Tag Archives: Royal IHC

Royal IHC to deliver automated wet harvesting equipment to Mackay potash project

Automation, Bulk handling, Energy minerals, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , , , , ,

Agrimin has awarded Royal IHC the front end engineering and design (FEED) contract to provide automated wet harvesting equipment for the Mackay potash project in Western Australia.

Wet harvesting is currently used at the world’s largest sulphate of potash (SOP) operations and IHC is the world leader in the design and manufacture of dredging systems for wet harvesting solutions, according to Agrimin.

The Mackay potash project has been designed to use automated wet harvesters to collect and transfer raw potash salts from the solar evaporation ponds directly to the processing plant in slurry form. Inclusion of the wet harvesting technique in the definitive feasibility study (DFS) was supported by critical field data generated from Agrimin’s pilot pond operations between October 2018 and June 2020, the company said.

Application of the wet harvesting technique can provide significant operating benefits to Mackay potash project, including:

  • Significantly lower energy consumption to transfer raw potash salts from the evaporation ponds to the processing plant (ie raw potash salts will be transferred to the plant via pipeline as a slurry, thereby removing the requirement to truck dry salts);
  • Reduced labour costs as wet harvesters will be automated;
  • Increased overall potassium recovery with harvesting of two pre-concentration ponds to recover a portion of the potassium-bearing entrained brine; and
  • Reduced pond sizes due to harvesting occurring earlier in the evaporation cycle and not having to take ponds off-line for harvesting.

The wet harvester FEED work will be completed over the next eight months, building on the DFS level design work that was completed by IHC. IHC will deliver detailed construction design drawings for all key areas of the equipment including cutting tools and propulsion, slurry transport systems, hydraulics, electrics, field testing and a fixed cost for supply of the harvesting equipment, Agrimin said.

Production capacity at Mackay is designed to be 450,000 t/y of SOP over an initial 40-year mine life.

Royal IHC cutter suction dredgers to be delivered to Arab Potash Company

Comminution of minerals, Energy minerals, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , ,

Royal IHC says it has signed three contracts with Jordan-based Arab Potash Company (APC) to deliver two cutter suction dredgers (CSDs) and implement a new maintenance agreement at its operations in Jordan.

The first contract comprises the delivery of a custom-built CSD, the second is a three-year maintenance contract for the IHC dredgers JARASH and MUTAH, and the third involves another dredger, which will be a copy of JARASH.

The newly built CSD – the ALKARAMAH – is based on a modified, innovative IHC Beaver® 65 DDSP with three different working depth ranges: up to 18 m, 25 m and 32 m. It will be further adapted for the stepping, swinging and cutting of firm soil types, and include a Christmas tree configuration for dredging at 32 m, according to IHC. A work boat modified from a DMC 1450 is also part of the contract and both units will be made suitable for operations in the Dead Sea, the company added.

Included in the contract will be the supply and international transport of equipment and services to ensure a smooth start-up of activities at two different locations. Furthermore, APC will be supported by IHC with extensive field engineering services such as overland transportation, (de)mobilisation, dredger modifications, crew training, and maintenance support services, IHC said.

APC will deploy the CSD at the Dead Sea in Jordan, where it will be initially used to develop a new pump station. After completion, the ALKARAMAH will be modified by IHC and redeployed to APC’s Salt Ponds to support the existing fleet in the cutting and removal of crystallised salt.

The second contract comprises a three-year maintenance agreement for APC’s dredgers: JARASH (a custom-built CSD) and MUTAH (an IHC Beaver 40), both delivered by IHC. The purpose of the maintenance contract is to achieve and maintain an agreed level of uptime for the two dredgers, according to IHC.

All maintenance and repair work will be managed and executed by IHC’s local office in the Middle East, including the supply of spare parts, it said. “With this contract, IHC is now delivering a complete integrated value proposition, from the design and build to maintenance, with an agreement in place regarding the performance of the dredgers,” the company added.

The third contract will see the turnkey supply of a custom-built vessel named ALYARMOUK – a 3,557 kW CSD. “It is a further developed copy of the CSD JARASH, which IHC delivered to APC in 2018,” IHC said. “As part of its long-term growth strategy, APC will use ALYARMOUK at its site in Jordan, where it will cut and remove crystallised salt under harsh conditions.”

IHC said: “Through the three contracts, IHC remains fully committed to further developing its long lasting cooperation with APC in the field of dredging and wet mining by supplying dredgers, equipment and services. This total integrated value proposition will help to support and maximise APC’s growth, competitiveness and profitability in the global wet mining market.”

Operations at Kenmare’s Moma mine heat up with Royal IHC, Pyromak order

Equipment maintenance, Industrial minerals, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , ,

Royal IHC and Pyromak, through a recently formed partnership, have received an order for two reheaters for Kenmare Resources’ Moma mineral sands mine, in Mozambique.

As part of the contract with Kenmare Moma Processing (Mauritius) Ltd, two indirect electric reheaters will operate at the Moma mine, located on the north-east coast of the country.

Royal IHC said the order was the result of the strong relationship between IHC and Kenmare, where IHC has recently delivered a third mining dredger for Kenmare, JULIA, to also operate at Moma.

The indirect electric reheaters allow for the uniformed reheating of products by suspending the material in a fluid-like state, according to IHC. The complete surface of the material is then exposed to the electric heating elements. The discharge temperature is measured and controlled by adjusting the voltage supplied to the electric elements.

“If no reheating is required, the control system switches off the power supply to the elements, but the fluidising fan continues to operate, allowing material to flow through the reheater,” it said. “The reheater can adjust to changes in feed and ambient conditions rapidly, and also reduces operational costs.”

IHC’s Australia based specialised business unit for the mineral sands and alluvial mining industry, IHC Robbins, and Pyromak signed a partnership to join forces to become a leading global service provider and supplier of fluidised bed drying (FBD) systems recently.

The design of IHC Robbins-Pyromak dryers, coolers and heaters is based on the fluidised bed principle. Material in a fluidised state behaves as a liquid, flowing over and under weirs, maintaining a level surface and exerting a hydrostatic head proportional to the bed depth.

Pyromak has over 35 years of experience in the product development, engineering design, installation and maintenance of fluid bed dryers and associated systems, IHC Robbins has global expertise in the resources industry (specialising in the heavy mineral sands sector). Their partnership offers a unique mix of experience and capability to deliver customised solutions, tailored to suit customers’ specific operational requirements.