Mechanised Mining Research University of Pretoria

Projects

Real research. Some undercover researchers.

Big ideas, a little mystery. We respect our students’ privacy while sharing their research. Until they choose to introduce themselves, we use illustrated avatars and purely fictional names, and keep their real names, faces and contact details private.

Research theme 01

Cutting and Drilling Hard Rock

AI-generated illustrative mining scene, not a photograph of this project Illustrative mining scene
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Hard-rock Cutting & Interface Modelling

Experimental and numerical research on cutting, drilling and stability at the rock–machine interface in narrow-reef hard-rock mines.

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AI-generated illustrative mining scene, not a photograph of this project Illustrative mining scene
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Rock Characterisation & Drillability

Linking mineralogy and measured rock properties to brittleness, drillability and better-informed equipment selection in platinum and gold mines.

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Research theme 02

Productivity and Maintenance Optimisation of Mining Equipment

AI-generated illustrative mining scene, not a photograph of this project Illustrative mining scene
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Maintenance & Asset Performance

Decision models, reliability studies and condition-monitoring research aimed at improving equipment availability and maintenance effectiveness.

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AI-generated illustrative mining scene, not a photograph of this project Illustrative mining scene
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Mine-cycle Productivity Modelling

Using discrete-event and mine-cycle simulation to identify bottlenecks and test productivity decisions across mechanised mining systems.

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Research theme 03

Utilisation, Performance and Condition Monitoring of Mechanised Mining Equipment

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Conveyor-system Digital Twin

A physics-and-data digital twin for conveyor predictive maintenance, energy efficiency and safer operation, developed with industry input.

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AI-generated illustrative mining scene, not a photograph of this project Illustrative mining scene
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Maintenance & Asset Performance

Decision models, reliability studies and condition-monitoring research aimed at improving equipment availability and maintenance effectiveness.

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CMTI platform used for traction-estimation research at the test site
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Traction-aware Safety Digital Twin

Estimating terrain-dependent traction for skid-steered mining vehicles to support safer braking, autonomy and mission planning.

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AI-generated illustrative mining scene, not a photograph of this project Illustrative mining scene
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Mobile-equipment Digital Twins

Hybrid and multi-physics models of engines, LHDs and conveyances for performance monitoring, predictive maintenance and safer operation.

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AI-generated illustrative mining scene, not a photograph of this project Illustrative mining scene
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Underground Machine Vision

Camera-based positioning and environmental sensing for underground vehicles where satellite navigation is unavailable and conditions are difficult.

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