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Careers in Anglo Platinum
Mine Surveyor
In order for the exploitation of an ore body to be efficient and safe, the mining of the ore body must be conducted in a well planned, systematic and controlled manner. It is thus necessary to maintain an accurate record of the various underground tunnels and other mine features, as they develop, on drawings called mine plans. These mine plans are used to plan the mining of the ore body on a day-to-day basis but also over the longer term. This is a primary role of the Mine Surveyor. He/she achieves this by visiting the working area of a mine on a daily basis to measure the new excavations and to take note of important geological features. He/she then accurately plots these onto the mine plans.
Other important roles of the Mine Surveyor are:
- To provide accurate direction in the working area to the Mining Department in terms where future mining should take place. This direction is based on the mine plans that have been developed by the Mine Surveyor and that have been agreed to by the Mining Department.
- To calculate the amount of ore that has been mined each day.
- To provide information on the valuable metal content of the ore that has been mined and the ore that is yet to be mined to the Mining Department.
All of the above is achieved through the use of sophisticated equipment and technology, and the application of computer-based systems. Mine Surveyors are meticulous, accurate and honest professionals who require a sound knowledge of surveying methods, geology, mine planning, mine valuation and finance. Much of their work is underlain by mathematics and thus good mathematical skills are important.
