Underground rail transport at local mines not being prioritised

Underground rail infrastructure at South African mines is not operating at its full potential, predominantly owing to poor track-system choices and a lack of critical maintenance, says multidisciplinary engineering consultancy firm WSP Africa technical director of rail transport and infrastructure Gavin Higgs. Higgs explains that WSP Africa has been recruited by several local mining operations to conduct rail track condition assessments and quality-control inspections on underground track infrastructure, with results showing that such infrastructure “is not up to scratch”. He outlines that some of the regular design issues include minimum clearance requirements not being adhered to and water compromising the safety and efficiency of track operations.