Tag Archives: Metso

Blackstone Minerals engages Metso for nickel, cobalt refinery plans in Vietnam

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , ,

Blackstone Minerals Ltd has announced the inclusion of Metso as the technology supplier for the definitive feasibility study of the company’s pCAM (precursor cathode active material) processing plant in its Ta Khoa refinery in Vietnam.

Metso is already involved in the design of the pCAM plant and will also conduct independent pCAM test work to validate the nickel and cobalt sulphates generated during the pilot program for suitability in pCAM generation, the OEM says.

Metso is currently designing the pCAM plant with Wood, providing experience and engineering technical support.

Scott Williamson, Managing Director at Blackstone Minerals Ltd, said: “Blackstone intends to leverage off Metso’s engineering services and know-how into the pCAM facility design, thus de-risking the project and confirming Blackstone’s intent to be a real player in the pCAM space. Securing another world leader to the Ta Khoa project is yet another jigsaw piece in the battery value chain puzzle. Blackstone continues to look forward to project success as it marches towards developing the greenest and most resilient nickel business in the world.”

Blackstone highlighted the OEM’s high value technology in the context of the pCAM facility design, such as the modular OKTOP® reactors (with industrial references for scaling-up pCAM precipitation processes), Larox® filtration technologies and Courier® HX continuous product quality analyser equipment to enable precision control and real-time optimisation.

“Metso has shown that precursors precipitated with OKTOP reactor technology are proven to meet the required chemical and physical properties for high-performance cathode active material,” it said.

Rudi Rautenbach, Director, Minerals Sales, Asia-Pacific, Metso, said: “We are confident that our experience in nickel processing and battery metals technologies will contribute positively to the project. Many of our offerings that are planned to be used in this project are selected from our range of Planet Positive products, which are demonstrably more energy or water efficient than the industry benchmark or Metso’s previous generation products in the market, to help our customers cut their CO2 emissions and/or to achieve other sustainability priorities. We believe these are all in line with Blackstone’s objectives towards developing the greenest and most resilient nickel business in the world.”

Metso says it provides sustainable technology and equipment for the entire lithium, nickel, and cobalt production chain from the mine to battery materials and black mass recycling with project scopes ranging from equipment packages to plant deliveries. Metso has its own pCAM testing facilities.

A February 2022 prefeasibility study on the 90%-owned Ta Khoa project outlined first concentrate production in in 2025, ramping up to nameplate design of 8 Mt/y in 2027. It expected a steady-state average annual nickel output (recovered in concentrate) of circa-18,000 t/y and steady-state average annual concentrate production of circa-225,000 t/y. The project also came with a steady-state refining capacity of 400,000 t/y, with first production of NCM811 precursor material commencing in early 2025.

Metso and Torngat Metals partner on rare earth processing pilot

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

Torngat Metals Ltd and Metso have signed a contract for large-volume pilot scale processing of ore, with the focus of the agreement being to pilot test the beneficiation of ore extracted from Torngat’s Strange Lake rare earth project in Québec, Canada.

This project is a critical driver for the electrification value chain, specifically the manufacturing of permanent magnets for electric motors, wind turbines and other low carbon technologies, Metso said.

The process incorporates advanced technologies including X-ray sensor-based ore sorting, magnetic separation and flotation, based on Metso’s proprietary and leading-edge technology. This work is being executed in close collaboration with GTK Mintec (Geological Survey of Finland), the company added.

“We are very pleased to expand this partnership with Metso, not only because of its world leading mineral processing expertise and capabilities, but also because of the values we share in our commitment to enabling sustainability and decarbonisation in our operations and in our communities,” Dirk Naumann, President and CEO of Torngat, said.

The first phase of work will be completed by the end of 2023, resulting in the production of a rare earth concentrate. The next phase of work will use the rare earth concentrate to scale-up and optimise the subsequent process steps to produce a mixed rare earth solution, based on Metso’s expertise in acid- and heat-based minerals processing and purification, it said. Metso will also provide production-scale engineering and offer technology and equipment solutions for future commercial operations with Torngat.

Torngat is a private company developing the Strange Lake project in the Nunavik region of Québec to provide a long-term responsible supply of rare earths required for technologies including electric vehicles and wind turbines.

Metso builds out Ma’aden relationship with Mansourah & Massarah LCS contract

Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , ,

Metso says it has signed a two-year Life Cycle Services (LCS) contract with Ma’aden’s Base Metals and New Minerals company’s new gold processing plant at the Mansourah & Massarah site in Saudi Arabia.

Metso will support the customer in commissioning, ramping up and optimising the new greenfield site, covering both maintenance and plant operations, it says. Other elements of the agreement are field services and recommendations for wear and spare parts management, and advisory and training services.

The agreement demonstrates Metso’s service expertise, and it is an important continuation of the greenfield mineral concentrator and gold processing plant agreement signed in 2019, it said. This contract, related to Outotec at the time, saw a consortium of Outotec and Larsen & Toubro awarded with an engineering, procurement and construction contract to build a greenfield mineral concentrator and gold processing plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Mansourah & Massarah operation has been built in the Central Arabian gold region, with the processing plant capable of up to 4 Mt/y throughput. The concentrator and the gold processing plant has been designed to produce an average of 250,000 oz/y of gold over the life of mine.

The customer has the option to extend the contract by one year.

Kamal Pahuja, President Middle East and India market area, Metso, said: “We are very delighted with the customer’s continued trust in Metso. By choosing Metso’s Life Cycle Services contract, Ma’aden will receive comprehensive and top-notch service solutions as well as on-site technical expertise and support. We are committed to safety and sustainability objectives and will work with and support the customer in achieving their operational objectives. We are also committed to strengthening our service capabilities in the region to serve the growing customer base.”

Duncan Bradford, Executive Vice-President, Ma’aden Base Metals and Minerals BU, said: “Our aim is to lift the productivity of the new plant to the target level, strengthen the skills of our Saudi employees, and achieve our production and safety targets. The new plant will use three different methods of gold processing, including the first autoclave in Saudi Arabia; this requires a lot of know-how and proactive planning for trouble-free operation and maximum productivity. Metso already has a comprehensive range of key equipment for the plant flowsheet, and we will be able to benefit from Metso’s technological and service expertise.”

Metso receives repeat order from iron ore processing plant in Europe

Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, ,

Metso has received a repeat order for an iron ore processing plant in Europe, for a replacement chain for its iron ore pelletising system.

The OEM’s complete chain package delivery consists of more than 6,000 high-quality grate plates, chain links, through rods and side plates supported by comprehensive maintenance and full services to maximise production uptime.

The order valued at €9 million ($9.9 million) has been booked in the Minerals’ segment March quarter orders received.

“We are honoured that the customer has chosen Metso to provide critical components for this important project,” Roar Vasboe, Vice President of Sales and Services Nordics for Metso, said. “Our team is dedicated to providing high-quality, reliable products that meet the needs of our customer. We are committed to sustainability and continuous improvement, and we are confident that our solution will help them to achieve their production goals safely and efficiently.”

Metso says it is the only supplier in the world that has both the straight grate and the grate kiln process for pelletising.

The company has designed and supplied the most modern and largest grate kiln systems in the world, with these plants having the highest outputs with the lowest fuel usage and lowest emissions.

Metso boosts comminution power at Zijin Mining’s Julong copper concentrator

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Metso says it has been awarded an order for key concentrator plant equipment by Zijin Mining Group for its Julong copper project in the Tibetan Autonomous region.

The value of the order is approximately €85 million ($93 million).

The comminution circuit will be one of the highest powered in China, including a Superior™ MKIII primary gyratory crusher, a geared Premier™ SAG mill and gearless mill drive (GMD) Premier ball mill with 24 MW of installed power, as well as four Nordberg® HP900™ cone crushers, Metso says.

To ensure efficient and sustainable concentrate separation, Metso will deliver 24 TankCell® TC630 flotation cells, five HRT Hight Rate Thickeners, and two Larox® FFP2512 filters. Thanks to their superior energy- and water-efficiency, most of the equipment are part of Metso’s Planet Positive offering, the company added.

Xun Fang, Head of Metso’s Minerals Sales in Greater China, said: “We are very pleased to have been chosen as the partner to deliver the concentrator plant equipment for this ambitious project. The Julong copper mine is located on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau at an altitude of 5,300 m, one of the highest mining sites in the world. The elevation of the plant places tough requirements for the equipment. This is one of the reasons Zijin Mining chose Metso, as our technology is known for its sustainability, reliability and high performance. The delivery includes a GMD ball mill, the first GMD mill to be delivered to China and the most powerful ball mill ever made. TankCells and High Rate Thickeners to be delivered are high-capacity equipment, reducing embedded carbon and increasing overall plant availability. Two of the thickeners are for tailings and are 100 meters in diameter. In addition, our local service capability is highly appreciated by the customer.”

Metso focuses on growing ‘strong unified’ company and brand with name change

Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, Mining software, Sustainable mining, Water management, ,

Shareholders of Metso Outotec have approved the Board of Directors’ proposal to change the company name to Metso Corporation, bringing an end to a name that was instated in mid-2020 when the two firms – Metso and Outotec – merged.

The change of the parent company name Metso Corporation is effective starting May 4, 2023, but globally the change will be implemented in a phased manner. The visual identity of the company remains unchanged, but the new name is reflected in the company logo, Metso said.

Outotec continues as a product brand and carries significant value as the name of some key technologies and products, it clarified.

The news follows voting at the company’s Annual General Meeting yesterday.

“After the successful integration of Metso and Outotec, we will focus on growing a strong unified Metso company and brand,” President and CEO of Metso, Pekka Vauramo, said. “We have combined two valuable companies into one strong Metso. Our focus is clear: we continue enabling sustainable modern life and transforming the industry with a clear strategy and strong culture, supported by a name that is short yet established and well recognised among all our stakeholders. Services are an extremely important part of our business, requiring a strong name.”

Metso Outotec’s Executive Team has been renamed Metso Leadership Team (MLT).

Metso merged with Outotec on June 30, 2020, bringing together circa-15,000 employees, some 5,000 service representatives and around €4.2 billion ($4.7 billion) of sales (in 2019).

Pilot Crushtec talks up DoppiaTrac DR400 fully mobile double-roll crusher

Coal technology, Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , ,

Pilot Crushtec says Africa’s only locally manufactured, fully mobile double-roll crusher, the DoppiaTrac DR400, continues to perform well in the field of mobile coal crushing.

The DoppiaTrac DR400 now has a decade of success in the field, according to the company, achieving production rates of 300-400 t/h.

“We designed the DR400 from the ground up to give us the flexibility to produce a truly great crushing solution,” Jorge Abelho, Director, Technical Support at Pilot Crushtec, said. “It has proved itself through its combination of throughput, reliability and economy.”

The machine’s ability to reduce the generation of fines is thanks to the double-roll crusher. While a horizontal shaft impact crusher creates more coal fines due to impact energy, the double-roll crusher forces material through a constant gap, according to the company.

Pilot Crushtec Sales Engineer, Ben Armitage, said: “The crusher uses just enough energy to break the material down to the size of the gap. The DR400 generates less than 5% of 0-6 mm fines, compared to around 12% created by impact crushers – depending on coal hardness and crushing ratios.”

The DR400 boasts a large hopper that is readily fed by loaders or excavators. To increase the average production rate, the unit can be interlocked as part of a crushing train. Connected with a Metso LT106 jaw crusher, the two units can communicate to synchronise the feed rate. This optimises throughput by automatically adjusting the rate of material moving between the machines. The on-board hydraulic rock breaker on the Metso LT106 also allows oversize material to be quickly broken, avoiding blockages and preventing downtime, according to the company.

Crushing efficiency is enhanced by feeding material into the crushing chamber at exactly the same speed that the drums are spinning, Pilot Crushtec explains. This minimises attrition and friction, even at high throughput rates.

Armitage said: “The safety features on the DR400 ensure that it is compliant with demanding safety protocols applied by mining companies. These include full guarding around all moving parts, access points, nip points and crushing points – as well as pull cords and emergency stops to quickly isolate the unit when necessary.”

He explained that the efficient Volvo engine delivers the lowest kW per tonne of any mobile double-roll crusher working in the coal sector. Depending on coal characteristics, the engine’s 160 kW output can convert to a ratio of just 0.4 kW/t.

“The fuel consumption is also a significant factor for operators, and this crusher can run on as little as 17 litres per hour,” Armitage says. “This is achieved with a hydraulic load sensing system and an optimised crusher chamber design, which reduce the power needed to crush the coal.”

The quality and simplicity of the DR400 is demonstrated by the fact that over 25 of these machines are currently in operation around South Africa – one of which exceeds 22,000 hours of operation. Pilot Crushtec says it supports the DR400 through its service levels, stock holding and after-market offerings.

Metso Outotec to divest Vereeniging mill linings, pump facility

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , ,

Close to eight months since Metso announced it was evaluating the potential closure or other alternatives for its operations in Vereeniging, South Africa, Metso Outotec has made the decision to divest the fabrication, machining and assembly facility and close or rearrange the rest of the operations.

Back in March, Metso said the evaluation was part of the company’s global supply footprint development strategy within its Minerals operations.

Sami Takaluoma (pictured), President, Consumables business area at Metso Outotec, said the company carefully evaluated all opportunities, with the target to find the best possible option for customers and employees.

“Approximately 110 employees will continue with the new local owner in the spare parts manufacturing and repair operations,” he said.

“To ensure the best value, availability and quality to our customers, the mill linings production, as well as pump assembly operations, will be transferred to our other manufacturing units with flexible global service capability,” Takaluoma said. “We will continue to have some field service and engineering specialists in Vereeniging to ensure a sustainable transition as well as uninterrupted service to our customers.”

The unit in Vereeniging has provided pumps, spare parts, consumables, and repair services for the mining industry. The unit has employed around 200 employees.

Metso Outotec added: “The decisions made on the Vereeniging site operations are not related to the Metso Outotec combination.”

Metso wins plaudits in Chile with Phibrand supplier ranking

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining industry recognition, Mining maintenance, , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec has received recognition as the leading supplier in the Mining Suppliers’ Ranking conducted by Phibrand in Chile.

In the winning categories, Metso Outotec was nominated under the name Metso, as the survey was initiated in May 2020, prior to the merger of Metso Minerals and Outotec on July 1, 2020.

These categories include Crushers, Mills and Plant Maintenance as well as the highest recognition in the ranking, the Best Performing International Supplier.

Eduardo Nilo, President of Metso Outotec’s South America market area (pictured in the middle), said: “This recognition makes us happy and this is truly a moment of pride for us, as the winners are nominated by the customers themselves in a very competitive, high-end market.

“We want to continue improving and delivering the best service to our customers by knowing their needs and innovating solutions.”

He added: “We are experiencing a historic year for several reasons – we have taken a new step of growth by becoming Metso Outotec, and the pandemic has led us to develop new, safer ways to operate in factories and service centres as well as in the field. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their exceptional work.”

The Mining Suppliers’ Ranking is a globally unique survey in the mining industry, according to Metsou Outotec, providing an outlook on how suppliers are positioned in the Chile market.

Metso Outotec has a strong presence in the whole South America market with six service centres, four factories, four distribution centres, a foundry and a performance centre established in 2019 to focus on remote monitoring.

Neles aims for environmentally friendly valve production with new tech centre

Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

Neles, the valves focused spin off of Metso, has announced the start-up of operations at its new valve technology centre in Jiaxing, China.

The new plant strengthens Neles’ valve and related products production capabilities and increases availability for customers across various process industries, in China and globally, it said.

This is the first major announcement from the company since it became a new entity with the partial demerger of Metso (into Neles) and the merger of Metso and Outotec to become Metso Outotec.

The greenfield investment in China to respond to the growing demand of reliable valve technologies was announced back in October 2018.

Olli Isotalo, President and CEO of Neles, said: “This is an important strategic addition to Neles’ global manufacturing footprint and good news for our valve customers around the world. With this investment, our target is to further improve our service and delivery capabilities to meet the diverse and evolving needs of our customers.”

Jiaxing’s manufacturing layout is designed with the latest technologies for efficient and environmentally friendly mass production of high-volume standard valve products, Neles said.

Kevin Tinsley, Head of Valve Operations at Neles, said the principle has been to ensure the most reliable and emission-free production processes from the new plant.

“For example, the liquid recycling system at Jiaxing allows reusing 95% of the liquids used in machining or testing processes and thus minimising formation of hazardous substances,” he said.

“Also, the Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer in use allows as much as 99% organic compound free painting process.”

The new plant will produce over 100,000 valves per year, according to the company.

“With access to a variety of competitive logistic options, the products from Jiaxing can be shipped to customers or Neles supply centres around the globe with dramatically improved lead times,” it added.

In addition to Jiaxing, Neles’ valve technology centre in China in the Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone in Shanghai continues operations, focusing on highly engineered products.

Neles employs around 400 flow control specialists at four main locations in China, serving all process industries.

Isotalo concluded: “China is an extremely important market for our business. The new technology centre will have a key role in strengthening our R&D capability in China as well as our global footprint and position as a leading provider of reliable flow control solutions.”

Today, Neles has valve technology or production centres around the world in North America, Germany, Finland, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and India.