At the beginning of this decade, underground mining activities accounted for about 40% of global mining operations. Today, GlobalData estimates that there are at least 2,294 underground mines in operation worldwide.
However, as mines face tighter regulations and a continued push to source and supply critical minerals needed to meet energy transition goals, this number is likely to grow, and the balance will no doubt shift towards more subsurface exploration. As this happens, it will require a growing mining workforce numbering in the tens of millions (a conservative estimate).
One of the biggest drivers of underground mining is the natural evolution of open pit mines as they approach the end of their useful life. As mining companies realize the demise of accessible materials from open pit operations, they are beginning to think about what’s next. This step is a complex process, and can often take several years to complete. Starting with the feasibility study, these conversions go through several stages before they even get the green light.
This year, what is said to be the world’s most valuable diamond mine began the process. the Guanying underground projectOwned by Debswana, a joint venture between De Beers Group and the Government of the Republic of Botswana, Debswana has secured an investment of approximately US$1 billion (P13.6bn) for the Exploration Access development phase following a promising feasibility study.
Among the extensive planning and preparatory work needed before a mine can move underground, comprehensive worker retraining and training programs are vital if it is to be successful and safe.
Danco Morales Garrido says a “cultural shift” is needed if miners want to move to an environment that is unfamiliar at best. Specialized and comprehensive training in many areas is crucial to prepare for the complexities of underground mining, says an underground manager for mining services provider Enaex Chile.
These challenges are unique to underground operations that have been relocated from an open pit location.
“Having an open pit causes the rock mass to react differently during underground mining operations,” says Morales Garrido. “This leads to significant differences in mine operation, geometry, designs, and the volumes of ore and waste to be removed.”
One example of the differences is mineralization: in open pit mining, geological analysis focuses on the surface layer, whereas underground mineralized bodies should be designed with particular attention to rock fracture risks.
“Similarly, in open pit operations, ground stability management tends to be simpler, while in underground mining advanced geotechnical skills are often required to design tunnels and support systems to ensure stability,” he says.
Ventilation is also a major concern thanks to the risk of toxic gas buildup. For these reasons, training in geology, geotechnical, and evaluation of deep deposits, rock stability, and support systems is important.
Knowledge of drilling and blasting is also essential to help understand optimal rock fractionation while minimizing damage to the mine, as is understanding the design and maintenance of ventilation systems.
Other areas that deserve special attention include the use of personal protective equipment, evacuation procedures, fire prevention protocols, water and flood management, and maintenance of underground sewage and filtration systems. Training is also needed in the operation and maintenance of underground equipment and specialized machinery.
Given the cultural shift Morales Garrido talks about, and the specialized training required, it is not surprising that the issue of retraining miners has received such attention.
AMC Consulting, an international mining consulting and services company, had previously said that both underground and above-ground mining are suitable “Two very different animals”with the underground having its own set of occupational health and safety requirements.
At Unison Mining Consulting Company He also warned: “To facilitate a successful transition, companies that retain their workforce will need to invest in comprehensive workforce training to operate underground mines safely.”
Morales Garrido offers some practical advice on how to support open pit workers as they move underground, and points out that tapping into existing skills among the existing workforce is important. Forming a new team in the confidential environment with colleagues who have experience is helpful to ensure continuity of operations while providing on-the-job training.
However, he believes that training employees to be competent as they embark on their new role is just the beginning. Thanks to ever-changing underground mine conditions and technological advances, training must be continuous. The transition to more advanced and automated underground mining operations presents significant challenges in employee development, particularly in terms of adapting to new technologies, changing roles and managing safety, regardless of how experienced the miners are.
However, for the former open pit crew, this is even more urgent. “The technology component and workforce capabilities have been key aspects of this transformation process, as workers must acquire new skills to face the new ways of working required by underground operations, having spent much of their careers in open pit mining.” Morales Garrido says.
Technology can help train the workforce as it transitions from open to underground operations. One example given by Morales Garrido is underground mining simulators – which have been growing in popularity for some time – which enable workers to train without the risks inherent in real operations. By creating virtual environments that simulate underground conditions, he says, the training process can be accelerated and skills can be “transferred.”
Immersive Technologies (IT), a workforce training and development solutions company that launched a new underground mining simulation platform, IM360+, at MINExpo earlier this year, recently said Mining technology The device provides a level of sensory immersion and realism that is “unparalleled” in the underground training space, “making it an ideal solution for operations involving mixed mining activities, or those that move between different types of mining.”
During the conversation, IT also highlighted the increasing pressure faced by the current training environment: “Demand for training has been on the rise for a number of reasons. Globally, many mining centers are experiencing skills shortages, making training an ongoing challenge in the industry.
To address the skills shortage faced by mining, Morales Garrido says the social trend he has observed is a preference for local labour, making it necessary to train citizens from mining communities.
“One way to enhance skills early was through extensive collaboration with technical high schools in the area, addressing job requirements and enhancing academic offerings,” he says.
It is well documented that an aging workforce, new technologies and their impact on the complexity of roles, and the emerging need to recruit and develop talent from other industries have come together to expand the pool of available global talent. This makes training perhaps more important now than it has ever been. As mining operations become more underground, the need for training will increase.
The shift to underground mining — driven by deep mineral bodies, geotechnical risks, lower ore grades, lower metal prices, higher transportation costs and the complexity of extraction in some geological regions — exposes the industry to many challenges, Morales Garrido says. However, it is believed that they can be overcome through a comprehensive approach to continuous training, change management programmes, use of simulation technologies and investment in digital training infrastructure.
He concludes, “By addressing these challenges, companies can prepare their workforces to be more efficient, safe and efficient in an increasingly technological mining environment.” The move toward training, particularly reskilling what was once the open pit workforce, seems to be going in only one direction, and that is preparation is key.
“Globally, underground mining is emerging as a viable alternative to meet the growing demand for minerals,” he adds.
With the demand for more covert operations comes the demand for more training. This has been said many times before, but mining has probably never been more urgent – if you fail to prepare, you must prepare to fail.
“Training is the key to converting mines to underground operations” was originally created and published by Mining technologywhich is a trademark of GlobalData.
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