All posts by Paul Moore

Screens major JOEST acquires Mogensen assets in Germany, Sweden and Spain

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Industrial minerals, Mineral processing, Mining software

The JOEST group, based in Duelmen, Germany, a worldwide leading supplier of vibrating screens for mining as well as other solutions for bulk material handling with over 1,000 employees, is taking over Mogensen GmbH & Co. KG in Wedel, as well as Fredrik Mogensen AB based in Hjo, Sweden, and Allgaier Mogensen S.L.U. in Madrid. It does not include Mogensen in the UK which is a division of Grantham Engineering.

Mogensen was previously part of the Allgaier Group, headquartered in Uhingen, a former company of the former employer association President Dr Dieter Hundt. Difficulties in the automotive industry forced the Allgaier Group to file for insolvency in summer 2022 and 90% of its shares were sold to Westron Group before it filed for insolvency again in 2023.

“The product range featuring screening, sorting and washing solutions for the recycling, animal feed, food, chemical and pharmaceutical industry complements the strategic focus of the JOEST group,” stated Hans Dr Moormann and Dr Marcus Wirtz, Managing Partners of the JOEST group.

Especially, the Mogensen Sizer (MSizer) is worldwide known for its unique screening technology which has markets in minerals and mining as well as downstream products like alumina. The MSizer compact, extend and giant models set a new standard for screening bulk materials. The units differ in the screen deck length and are all available in working widths of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 3.0 metres. The MSizer compact is driven by one vibration motor and generates an elliptical movement to screen incoming material. The MSizer extend and giant are set into linear movement by two vibration motors.

The companies acquired by the JOEST group will continue to operate as independent entities, with all 140 employees retained. The locations both domestically and internationally will be continued unchanged. Overall, the JOEST group achieves a turnover of €180 million and employs around 1,150 people worldwide.

Minera Las Bambas opens first of its kind IROC in Peru

Automation, Base metals, Bulk handling, Communications in mining, Explosives and blasting, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining services

Earlier this month, the Las Bambas copper mine, operated by MMG, initiated the pre-commissioning stage of its new integrated remote operations centre (IROC) in Lima, to remotely manage its mine operations located in Apurimac. This was a big step for the operation and for mining in Peru, as the facility is the first of its kind in the country. The facility has evolved from an initial Digital Operation Centre which began operations in 2021.

Las Bambas says the IROC encompasses the latest technology and digitalisation to remotely manage its mine operations. The cutting-edge centre integrates processes, technology and people to achieve more efficient production. The information from this innovative centre will enable Las Bambas to achieve operational excellence for a better decision-making and continuous collaboration. 

“In this era of digital transformation, we’re working towards reinforcing integration, trust, and collaboration between the site teams and the IROC team. We also consider Advanced Analytics to be the key for decision-making,” stated Luis Ticona, Las Bambas acting Operations General Manager. 

The IROC adds value to the business as more assertive decisions will be made based on the knowledge and analytics of the entire value chain. Thus, Las Bambas says it is helping to lead the way towards a more efficient and sustainable future for the mining industry, rooted in digital transformation. It includes remote control blasthole drilling with a fleet of Epiroc Pit Viper drills following a successful proof of concept phase.

The mining company told IM that the IROC was mainly developed in-house. The facility and layout was designed by its internal team, with construction works carried out by Binswanger Peru. Huawei was involved in the implementation of the data centre, and the control desks were assembled and manufactured in collaboration with optic fibre specialist YOFC. Technology aspects involved different collaborations, such as Motorola on radio, Komatsu-owned Modular Mining on the fleet management system (FMS) and DECCSA on the IT infrastructure. The mine itself has a 4G LTE network in place supplied by Nokia and Telefonica Peru.

Las Bambas produced 139,594 t of copper in the first half of 2023, which was 38,585 t (38%) higher than 2022 due to a shutdown of more than 50 days during the first half of 2022. Full-year production for 2023 is expected to be between 265,000 and 305,000 t of copper in copper concentrate, contingent upon continued access to site for supplies, personnel, and logistics. The Las Bambas team is working toward enduring agreements for the development of the Chalcobamba deposit with the Huancuire community and is hopeful that the development can commence by the end of 2023.

The Chalcobamba pit is located approximately 4 km northwest from the Las Bambas process plant. The operation will be developed by open pit mining with associated waste dumps. Ore will be transported by haul truck for approximately 13 km downhill to the existing crushing and conveying plant located near the Ferrobamba pit. The development of the Chalcobamba deposit is expected to underpin a production increase at Las Bambas to around 380,000 to 400,000 t of copper in concentrate per annum for the medium term.

Krank tech powers Latin America’s largest 100% online mining auction by Elebbre

Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining services

Latin American remarketing experts Elebbre’s recent online auction of used mining and construction equipment on behalf of global construction giant Bechtel has been given an enthusiastic vote of approval. The month-long auction – the largest 100% online auction to date in Latin America – was powered by UK SaaS technology company Krank’s marketplace platform. Using the Krank platform allowed Elebbre to manage the entire auction and sale process itself, rather than relying on the support (and associated costs) of third-party auction houses.

The auction generated total sales revenues of $2.8 million and drew bidders from over 75 countries. Of the 152 lots put up for sale – which included dump trucks, boom trucks, cranes and excavators – almost half (47%) were sold, roughly double the sales ratio of a traditional auction. Unlike with traditional auctions, even when Elebbre’s 30-day sale was over – that wasn’t the end of proceedings. The use of vital runner up data – information that Elebbre wouldn’t have access to if it had used a traditional auction house – allowed it to sell a further 24 machines.

“In the past we used traditional methods, including third party auctions and direct sales for disposals of this kind,” said Elebbre’s Co-Founder and General Manager, Moisés Nunez. “But for a range of reasons – including cost, lack of sale data provided by third party auctions and the carbon footprint of moving machines to auction sites, we decided to take a different approach.”

“For this sale we were attracted to Krank’s reputation of providing cutting-edge and efficient platforms for equipment disposal,” Nunez continues. “We expected Krank’s platform to enhance our selling process by providing a user-friendly interface, and it did attract a broader range of buyers. In fact, the Krank platform exceeded our expectations. The auction performance was excellent and helped to maximise the value of our used equipment.”

Feedback from bidders was overwhelmingly positive. The user-friendly interface and transparent processes on Elebbre’s Krank-powered platform were both cited as making it easier for bidders to participate in the auction. From Elebbre’s perspective, the buyer data it captured is proving to be valuable for understanding market trends and buyer behaviour, information it can leverage in future equipment transactions.

“With no auctioneer fees to absorb, the cost savings are substantial compared to traditional methods,” continues Nunez. “Krank’s auction platform also eliminated the need and associated costs of transporting equipment to physical auction sites. This contributed to a significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to traditional auctions. Our overall impression of using the Krank marketplace platform to sell equipment has been overwhelmingly positive. Its effectiveness, user satisfaction and the financial benefits it offers make it an invaluable tool for our equipment disposal needs.”

Elebbre is now preparing for its next auction which it will be launching in December and closing December 14, 2023

Autonomous haulage tech innovator EACON raises new funds and looks to the future

Automation, Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software

EACON Mining Technology, an emerging major player in autonomous haulage systems (AHS), recently successfully closed its C round of equity funding, securing an impressive sum of approximately $55.22 million. Spearheaded by Richen Capital, with significant contributions from Shenyin & Wanguo Capital Management and existing investors like ESTAR Capital, this investment brings EACON’s total financing for 2023 to around $62.13 million.

The substantial backing reflects investor confidence in EACON’s capabilities for large-scale deployment of its AHS product. EACON now has 304 autonomous trucks in operation, with a total of 4.2 million kilometres driven autonomously and an impeccable safety record upheld for over five years. Richen Capital has investments in over eighty top players in AI and self-driving industries.

Richen Capital’s Co-Founder and Chairman, Tingfu Wang, expressed confidence in EACON’s profitability potential. “The successful operation of 203 unmanned mining trucks in a single mine is evidence of EACON’s profound expertise in automation. I believe EACON will rapidly achieve net profitability,” he says.

The General Manager of Shenyin & Wanguo Capital Management, stated: “Following a technological breakthrough, the subsequent phase involves large-scale commercialisation—a process repeatedly validated across numerous ‘hard tech’ industries.” After visiting multiple mine sites with EACON’s autonomous trucks, he expressed strong confidence in EACON’s future. “We firmly believe that EACON’s AHS solution has reached maturity and is now poised for rapid scaling,” he remarked.

Lei Zhang, Co-Founder and Chairman of EACON Mining Technology, said: “The investment scenario in autonomous driving has shifted to a more rational and composed state. The recent backing from several top-tier institutions further solidifies EACON’s leadership in this industry.”

Alongside autonomy, EACON has developed the EACON 136, a hybrid electric + drive-by-wire platform. Vehicle manufacturer partner LGMG produced and delivered 225 autonomous trucks of model EL100, equipped with this platform, achieving up to 30% in maximum fuel savings.

“EACON will continue its dedication to advancing autonomous driving in mining applications, focusing on the productisation of advanced technology and enhancing operational productivity. Simultaneously, EACON will steadfastly invest in engineering new energy systems for mining trucks.” says Zhang.

Looking forward, with an office established in Perth, Australia, EACON says it is poised to broaden its presence in additional overseas markets. The commitment remains strong to deliver to a safe, intelligent, and sustainable future for the global mining industry.

Major belt linear screen order for DELKOR with Australian gold mining client

Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining services, Precious metals

TAKRAF Group company DELKOR Australia has received a significant order for four 40 m² belt linear screens for a gold project in Australia. The award follows the previous installment of several smaller belt linear screens at the same client’s plant. The scope of this most recent order includes four of the largest belt linear screens available on the market globally.

As the original developer of this equipment, which effectively removes trash material from slurries, DELKOR offers a wide range of sizes, from 0.5 m² up to these very large 40 m² screens. Fabrication will take place at DELKOR’s own product & service and production facility in India. With the order, DELKOR has reinforced its presence on-site by enhancing coverage with the addition of the 40 m² BLS alongside existing 12 m², 20 m², and 25 m² screens.

Raymond Leung, DELKOR Operations Manager, when asked for comments regarding the order: “This order is one of the largest in value for BLSs in Australia in recent years. It is a testament to DELKOR’s pioneering spirit and unwavering dedication to providing innovative solutions to our clients’ wet processing requirements. Our belt linear screens have proven indispensable in addressing critical challenges within CIP (Carbon-in-Pulp) and CIL (Carbon-in-Leach) processes, ensuring the efficient separation of well-defined size fractions from ground slurries. We take immense pride in being the preferred supplier, contributing significantly to the enhanced efficiency of this gold project in Australia.”

The belt linear screen, born out of extensive test work, tackles a critical issue in gold processing by effectively removing trash material from process slurries. With the capability to screen between 300 and 4,000 microns, these screens safeguard downstream equipment, reduce downtime, and elevate overall plant performance. Belt linear screens have replaced vibrating screens in numerous plants, offering advantages such as seamless operation without vibration and complete retention of oversize material.

Betolar and Metso collaborate on analcime sand byproduct from lithium hydroxide production

Environmental, High tech minerals, Industrial minerals, Mineral processing, Mining services

Betolar and Metso have agreed on cooperation in which Betolar’s technology can be offered globally to mining and refinery customers using Metso’s lithium hydroxide process.

With material technology solutions for Betolar’s side stream research, the analcime sand generated as a side stream in lithium extraction is analysed and its further processing value is assessed. With Betolar’s recipes, analcime sand can be utilised as gravel and binder in materials for low-carbon building, infrastructure and mining construction, which reduces emissions and the use of virgin natural resources in concrete production.

“With our sustainable circular economy solution, the added value of analcime sand can be significantly increased. The three-year cooperation agreement with Metso supports access to markets that are key to our strategy. The cooperation strengthens our growth opportunities globally, especially in the waste upcycling business,” says Ville Voipio, Chief Commercial Officer at Betolar.

Lithium production for e-mobility and energy storage batteries will produce increasing amounts of analcime sand as the green technology transition progresses. The battery industry is interested in finding financially and environmentally sustainable further use for increasing side streams.

“The demand for Metso’s battery materials technology is in a strong growth phase. Together with Betolar, we can offer our customers a comprehensive solution that can also take into account the circular economy use of side streams in an innovative and sustainable way,” says Mikko Rantaharju, Vice President, Hydrometallurgy at Metso.

Betolar has developed recipes and methods for utilising analcime sand and has carried out commercial customer projects. Betolar’s research on analcime sand has been funded as part of the EU’s key projects responding to the needs of the green transition in key industries.

Sandvik announces major order from JCHX subsidiary JMMC for Kamoa-Kakula copper mine

Automation, Base metals, Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mine shafts and equipment, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services

Jimond Mining Management Company (JMMC), a subsidiary of global mining services provider JCHX Mining Management Co., Ltd., has selected Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions to supply 15 new units of underground equipment for the Ivanhoe Mines-Zijin Mining owned Kamoa-Kakula copper operation in the DRC. The order is valued at around SEK200 million and will be booked in the fourth quarter 2023.

The order includes eight Toro™ TH663i trucks, five Toro™ LH621i loaders and two Sandvik DL432i longhole production drills. Deliveries are scheduled during the first three quarters of 2024, and will grow the total Sandvik mobile fleet operating at Kamoa-Kakula to more than 100 units. The two Sandvik DL432i drills will be the first Sandvik underground drills at Kamoa-Kakula, and will help JMMC, the contractor responsible for underground mining at the operation, implement longhole stoping.

“We’re always striving to increase our productivity and efficiency,” said Youcheng Wang, VP of JCHX Mining and GM of JCHX Overseas Division. “We have chosen to expand our fleet of Sandvik loaders and trucks at Kamoa-Kakula due to their proven reliability and productivity. We are excited to introduce Sandvik underground drills to site for the first time. We are already successfully operating Sandvik drills in other mine sites around the world, and we expect to replicate our success at Kamoa-Kakula.”

Sandvik established operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019 to support Kamoa Copper SA and JMMC at Kamoa-Kakula. Sandvik has a dedicated team of product experts on site and operates a site-based, vendor-managed inventory store.
“We are honoured to continue expanding our collaboration with JMMC,” said Eduardo Alonso, Vice President for Sales Area Central Africa at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions. “This commitment helps further underscore the success of our intelligent load and haul offering in demanding mass hard rock applications, and we now look forward to introducing our intelligent longhole drills at Kamoa-Kakula.”

“Sandvik’s intelligent load and haul equipment has been in operation at Kamoa-Kakula since 2019, and I am pleased to see us again selected to supply our highly productive offering. With this order we also expand our collaboration with JMMC to include intelligent underground drills, a testament to the strength of our solutions offering,” says Mats Eriksson, President of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions.

 

New Worldsensing wireless sensor to help optimise vibration monitoring in mining

Automation, Environmental, IoT, Mine surveying, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Sustainable mining, Water management

Worldsensing, a global leader in IoT remote monitoring, has launched its newest wireless sensor, The Vibration Meter, which measures vibrations in long-term, continuous vibration monitoring projects. The new product uses a tri-axial MEMS accelerometer with longer battery life, wider communications range and more competitive price point than existing vibration-related technologies on the market, while complying with key regulatory standards.

Expanding on Worldsensing’s existing portfolio of wireless monitoring devices, The Vibration Meter is uniquely positioned to help engineering service providers comply with regulations of building integrity such as the German standard DIN 4140-3, its British Analog BS 7385-2 and the ISO 2631-2 regarding the effect of the vibrations on people.

The product launch comes at a time when regulators are placing increased scrutiny on industries producing high-vibrational activities. To ensure safe and stable infrastructures in these industries including construction, mining, and off-highway, there’s been a shift to safeguarding both building integrity and the comfort of local communities in the surrounding areas of construction sites. Worldsensing told IM that it has the potential to help mining engineers affordably comply with regulatory vibration requirements as it monitors and assesses vibrations produced by long-term activities in the field such as surface or underground mining and the creation of tailing dams and dumps.

The Vibration Meter features an advanced algorithm that detects threshold breaches of vibration-based parameters such as LAW/PPV and frequency. The device continuously gathers this data at 1,000 MHz on site, which is then communicated through a cellular gateway to the management tools that engineering service providers use. This taps into Worldsensing’s Long Range (LoRa) antenna – providing up to 15 km of range and making it compatible with other Worldsensing devices and already deployed networks.

Equipped with a 3,6 V D-size user-replaceable, high energy density battery, The Vibration Meter has up to two years of battery lifespan at a 30-minute reporting period, with an event occurrence every two to three minutes. This technology has also been designed to work in all weather conditions, as it functions in -40°C to +80°C operating temperatures.

Andrea Bartoli, Chief Technology Officer at Worldsensing said: “With extreme weather events emerging across the globe, it’s imperative that infrastructure in our communities maintain the structural integrity it was designed to have. Worldsensing’s vibration device is a big step towards achieving this increased protection. As a result of the heightened monitoring of vibrational events, the engineering community can also commit to protecting the environment in their journey to uplifting local communities through their development projects.”

With more than 3,000 deployed networks and 170,000 active devices worldwide, Worldsensing says it has enabled real-time data acquisition of geotechnical structural sensors, allowing industrial companies to connect and wirelessly monitor infrastructures in remote locations.

Canada Nickel’s Crawford BFS foresees AHS with trolley plus remote control face & rope shovels

Automation, Base metals, Bulk handling, Environmental, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Sustainable mining

While some details of plans have been released previously, the bankable feasibility study and NI 43-101 Technical Report authored by Ausenco and just filed by Canada Nickel for its Crawford nickel-cobalt-chromium project in northern Ontario’s Timmins Nickel District with an effective date of October 1, 2023, provides much more detail on its planned use of trolley assist and autonomous drilling, including a stated intention to combine trolley assist with autonomous haulage.

Mark Selby, CEO of Canada Nickel, states: “Just four years ago, Crawford had only five drill holes. Today, we believe it is a world-class project with tremendous momentum. We are fully focused on pursuing our next milestones of obtaining permits, developing a financing package, and moving towards a production decision by mid-2025, with a goal of first production by the end of 2027.”

Crawford will employ conventional open pit mining techniques to mine 1,715 Mt ore and 3,992 Mt waste over a 33.5 year life, including 2.5 years of pre-stripping. Open pit mining operations at Crawford will be performed by a mixed fleet of mining equipment. Areas where the footwall is in clay will be mined with 120 t class backhoe excavators loading 40 t articulated trucks. Areas where the footwall is in sand and till will be mined with 300 t electric face shovels loading 90 t trucks. This will include clay contained in mixed clay/sand and till benches.

A bench height of 7.5 m will be employed to RL180 (approximately 90 m below the mean surface elevation), which is below the lowest horizon where overburden will be encountered. The 1,037 Mt of rock contained within these benches (63% of all 7.5 m bench material) will be mined predominantly with 700 t face shovels (Cat 6060 and Komatsu PC7000 cited). A lesser tonnage of rock will be loaded by 50 t payload front-end loaders (Komatsu WE1850) and 100 t payload rope shovels (Cat 7495 and Komatsu P&H 4100 cited). All three loading units will load 290 t trucks (the report cites the Caterpillar 794 or Komatsu 930E as examples) equipped with AHS and trolley assist.

The 4,047 Mt rock that will be mined below RL180 will be predominantly loaded by the rope shovels, supported by face shovels and front-end loaders. Over the life of mine, 2% of total rock will be loaded by front-end loaders, 30% by face shovels and the remaining 68% by rope shovels.

Peak production will be in year 11 when the 290 t fleet will total 56, loaded by three large rope shovels. Interestingly, to take full advantage of AHS haul trucks, which will not be delayed for operator delays, the 700 t face shovels and rope shovels will be operated tele-remotely. Additionally, an additional operator will be provided for each fleet per shift, to facilitate operator breaks. For example, at peak production there will be two 700 t face shovels and three rope shovels operational. These will be operated by a team of three face shovel operators and four shovel operators on each shift.

No drilling and blasting of overburden will be required. For pioneer operations on the initial bench of rock mining, small diesel powered and conventionally operated drills will be used to drill 127 mm blast holes. Below this initial bench, larger electrically powered units equipped with an autonomous drilling system (ADS) will be used for drilling 229 mm blast holes on 7.5 m benches and 271 mm blast holes on 15 m benches. Final walls will be pre-split. Pre- split holes will be drilled using the same machine as for pioneering.

Production equipment will be supported by various units of support equipment, including tracked dozers, wheel dozers, front-end loaders, graders, water tankers and utility excavators. A mining contractor will be used to expedite the start-up, with particular focus on sourcing aggregate from off-site and establishing the initial benches in clay. Thereafter, all mining fleet will be owner-operated.

Surface haul roads for the 290 t class trucks will be 35 m wide. Where trolley assist is used on in-pit ramps, the width will be 50 m, which allows for trolley infrastructure and an extra lane to pass any vehicle (including service vehicles) that may be stopped under the trolley line. Other roads will measure 15 m wide.

Electrical demand in the pit will peak at 70 MW (operating load) in year 13 and average 30 MW over the life of mine. The main customer will be the trolley assist system, consuming 62% of the total kilowatt-hours. The in-pit dewatering system will consume a further 9%, while workshops and the blasting plant require 1%. The remaining 28% will be consumed by mobile electric equipment, including blast hole drills, face shovels, and rope shovels. Extending power to the various units of electric equipment will require a network of overhead lines that progressively extends, with a total of 68.7 km installed over the life of mine. This total includes 19.0 km of lines that will have been previously removed and reinstalled. Mobile electrical equipment (shovels and drills) and pumps will be supplied from mobile substations that are mounted on skids or wheels and can be towed by a wheel dozer.

Canada Nickel retained the technology consultant Peck Tech to assist with the design and implementation of autonomous drilling systems (ADS) and autonomous haulage systems (AHS). It also retained the global technology company ABB to assist with the design and implementation of trolley-assisted truck haulage. It says collectively, these technologies will achieve a reduction in the unit mining operating cost of 26%, with attendant impact on the economic limits of open pit mining; plus a reduction in the open pit labour component of 33%. The jobs being eliminated are lower skilled equipment operator positions that peer operations are having difficulty filling. These positions will be partially replaced by higher skilled positions associated with the implementation and maintenance of technology.

At Crawford, ADS machines would be supervised remotely in an office control room, or locally (ie in the pit) via a tablet. The nominal span of control will be one supervisor for every three operating ADS units. The report estimates that there are approximately 100 ADS equipped machines operating globally, with 80% supplied by Epiroc. Epiroc’s PV271 is cited as a blasthole drill option along with the Sandvik DR412i.

As at other autonomous haulage mines, at Crawford, AHS machines would be supervised by a team of engineers, technicians, coders, ‘runners’ (who monitor the status of equipment in the pit), and dispatchers. As some positions require a fixed number of personnel, irrespective of the number of operational units, and other positions require additional personnel if the total fleet exceeds a certain number, the overall span of control varies. For Crawford’s mine plan, the life of mine average is seven trucks per person, per shift.

With the energy prices that have been forecast for Crawford, the energy savings through use of trolley is estimated at C$31/km travelled. Productivity savings result from the increased speed of haul trucks traveling uphill on trolley. For the class of truck planned at Crawford, a doubling of speed on trolley is possible. This would lead to an overall reduction in average cycle time over the life of mine of 14%. This allows the mine plan to be achieved with fewer trucks, with the additional benefit of reducing congestion associated with ‘bunching’ of units. Maintenance wise, with the lower diesel consumption rate for a truck travelling on trolley, the interval between overhauls and replacements can be extended.

In addition to the cost benefits listed above, trolley assist also has significantly environmental benefits, resulting from the reduction in particulate matter and greenhouse gases associated with generating energy from hydrocarbons. In the event trolley assist were not used at Crawford, diesel consumption by the fleet of 290 t trucks would approximately double leading to a 53% increase in CO2 emissions.

Eight of the ten mining stages would include trolley-assist infrastructure, with just the small East Zone starter phases EZ1 and EZ2 not having sufficient travel on the ramps to justify the technology. Trolley assist will also be provided to each of the stockpiles and to the waste rock impoundment.

The report adds: “A key assumption in the design, based on operating experience at Palabora and Sishen, is that steady-state utilization of each trolley equipped ramp (measured in percentage of potential tonnes x equipped kilometres) would be 90%. It was also assumed each new in-pit segment would take 18 months to reach this utilisation, with a key constraint being the time required to open a bench sufficiently that fly rock from blasting would not damage the system. For the dump, where no blasting would take place, the time required to reach steady-state was assumed to be 12 months. Over the life of mine, 73% of total uphill tonnes x kilometres travelled by the 290 t trucks would be on trolley-assist. The smaller 90 t and articulated trucks will not be equipped for trolley assist.”

TOMRA Mining XRT technology delivers grade improvement at Saloro’s tungsten mine

Automation, Base metals, Bulk handling, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining services, Sustainable mining

TOMRA has installed a first X-Ray Transmission (XRT) sorter at Saloro’s tungsten mine in Barruecopardo, Spain. The sorter, implemented in the beneficiation stage, it says is consistently delivering a much higher head grade to the processing plant, significantly reducing costs.

Tungsten is an essential industrial metal with unique properties used in the production of hard metals, specialist steels and super alloys, as well as aerospace, electronics and military applications. Its production is concentrated in China, where 80% of the world’s tungsten is mined. For this reason, it is considered a strategic commodity and is categorised as a ‘critical raw material’ by the EU. The Saloro mine in Barruecopardo is one of the most important in Europe, and one of the few outside China that produces concentrate with high tungsten grade with limited impurities, making it a high-value product in the industry.

Saloro approached TOMRA Mining to explore ways to further improve the head grade to the processing plant: “We were looking for equipment capable of sorting ore with scheelite content in order to remove the non-mineralised product from the feed line,” explains Pedro Jiménez, Plant Manager at the Barruecopardo mine.

TOMRA proposed its XRT ore sorter, which has the capability to identify fine high atomic dense tungsten inclusions with a detection technology developed in-house. “Our ‘Inclusions Technology’ is a perfect combination of a high-resolution XRT sensor with tailored sorting algorithms,” explains Carolina Vargas, Area Sales Manager Europe, India and Rest of the World at TOMRA Mining. “At the Barruecopardo mine, this technology enables the detection of 1 mm or even smaller tungsten inclusions – this is unique in the market.”

TOMRA conducted test work with its XRT technology on 10-30 mm and 30-60 mm particle sizes at its Test Center in Wedel, Germany in 2019, which yielded positive results. “We chose TOMRA because of the reliability of the equipment in the tests and the time required to supply it,” adds Pedro Jiménez.

In July 2023, TOMRA installed a COM Tertiary XRT ore sorter in the beneficiation stage. It is fed with raw material in the 8-25 mm size range at a rate of around 30 t/h. The sorter achieves +90% recovery of scheelite and removes 85 to 90% of host rock prior to downstream processing through gravity concentration, magnetic separation and flotation. By only processing the material with scheelite content, the plant achieves significant cost savings.

The sorter has clearly demonstrated the value of this technology for the Barruecopardo mine. “The tests and the results achieved so far are very positive and favorable. We are convinced that this sorting technology will help Saloro to significantly improve efficiency and production at the plant,” says Jiménez. In fact, Saloro has decided to purchase additional TOMRA XRT sorters for the mine: “By purchasing more sorters, we aim to further increase the feed grade to the plant, remove material that does not contain scheelite.”

TOMRA says it has developed a solid reputation for its collaborative approach to helping mining operations add value to their mines. This project was no exception, and Jiménez has found that TOMRA stood out for “its involvement with Saloro. Communication with members of their team is very fluid and fast. Their willingness to solve the problems that have arisen has been very effective. From the very beginning, they have kept a close eye on the status of the project and monitored its progress on an almost daily basis.”