Ma’aden Alumina Company has ordered three SpectraFlow Crossbelt Analysers for its Al Baitha mine in Qassim Province and Ras-al-Khair refinery in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, SpectraFlow says.
Together with its regional partner Esnad a complete turnkey project will be implemented, while SpectraFlow is delivering the sensor and Esnad all required infrastructure.
Today SpectraFlow calls itself the leading supplier of online analysers within Saudi Arabia with more than 10 working installations across the country. This new order expands the bauxite/alumina application field of the SpectraFlow Online Analyser from China, Australia and United Arab Emirates to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Beside the alumina industry SpectraFlow is providing online analysis solutions to the cement, iron ore, gold, platinum, copper, potash, phosphate and recycling industry, while expanding the applications continuously within the individual industries.
The SpectraFlow Crossbelt Analyser is an online analyser able to measure raw materials on belt conveyors in a very high frequency. As raw materials from the mine are processed through the crusher, the raw material on the conveyor belt is statistically homogeneous and therefore the analytical results of the SpectraFlow Crossbelt Analyser are very accurate, the company claims. Based on these accurate, high frequency results it says the feed from the mine (ROM) into the plant can be monitored accurately.
SpectraFlow analysers use Near-Infrared (NIR) technology, specifically Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometers which are engineered to collect a portion of spectra every 420 milliseconds (150 measurements per minute). A control box houses the hardware and software running the user-specific calibration model. The calibration turns spectral information collected by the spectrometer into mineral or elemental percentages. Eight halogen lamps provide ample energy for collection of absorption spectra from ROM materials with large and highly variable PSDs.
The analysers use an output of real minute results, with no averages or running averages. SpectraFlow says the measurement output frequency can be even increased (eg for sorting purposes) with easy installation, operation and maintenance. The analyser is free of any radioactive sources, neutron generators or any hazardous components. This means the SpectraFlow Analyser does not require any permits or licenses regarding importation, operation or maintenance. It explained: “The SpectraFlow Analyser is completely safe, maintenance can be done by the operational personal, sources can be stored in the onsite warehouse. By introducing online measurement a comprehensive monitoring of the ROM is possible and the usage of highly variable raw materials is getting possible without decreasing the quality of the feed to the plant.”
The company said of the recent order: “We extend our sincere thanks to Ma’aden for placing their trust in SpectraFlow and Esnad. We are proud to support Ma’aden to reach its target of technological leadership in the industry.”