A production miner supervises the crew and machines involved in the physical operation of mining coal.

Just as coal is vital to the future of our country, production miners are vital to the future of our coal mining industry.

The industry requires skilled and competent miners, and such miners are trained at CTC.

A Production Miner's Duties

The production miner is in charge of an underground or opencast production section and is responsible for the safety and health of the employees that are supervised and for the attainment of set production targets.

Coal mining today is highly mechanised and the production miner is responsible for the efficient operation of sophisticated mining machinery.

Minimum Requirements

DMR Route:

  • N2 with a minimum of six (6) subjects
  • Abet Level 3
  • Grade 10

MQA Route:

  • Grade 11 with Mathematics and a first language

Basic Training

During the Basic training, all students will complete the core, fundamental and specific modules/unit standards, some of the modules include:

  • Elementary mining (Ventilation, dust, etc)
  • Support
  • Cutting
  • Drilling
  • Blasting
  • Loading
  • Belt Conveyors

Production Training (in a Production Section on the mine)

This phase of training takes place in all relevant service departments on the mine where the student is employed, and includes general mining work.

At a later stage all the above branch into:

  • Blasting Certificate Qualification
  • Continuous Miner Qualification
  • Longwall Mining Qualification
  • On the successful completion of the above Qualifications, the student will also have obtained the following certificates:
  • Gas Testing
  • Flameproof for supervisors
  • Skills Programme Fall of Ground Competent Person “A” (DMR Route)

For more information and specific modules/unit standards, please feel free to contact CTC's Mining Department at Greenside Colliery, 013-691 9933/4/5.

Surface Excavation Training

Opencast Blasting Qualification:

National certificate: Rock breaking: Surface excavations and quarries.

Duration: 23 Weeks (Full time). This includes all theory, practical training and assessments.

Minimum requirements – Grade 11 with math and a language.

  • DMR blasting certificate
  • On-site training is also provided for learners with sufficient surface mining experience.

Competent Person A: Surface Excavations

  • Blasted
  • Unblasted

Course Information:

  • 8 day course presented at C.T.C that includes theoretical, practical and assessment.
  • Legal requirement for a person / employee declaring a work place safe.
  • The completion of this skills programme can increase a learner’s opportunity for employment and promotion.
  • Requirement for a DMR Blasting Certificate.

Blasting Assistant: Surface Excavations

Course Information:

  • 8 day course presented at C.T.C that includes theoretical, practical and assessment
  • Legal requirement for all persons assisting with blasting operations on a surface excavation.
  • The completion of this skills programme can increase a learner’s opportunity for employment.

For more information please contact the Opencast Mining Department on 013 692 3121/2/3.