Tag Archives: FLSmidth

FLSmidth takes gravity separation to a new level with Knelson GX Concentrating Cone

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Precious metals, Water management, , , , , , ,

The latest innovation in semi-continuous gravity separation from FLSmidth is delivering a key breakthrough in performance that increases recovery and cuts maintenance downtime, according to the OEM.

For decades, Knelson gravity concentrators have been recognised for their recoveries of gold and precious metals, but the development of the new Knelson GX Concentrating Cone is set to take this performance a step further.

The new patented GX Cone delivers impressive recovery enhancements due to enhanced water distribution within each ring, according to the company.

FLSmidth explains: “As water enters from the base, it flows through zone separator nozzles for a customisable fluidisation profile. This allows for even distribution of water in each ring; the new design also significantly increases the active recovery surface area. The result is a step change in overall coarse and fine gold recovery.”

Test data shows that gold recovery in all size fractions, from course to fine, improved significantly with the GX Cone, according to the company.

By incorporating an advanced distribution of fluidisation water across the entire concentrating cone, the Knelson GX facilitates the highest possible recovery of coarse and fine gold. At the same time, balanced water distribution across the concentrating cone allows for a significant reduction in fluidisation water requirements while improving recovery.

The third major benefit of the Knelson GX is easier maintenance. Because it is made of a customised, abrasion-resistant and durable polyurethane compound, maintenance frequency and operational costs are significantly reduced, FLSmidth says.

Mike Lefler, Head of Global Product Line Manager for Precious Metal Recovery at FLSmidth, said: “The new Knelson GX Concentrating Cone is the culmination of over 40 years of research and operational experience and is exciting news for our customers. It delivers a win-win-win scenario: better recovery, less water use and less downtime due to easier maintenance.

“In short, it helps customers produce more with less resources – a central tenet of our MissionZero ambition to cut water and energy waste in mining by 2030.”

FLSmidth improves water balance at Mozambique coal plant with thickener tech

Coal technology, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , , , , , , ,

FLSmidth has been chosen as the preferred provider for four large bolted thickeners for a large mining customer in Mozambique.

Two of the thickeners are designed to reduce water load on the filters allowing for a drier filter product, while the other two thickeners recover water from the plant tailings.

The installation, which includes E-Volute™ feedwell technology for superior flow distribution, will contribute to achieving optimal water balance at the coal plant in Mozambique, FLSmidth says.

“The thickeners measure 45 m in diameter and will control the density of material to the belt filters, improving the plant’s output,” Howard Areington, FLSmidth’s General Manager for Projects and Account Sales in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, says. “The design was based on the test work we conducted on the customer’s material, allowing us to determine the best thickener solution.”

He emphasised that a bolted thickener is quicker and safer to construct on site, saving on costs and improving quality control; both of these factors suited the project’s remote location.

“The extent of welding in the construction of normal steel thickeners typically runs into kilometres,” Areington said. “By contrast, the amount of on-site welding required by a bolted thickener can be measured in metres.”

The E-Volute feedwell technology improves flow distribution, leading to lower flocculant consumption, better settling rates and improved overflow clarity for the optimal performance of the thickener, according to FLSmidth.

Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, good progress was made on the fabrication of the thickeners in South Africa, according to FLSmidth Project Manager, Kevin Kockott. This has been managed by leveraging FLSmidth’s global resources and the design teams’ ability to work remotely.

“Our local South African office collaborated closely with our engineering hub in Salt Lake City in the United States, ensuring that our engineering work on the project was able to continue without interruption,” Kockott said.

FLSmidth has been involved with this project for almost a decade and has provided a significant portion of the coal preparation equipment. To date, this has included reflux classifier technology, pumps, screens and feeders.

FLSmidth to deliver dry-stack tailings solution at Hindustan Zinc’s Rajpura Dariba mine

Base metals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , , , , , , ,

FLSmidth has been contracted to deliver an integrated dry-stack tailings solution and a paste fill plant to Hindustan Zinc’s lead-zinc mine in Rajpura Dariba, Rajasthan.

The solution will ensure environmental sustainability and significant process water recovery, as well as reduce the footprint of the tailings storage facility, the mining OEM said.

The new order, which was booked in the December quarter, includes design, engineering, procurement, supply of equipment and the commissioning for integrated dry tailings and stacking along with tailings paste fill plant. FLSmidth will also supply two Automatic Filter Presses (AFP-IV™, pictured), two E-Disc filters and one 26 m diameter High-Density Thickener as the main pieces of equipment. The project is expected to be completed by February 2022.

This new order follows a previous tailings-related order for Hindustan Zinc at its Zawar mine site in 2018.

Hindustan Zinc operates beneficiation plants at Rajpura Dariba and Sindesar Khurd, which both discharge tailings to the same tailings pond. The tailings dam was reaching capacity for conventional wet tailings deposition and so Hindustan Zinc needed a way to resolve this issue, FLSmidth said.

The solution the company required would involve creating a small dry-stack tailings area with minimal environmental and physical footprint and also a method to backfill the mine by using an adjusted dry filter cake mix.

By choosing FLSmidth’s hybrid technology – a combination of the E-Disc filter and the AFP-IV Automatic Pressure Filter – Hindustan Zinc will now be able to achieve this and recover around 85% of process water, according to FLSmidth. This recovered process water can be reused by the process plant located at the mine site with minimum operating and capital expenses.

The cake from the E-disc filter will contain below 16% moisture and can be used for mine backfilling, while the cake from the automatic filter press, with below 12% moisture, can be stacked on the surface in a safe and compact manner, FLSmidth says.

“The solution will also significantly reduce industrial water consumption, something that is of heightened importance in water-scarce areas, such as Rajasthan,” the company said. “The site will also have zero effluent discharge, further boosting its sustainable mining goals.”

Manfred Schaffer, Mining President, FLSmidth, said the order was another strong “proof point” for the quality and flexibility of the company’s technology for filtration and engineering solutions for tailing management.

“This project resolves the customer’s challenge through optimum utilisation of available space and ensures the paste backfill requirements are met with the lowest possible operating and capital costs,” he added. “Importantly, it also secures a high level of reusable water for the mine site, which helps their sustainability efforts and supports our own MissionZero ambition.”

FLSmidth’s global thickener collaboration hits the right notes in Africa

Base metals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

The use of FLSmidth thickeners in African mining operations has continued to grow, supported by, the company says, global collaboration across the FLSmidth organisation’s offices in South Africa, China and the USA.

According to Alistair McKay, FLSmidth’s Vice President for Mining in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, the company is set to deliver six substantial thickener contracts to mines in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2020. McKay highlights that Chinese companies have been driving much of the growth in the continent’s mining sector.

“In our work in Africa with Chinese customers, we have found that our Beijing office plays a valuable role in ensuring streamlined communication and efficiency,” he says. “This allows a constructive combination of our local knowledge with the ability of our Chinese colleagues to facilitate relationships with our customers in China.”

This differentiator has enhanced FLSmidth’s acknowledged leadership in thickener technology in the region. The company will deliver 25 new thickeners, including high rate, high density and counter-current decantation thickeners, in southern and central Africa this year.

“The design work for these contracts was conducted by FLSmidth’s centre of excellence in the USA,” McKay says. “Given our established local infrastructure and experience in this product range, the thickeners were cost-effectively manufactured in South Africa and China.”

While the fabrication and platework was completed using local skills, the FLSmidth on-site technical support presence to construct and commission the thickeners at Chinese-owned mines in the DRC will integrate staff from the Beijing office.

“This improved communication between FLSmidth and the customer has negated the risk of any misalignment that could slow the process down,” McKay says. “In fact, our Beijing office has become increasingly involved in the full delivery process, fulfilling the role of the project manager. This is significant as the building of relationships across east-west contracts becomes increasingly important.”

FLSmidth offers full-service capabilities in thickener technology, McKay says, starting with bench or pilot scale test work to characterise customers’ material. This informs the customer’s flowsheet and equipment selection and sizing, and the right technology application for cost-effective, optimised operation, the company says.

FLSmidth tackles the need for higher power, throughputs with new TSUV Mark 5 gyratory crusher

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , , , ,

FLSmidth has launched a new “digitally-enabled” gyratory crusher to, it says, deliver the lowest total cost per tonne of material processed, even when crushing the most challenging ore.

In response to the industry need for higher power crushing and throughputs for lower-grade ores, FLSmidth has developed the TSUV Mark 5 Top Service Gyratory Crusher, the world’s most opex- and capex-efficient gyratory crusher, it said.

FLSmidth’s latest generation gyratory crusher, the TSUV Mark 5, follows the success of the Top Service (TS) and Top Service Ultra Duty (TSU) models.

The unique top-service design prioritises safety, maintenance and efficient crushing performance, FLSmidth says. Unlike other gyratory crushers that require workers to get in underneath the crusher to perform high-risk maintenance, the TS range allows service and maintenance to be carried out from above, increasing speed, safety and simplicity. Additionally, the 100-plus tonne, fully-dressed main-shaft no longer needs to be guided into the eccentric assembly by hand. “Now, the shaft aligns automatically, dramatically reducing risk,” the company says.

All TS gyratory crushers are built for strength, durability and the ability to adapt to the various requirements of mine operators, but the TSUV design adds even more power, capacity and flexibility, to give mine operators a low total cost of ownership, according to FLSmidth.

The improved power handling capabilities of up to 1,500 kW allow miners to process more material as ore yields decline, enabling operations to remain competitive, while the crusher footprint has only nominally increased.

Optimised eccentric speeds ensure maximum throughput without incurring excessive wear rates, the company says. This is a finely balanced equation, based on extensive R&D work, which, together with the new service and operational features, gives operators the lowest possible cost per tonne of material processed, it explained.

“To offer even greater potential to optimise performance, the TSUV Gyratory Crusher is digitally enabled – giving operators more control over operations and availability,” FLSmidth says. “The ability to make fine adjustments to wear compensation, track equipment trends and instantly detect crusher obstructions will enable increased uptime, optimum equipment life and significantly reduce risk of unplanned downtime.”

The TSUV Gyratory Crusher can be connected to FLSmidth’s digital ecosystem, which provides operators with the benefits of both FLSmidth technologies and experience. A range of services is on offer, geared towards maintaining asset health and optimising performance, many of which can be carried out remotely, saving both time and money, the company says.

The TSUV Gyratory Crusher’s advanced control system gives operators a 24/7 view of performance metrics, enabling increased reliability, FLSmidth says. And, with further condition monitoring feedback and controls, maintenance can be more proactive, minimising the risk of unscheduled stops.

“Through a combination of all these features, the TSUV Gyratory Crusher achieves the lowest cost per metric tonne in operation of any crusher on the market and gives you the lowest total cost of ownership,” the company says. “This translates into a reduced environmental impact.”

Chris Reinbold, Head of Global Product Line Management, Senior Vice President, Mining, said: “We remain steadfast in our aim to reduce emissions from mining to zero by 2030. Increasing the sustainability of key equipment, like the gyratory crusher, is part of our core goal to invest in efficiency-focused R&D, to deliver the best available equipment to the minerals industry.”

FLSmidth’s digital R&D bearing fruit at the right time

Automation, Comminution of minerals, Communications in mining, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , , , ,

As miners look for more digital solutions to ensure they can cope with the challenges that come with operating through exceptional circumstances like COVID-19, FLSmidth is leveraging decades of research and development to help them make this transition.

Terence Osborn, FLSmidth’s Director of Product and Account Management for sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, highlights that R&D is the lifeblood of the company’s new technologies. So much so, that it has some 80 projects underway to improve its mining-related offerings.

“The power of digital technology is certainly a key element of these efforts,” Osborn says. “Together with our Blue Box digital concept, based on our ECS/ControlCenter™, which is a cybersecure interface between our equipment and cloud data storage, we use our SiteConnect™ mobile app to monitor the performance of equipment and process plants in real time. The ECS/ControlCenter V8 process control platform sits at the heart of our digital vision, a key component in our growing portfolio of digital solutions and services that we call ENABLR.”

An example of this applied capability is an FLSmidth REFLUX® Classifier modular plant operating on a South Africa mine. Using SiteConnect, operations managers can have real-time access to over a hundred operational parameters on the plant. Data analytics linked to the cloud data can also generate time-based trends for instant viewing on the app.

“We have also developed SmartCyclone™ technology for our hydrocyclones,” Osborn noted. “This innovation uses sensors to detect wear and roping, a condition that reduces separation efficiency. By sending an alert when certain operating parameters are breached, the system ensures optimal efficiency is maintained, even as slurry conditions in the circuit vary.”

He highlights that the company’s machine-level solutions are offered as part of plant and process packages. At both plant and process level, there is also FLSmidth’s advanced ECS/ProcessExpert® solutions, which facilitate not just monitoring and control, but advanced optimisation enabled by state-of-the-art artificial intelligence technologies.

“It is important to remember that control systems need to be flexible, so that they adapt to customers’ needs and to their existing systems,” Osborn says. “With FLSmidth’s depth of expertise in software engineering and machine control, we can ensure that our machine-level systems connect with all market leading control systems – to seamlessly deliver the data that mines need for effective decision making.”

The company’s R&D pushes the boundaries of performance in a range of mineral processing fields. These include advancing its lamella plate technology in mineral separation applications, adapting its vertical roller mill for dry grinding in mining, and extending wear life of pumps with new polymers.

Checkproof app to help digitise FLSmidth’s maintenance, service workflow

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

Software as a service company, Checkproof, says it has expanded its agreement with FLSmidth as the mining OEM looks to streamline its maintenance and service work across the globe.

The move follows Checkproof’s work on digitising FLSmidth’s front line work on sites in China, India, Kazakhstan and Arizona (USA), it said.

To support FLSmidth’s work on maintenance and service inspections of its product lines, the CheckProof app is used to perform and report front line daily tasks in any mobile device, securing routines, traceability and follow-up work, the company says.

Checkproof has also been implemented to digitise processes and to support company improvements for quality control of final assembly inspections at FLSmidth’s manufacturing facilities, it said.

Having first implemented the app in China, in 2017, FLSmidth has now gone global with CheckProof.

Tony Durant, Head of Mining Service Execution Europe, Russia and North Africa, FLSmidth, says: “CheckProof has given us the opportunity to change the way we work; to build a coherent and standard methodology to digitise our maintenance services deliverables at one of our customer’s sites. It offers an easy way for us to monitor the status of equipment and all daily maintenance activities.

“The tool itself is easy to use and can be quickly adopted for different kinds of equipment maintenance scenarios. This, combined with the ability to construct libraries within CheckProof, allows working procedures with only minor adaption needs to be scaled quickly, so minimising repeated work creation effort.”

Håkan Holmgren, CEO and Founder of CheckProof said the latest global agreement with FLSmidth represented both a natural and exciting step for the company.

“It’s an acknowledgment that CheckProof generates results, and we are particularly glad to have the confidence of a world-leading player such as FLSmidth,” he said. “We will continue to work hard to support their day-to-day operations and to improve performance, for FLSmidth to reach their goals and offer sustainable productivity worldwide.”

FLSmidth to provide gold processing package to Gold Fields’ Salares Norte

Metallurgy, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , , ,

FLSmidth says it has sold three system packages to Gold Fields for its greenfield Salares Norte project in Chile.

The large downstream gold product line project comprises, FLSmidth says, three complete process islands: a Merrill Crowe, an AARL (Anglo American Research Laboratories) elution circuit and a refinery.

The process plant will treat 2 Mt/y of ore and is expected to produce an average of 2.6 Moz of silver and 286,000 oz of gold annually during its first seven years in operation, FLSmidth said.

FLSmidth’ s systems were chosen for their proven quality and the durability of the technologies involved, according to the OEM. “These factors were crucial for the customer given the modular, fully-automated and custom design required for the specificities of the gold mine, which is situated in the Atacama region of northern Chile at 4,500 m in elevation,” FLSmidth said. “Given the high altitude, it was important that the systems were as automated as possible, with the option of remote monitoring.”

The company added: “Salares Norte further solidifies our position as a premium supplier of projects and solutions even in the most challenging conditions. This contract is also noteworthy given how few new, large gold/silver mines have been established in South America in recent years. Supplying a significant portion of the flowsheet gives FLSmidth another strong reference with a major gold miner.”

Outotec and Metso have also won major orders for Salares Norte.

Jorge Carvajal, Project Sales Director, said: “These orders are the result of work well done and close collaboration. This, in conjunction with a strong focus on our customer during the entire process, were crucial in solidifying our position as a key technical solutions provider in the gold market.”

FLSmidth set for A$50 million roasting contract at TMA’s Gabanintha vanadium project

Energy minerals, Metallurgy, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , ,

FLSmidth is to supply the key roasting kiln section of the Gabanintha vanadium project process plant as part of a binding notice of award the OEM has signed with project owner Technology Metals Australia.

Technology Metals Australia developed a relationship with FLSmidth during the definitive feasibility study (DFS) phase of the Gabanintha project, with the Denmark-based OEM conducting the pilot plant scale salt roasting test work on a bulk sample of Gabanintha magnetic concentrate at its facility in Pennsylvania, USA.

The pilot scale rotary kiln test work (pictured), using a 9.8 m long by 0.9 m in diameter rotary kiln, enabled continuous processing of the magnetic concentrate to provide measurement of key processing factors such as salt dosage, vanadium solubility, recovery and residence times. Such data was used by FLSmidth to assist in engineering design, sizing and cost estimate studies for the ‘roasting’ section of the processing circuit for inclusion in the DFS, TMA said.

The DFS envisaged the development of a plus-16 year operation, producing 27.9 MIb/y of vanadium oxide, with production commencing in 2022. From years one to 12, the run of mine processing rate was estimated to be 1.7-2.3 Mt/y and the total pre-production capital for the build came in at A$454 million.

The supply proposal under the notice of award contemplates the completion of a front-end engineering and design (FEED) study and supply of the required equipment for the complete roasting kiln section of the Gabanintha processing plant. The value of the proposed supply contract is circa-A$50 million ($35 million, ex GST), including approximately A$860,000 (ex GST) for the FEED study.

The commencement of the FEED study is subject to written instruction from the company to proceed and is envisaged to be completed within 26 weeks.

FLSmidth-supplied equipment qualifies for export credit agency financing support through Denmark’s EKF, subject to EKF board approval and thorough due diligence, Technology Metals Australia said. The ASX-listed company said it will be actively pursuing the opportunity to access this funding support as an important part of the overall project funding strategy.

FLSmidth automated lab wins contract extension at Saldanha Iron Ore Terminal

Automation, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, Steel and iron ore, , , , ,

FLSmidth says it has had its Operate and Maintain contract at the Saldanha Iron Ore Terminal on South Africa’s west coast renewed for another three years.

The company has successfully operated the quality control laboratory at Saldanha – Africa’s largest iron ore export facility – for the past eight years, according to Martin Matthysen, Director, SPA (sampling, preparation and analysis), Sub Saharan African and Middle East at FLSmidth.

“An average of approximately 8,500 t of iron ore per hour pass by conveyor from the rail head to the ship during loading,” Matthysen said. “Our automated laboratory located above the conveyor must sample and test from this ore stream, delivering accurate and precise data timeously to stakeholders.”

He says the automated system installed by FLSmidth for a leading iron ore producer takes a representative sample of the ore and processes it though the laboratory with minimal human intervention. It is the only laboratory with ISO 17025 accreditation for the iron ore sector, according to the company, complying with standards ISO 9516 for chemical analysis, ISO 4701 for particle size determination, ISO 3087 for moisture analysis, ISO 11536 for loss of ignition analysis and ISO3082 for sampling.

“Operational quality and stringent standards are vital in this process, as both the seller and the buyer of the ore must be confident that test results on the shipment are accurate and precise,” Matthysen said.

“The laboratory analyses the material’s chemical composition, particle size, moisture content and loss of ignition levels – as these indicators all impact on the final price of the product.”

The accuracy of results is further checked by participating in a proficiency testing scheme as well as ‘round robin’ analysis – in which samples are verified by laboratories selected by end-customers elsewhere in the country and world, according to the company.

“We are pleased to have delivered exemplary past performance at Saldanha, in service of our client’s best interests and efficient operation,” Matthysen said. “Our ongoing focus on quality has also ensured that we remain compliant with all-important ISO standards in our daily processes.”

He added that the automated laboratory’s ability to deliver reliable and accurate results as quickly as it does, is also a vital benefit to the client.