Tag Archives: material handling

Metso-Freeport-refinery

Freeport-McMoRan books material handling order with Metso for El Paso electrorefinery

Automation, Base metals, Mineral processing, Mining services, , , , , ,

Freeport-McMoRan has awarded Metso an order for the delivery of a state-of-the art tankhouse material handling solution to its El Paso electrorefinery in Texas, USA.

The order, which comes with a value exceeding €10 million ($10.9 million), will see Metso deliver Outotec Anode Preparation and Cathode Stripping Machines, both based on proven design, ensuring high safety and long-term reliability, the company says. Both machines use modern robotic electrode handling to, Metso says, optimise layout and material handling efficiency in the existing refinery.

Mikko Rantaharju, Vice President, Hydrometallurgy business line at Metso, said: “We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Freeport-McMoRan with this important project. We are confident that our technology will ensure high efficiency and quality of copper production in the El Paso copper electrorefinery after the modernisation. The solution will combine our long-term experience of similar equipment with modern robot technology to fulfill the material handling requirement of the existing tankhouse.”

Metso says it is a leading tankhouse technology supplier for copper refineries, with its offering covering key equipment based on proprietary technology, as well as basic engineering, digital solutions and services.

Chute Technology improves the flow at Ulan operations

Bulk handling, Coal technology, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

Chute Technology says its new coal and ore handling technologies, designed to overcome production-limiting factors at mines and bulk handling terminals throughout Australia, are proving their worth in service at the Ulan operations in New South Wales.

The technology packages are designed to eliminate potential bottlenecks, occupational health and safety issues and weak links in the production chain that can increase downtime and reduce output, Chute Technology says.

Typical issues include bin surging, bulk cleaning, spillages, blockages and reduced throughput rates, resulting in inefficient production.

According to Dennis Pomfret, Managing Director, Chute Technology, the company designed a customised chute to eliminate potential downtime for a specific section of the bypass system at the Ulan Surface Operations, which IM understands is owned by Glencore.

The new chute has dramatically reduced downtime since commissioning, according to the company, whereas the legacy arrangements were a source of multiple hours of lost production.

“The new chute allows Ulan Surface Operations to operate with a full feed rate of 2,000 t/h without any stoppages or blockages, so they can maximise their productivity and our profitability,” Pomfret said.

Chute Technology says it combines its decades of Australian and international practical engineering experience with advanced expertise in new flow enhancement and problem-solving technologies to produce modern answers to minerals and materials handling problems. The company provides audits and solutions extending from single issues at individual plants through to whole-of-process improvements extending from mines to port or point of resource use.

Pomfret said Ulan Surface Operations was looking to the future by investing in a solution designed to maximise productivity and eliminate unwanted downtime.

“We’re delighted that we could make Ulan Surface Operations’ bypass vision come to life, and it’s rewarding to see it working out in service,” he said. “Ulan Surface Operations is always looking to employ modern solutions that avoid problems in the first place, rather than cleaning up a mess after it occurs.”

Chute Technology performed an audit of current operations to gain a holistic view of current operations, before recommending the solution. The engineering audit determined that functionality of one known trouble spot, the bypass hopper and vibratory feeder, could be taken out of service and replaced with a simpler transfer chute with an in-built surge capacity.

The chute was designed in such a way that it could all be lifted and installed in one go, minimising installation downtime, the company said.

Chute Technology also designed and installed an adjustable surge control baffle device to control the height of material on the conveyor belt. The device acts like a trimmer on the end of the chute, where it trims the height of material during times of surge loading, to avoid belt overloading, side spillage and keep material heights consistent.

“We anticipate the surge control device will reduce spillage considerably, especially when taking into account the typical delays in conveyor stopping and starting sequences,” Pomfret said.

“A major consideration for the project was to design the new chute around the existing structures as much as possible, so that there was as little rework or modifications needed before installation.

“We also took into consideration that the drop height is almost 15 m. Ulan Surface Operations wished to retain their surge bin, floor structure, vibrating feeder and conveyor structures, so we designed around these as much as was possible. Additionally, the design was modular, so the installation took as little time as possible.”

Chute Technology says it selected an asymmetric chute to avoid belt mis-tracking issues, a “virtual skirtboard” to optimise the internal flow geometry and designed a single point of contact flow path so the material flow is constantly in contact with the chute from the head pulley to the receiving belt.

Pomfret concluded: “This project has been an excellent success, and we look forward to a long-term relationship with Ulan Surface Operations, as they look to maximise productivity and profitability.”

FLSmidth set to showcase lithium engineering expertise at ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge

Energy minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ioneer Ltd has awarded a major engineering and equipment supply contract to FLSmidth for the development of the Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project in Nevada, USA.

The contract has been awarded on a limited notice to proceed (LNTP) basis, with the supply of the equipment packages being conditional on a final investment decision on the project by ioneer’s Board of Directors.

Under the contract, FLSmidth has commenced work on product engineering for the equipment packages, which include crushing and material handling equipment, plus lithium carbonate and boric acid dryers.

FLSmidth, Ioneer says, has significant experience in providing technology, equipment, engineering and services expertise to the battery minerals sector. It has a strong US presence and is committed to improving project efficiency while reducing environmental impacts on site.

FLSmidth has also introduced ioneer to Denmark’s Export Credit Agency (EKF) regarding potential financing options.

ioneer Managing Director, Bernard Rowe, said: “The contract with FLSmidth is one of the more significant supply packages we will award at Rhyolite Ridge and represents another step in the development of the project.

“FLSmidth is focused on providing environmentally sound engineering and technology solutions. This aligns with ioneer’s ambition to not only produce materials necessary for electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure, but to do so in an efficient and environmentally responsible manner through lowered emissions, significantly reduced water usage and a small surface footprint.”

FLSmidth Mining President, Mikko Keto, said: “This contract provides clear recognition of our experience, know-how, and world-class technologies for processing lithium. It is also important to note that our localised approach and strength in service and aftermarket were important factors for ioneer when it came to choosing a partner.”

The lithium and boron resource at Rhyolite Ridge is estimated at 146.5 Mt, including a reserve of 60 Mt. The company expects to mine and process 63.8 Mt over the 26-year mine life at an average annual rate of 2.5 Mt/y. This will see it produce, on average, 22,340 t of lithium carbonate (99% purity) (years 1 to 3), 21,951 t of lithium hydroxide (99.5% purity) (year four onward) and 174,378 t boric acid (life of quarry).

Hawk Measurement Systems releases OptioLaser L100 and L200 level transmitters

Bulk handling, Mine surveying, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , ,

Hawk Measurement Systems has released new laser level transmitters that, the company says, are ideal for level, distance and position measurement of solid and liquid surfaces.

The OptioLaser L100 (pictured) and L200 Laser Level Transmitters use a laser that is uniquely different due to the very narrow beam that can measure long and short distances at virtually any angle, Hawk says. On top of this, the OptioLaser L100/L200 is made completely of stainless steel and is extremely rugged, built for the harshest of environments.

Leon Botha, OptioLaser Product Manager, explained that the accurate and durable design of the laser sensors was necessary due to the wide range of applications and industries Hawk caters to.

“The OptioLaser sensors can measure anything from a flat metal plate on the side of any overhead crane, to the top of material stored in a silo,” Botha said. “They are ideal for long- and short-range applications where the unit needs to see through a narrow opening or tube.”

Botha added: “These sensors are being used with great success in many areas such as blocked chute detection, material handling, positioning, plastic pellet silos, conveyor belt edge control, ore pass levels and bin levels, to name a few.”

The OptioLaser L100/L200 Laser Level Transmitters are fully programmable and include simple to use software, Hawk says. The lasers can be configured for either distance or level measurement and will be useful in applications such as mining.