Level 4 Mine Planner

Alastair Macfarlane
Purpose of this session

 To brief industry and employers of the progress of the

development of the L4 qualification
 To obtain comments on the qualification
 To obtain a mandate to proceed with registration

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Purpose of this session

 To brief industry and employers of the progress of the

development of the L4 qualification
 To obtain comments on the qualification
 To obtain a mandate to proceed with registration

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The need for Mine Planning qualifications

 No current recognised training or qualifications

 Scarce skill in industry worldwide
 No career pathway in Mine Planning
 External demands for more competency:
 Samrec
 Samval
 Reporting of production forecasts

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History

 Industry Planning Forum formed in 2004

 Terms of reference agreed
 Broad definition of learning pathway defined
 Presentations to ECSA and MQA
 Support from AMMSA
 Support from ECSA
 Support from MQA
 Engagement with Wits : development/delivery of L6 programme
 Formation of MQA Steering Committee
 MQA needs analysis confirmed industry need
 QCTO process initiated 2011
 L4 qualification occupational profile in QCTO format

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Initial mandate

 Identify the need for such qualifications

 Identify a learning and career pathway
 Align to MQA processes
 Align to industry needs
 Allow registration at higher levels
 Allow entry at post-matric level
 Maintain parallel entry options

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Learning pathway : Mine Planning
• B. Eng.
• 3 years mentored assessment
NQF Level 8 L8 Manager/Engineer • Registration as Pr. Eng.
• Entry : L7

• Advanced Diploma or B. Tech

NQF Level 7 L7 Planner (Pr. • 3 years mentored assessment
• Entry : L6 • Registration as Pr. Eng. Technologist
Technologist)
• N Dip in Engineering Technology
• Advanced Certificate (Stage 2 MRM)
NQF Level 6 or Higher Certificate in Engineering
• Entry : L5, GCC for MOs L6 Planner (Senior) • Registration as Pr.Eng. Technician
• Demonstrated competency
• QCTO Award
NQF Level 5 • Higher Certificate (Stage 1 MRM)
• Entry : L4, or Adv Certificates L5 Planner (Mine) • QCTO Occupational Award
(Survey, Certificate Programme) • Demonstrated Competency

MQA Level 4 • QCTO Occupational Skills Certificate

• Entry : Matric + Entry Programme L4 Planner (Junior) • Demonstrated competency

Entry programme
• General programme
MQA Level 2-3 • Up to 2 years • Customised to Company
• Entry : Matric • Elem. & Basic Certificates

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 L2/3 and L4 qualifications
Exit L4
Knowledge Practical skills Work experience
 Mineral resource Management  Producing short term mining Short and medium term plans and
schedules schedules
Entry Equivalent  Mining Engineering Practice  Preparing and collating information
to determine planning risks  
L4 plus RPL  Operations management &
L4 supervision  Analysing production results  
 Infrastructure and resource
160 credits  
 
planning
 
 
 
     
     

Entry Equivalent
L2/3 plus RPL
Knowledge Practical skills Work experience
 Introduction to mine planning Updated mining layouts to schedule  Mine planning processes
the required resources to
achieve the production rates
     

L2/3      
     
167 credits      
     
     
Entry Matric

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Principles

 Based on the way we would like planning to be

 Qualification based on knowledge subjects, practical
skills development and demonstrated work experience
 Incorporates manual as well as electronic planning and
design
 Credits aligned to L4 benchmarks
 Part of a progression of learning
 Allows entry from bottom up, as well as side entry
 Assessment criteria defined
 Quality Assurance applied

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Occupation and occupational progression

Mine Planning
NQF 7/8 Technologist/Engineer
PROGRESSIONAL
NQF 6 Mine Planning Technician
OCCUPATIONS
NQF 5 Senior Mine Planner

THIS CURRICULUM NQF 4 Mine Planner

Planning
Production Surveyors/
Learner
FEEDER Supervisor Geologists/Rock
Official
OCCUPATIONS Engineering
4

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Occupational profile

 Design, programme and schedule the exploitation of

the mineral body in order to convert the mineral
resource into mineral reserves for the safe, healthy
and profitable extraction of the minerals in line with
organisational strategies.

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Curriculum structure

1.1. CURRICULUM STRUCTURE – Mine Planning Officer

Number Title NQF Credits
Level
KNOWLEDGE SUBJECTS
311701001-KS-1 Mineral Resource Management 4 36
311701001-KS-2 Mining Engineering Practice 4 13
311701001-KS-4 Operations Management and Supervision 4 4
TOTAL CREDITS FOR KNOWLEDGE 33% 53
PRACTICAL SKILLS
311701001-PM-1 Producing short and medium term Mineral Extraction layouts 4 20
and production schedules including resource and equipment
requirements for mining final products.

311701001-PM-2 Preparing and collating information to determine the risks 4 4

associated with the execution of the short and medium term
mine plan

311701001-PM-3 Analysing production results against planned schedules and 4 4

recommending corrective action

311701001-PM-4 Creating operational mining infrastructure and resources 4 4

schedule

TOTAL CREDITS FOR PRACTICAL SKILLS 20% 32

WORK EXPERIENCE
311701001-WM-1 Short and medium term mineral extraction plans and schedules 4 75
available.

TOTAL CREDITS FOR WORK EXPERIENCE 47% 75

TOTAL CREDITS FOR THE QUALIFICATION 160

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Knowledge subject : MRM

 Geological structures stratigraphy, rock groups and deposits of ore bodies and surrounding
rock as related to mine planning.
 Concepts and principles of mine sampling and mineral quality determination and control
 Theories, Techniques and practices used in mine surveying (Layouts, plan reading and
interpretation, volumes, sections, trigonometry)
 Definitions and principles of Geological Modeling and the techniques of interpreting and
using these models for planning purposes.
 Principles of applying mine design criteria to create a safe and healthy environment.
 Economic principles behind a profitable mine plan (mineral quality parameters, blending, cut
off grade, pay limits, stope width, dilution, recovery, contamination, cost behaviour,
definition of profit, product prices and exchange rates)
 Concepts and principles of integrated mine planning
 Regulatory, compliance and reporting requirements that impact on mine planning (SAMREC
code, modifying factors etc.)
 Application of mathematical and statistical calculations and analysis as it applies to mine
planning.
 Concept of feasibility and how this applies to mine planning.
 Life cycle and sequence of creating, building up and maintaining replacement/mineable
reserves

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Knowledge subject : Mining Engineering

 Types of mining methods and applications and the

key planning principles associated with them
 Typical mining methods
 Mining layouts
 Basic mine design
 Mining cycles
 Mining infrastructure
 Constraints management
 Safe and healthy mine planning

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Knowledge subject : Mining Technical Services
practices

 Principles and application of basic rock engineering

as applied to mine design and layouts.
 Principles and application of mine environmental
control as it pertains to mine planning .
 Constraints and assumptions that could affect mine
planning (Infrastructure, logistics, services)
 Performance factors of equipment and people
(capacity, density, air velocities etc.)

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Occupational Tasks identified

 Producing short and medium term Mineral Extraction

layouts and production schedules including resource
and equipment requirements for mining final
products.
 Preparing and collating information to determine the
risks associated with the execution of the short and
medium term mine plan.
 Analysing production results against planned
schedules and recommending corrective action.
 Creating operational mining infrastructure and
resources schedules

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Entry requirements

 National Certificate NQF level 4 with Maths and

Physical Science; National Foundational Learning
Competence.
 Successful completion of a pre assessment covering
the requirements as specified. (Specify the standard)
 Comply with the Mining Industry medical fitness
requirements for working in an underground mine.

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Delivery

 After mandate agreed, qualification to be submitted

to QCTO for evaluation and approval
 QCTO then recommends to SAQA that qualification
be registered
 Once registered the occupational qualification may
be offered to learners
 Development and delivery by accredited providers,
recommended by AQP

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Quality Assurance

 MQA as the Assessment Quality Partner

 Involvement of the SAIMM, GSSA, Association of Mine
Managers, Colliery Managers Association, Mine
Ventilation Society of SA, South African National
Institute of Rock Engineers – Lead and Co-ordinated
by the MQA taking up all the legal obligations related
to this role.

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Assessment Quality Partner role

 Set industry quality standards for the qualification;

 Maintain industry quality standards of the
qualification;
 Develop assessment items for external assessment;
 Register external delivery sites where the qualification
will be delivered;
 Maintain databases of providers of the qualification,
and of results; and
 Continually maintain the status of the qualification
within industry;

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Requirements of providers

 Facilitators of learning for this subject should have a

Mining Engineering, Survey, Geology or Mineral
Resource Management or another relevant technical
Mining qualification at least at NQF level 6 or higher;
 Facilitators must have at least five years relevant post
qualification operational experience on an underground
Hardrock Mine;
 Facilitators must be technical experts in the various sub
field of Mineral Resource management to conduct the
training and ensure ongoing relevance of the material;
 Facilitator/Learner ratio should not exceed 1:20

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Next stages

Identify skills Develop Facilitate QA

required programmes delivery Certificate

• Advocacy to industry;
• Invitation to providers to participate in
development;
• Adoption of a funding strategy;
• Selection of providers;
• Implementation of development;
• Selection of delivery mechanisms.

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Acknowledgements

 Members of the Industry Mine Planning Forum

 Members of the MQA Steering Committee
 ECSA
 MQA organisation
 Ben van As
 SAIMM
 MineRP

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Questions to be answered

 Are you happy with the structure, content and level of

this qualification?
 Does it suit the needs of industry?
 Do you see it being delivered by a single provider, or
multiple providers?
 Is it one or two qualifications?

More detail can be found at the SAIMM website

www.saimm.co.za

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Mandates

Do you agree with the need for Mine Planning

Yes No
and Design qualifications?

Please state your

reasons below

Do you agree with the structure and

Yes No
content of the L4 qualification?
Please state your reasons
below

Do you think there should be

One Two
separate L2/3 and L4, or should it be
qual’n qual.ns
the same programme?
Please state your reasons
below

It is voluntary to declare your name and affiliation.

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