SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Demonstrate elementary knowledge and understanding of the interaction between rock strength, stress, and fracturing 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
115739  Demonstrate elementary knowledge and understanding of the interaction between rock strength, stress, and fracturing 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Mining and Minerals 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 06 - Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology Fabrication and Extraction 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 4  NQF Level 04  3 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Registered" 		 2004-08-11  2007-08-11  SAQA 0655/04 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2008-08-11   2011-08-11  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard is replaced by: 
US ID Unit Standard Title Pre-2009 NQF Level NQF Level Credits Replacement Status
256844  Explain the interaction between rock strength, stress, and fracturing  Level 4  NQF Level 04  3   

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard will be useful to people who are pursuing a career in rock engineering and who are responsible for monitoring and ensuring excavation stability.

People credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Demonstrate elementary knowledge and understanding of the properties and strength of rock;
  • Demonstrate an elementary knowledge and understanding of stress in the mining environment;
  • Demonstrate an elementary knowledge and understanding of stress related fracturing;
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the interaction between rock strength, stress, and fracturing.

    The skills, knowledge and understanding demonstrated within this unit standard are essential for social and economic transformation and contribute to the upliftment and economic growth of the mining and minerals sector

    This unit standard is intended to promote general skills, knowledge and understanding of how to demonstrate elementary knowledge and understanding of the interaction between rock strength, stress, and fracturing in the mining and minerals sector in order to ensure knowledgeable and informed workers 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credit calculation is based on the assumption that learners are already competent in terms of the following outcomes or areas of learning when starting to learn towards this unit standard:
  • National Certificate in Strata Control (Level 2) 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Demonstrate elementary knowledge and understanding of the properties and strength of rock. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    An elementary description of the properties of the mine specific rock types is provided. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Strength (UCS)
  • Young's Modulus
  • Poisson's ratio
  • Density
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The influence of scale on the strength of rock is explained in elementary terms. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    An elementary description of the pre-failure behaviour of the various mine specific rock types under uni-axial loading in a press is provided. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Demonstrate an elementary knowledge and understanding of stress in the mining environment. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Using basic formulae, vertical stress is calculated for various depths of mining. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The explanation of the variability in the "k" ratio is provided 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Depth
  • Tectonic stress
  • Topography
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The concept of changing induced stress levels as a result of mining operations, is explained 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Increase in mining span
  • Proximity of excavations to one another
  • Mining towards geological discontinuities
  • Seismic activity
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Demonstrate an elementary knowledge and understanding of stress related fracturing. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The formation of stress fractures parallel to stress directions is explained in elementary terms. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The principle of rock failure when the level of stress exceeds the rock mass strength is explained in elementary terms. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The stages of rock fracture and how it relates to levels of damage as stress increases are described in elementary terms. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • 33% of UCS
  • 66% of UCS
  • Residual strength.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    The concept of time dependant fracture migration as a result of stress is explained in elementary terms. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the effects of the relationship between rock strength and stress. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Explanation of the effect of changing stress levels on stress fractures confirms understanding. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Increasing and
  • Decreasing stress levels.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Explanation of the effect of changing stress orientation on stress fractures confirms understanding. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    An explanation of the effect of changes in rock properties on stress fractures confirms. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Confinement of rock
  • Changing rock types
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Hazards presented by the frequency and orientation of stress fractures are explained. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Block sizes
  • Block shapes.
     
    		•


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    1. Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.

    2. Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard must be accredited as a provider through the relevant ETQA by SAQA.

    3. Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines and the agreed ETQA procedures 

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    The following embedded knowledge is addressed in an integrated way in the unit standard:
  • Health and safety
  • Report writing
  • Legal and site-specific requirements 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking.
    Note: The ability of the candidate to understand the interaction between rock strength, stress and fracturing confirms. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or community.
    Note: Not applicable to this unit standard. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively.
    Note: Not applicable to this unit standard. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.
    Note: The ability of the candidate to recognise and evaluate the rock conditions confirms. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively, using visual, mathematical and / or language skills in the modes of oral and / or written presentations.
    Note: Not applicable to this unit standard. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others.
    Note: The use of rock engineering science and technology is promoted through understanding of the behaviour of rock in response to various stress levels. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.
    Note: Understanding the variability that exists in rock mass strength and stress levels on a mine wide basis and the effect on stress fracturing related hazards confirms. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember, we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence - of the prescribed type and quality as specified in this unit standard - that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well-documented principles of assessment, namely appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    This unit standard has been replaced by unit standard 256844, which is "Explain the interaction between rock strength, stress, and fracturing", Level 4, 3 credits.

    Terminology

    Specified requirements

    Specified requirements include legal and site-specific requirements and are contained in one or more of the following documents:

    Legal
  • Relevant Acts: e.g. Mine Health & Safety Act, 1996 (Act no 29/1996), and Minerals Act and Regulations, 1991 (Act no 50/1991)
  • Mandatory Codes of Practice
  • SABS and other relevant Standards
  • Chief Inspector of Mines' Directives

    Site specific
  • Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments (HIRA)
  • Occupational Health and Safety Risk Management Programme
  • Managerial Instructions
  • Mine Standard Procedures
  • List of Recorded OH&S Risks
  • Working Guides
  • Equipment and Materials Specifications

    Unit standard justification

    Level

    Attribute-Level-Justification
    Skills-4-Wide-ranging scholastic or technical

    Procedures-4-Considerable choice.

    Context-4-Variety of familiar and unfamiliar.

    Knowledge-4-Broad knowledge base incorporating some theoretical concepts

    Information processing-4-Basic analytical interpretation of information

    Problem Solving-3-A range of known responses to familiar problems, base on limited discretion and judgement.

    Orientation of activities-3-Directed, with some autonomy.

    Orientation of scope of responsibility-2-Some responsibility for quantity and quality, and possible responsibility for guiding others.

    Application of responsibility-4-Under broad guidance and evaluation.


    Average level: = 3.56
    Actual level assigned: = 4


    Credits

    Total hours required by the learner to achieve the required outcome:

    Activity-Hours
    Classroom Teaching-16
    On-The-Job Training-12
    Mentoring required-0
    Other (Specify)-0
    Total-28

    Credits achieved: = 28 / 10 = 2.8
    Credits assigned: = 3 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.