manufacturing partner to create a new-age drilling rig.
Ricardo Ribeiro, Rosond MD, says that automation and software will bring the drilling industry to a new level of technological advancement and productivity. “Data analytics from the machine’s telemetry system, which has been in development for four years, will open new doors,” he adds.
A telemetry system is a collection of remote sensors that generates and wirelessly transmits useful data back to a central point for processing and interpretation. This system is particularly important for monitoring a drilling operation and making it cost-effective and efficient.
“What the industry fails to see is that the data we have is pure gold. These insights will propel us even further forward,” Ribeiro says, adding that the captured data is particularly helpful in understanding the nature of an exploration area’s geology.
Rosond is claimed to be the only company in the world that will have 28 drill rigs, with telemetry systems, in use with a single client. “The amount of data we will accumulate will further help us in our developments not only in drilling but also in tooling optimisation. Telemetry will include real time information both for the client and to prevent breakdowns,” Ribeiro says.
The company will be reaching out to local universities to assist in extracting even more value from its existing data. Rosond is expecting to achieve improved drilling efficiency of between 30% and 50% through the use of data and innovative software. “This is thanks to software that understands both the geology and the parameters of the machine,” he says.
The group’s innovative approach is in stark contrast with the rest of the local drilling industry. “Automation and software will bring fresh thinking and innovation to the fore in a sector that is important to the South African economy, and that must keep up with global trends to survive,” he says. He believes that Rosond will be in a class of its own once data and software development come together.
Another critical point that differentiates the company is its outstanding safety record. During the groups last financial year that ended in September 2019 the company recorded no lost-time injuries, Ribeiro says. This record is an excellent achievement as the company employs over 1 200 people, and many of these people work underground under hazardous conditions.
It is worth noting that a lost-time injury is an event that results in either a fatality, a worker being permanently disabled or a staff member needing to take time off work. Rosond’s excellent safety record reflects how the company is transforming a once dangerous industry.
This improvement is achieved by automation of drilling machines and by removing humans from high-risk areas and placing them in air-conditioned control rooms, away from harm, where they remotely control the drill rigs. In addition, a critical factor that Rosond focusses on when it comes to safety is the psychological preparedness of its staff for each shift.
The company has been fatality-free for decades across all sites where it operates. Rosond’s clients are delighted with the company’s safety record as it gives them confidence that it is the right company for the job.
The company’s focus on transformation and the implementation of the mining charter also sets it apart. The latest mining charter, gazetted in 2018, looks to advance women on many fronts and develop communities living near mines. As part of its drive to promote women, the group is putting together its first all-female drilling crew. This development follows the recruitment of six women, who all underwent rigorous training. Two of the six women recently graduated with their drilling certificates.
“Usually this is intensive physical work that requires substantial physical strength, due to the handling of rods and heavy equipment that gets loaded into the machine,” Ribeiro says. However, the technological advancements have removed the need for heavy physical work, and this has enabled his company to include women in its drilling operations. During 2020, the company is aiming to put in place its first all-women exploration drilling crew. Each crew will comprise of a team of three women.
Rosond’s key differentiators have helped it land a significant deal with Kumba Iron Ore. In August last year, the company entered into a R2-billion multi-year drilling agreement with Kumba. This new partnership will extend the lives of Kumba’s Kolomela and Sishen iron ore mines in the Northern Cape.
A demonstration of the company’s staying power is the fact that it has had a relationship with Anglo American spanning more than 40 years.
An impressive line-up of major mining companies as its clients boosts Rosond’s remarkable résumé. These clients include AngloGold Ashanti, De Beers, Exxaro, Gold Fields, Harmony Gold, Impala Platinum, Petra Diamonds, Rio Tinto, Royal Bafokeng Platinum and Sibanye-Stillwater.
