As part of a dramatic cost reduction strategy and filling a gap in their range, Glencore Technology have taken the successful IsaMillTM fine grinding mill and introduced two significant changes. First, it’s been redesigned to reduce civil infrastructure costs up to 28%. And second, a new 1,600-2,200 kW ‘M7500’ has been introduced to sit between the M5000 and the M10000. The two changes are intended to achieve significant savings for clients and meet a gap in Glencore Technology’s popular IsaMillTM range. Engineering Manager, Nick van Heerden, said the smaller plant configuration has been achieved by lowering the IsaMillTM by between 2 m for an M3000/M5000 and 3 m for an M10000. “Several changes incrementally saved 22-28% of costs to the client through a reduction in steel and concrete.”
For example, the media hopper was moved from under the IsaMillTM to the side. Due to the backpressure created from the rotor, it was possible to utilise this to pump media out of the IsaMillTM during its maintenance shutdown sequence rather than drop it to the hopper below. And tying the gland and IsaCharger waters directly into the plant water eliminated the need for a separate tanks and their corresponding additional pumps. The new design means that the required mill-and-access footprints of equivalently specified IsaMill and HIG mills are the same, while the IsaMill is roughly a third the height of the HIG mill.
Technology Lead, Mike Hourn, said the new M7500 was a significant win for operations needing 1,600-2,200 kW of power but wanting the availability, safety and product consistency of an IsaMill. “These are huge wins for operations and for engineering firms wanting to specify the best fit. We’ve already installed the smaller configuration in Minsur and Woodlawn. But the new M7500 mill has only just been made available now. And like all our IsaMills, the M7500 is guaranteed to scale-up with 100% accuracy. We certainly look forward to installing our first.”
