Tag Archives: Conveyors

Halbach & Braun to help modernise Turkey’s Zonguldak coal mining region

Bulk handling, Coal technology, Comminution of minerals, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , ,

A delegation from Turkey’s Zonguldak mining region has signed a cooperation contract with Halbach & Braun Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co that could see the hard coal operation double output and modernises its plant.

According to Halbach & Braun, Turkey’s current energy development plan, which aims to reduce its dependence on energy imports, involves the intensification of coal mining in the Zonguldak region of Turkey; a plan that requires investment in state-of-the-art mining technology.

Against this backdrop, the visit organised by Zonguldak eV Europa of a high-ranking delegation from the Zonguldak mining region and representatives of state politics – represented by Saadet Oruç, Chief Advisor to the President – to Halbach & Braun took place (pictured).

The mining equipment supplier from Hattingen has a strong market position in Turkey and, since last year, has been able to offer mine operators a considerably expanded range of products, it said.

Dr Dietrich Braun, Managing Partner of Halbach & Braun, said: “Our classic core competencies are crushing and conveying – underground and surface mining. Thanks to the participation of the Chinese Yangquan Coal Group in our company, we can now also offer complete range of longwall equipment including shields and shearer loaders.

“We adapt the basic design of the plants to our high-quality standards and to the individual requirements of our customers.”

Turkey’s state-owned mine operator TTK has enlisted the help of the company and, during the company tour in Hattingen, Muharrem Kiraz, Deputy Md of TTK, said: “Our goal is 100% mechanical extraction with modern and highly productive plants from Halbach & Braun.”

In the coming years Zonguldak is to be developed into an energy centre, according to the Germany-based company.

The Ruhr area of Germany could serve as a model here – with the difference that coal production will be expanded instead of discontinued, the company said.

Metin Demir, Chairman of the Regional Chamber of Industry and Commerce, confirmed this: “We have a 180-year mining tradition, and now we are shaping our future. Together with the players in business, associations and politics and also with the employee representatives, we have founded a development association for the region that expressly provides for cooperation with German companies under our cooperation partner Halbach & Braun. We would like to profit from their competence and also from the experiences of the Ruhr area.”

ROXON to convey materials handling expertise message to Australia market

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, , , , , , ,

ROXON has launched its entire range of materials handling solutions into the Australian market as it looks to expand its reach beyond the Europe, Middle East and Asia markets that it has become familiar with.

The entry into the Australian market comes on the back of the recent acquisition of ROXON by Australian engineering, mining services and industrial manufacturing organisation NEPEAN. Previously owned by Sandvik, NEPEAN purchased the ROXON business in November 2017.

NEPEAN Managing Director, Rolf Van Rooyen, said: “The ROXON brand is well known and trusted throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia having specialised in bulk materials handling solutions for well over 50 years. We are really excited to be bringing its world-class engineered solutions, innovative products and market leading services to the Australian market.”

NEPEAN Conveyors is the largest manufacturer of conveyor components in Australia, according to the company. It is also well known for its solutions for underground conveyors.

“With the introduction of the ROXON brand to Australia, the combined capacity will give customers access to deep technical expertise, global product sourcing and the latest in materials handling technology for surface and overland conveyors,” the company said.

ROXON is an OEM and solutions provider for bulk material handling for surface operations. Its products and services span the entire life cycle of conveyor systems – design, manufacturing, installation, maintenance, midlife upgrades and asset re-deployment – and include a comprehensive suite of conveyor components, conveyor equipment and turnkey conveyor systems.

Van Rooyen highlighted the technical expertise of the ROXON Australia team, which will be headquartered out of Gosford, New South Wales: “ROXON Australia has a dedicated team of technical conveyor system specialists who have many decades of deep industry experience and knowledge. This team of experts can also draw upon the deep experience and operational capabilities of the ROXON teams in Finland and Sweden if needed.”

He added: “Leveraging our deep domain knowledge developed over more than 40 years, our global industry leading engineering capabilities, and our best-in-class in-house software, ROXON specialises in tailored, engineered design conveyor solutions that reduce costs and increase efficiencies.”

The company recently executed its first project in Australia, a A$15 million ($10.2 million) fixed crushing and screening plant at the Lima South quarry in Benalla, Victoria. In this project, ROXON Australia partnered with asphalt plant specialists Astec Australia. The scope included the design and supply of all structural, mechanical and electrical components for conveyors, including interfaces with Astec’s process equipment; design and supply of structural support steelwork for crushers, screens and feeders; and supply of all conveyor components, 19 x off conveyors in total.

Rema Tip Top builds local presence in Middle East

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , ,

Rema Tip Top is looking to tap into new markets in the Middle East by opening its own hub in Dubai.

With immediate effect, all product and service requests of the region will be processed and implemented from the new location true to the motto “In the region, for the region”, the company said.

Target markets are the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the neighbouring countries Egypt and Jordan, according to the conveying and processing technology provider.

“Rema Tip Top is strengthening its commitment in the GCC region to directly serve the market as Rema Tip Top Middle East,” Michael Labbé (pictured), Executive Board member of Rema Tip Top AG CEO of REMA Tip Top Middle East, said.

“It is our central concern to be closer to our customers, to be their local contact and to better understand the needs and trends of the region,” he added.

With the new subsidiary, all customers in the region will have a contact person offering them comprehensive support by telephone or on site during their usual business hours, the company said.

By means of local warehousing, a 24/7 availability with correspondingly short reaction times is to be established at short notice to faster process and implement customer enquiries.

For Labbé, the combination of local conditions, existing mineral resources and German engineering skills from Rema Tip Top is an important driving force for the company: “There already is a strong demand for Rema Tip Top products in the region, which we have not always been able to meet 100% due to the long supply routes in the past.

“With our new hub, we can meet this need and further expand existing customer relationships.”

The subsidiary is preparing to present itself to the public for the first time at the Dubai Mining Show on November 5-6.

Eldorado Gold weighing BEVs, vertical haulage tech for Lamaque expansion

Bulk handling, Mine operation news, Mine shafts and equipment, Mining equipment, Mining project news, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , ,

With production at the Lamaque gold mine, in Quebec, Canada, now in full swing, Eldorado Gold is looking at a potential expansion underground that could involve the use of battery-electric vehicles, or vertical haulage with conveyors, according to Chief Operating Officer Paul Skayman.

Speaking to IM last week, Skayman said the company, following the declaration of commercial production at Lamaque earlier this year, was in the process of working on a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) to expand Lamaque. This study will evaluate increasing throughput from an average of some 1,800 t/d to 2,500 tpd, with a resultant boost in annual average production to 170,000 oz, from close to 130,000 oz.

The expansion PEA is expected to be completed by the end of year and, subject to the results, a prefeasibility study on the expansion will begin, due for completion in the second half of 2020.

While the expansion is over a year away, Skayman said the deepening of the mine could see the company look at the potential for either battery-powered haulage or vertical haulage with conveyors. This would see the mine install a decline to access the orebody, as opposed to sinking a shaft.

Skayman said the provincial government offered incentives to employ such technologies at mine, while power was relatively inexpensive, “so, we are in the right place to be looking at this”. Indeed, Agnico Eagle Mines has employed a Rail-Veyor system at its Goldex mine in Quebec, while MacLean Engineering has delivered at least one battery-powered unit to an underground gold operation in the province.

Eldorado is not currently running any battery-powered units, instead, waiting for the technology to mature to a point where machines can run for a whole shift and the charging infrastructure has been proven, according to Skayman. He said the company was watching projects such as the recently opened Borden mine in Ontario to see where miners were pushing the “technology envelope” in the electrification arena.

Eldorado has other underground operations across the globe, but Skayman said Lamaque was the prime candidate for the use of battery-powered equipment.

“[This technology] is probably more likely to be used at Lamaque than our operations in Europe; Lamaque is a vertical stacked set of lenses and the deeper sections we know of go down to 1,500 m,” he said. “We’re nowhere near that in Turkey at Efemçukuru, which is relatively mature. We eventually get down to deeper sections at Olympias, but nothing like the depth at Lamaque.”

JSW subsidiary delivers first bottom scraper conveyor

Bulk handling, Coal technology, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , , ,

Jastrzębskie Zakłady Remontowe (JZW), a JSW Group company, has delivered its first in-house designed and manufactured bottom scraper conveyor.

This development sees JZR join an exclusive group of original equipment manufacturers of mining machinery and equipment.

JSW said: “It’s a great step towards development, especially because so far JZR dealt only with overhaul and modernisation of mining equipment.”

The PPJZR–850 bottom scraper conveyor was officially presented in the JZR production hall. The presentation was attended by the management board and directors of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa mines.

The bottom scraper conveyor makes it possible to collect transported material from the armoured face conveyor and transport it to another collecting device, eg a belt conveyor. The first conveyor is being delivered to the Borynia Section of JSW’s KWK Borynia-Zofiówka-Jastrzębie coal mine, in Poland, this week. The PPJZR–850 scraper conveyor comprises: KUJZR–4z coal crusher, UPJZR–KP1200 pushing device and the PTJZR–SZL1 line turning station.

All this equipment has been designed and manufactured entirely by JZR using top quality materials with much higher durability than the existing materials used in mining, JSW said. A number of innovative solutions were used in this equipment, according to the company. “They will improve the reliability and the safety conditions of the employees during the mining.”

Rafał Rychter, President of the JZR Management Board, said: “It’s a great day for us. After nine months of hard work and commitment of many people – constructors, technologists and production employees – we can present our creation.”

Tomasz Śledź, Vice-President of the JSW Management Board for technical matters, said: “This is only the beginning of the process of unification of longwall systems we intend to carry out in all our mines.”

JZR is already working on unification of further coal haulage devices, including PSJZR armoured face conveyors, KSJZR longwall crushers, UPJZR–SNZ belt tail pieces and PTJZR belt conveyors. In parallel with these efforts, an investment project is being carried out in the Suszec municipality where, next year, JZR plans to launch the production of new elements for the machinery and equipment.

Doppelmayr opens up vertical transport options in underground mining

Bulk handling, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, , , ,

Doppelmayr has turned its RopeCon® system on its head, designing a new vertical material transport concept for the underground mining space called the Vertical Shaft Conveyor.

Unveiling the concept at the AIMEX 2019 event in Sydney, Australia, the company said the Vertical Shaft Conveyor “opens up new material transport options for underground mining and gives the chance to reduce the haul truck fleet and exhaust emissions”.

Doppelmayr has become synonymous with its RopeCon installations at global mine sites across the globe. These innovative continuous conveyors (pictured) can be adapted to uneven terrain, transporting material on a flat belt with corrugated side walls, elevated off the ground on tower structures. Installations include the ELG gold complex in Mexico (Torex Gold) and Booysendal South in South Africa (Northam Platinum).

The Vertical Shaft Conveyor, meanwhile, comes with a vertical lift capability of up to 750 m, a conveying capacity of 2,000 t/h, a maximum lump size of 150 mm and clear shaft diameter requirement of 3.5 m. The company pointed out these specifications are all dependent on the material specifications and operating conditions with, for example, a 700 m vertical lift application coming with a conveying capacity of 700 t/h.

System advantages the company stated included:

  • No access to shaft required – neither for installation nor operation;
  • Maintenance can be carried out in the terminals;
  • Re-use of existing ventilation shaft is possible;
  • Continuous material flow, and;
  • Heat development is reduced with the main drive installed above ground.

The company says: “Maintenance is simple and cost effective, as all moving parts are mounted to the belt and will pass the terminals at regular intervals. Ropes and shaft are inspected by a camera system which is attached to the belt.”

Like a conventional conveyor, the system can be loaded by transfer conveyor or by an ore pass, with the material transported to the surface on a conveyor belt.

“This belt is equipped with side walls and cleats, forming pockets for the material,” Doppelmayr says. Above ground, the material is transferred to another conveyor, another RopeCon installation or discharged onto a stockpile.

The company puts the vertical lift capabilities down to, among other things, the belt being turned after discharge. This sees the entire belt tension deflected via on return drum, with the entire belt width can be used as a bearing surface.

Another reason for the lift capability is the wheel sets run on guiding rails at the loading terminal, which safely guide the belt into the shaft. Ropes in the shaft always guide the belt during operation.

PROK Conveyor Components and SKF sign ‘Australia first’ bearing agreement

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

PROK Conveyor Components has announced a strategic partnership with SKF and the introduction of the “SKF Equipped program”.

PROK claims the agreement is an Australia first, being the only time in the country an original equipment manufacturer has integrated SKF bearings into its products.

The company said: “Through working with SKF and combining market leading bearing technology and testing of the new composite range of PROK rollers, the PROKOMPOSITE, customers can be certain that they are buying the best product in the market.”

PROK says the PROKOMPOSITE rollers generate more than 50% less noise than traditional steel rollers, are up to 55% lighter than traditional steel rollers and cost up to 20% less to own due to easier maintenance and lower energy demands.

The PROKOMPOSITE range of conveyor rollers will come standard with SKF Ball Bearings and PROK bearing housing technology verified and tested by SKF, according to PROK. This combination will provide customers with unmatched performance and sealing protection, thus increasing the life of the rollers and reducing the overall total cost of ownership, the company claimed.

PROK said: “After extensive testing it was clear that SKF Bearings were a great fit for PROK’s range of PROKOMPOSITE rollers. Being an ISO 9001 certified company, PROK was able to achieve SKF Equipped status by meeting high quality standards on the design, manufacture and assembly procedures of rotating equipment set out by SKF. This is an exciting venture for both companies.”

Ava Risk Group, Mining3 launch Aura IQ conveyor monitoring solution

Bulk handling, Communications in mining, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , ,

Ava Risk Group and Mining3 say they are ready for the global launch of the Aura IQ conveyor health monitoring solution following surface and sub-surface testing with some of the world’s largest mining houses and bulk material handling facilities.

With conveyors underpinning efficiency, and ultimately profitability in bulk handling operations globally, maintenance has traditionally been a real problem.

“Conventional methods of advanced conveyor failure detection is often unreliable, subjective, time-consuming and labour intensive, but that is all about to change,” Ava and Mining3 said.

Aura IQ uses real-time data to optimise production and on-site performance, enhance occupational health, hygiene and safety management, and introduce new predictive maintenance and support capabilities to asset management, they say.

With test work in the bag, Aura IQ is now available for sale globally.

The companies said: “Aura IQ’s award winning technology harnesses the power of Ava Risk Group’s fibre optic detection and sensing platform (FFT TM Aura Ai-2), combined with Mining3’s advanced signal processing algorithms, predictive analytics, and identification tools to acoustically monitor and assess conveyor health via the cloud-based analysis, reporting and alerts.

“Providing deeper insights to maintenance technicians, site personnel, regional operational hubs and global headquarters, conveyors are automatically connected to the cloud via an Industrial Grade Wireless Internet of Things Gateway, enabling daily asset reliability reports from every conveyor, at every site around the world.”

By transmitting a series of short, laser pulses along a single fibre optic cable retrofitted along the length of a conveyor, acoustic disturbances from the conveyor system cause microscopic changes in the backscattered laser light that is then categorised into known parameters, the two companies explained.

Data is then simultaneously gathered from every metre of the conveyor and processed by Aura IQ to pre-emptively alert operators, either on or off-site (in operational hubs or control rooms), to potential failures before they happen.

Andrew Hames, Head of Innovation, Extractives and Energy at the Ava Risk Group, said: “This is a game changing solution which will optimise conveyor performance and create substantial cost savings for operators.

“A typical conveyor can have up to 7,000 bearings per kilometre, which means 7,000 potential points of failure. Aura IQ can monitor the condition of every conveyor roller – eliminating the need to ‘walk the belt’ and allowing a controlled and scheduled plan of roller maintenance and replacement to be put in place.

“With Aura IQ, costly delays from roller failure are a thing of the past, while less manual involvement reduces health and safety risks. Taking a formalised and proactive approach to asset health monitoring means data can also be used to optimise maintenance strategies – reducing reliance on costly manual inspections and demonstrating ongoing compliance with operational standards.”

Belterra to offer Superior conveyor idlers, pulleys, scrapers and accessories in Quebec

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining maintenance, , , , , , ,

US-based Superior Industries has announced a new partnership with Canada’s largest distributor of conveyor belting, components and other bulk material handling solutions, Belterra.

Belterra, a 50-year-old distributor with 19 locations throughout Canada, will stock, sell and service Superior’s conveyor idlers, pulleys, scrapers and accessories in Quebec, Superior said.

“We’re excited to partner with such a respected distributor who is well-known for carrying significant inventory, performing prompt service and having high character,” says Ryan Loge, Superior’s Conveyor Components Sales Manager in Canada.

With Quebec branches in Montreal, Québec City and Saguenay, Belterra is well-positioned to take care of customer requests quickly, Superior said.

“The distributor will stock a standard collection of Superior idlers, pulleys, belt scrapers and other conveyor accessories. Additionally, the Quebec-based team will work closely with product and project managers at Superior to supply dry bulk producers with custom solutions backed by industry best manufacturing lead times.”

Rema Tip Top lays the groundwork for Australia expansion

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

Rema Tip Top has opened a “Centre of Excellence” in Brisbane, Australia, as it looks to expand its material processing capabilities into the future.

This facility will be the home of its east coast surface protection hub, extending on the expertise of its Perth surface protection operations to provide increased local and national services for its customers, the company said.

“The facility, based in Northgate in Brisbane’s inner north, is strategically positioned on the east coast to provide more agile service to new and existing customers and will offer increased support to the company’s largest clients, many headquartered in the area,” the company said.

It features dedicated workshop and office space with close proximity to transport hubs including Brisbane Airport and Brisbane Port, providing Rema Tip Top with the ability to “strengthen its approach to servicing its customers across the entire country”, the company said.

“A key component of Rema Tip Top’s focus on diversification, the centre is also poised to provide access to new materials handling operations in the region, including cement and food processing industries,” the company added.

Karsten Bartnicki, CEO Rema Tip Top Industry Australia, said that the new Brisbane Centre of Excellence will create an immediate economic impact in the region, providing a range of new employment opportunities and also underpins Rema Tip Top’s commitment to investment in infrastructure to drive sustainable growth.