Career as a successful Supervisor.  One of my biggest believes and successes in life as a “Supervisor” are and will remain “winning with people”.  Good communication, an open door policy and know your customer/subordinate by heart. By always keeping a climate of mutual trust and respect towards each other from top to bottom.  I believe that there is no such thing as a production team and a maintenance team divided. It is very important to break down these barriers and unite as a “super crew”. That way communication lines between the two “said” remains open and honest.

1. 1
Gerrie Du Preez
_____________________________________________________________________________
Grande Cache, AB, T0E 0Y0 gerriedupreez@yahoo.com
Mobile: (780) 501 1325
Home: (780) 827 2383
Underground Coal Mine Foreman
Qualified Coal miner/ Shift boss and underground coal mine foreman with 20+ years
experience, included 10 years Underground Mines Rescue Services.
Certified Underground Coal Mine Foreman, Alberta
A good communicator who sees myself as a democratic leader and strives to achieve set goals
and targets with the right tools and skills namely, two-way communication and emotional
intelligence. A quick learner that likes challenges and adapt to change when necessary.
“Winning with people, where trust is earned and not bought”
Education and Qualifications
 Grade 12, English and Afrikaans: Middelburg Technical College (1986)
 N2 Electrical, Technical Drawings, Science and Math`s: Middelburg Tech High School (1986)
Courses
 Alberta Mine Safety Association AMSA (2015) Cert no.4143
 Standard First Aid Level A CPR and AED St John’s Ambulance (2015)
 Workplace Electrical Safety (Levitt Safety) (2013)
 Safety Culture “A Roadmap to Zero (Alberta Canada) (2012)
 Supervisor Incident Investigation (Alberta Canada) (2012)
 Underground Coal Mine Foreman (Alberta Canada) (2012) Cert no. UCMFC-2012-0006
 Sasol Frontline Leadership Program (2005)
 Appointed as Mines Rescue Captain for Brandspruit Coal Mine Rescue Team (Apr 2002 -
Jan 2006) after obtaining MRS Advance certificate (2002)
 NOSA Accident /Incident Investigation Workshop (2000)www.nosa.co.za
 SAFE-map Facilitation (1998)
 Mines Rescue Services /Rope Rescue Technician (1996)
 Mines Rescue Services Brigades man (1995)
 Inter-Lead Supervisors Course (1993)
 Interpersonal Skills (1992) Effective Meetings (1993)
 NOSA Safety Training Course SSTC (1992)www.nosa.co.za
 NOSA (National Occupational Safety Association www.nosa.co.za) – MBO (Management
by Objectives) Safety system (1992)
 Gas Testing Certificate (1989)8 gasses
 Blasting Certificate for underground coal/fiery mines (S-Africa) (1989) Cert no. F5668

2. 2
Professional Experience
May 3rd, 2011–Dec 24th
2015 Grande Cache Coal, Alberta
Underground Utilities Foreman/Coal mine Foreman Production/miner/Lead hand
 Day to day coordination of Utility Crew at 12 mine including toolbox talks and follow up with
workers ensuring safety rules and standards were followed.
 Create, modify SWP`s/ JHA`s
 Coordinating with engineering/ support departments.
 Daily ventilation checks and updating according to OHS regulations.
 Water reticulation from outside to all mining sections inside the mine
 Water handling with all types of pumps from inside and sumps to outside drainage
 Maintain, repair and install conveyor belts up to and including outside belt to coal pile
 Power moves and retreats for all sections and new installations
 All construction work inside mine pertaining to new Belt drives, water sumps, etc
 All basic compliance work, rock dusting, road construction and dust prevention
 Day to day supervision and coordination of a production section including toolbox talks and
follow up with workers ensuring safety rules and standards were followed.
 Coordinating with engineering/maintenance departments.
 Attend planning meetings
 Compiling a pre shift report according to Occupational Health and Safety requirements
 Participated with incident and accident investigations in my area of responsibility
 Attend Management and production meetings.
2006 – June 2010; Brandspruit Underground Coal Mine, Sasol Mining South Africa
Underground Coal Mine Shift-boss
Sasol Mining, a division of Sasol Ltd, is the world’s seventh largest coal mining enterprise,
supplies coal to Sasol’s Synthetic fuels and Chemical plants.
 I Supervised and lead a project on Brandspruit mine going through a total of 480 meters of
rock in 4 roadways on 17 degrees pitch incline towards the coal seam and establishing of 7
road panel in the newly exposed coal seam. The rock-prop and cable bolt system was
utilized; I introduced the rib side support with plastic coated mesh and gunnite/shot-crete
to stabilize rib movement. An achievement of zero incident/injury, a saving on project
budget of R4,5 million ($450 000 approximately) and the project was completed 3 months
prior to the scheduled date
 I was part of a group consisting of Brandspruit Coal employees and the Coaltech 20/20
group who went to coal mines in China to determine whether the Vibrant Road Header
machine could be utilized in specific conditions such as ours. The purpose of this project
was to determine if the machine is suitable to be utilized in rock cutting with conditions
namely inclines, declines, air crossings and dolerite intrusions. At that time drilling and
blasting operations were applied.

3. 3
2003 to 2005, Brandspruit Underground Coal Mine, Sasol Mining South Africa
Shift boss
 Blasted through dolerite intrusions, drilling and blasting of air-crossings to establish return
and intake airways, and drilling and blasting of belt-bridges for traveling purposes over main
conveyor belt roads.
 Supervised maintaining and safe-making of all water-seals and main return airways in the
south area of the mine.
 Supervised support and re-support of weak roof or difficult roof conditions by means of
roof-bolts and 6 to 10meters cable anchors.
 Day to day activities included time-keeping,
 Managed the allocated budget for the stonework section.
 Manage team members on the shift
 Ensure compliance to Mine Health and Safety Regulations
 Compile shift reports
 Participated with incident and accident investigations in my area of responsibility
 Attended Management and production meetings
1999 – 2003, Brandspruit Underground Coal Mine Sasol, South Africa
Shift-boss
 ARO Roof-bolter, Stamler- shuttle cars and feeder-breaker and Fletcher-Roof-bolter
 Day to day activities included time-keeping,
 Managed the allocated budget for the section.
 Manage team members on the shift
 Ensure compliance to Mine Health and Safety Regulations
 Compile shift reports
 Participated with incident and accident investigations in my area of responsibility
 Attended Management and production meetings
 Transferred in Jan 2003 to sect 29, equipment utilized: single continuous miner with 3
shuttle-cars and roof-bolter. Total pillar-extraction.
 Day to day duties and activities as above for sect 18. Worked in sect 29 from Jan to Dec
2003.
 Day to day activities included time-keeping,
 Managed the allocated budget for the stonework section.
 Manage team members on the shift
 Ensure compliance to Mine Health and Safety Regulations
 Compile shift reports
 Participated with incident and accident investigations in my area of responsibility
 Attended Management and production meetings

4. 4
1996 – 1999; Brandspruit Underground Coal Mine, Sasol Mining South Africa
Shift-boss
 Section belt conveyors.
 Supervise belt teams, doing maintenance, construction, extensions and shortening of
section belt conveyors, and the supply of service water and pump columns.
 Responsible for maintaining of the budget for this section, time keeping and safety actions.
 1997-Installed the first feeder breaker on mine in section 29 (to keep fine coal to a certain
percentage.)
1991 – 1996; Brandspruit Underground Coal Mine, Sasol Mining South Africa
Miner
 Production sections varied from blasting sections, single continuous miner sections, double
continuous miner sections and a long-wall section.
 During this period, we encountered numerous problems with bad roof in main development
areas in the western area of the mine and through my experience on stonework from 1990
to 1991 we successfully moved through this bad area without any injuries to myself or my
team by introducing cable anchoring 6 to 10 meters long as a roof support method on
Brandspruit mine.
 The duties of a miner include but is not limited to, in section safety, day to day timekeeping,
first examination on entering of section for example, safe making of roof and sidewalls, test
and report on gasses such as CH4 and CO.
1989 – 1991; Brandspruit Underground Coal Mine, Sasol Mining South Africa
Miner – Stonework Department
 Obtained Blasting certificate.
 Duties included: mining through dolerite intrusions, drilling, blasting and construction of air
crossings, construction of ventilation walls, water handling and the safe-making and support
of bad roof by means of bolt installation and cable anchoring in the roof with 6 to 10 meters
steel cable.
1995 – 2006; Mine Rescue Services, Sasol Mining, South Africa
Brigade’s man/ Captain
 I joined up with Brandspruit mine rescue team as a brigade’s man after completion of my
initial training in 1995. A rescue team consists of 8 highly skilled men, the team captain,
the second in command, and six brigades men trained in combating mine fires, flooding,
and handling of emergency situations not only on your own mine but also on neighboring
mines included gold and platinum mines.
 Other mine rescue duties included identification of old works, sealed-off areas and
supervision at open flame cutting and welding actions in hazardous areas.
 I have captained the mine rescue team of Brandspruit from 2002 until Jan 2006.

5. 5
Experience
7 Mine
 Since May 2011 I was involved with Strata Control with the old “7 Mine” where I
introduced cable bolts, wide area coverage bolt plates and bacon straps. Running tests on
the fiber bolts for rib side support was also implemented.
12 Mine
 I introduced the “rock prop” system to the mine. Due to virgin ground “bore scopes” were
utilized in bleed off holes in order to determine roof strata conditions and the remedial
actions.
 I also captained the downsizing of drill hole diameter from 35mm to 27mm (slim hole
drilling). All the above had cost saving implications towards the mine. These changes
allowed us to standardize drilling equipment, materials, it simplified stock inventory and
increased production.
 I also did, in conjunction with DSI, the change and motivation to the current rib-mesh
supplied by DSI which resulted in a huge impact on cost savings and a safer, more reliable
product than the “snow-fence” that have been used previously.
Career as a successful Supervisor.
 One of my biggest believes and successes in life as a “Supervisor” are and will remain
“winning with people”.
 Good communication, an open door policy and know your customer/subordinate by heart.
By always keeping a climate of mutual trust and respect towards each other from top to
bottom.
 I believe that there is no such thing as a production team and a maintenance team divided.
It is very important to break down these barriers and unite as a “super crew”. That way
communication lines between the two “said” remains open and honest.
 Remain on schedule and if you can`t, one of the above are missing. Myself “underground
production foreman” and my maintenance foreman always worked on opposite shifts
meaning, if the mechanics/electricians needed help with ordering parts or “subs” from
warehouse/vendor, I was available to help them on my shift and the same happened on my
opposite shift between my production guys and the maintenance foreman. You were in
charge of the entire crew “maintenance and production” on your shift and, that also
included the planning for maintenance/breakdowns and production. Once you can link this
successfully, you are winning with people.
“You earn trust, you don`t buy it.”