HERRENKNECHT SEMINAR

This seminar is in response to the fact that the mining and civil engineering industries are under immense pressure to develop faster, safer and more efficient access to mines and underground structures. That said, the global call to do no harm has been taken very seriously, notwithstanding this focus on increased excavation advance rates and daily production to speed things up and shorten the overall project duration to make it financially more viable. Mechanization to remove people from hazards when tunnelling or during shaft sinking and to provide a continuous, consistently higher rate of advance have made great strides in the last five to ten years.

The purpose of this seminar is to gain an understanding from mining companies, mining contractors, EPCM organizations, civil contractors, consultants and investors on their perception of the current process. The idea is to look at current best practice, research and development that is underway and to make suggestions on how the process can be improved using the collective experience gained worldwide. At the very least, the seminar must identify areas for action to plan future improvements. Otherwise, many mining and civil engineering projects may remain out of reach for the foreseeable future (and asteroid mining may become a reality).