Umvukuzi ohamba phambili we-oyela sand shaft u-Syncrude usanda kubuyekeza ushintsho lwakhe kusukela ebhakedeni lamabhakede kuya emigodini yamaloli namafosholo ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yama-1990. “Amaloli amakhulu namafosholo – uma ucabanga ngokumba e-Syncrude namuhla, lokhu ngokuvamile yikho okufika engqondweni. Kodwa-ke, uma ubheka emuva eminyakeni engama-20 edlule, abavukuzi be-Syncrude babebakhulu. Ama-reulser amasondo amabhakede e-Syncrude ayengaba ngamamitha angama-30 ngaphezu komhlaba, Amamitha angu-120 ubude (amade kunenkundla yebhola), kwakuyisizukulwane sokuqala semishini yesihlabathi samafutha futhi yadunyiswa njengesikhulu embonini yezimayini. NgoMashi 11, 1999, iNombolo 2Isitholi Sesondo Sebhakedeyathatha umhlalaphansi, okwaphawula ukuqala kwemboni yezimayini eSyncrude okushintshile.”
Ama-draglines agubha izihlabathi zikawoyela bese ezibeka ezinqwabeni eduze kwemayini ngaphambi kokuba ukumba kokukhiqiza eSyncrude kungene emisebenzini yamaloli kanye ne-forklift. Ama-reclaimer anamasondo amabhakede abese emba izihlabathi zikawoyela kulezi zinqwaba bese ezibeka ohlelweni lokuthutha oluholela ezikhwameni zokulahla imfucuza kanye nesitshalo sokukhipha imfucuza. "I-Bucket wheel reclaimer 2 yasetshenziswa endaweni eMildred Lake kusukela ngo-1978 kuya ku-1999 futhi yayingeyokuqala kwezine eziqoqa amasondo amabhakede eSyncrude. Yaklanywa kuphela yiKrupp kanye ne-O&K eJalimane futhi yakhiwa ukuze isebenze endaweni yethu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-No 2 yamba ngaphezu kwe-metric ton eyodwa yesihlabathi sikawoyela ngesonto elilodwa kanye namathani angaphezu kuka-460 esikhathini sayo sokuphila."
Nakuba imisebenzi yezimayini ye-Syncrude ibone intuthuko enkulu ekusetshenzisweni kwama-dragline namasondo ebhakede, ukushintshela emalolini namafosholo kuye kwavumela ukuhamba okungcono futhi kwanciphisa izindleko ezihambisana nalezi zingcezu ezinkulu zemishini. "Isondo lebhakede linezingxenye eziningi zemishini okufanele ziphathwe, njengoba kunjalo nohlelo lokuhambisa oluhambisana nalo oluthutha isihlabathi samafutha esomile luye ekukhishweni. Lokhu kudala inselele eyengeziwe yokugcinwa kwemishini ngoba lapho isondo lebhakede noma i-conveyor ehambisanayo yehliswa, Sizolahlekelwa ngu-25% womkhiqizo wethu," kusho uScott Upshall, umphathi wezezimayini waseMildred Lake. "Amakhono e-Syncrude okukhetha kakhulu ekuvuneni nawo ayazuza ezinguqukweni zemishini yezimayini. Amaloli namafosholo asebenza ezindaweni ezincane, okusiza ukuphatha kangcono ukuxubana ngesikhathi sokukhishwa. Njengemishini yethu yezimayini yangaphambilini ubukhulu bomhlaba, okwakungenakwenzeka eminyakeni engama-20 edlule."
Isikhathi sokuthunyelwe: Julayi-19-2022
