Tag Archives: mineral processing

Botswana diamond mine feels the impact of Weba Chute Systems custom solution

Faced with a challenge of large rocks in the run-of-mine (ROM) feed regularly damaging main support structures, chutes and a grizzly feeder, a diamond mine in Botswana reached out to Weba Chute Systems to design a solution to overcome this costly challenge, which included major safety hazards.

According to Hilton Buys, Regional Manager at Weba Chute Systems, the mine’s existing chutes at the ROM section were cracking and breaking under the barrage of heavy kimberlite rocks measuring up to 1 m in diameter.

“Even the robust grizzly feeder could not withstand the impact of these rocks, which were free-falling about two metres from an apron feeder before contact,” Buys said. “Apart from the costs incurred by this damage, the transfer points were posing a significant safety hazard to mine employees.”

The solution – designed and manufactured at Weba Chute Systems’ Wadeville facility – was a special four-tonne swing door in a discharge chute, feeding from the apron feeder to the grizzly. The heavy, fabricated door is strong enough to withstand the impact while absorbing the energy of the falling rocks before allowing them to drop onto the loading section of the grizzly. The feed can then move in a more controlled manner over the grizzly into the crusher below.

“The key principle was for the door not to give way easily, thereby reducing the velocity and momentum of the large chunks,” Buys said.

There was also a design requirement to accommodate the movement of smaller rocks. This was dealt with through the addition of a second door, to also ease these rocks onto the grizzly to ensure a more gradual feed into the crusher feed chute. The success of the design, which is based on the Weba Chute Systems principle of controlled flow, has been demonstrated in the chute’s ability to operate with very little maintenance, he says. The only components needing regular attention are chute lips and swing door rails.

“We also included some specific design elements in the crusher feed chute, by installing impact rubbers,” Buys said. “Any rocks that may diverge from the main flow stream will then strike this rubber, minimising the vibration and impact on the body of the chute and are still able to drop gently into the crusher.”

Following on the success of this design, the solution was repeated at other customers’ sites, including mines in the Northern Cape which experienced similar challenges.

Kwatani adds to Northern Cape iron ore reference list with latest screening installation

South Africa-based vibrating screen and feeder specialist Kwatani will soon add another installation to its extensive footprint in the Northern Cape, this time for a new customer in the iron ore mining segment.

“We have over 1,000 screens, grizzlies and feeders in this important mining region, giving us a market share of about 95% of heavy-duty screening applications there,” Jan Schoepflin, Kwatani’s General Manager: Sales and Service, said. “With our well-established branch in Kathu, we are also able to assure our new customer of quick and highly competent service levels.”

The ore characteristics of iron ore demands mechanically robust screening equipment and Kwatani has built a name for itself in these applications, according to metallurgist Frengelina Mabotja, Kwatani’s, Head of Sales for SADC. “Our equipment is engineered for tonnage and continuous throughput, without compromising efficiencies,” Mabotja said.

Kwatani’s scope of work on the 700 t/h dry processing plant includes a 1.5-m-wide grizzly screen to remove fines from the run-of-mine material before it reports to secondary crushing and a 1.5-m-single deck scalping screen. The company will also install two 2.4-m-wide, double-deck sizing screens to separate material after secondary crushing, and five feeders to draw material from bins and stockpiles onto conveyor belts for feeding onto the downstream process.

“Our niche expertise allowed us to, once again, offer high performance sizing screens customised for this unique dry sizing application and optimise material separation by achieving the required cut size for the customer’s desired product size,” Mabotja said. “Our solution optimises the material separation while maximising efficiency and ensuring mechanical reliability for continuous and economical production.”

She highlights the depth of in-house experience – from both a metallurgical and mechanical approach– which allows Kwatani to assist the decision making of customers on equipment choice and specifications.

“Through the work of our design team, supported by our manufacturing and testing facilities, we have ensured that the solution will be fit for purpose and reliable,” she said. “The customer was also able to visit our 17,000 sq.m local manufacturing operation in Kempton Park regularly to see how we work, to check on fabrication progress and to witness the testing process.”

The equipment was completed on a tight deadline of 8-12 weeks, for delivery by year-end in line with the customer’s timeframe, according to the company.

“Our fully-equipped branch in the Northern Cape, staffed by specialists with decades of mining experience, will oversee the installation and commissioning of the equipment,” Mabotja said. “Our team will also schedule regular site visits to monitor on the equipment’s performance and condition, and advise on maintenance requirements.”

To underpin the reliable operation of all equipment supplied, Kwatani will also provide training for the customer’s maintenance personnel in the basic maintenance routines required.

Kwatani became a part of Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions late last year.

Weir Minerals’ Vulco rubber compound proves its mill lining worth

Close to four years after release, Weir Minerals Vulco® 67 rubber compound is providing exceptional wear life and reliability in mill lining systems, according to the OEM.

These abrasion- and impact-resistant rubber compounds have been developed with advanced technologies by the Weir Minerals’ team of expert engineers and material scientists who are continually refining Vulco rubber products to keep them at the forefront of mill lining systems technology, the company says.

Having identified a need for higher-wearing rubbers for mill lining systems, the material science experts commenced developing an industry leading, premium-grade rubber compound with superior wear life and performance in mill lining applications. The result was the Vulco R67 rubber – a material manufactured with proprietary new compounds and innovative methods of processing to deliver outstanding wear life and longer uptime, Weir Minerals says.

Extensive field research, compound testing and site trials were conducted to ensure it was not only able to withstand severe abrasion in typical mill system applications, but that it is best in class, the company said.

“In fact, it has been the most wear-resistant rubber compound that Weir Minerals has ever developed for mill lining applications,” Weir Minerals said. “The R67 compound boasts a high hardness, elongation, tensile and tear strength, and is suitable for lifter bars, head/shell plates and grates. When it’s utilised in conjunction with metal cap mill liners, the result is a versatile, economical and efficient product that weighs up to 50% less than steel alone.

“The added benefit is a lighter product that’s faster, easier and safer to install.”

Revolutionising wear lining

Since its launch in 2018, many mining operators from around the globe have implemented the R67 compound into their mill lining systems, according to Weir Minerals. They have reported as much as 20-40% improvement in wear life, which is resulting in fewer mill lining replacements and longer mill campaigns. This reduction in shutdowns has a dual benefit of increased cost savings and improved plant availability.

With a liner that can run significantly longer, operators have experienced a wide range of benefits including:

  • Improved wear life;
  • A measurable reduction in mill downtime;
  • Increased uptime and processing;
  • Easier and safer installations; and
  • Reduced maintenance costs.

In-field success

Extensive global trials and commercial installations in the market have resulted in several successful outcomes across a variety of different grinding applications.

As an example, a high-grade nickel and copper mining project in the US had a problem where the liners in one ball mill were wearing out too quickly, leading to continued downtime and reduced processing. The operation was looking for a product significantly superior to the elastomer it was using. Initially there was reluctance from the mine, as it had loyalty to its original mill supplier, however after Weir Minerals conducted a series of trajectory simulations and discrete modelling – to optimise the design and deliver the best process performance for the mill – it agreed to trial the R67 liners.

At the end of the trial, the R67 showed 30-40% better performance than the incumbent liners and the customer installed a full set of R67 liners in its mill.

Another trial in the US took place in an iron ore mine with several dozen ball mills in operation. Here, Vulco R67 liners delivered a 17% increase in life compared with the failed shell plates from the mine’s original mill lining system supplier. The company has since installed a complete shell liner in its ball mill.

Moving to Chile, a copper mine was keen to trial the R67 compound to see if it could improve the wear time of a competitor rubber liner. After a three-month trial, all liners were physically measured showing the Vulco R67 liners fully worn wear life projected from the actual wear would be 80% longer compared with the incumbent liners.

Another copper processing plant in Chile trialled R67 composite liners in its SAG mill against two other compounds commonly used in the industry. After 12 months, there was a 48% and 62% wear life improvement on the other liners – proving the R67 composite liners could withstand the highly abrasive environment.

Vulco R67 mill liners are made exclusively at Weir Minerals facilities in North and South America, Australia and South Africa, with plans to expand production into more regions in the future.

Metso Outotec to upgrade four ball mills at Asia Pacific copper-gold mine

Metso Outotec says it has signed a services contract for the delivery of four ball mill upgrade packages to a copper and gold mine in Asia Pacific, which has a value of €19 million ($21.4 million).

Refurbishment projects for older, existing assets are an efficient method to extend a mill’s operating life, increase energy efficiency and minimise waste and plant downtime, Metso Outotec said. Additionally, equipment refurbishments lead to improved machine availability and safety by delivering the latest available technology.

Jonathan Allen, Senior Vice President, Grinding, Bulk and Pyro business line of Metso Outotec, said: “We are pleased to have been chosen as the supplier for the grinding mill refurbishment project. The customer’s performance objectives were achieved by offering a technical solution which increased the operating volume of the mill and allows for future process optimisation. Providing these 30-plus-year-old mills a new lease of life is exciting for Metso Outotec and builds on our sustainability promise of delivering circular offerings.”

Metso Outotec says it has delivered and serviced over 8,000 grinding mills globally, including some of the largest and most powerful mills in the world.

Sulzer upgrades VA vertical cantilever sump pump

Sulzer has launched an upgrade of the VA vertical cantilever sump pump, with the update focused on developing a rigid and reliable cantilever sump pump that contains the company’s most efficient hydraulics.

The VA pump range has been designed for pumping all kinds of clean and contaminated liquids and slurry.

The hydraulic coverage of the pump was extended with energy-efficient, non-clogging and wear-resistant options, and it now includes the core process and slurry pump portfolio hydraulics. With the upgrade, multiple improvements were also made to the vertical construction, Sulzer said.

The VA pump is suitable for highly demanding applications such as:

  • Industrial water;
  • Effluents;
  • Corrosive and abrasive mixtures;
  • Hazardous fluids;
  • Abrasive liquids and/or liquids containing large solids;
  • Abrasive fibrous slurries and/or fibrous slurries containing large solids;
  • Abrasive non-fibrous slurries and/or non-fibrous slurries containing large solids; and
  • Heavy slurry.

Metso Outotec refines grinding mill selection options with Horizontal Mill Plant Units

Metso Outotec is launching what it says is yet another unique solution in its range of minerals processing plant islands: the Horizontal Mill Plant Units.

The pre-engineered plant units provide optimised grinding performance and simplify project management through easy circuit selection and flowsheet implementation, according to the company. At the same time, they ensure safe operability and maintainability thanks to state-of-the-art design.

The plant units feature Metso Outotec’s technologies including grinding mills, slurry pumps, hydrocyclones, conveying equipment, automation and service support. The scope of the unit can be tailored according to project requirements (brownfield or greenfield, open or closed circuit), the company said.

Fernando Marques, Global Product Manager at Metso Outotec, said: “Choosing the right solution for a grinding process can be a complex task. In addition to financial and technological aspects, miners must also evaluate executional and operational factors. Our modular Horizontal Mill Plant Units have been developed to make it easier for customers to select and execute the best solution for their grinding needs. Our pre-engineered modules provide a safe and optimised solution for many grinding applications.”

The units combine Metso Outotec horizontal mills, classification, pumping and automation technologies with a wide range of services and operation support. It takes sustainability and grinding performance to a new level by optimising the usage of energy, water, grinding media and consumables, Metso Outotec said. Other benefits include access to grinding and classification expertise to support flowsheet implementation; pre-engineered modules for simple and rapid execution; a process performance guarantee; easy process optimisation thanks to automation and digitalisation features; and sustainable technology with safe operability and maintainability.

Weir Minerals expands the Cavex 2 hydrocyclone range with 650 model

Weir Minerals, building on over 20 years of Cavex® hydrocyclone experience, has added the Cavex 2 650 to its product line, with the cyclone set to deliver unparalleled results, the company says.

The release follows the recent launch of the Cavex 2 hydrocyclone, which brought with it the introduction of a LIG+™ inlet and chamber design that, the company says, produces a more stabilised flow pattern, further reduces turbulences and friction throughout the hydrocyclone and provides up to 30% additional capacity.

The latest 650 model has undergone years of research, lab testing and in-field testing to ensure it can withstand the rigours of heavy-duty industrial and abrasive applications. It also addresses the continual demand for increased operational and circuit capacity, and offers customers process improvements combined with digital technology, Weir Minerals said.

“It is important to note that enhancements of the hydrocyclone performance go hand in hand with improving the environmental footprint of the equipment,” the company said.

“By reducing bypass returning to the mill, fewer fines are returned back to the mill in a closed-circuit milling process, thus reducing the need for energy to be used to further process particles that are already small enough to move on to the next stage. This frees up mill capacity, previously used up with fine particles, for the size reduction of larger particles.”

As a hydrocyclone that can make a finer separation, the Cavex 2 650 can operate at a lower pressure for further energy savings or a higher feed density for water savings, while maintaining the existing cut size from the hydrocyclone, according to the company.

And, finally, using equipment with a higher volumetric capacity requires fewer units to be installed upfront as well as fewer consumable spare parts used over the life of the hydrocyclone.

Significant benefits to mining customers include:

  • Increased operational and circuit capacity up to 30%;
  • Maximised plant recovery by reducing the quantity of misclassified particles with an average improvement of the alpha parameter of more than 10%;
  • Improvements in bypass with an average of over 15%;
  • Opportunity to retrofit Cavex 2 650 cyclone into existing cyclone cluster footprints;
  • Less turbulence during the separation process due to the LIG+ inlet and elongated chamber design;
  • Enhanced performance with a Synertrex®-enabled monitoring system, which can detect roping or blockage conditions in advance for continuous, efficient operation of the hydrocyclone; and
  • Improvement of environmental footprint.

To satisfy all process conditions and slurry types, the Cavex 2 650 hydrocyclone comes with a range of material technology options including Linatex® premium rubber, R55 rubber, neoprene for high levels of hydrocarbon and ceramic.

The Cavex 2 650 hydrocyclone can be customised to suit almost any application with a variety of spigots, vortex finders and cone angles, according to the company.

These new hydrocyclones have already been put to the test, with the latest Cavex 2 650 hydrocyclone trial taking place with a customer in Chile. The testing was conducted in a large copper ore mine which had a SAG mill in a closed circuit with the cyclone cluster. The trial tested one Cavex 2 650 in a six-place cluster of existing Cavex cyclones and saw an improvement of up to 48.5% in circulating load and 31.7% in water bypass versus the original cluster, according to Weir Minerals.

A lab water test with the same hydrocyclone fittings as above also yielded positive results: a 211 mm inlet and 260 mm vortex finder delivered 16% more capacity at 100 kPa, and 17% more capacity at 250 kPa.

“These improvements in efficiency and bypass translate to increased savings for brownfield sites where the existing hydrocyclones do not have enough capacity and are maxed out, while greenfield projects benefit from savings in capital expense,” the company said.

The Cavex 2 650 hydrocyclone is the second in a range of standard sizes that Weir Minerals is planning to release, with more sizes in development to expand the current product range.

CRC ORE, CSIRO look at broadening pre-concentration tech applications

CRC ORE and Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, have formed a Future Research Program to, they say, take CRC ORE’s most promising fields of research into new areas to broaden the impact on the Australian mining industry and economy.

This work will boost the sustainability of the mining industry by helping reduce energy and water consumption, generation of tailings and residues, the physical footprint of operations, as well as optimise the extraction of valuable minerals from resources, the companies said.

The Future Research Program, launched in September 2021, will ensure the work of CRC ORE and its research continues to benefit the Australian mining industry.

The program will expand upon CRC ORE’s foundation research into the development of ore pre-concentration technologies that can be deployed within the mine and ahead of the mineral processing plant. The new research scope will investigate ways to apply these principles further down the mining value chain, targeting smaller particle sizes and a wider range of ore types.

Focus areas will include:

  • Incorporating the principles of Selective Breakage into the design and operation of comminution circuits;
  • Optimising ore feed to coarse and fine particle separators to enhance their performance;
  • Step change reductions in energy and water intensity; and
  • Developing new options for sustainable management of waste material

CRC ORE’s former General Manager of Research and Innovation, Paul Revell, who is now overseeing the program at CSIRO, said, if successful, the research will increase the number of potential locations where pre-concentration can be deployed, providing a larger overall impact for the minerals industry.

“Our aim is to extend the resource base that pre-concentration can be applied to,” Revell said. “The pre-concentration technology developed through CRC ORE is currently best suited to structurally controlled, vein-hosted ores, however these only represent about one third of the resource base on average.

“A key ambition of the new program is, therefore, to initiate research into technologies that can pre-concentrate disseminated ores. This group of ore types can be difficult to pre-concentrate with contemporary mineral processing technology, however they host a significant proportion of valuable base and precious metals.”

Revell said some 3% of global direct energy consumption is used in the mining industry just in crushing rock, so if pre-concentration technology could be applied more broadly across the resource base, it would have a wider global environmental and economic impact.

“The opportunity is to develop more energy efficient crushing and grinding processes that are integrated with a pre-concentration capability, to remove as much barren material from the ore as possible prior to subjecting the remaining ore to energy and water intensive fine grinding and concentration processes,” he said. “We’re focusing on the largest energy consuming portion of the mining value chain.”

Revell said it was important to note that the program is initially small scale and aims to undertake preliminary research into these areas that others could then build upon.

The program will be run for an initial three years with the possibility for extension through continuing industry sponsorship and collaboration.

“We will explore opportunities to engage with the mining industry to build a self-sustaining and on-going applied research portfolio in this field to advance promising developments to commercialisation,” Revell said.

“We are fortunate to have CSIRO as a research partner who are supportive, share this vision, and have a depth of research capability and excellent facilities.”

The program will also support CRC ORE’s mission to help build a highly skilled workforce for the nation amid an ongoing skills shortage in the resources sector. It will initially support a number of Research Higher Degree scholarships, which will be fully funded and placed across several selected Australian universities.

“One of CRC ORE’s key objectives has always been to build research capacity across Australia, which it did very successfully during its government-funded term,” Revell said. “By taking this new seed research and offering higher degree students a Masters degree or a PhD, it will build capacity for the minerals industry as well as getting the work done. It’s a great outcome.”

CSIRO Mineral Resources’ A/Director, Dr Rob Hough, said CSIRO is looking forward to commencing activities within the Future Research Program, initiated in partnership with CRC ORE.

“The R&D focus areas align well with our existing initiatives and plans, which have significant potential to positively impact the Australian minerals industry,” Dr Hough said.

Kwatani large vibrating screen customisation pays off

Process plant designers often underestimate the movement of large vibrating screens when these machines start and stop, a challenge for which Kwatani says it has found an innovative and cost effective solution.

According to Kwatani’s Chief Operating Officer, Kenny Mayhew-Ridgers, the company has achieved considerable improvements in many screening applications by selectively fitting torsional springs alongside coil springs.

“It is well known that the vibrating motion of a screen impacts on the building and structural accessories around it,” Mayhew-Ridgers says. “This vibration is addressed by fitting isolators between the screen and the plant floor, and by constructing the plant building to certain minimum structural specifications.”

However, the focus is often on the frequencies that the screen generates in its steady-state phase – or the normal running phase – rather than during the transient phases when the screen is starting up or slowing down to a stop, Kwatni says.

Mayhew-Ridgers highlights that it is during these transient phases that the screen’s movement becomes amplified and potentially most destructive. Isolators between the screen and the floor – common among which are coil springs and rubber buffers – are meant to absorb vibrations and prevent damage to surrounding infrastructure. However, the transient phases, especially when stopping, can generate considerable sideways movement of the screen, which must be avoided.

“Traditional isolators like coil springs usually perform well in controlling the up-and-down movement of the screen,” he says. “Our experience is that the sideways movement, which is induced most strongly when the machine stops, can be better controlled by torsional springs.”

However, he notes that coil springs retain the advantages of being cost effective and providing a good linear isolation of the screen from the building structure. In this respect, their isolation characteristics are generally better than rubber buffers which excel in terms of their damping qualities.

“The torsional spring provides the best of both worlds, giving a good linear range for compression during operation while also becoming non-linear like the rubber buffer during stopping,” Mayhew-Ridgers says.

Using its experience observing screens operating in the field, Kwatani has developed and trialled various solutions in its dedicated testing centre at its headquarters in Kempton Park, South Africa. By optimising the best combination of coil springs and torsional springs, the company says it has succeeded in achieving the best results for customers.

“It’s not that torsional springs are better than coil springs,” Mayhew-Ridgers says. “It is about finding the right combination – through intensive testing and adaptation – for the customer’s particular requirements; we have both the expertise and the equipment to do this.”

Weir Minerals and Andritz expand tailings processing collaboration with IsoDry

Weir Minerals and Andritz have signed an agreement at MINExpo 2021 expanding their shared commitment and strategic cooperation to supply equipment for processing tailings in the mining industry.

The foundations of this agreement have been built on a shared understanding and vision to enable the sustainable and efficient delivery of the natural resources essential to create a better future for the world, they say.

Since 2018, Weir Minerals’ and Andritz’s partnership has seen them collaborate on joint tailings projects. This shared history as partners has reinforced their abiding belief that, together, both Weir Minerals and Andritz are stronger, they said.

This shared success has led both Weir Minerals and Andritz to renew their ongoing commitment and announce they’ll be expanding their offer to all regions around the globe.

Using Andritz’s proven separation and dewatering technologies, Weir Minerals says it has strengthened its whole-of-mine capabilities, showcasing market-leading products from extraction to comminution, mill circuit and tailings management.

“Weir Minerals has been providing tailings solutions for decades; we have dedicated research facilities – the Weir Technical Centre in Melbourne, Australia, and the Sustainable Mining Centre in Venlo, Netherlands – that are challenging conventional ways of thinking about tailings, while also developing practical, innovative and sustainable solutions that will reduce operating costs and improve safety,” Ricardo Garib, Weir Minerals Division President, said.

“Decreasing ore grades mean that mines are producing more tailings than ever before. One of the challenges with tailings management is that there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach; each mine requires a tailored solution that carefully considers the minerals being processed, as well as the site’s climatic and geological conditions. Weir Minerals prides itself on having both the expertise and equipment that allows us to partner with miners everywhere to plan and implement tailings solutions based on their operations’ unique challenges and this agreement with Andritz enhances those capabilities,” he said.

Steve Huff, President Andritz Separation, said: “Andritz has a long history working across a range of different industries. We are very proud of the work we’ve done with Weir Minerals; together, we’re excited about continuing to provide a joint offering of sustainable and value-added tailings solutions. Both companies bring a different expertise and know-how to the partnership; we complement one another and ultimately, it’s our customers who’ll benefit.”

Tailings management forms an important element of Weir Minerals’ broader integrated solutions approach, which considers problems and challenges from all perspective and draws on a range of experts – process engineers, design engineers, product experts and materials scientists, among others – to identify potential challenges and opportunities and provide tailored solutions.

Charlie Stone, Weir Minerals VP Sales and Business Development-Mill Circuit, said: “This latest agreement enhances our overall tailings offering and enables us to provide our customers with a complete tailings solution. Under the brand name IsoDry, we will continue to offer customers a range of mechanical separation technologies, such as thickeners, filter presses, centrifuges, and vacuum belt filters.”

Weir Minerals has strengthened its tailings team to support the market and ensure that it can provide innovative solutions based on each customer’s specific requirements.

The agreement provides the opportunity for potential future collaboration on technology, harnessing Andritz’s separation technology in conjunction with Weir Minerals’ minerals and tailings processing technology. Many of these products – Warman® pumps to transport fluid tailings, GEHO® pumps to handle paste, Cavex® hydrocyclones to dewater tailings and the Multiflo® range of dewatering solutions – have been integral to helping miners manage their waste for generations, they said.

Weir Minerals and Andritz have also reiterated their shared commitment to sustainability; it is an essential part of both their business and corporate strategies. Both companies say they have outlined ambitious plans to reduce their carbon emissions, while their approach to ESG initiatives extends to all aspects of their organisations.