Tag Archives: Screening

Sandvik Digital Assistant finetuning crusher, screen operating and maintenance strategies

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

Among the attractions of the Sandvik Digital Assistant (SAM) is that it delivers value to everyone in the crushing and screening value chain, raising the game for forward-looking mines, the OEM says.

Recently launched into Africa at the Electra Mining Africa exhibition in Johannesburg, SAM’s reception among large and small players on the continent has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Ali Jumaa, Digital Product Manager for Sandvik Rock Processing.

“There is no doubt that the local market is ready for SAM, judging from the enthusiastic response we have had from customers,” Jumaa says. “Mines are looking to work smarter, and SAM provides this ability to operators, technicians, purchasing departments and managers alike.”

He notes that Sandvik Rock Processing has developed SAM in line with the concept of a proactive user journey, so it provides instant and valuable support for various steps in this customer-OEM relationship. SAM combines a wide range of tools, information and guidance in one place, acting as an always-on digital assistant for daily operations.

“For instance, maintenance and site managers can track their equipment’s performance in real-time from the convenience of a laptop, tablet or mobile phone,” Jumaa explains. “At the same time, the mine’s purchasing department can access the SAM web shop to find the correct part numbers, create shopping lists and submit orders.”

Service technicians use SAM to find up-to-date documentation and manuals on their equipment, while operators can find ways to increase operational uptime and availability. Extensive operating data from the crusher is collected by sensors and transmitted through a gateway into cloud storage, where it can be analysed in depth and utilised in a range of calculations, algorithms and models.

“The data and analysis allow customers to finetune their performance, while developing more effective predictive maintenance and ensuring no unplanned stoppages,” Jumaa says. “SAM provides customers with real-time insight into their operations supported by fact-based recommended actions that inform the most appropriate operating and maintenance strategies.”

A key benefit of the SAM system is the visual way that it represents data to the user, he explains. Customers can quickly visualise exactly how long the crusher has been operational or has been idling, for instance. The platform’s interface is also intuitive and user-friendly, he adds, so that customers do not need extensive training to learn how to use it. The platform even has features to guide customers on how to use it.

MAJOR bolsters FLEX-MAT screen durability with new polyurethane strips

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

MAJOR, a manufacturer of wire screen media, has introduced an advanced polyurethane (PU) strip variant for the FLEX-MAT Modular series that, the company says, increases the screen media’s durability, extending its lifespan and effectiveness in wet and corrosive environments.

“While most screen media provide excellent durability, we noticed accelerated wear in some corrosive applications,” Kevin Laporte, MAJOR R&D Manager, said. “We immediately began testing to create a corrosive-resistant alternative we could develop into a new polyurethane variant. The new polyurethane strips would allow these specialty operations to benefit from FLEX-MAT’s productivity-boosting qualities while still maximising uptime.”

The advanced PU strip features greater chemical stability to improve performance in alkaline, acidic and wet environments, such as limestone operations. Advanced durability extends the overall wear life of screen media in applications where the PU strips typically wear out before the steel wire and affect the integrity of the screen media, the company added.

OPTIMUMWIRE bonds to the lime green PU strips to offer higher wire vibration than woven wire screen media, MAJOR claims. The chemical compound developed for its advanced PU strips hold up well against corrosive materials to ensure the strips match the lifespan of MAJOR’s OPTIMUMWIRE® and maintain screening integrity longer, up to 10 times in some cases. The new durability of the PU strips still allows the same flexibility as our standard option so the wires can vibrate freely.

The high frequency of the OPTIMUMWIRE wire remains – 8,000 to 10,000 cycles per minute – to speed up material separation and passing.

Like MAJOR’s standard polyurethane composition, the advanced PU strips are available for the FLEX-MAT Modular D, S and T Series. The new variant is not intended to completely replace the standard polyurethane.

The best use of the advanced PU strips is when operations are screening corrosive or wet materials or when the operation notices their polyurethane is breaking down faster than the steel wire, according to Ian Edwards, Vice President of Global Sales. “In most cases, the standard polyurethane strip option continues to perform optimally for our customers,” he added.

All FLEX-MAT screen media feature the company’s signature FLEX-MAT ID Enabled technology with an RFID tag embedded in the frame. This technology allows customers to easily access product information by scanning the RFID chip with The MAJOR App. Customers then have access to all screen media specifications and the ability to reorder without the need to climb onto the screen for physical measurements.

DDD Group expands screening capacity with Sovatec buy

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining mergers and acquisitions, , ,

DDD Group, based in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, has taken over the business activities of the Italian company Sovatec s.r.l, expanding its wire and polyurethane screens capacity.

The new DDD subsidiary, headquartered in Stazzano (Piedmont), has been producing high-quality wire and polyurethane screens for various industries and applications, particularly for the separation of mining and quarrying products, since it was founded in 1973.

In addition to the significant increase in capacity in the production of wire screens, DDD Group is expecting to leverage synergies and expand its own product range through the integration of polyurethane screens.

The “Sovatec” name will be retained, as will the current 50 employees, all of whom will continue to be employed under the new management. Within the group, Sovatec will act as a “Center of Excellence” for heavy-duty screens in the future.

Paul Tüshaus, Managing Director of Dorstener Drahtwerke, sees the acquisition of Sovatec as an investment in the future of all the companies in the group: “With the subsidiaries MSD, CES, MDC and Sovatec, DDD Group is advancing to become one of the most important global suppliers for the screening industry. In the future, we will be able to supply our customers even faster and more comprehensively. At the same time, the expansion of our portfolio will make us more resistant and increase our technical expertise, which we want to bring to the market in the form of technical innovations.”

Sandvik poised to complete SP Mining integration

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, , , , , , , ,

Following its acquisition of the Schenck Process mining related business in November 2022, Sandvik has been working hard behind the scenes to bring its new offering and capabilities to market, with the OEM poised to complete the integration.

In October last year, Sandvik reached a key milestone in the integration of Schenck Process Mining into its Rock Processing Solutions Business area, when the company changed the names of the legal entities that came with the Schenck Process acquisition. The newly acquired entities provide Sandvik Rock Processing with a much better global reach, particularly in geographies where it previously had little presence.

This is especially true in Australia, where Sandvik Rock Processing only had a small team, while SP Mining had the majority of its engineering and R&D teams as well as production and service facilities in Australia. Schenck Process Australia, which employed over 400 people, became Sandvik Rock Processing Australia, now a major hub for Sandvik’s global Screening Solutions Division.

Since the renaming of the legal entities, the integration of the SP Mining business around the world has been a key focus area for the company. Part of this work includes the rebranding of all aspects of the business. In parallel the SP Mining and Kwatani equipment offerings have been united under the Sandvik brand. The company says the result is an unparalleled range of vibrating screens, feeders, screening media and train loaders.

In early May, the company achieved another key integration milestone, shipping out the first Sandvik-branded SP Mining screen from its Jandakot production facility in Western Australia. Pleased with the result, Sandvik’s Global Head of Marketing – Screening Solutions, Peter Newfield, previously Head of Marketing APAC for SP Mining, said: “Apart from the change to the look, branding and Sandvik nomenclature, nothing else has changed. Our legendary reliability, technology and aftermarket support remains as our customers have come to expect.

“We are now better equipped than ever to help our customers to optimise their comminution and material handling operations for maximum performance, safety and efficiency.”

Commenting on the company’s new offer, Newfield says that combining the industry-leading screening, feeding and loading expertise of Schenck Process Mining and Kwatani with Sandvik’s mastery of crushing and wear protection, allows the company to bring an unrivalled equipment line-up to market.

“This unique offering is underpinned by the expert process knowledge of our teams, a full range of digital tools, high quality OEM spare parts, consumables and lifecycle services,” he added.

But the integration isn’t just limited to the equipment. Newfield says that it has been a major project that involves every part of the business. In essence, the acquired Schenck Process entities have become Sandvik Rock Processing entities, and so SP Mining staff had to embrace the Sandvik culture and learn the company’s systems and ways of working.

“Of course, a big part of the integration is making sure that our key stakeholders understand the benefits of us becoming a fully integrated part of Sandvik,” Newfield says. “It takes time for people to adjust to change, and they need to know what is happening throughout the process. We have worked hard to communicate the changes to all our key stakeholders including our customers and employees.

“We are now changing the branding of all our Australian facilities, our motor vehicles and the work clothes that our people wear on the job every day. Our website and other marketing collateral is also being changed to showcase our new product offerings and brand.”

Newfield says he expects the rebranding projects to be complete by the end of June, which is the final step in the integration process.

“Our new offering, along with the advances that our combined R&D teams are making, allow us to partner with our customers to address our industry’s biggest challenge – making mineral processing more eco-efficient.”

Superior Industries announces new heavy duty Guardian scalping screen

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, , ,

Superior Industries, Inc., a US-based manufacturer and global supplier of bulk material processing and handling systems is announcing what it says is another advancement in its lineup of Guardian® Horizontal Screens with a brand-new heavy duty scalping model.

The new HD scalping screen handles a maximum feed size of 457 mm, surpassing its medium-duty predecessor, which maxes out at 355 mm.

The HD screen is equipped with a perforated top deck, or punch plate, made of heavy-duty 19 mm AR steel. A slight slope facilitates the movement of feed material for efficient screening.

Superior says it manufactures more than a dozen models of its popular Guardian Horizontal Screen series in Columbus, Nebraska, one of its four American manufacturing facilities. Horizontal screens are available in two, three, or four-deck configurations.

Metso reflects on ‘benchmark’ contract win in Chile copper space

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Metso has been awarded a major order worth some €55 million ($59 million) to deliver key concentrator equipment for a copper mining project in Chile.

The Metso delivery scope consists of high-capacity Nordberg® MP1250 secondary cone crushers, MF Series™ vibrating screens and energy-efficient Vertimill® VTM1500 regrinding mills.

For the flotation and separation circuit, Metso will supply multiple TankCell® and ColumnCell™ flotation cells featuring several of the largest available 630 cu.m TankCell units, as well as HCT™ High Compression tailing thickeners. In addition, Metso’s scope includes four MHC hydrocyclone clusters, of which two will be among the largest in the world.

Most of the products in the delivery scope are part of Metso’s Planet Positive offering.

Fernando Samanez, Vice President, Minerals Sales for South America at Metso, said: “Working together with the customer and the engineering company on an open collaborative model has been an extraordinary experience. The model enhanced the efficiency of the engineering process and contributed to the alignment of all parties on the targets set by the end customer. This will be a benchmark to be followed in similar projects all over the world.”

Metso cuts the ribbon on Mexico screening media factory

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

Metso has celebrated the inauguration of its screening media factory in Irapuato, Mexico, a new facility that, it says, will significantly increase its supply and delivery capabilities for mining and aggregates customers in North and Central America.

The screening media center employs 46 people and is located on a 9,000-plus sq.m lot. The new screening media factory uses advanced and sustainable manufacturing practices, and the installed solar panels will cover approximately 50% of the needed electricity, according to the company.

Alfredo Monreal, Vice President, Sales and Service, Mexico and Central America, Metso, said: “We are very pleased to officially inaugurate our new screening media factory in Irapuato. This milestone is yet another indication of our deep commitment to customer success. The Irapuato region is an important centre of excellence for high-quality products for our mining and aggregates customers.”

Metso’s screening installed base in the Americas has grown significantly: last year alone Metso delivered a total of 250 new screening machines to mining and aggregates customers.

Jouni Mähönen, Vice President, Screening business line, Metso, said: “Our target is to continuously develop our operations close to customers to further improve our service capability. The investment of a new factory in Mexico aligns with our strategy and improves our lead times, and it offers scalability in production volumes in a very important region.”

Today, Metso has approximately 730 employees working in production, sales and field service in Mexico.

In the same industrial area in Irapuato, Metso also has a new rubber and Poly-Met media factory. Construction of a new polymer filter plate factory will be finalised during 2024 and the factory will be operational in early 2025.

Metso’s screen offering consists of banana screens, horizontal screens, inclined screens, mobile screens, portable screens and ultrafine screens. It says it offers versatile screening media systems for a wide range of screening applications with solutions that range from rubber and polyurethane to classic wire.

Metso to deliver four modular FIT Crushing Stations to Americas mines

Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, , , , , , ,

Metso continues to register demand for its modular mineral processing solutions, announcing that it intends to supply four FIT™ Crushing Stations in the Americas.

Three of these will be delivered to an iron ore mine in Brazil and one to a gold plant in Canada.

The combined value of the orders is approximately €20 million ($21.9 million).

The crushing and screening solution was launched in 2020. Since then, Metso has sold 24 FIT Stations around the world for applications including gold, iron ore, graphite, lithium, copper and slag.

The FIT Station is focused on flexibility and speed for quick installation with primary gyratory stations, jaw stations, cone crushers stations, screening stations and recrushing stations. Metso Product Manager, Daniel Nagano, says: “The capacities range from 200 to 4,000 t/h and all can be used in unique applications with multiple equipment configurations, and the combination of equipment modules can accommodate any kind of mining application.”

Modular FIT conveyors and ore sorting modules can also be added to the solution.

Erwin Huber, VP, Crushing and Conveying Systems at Metso, said the company is thrilled to see the customer interest in the modular FIT Station.

“The flexible solution enables us to deliver the plants with a short lead and installation time,” he said. “When comparing the FIT Station to similar crushing and screening plants in mining, we have seen a more than 30% reduction in implementation time.”

Metso expands crushing, screening manufacturing capacity in India

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , ,

Metso has extended its manufacturing capacity of mobile track-mounted crushing and screening equipment in Alwar, India, by opening new manufacturing facilities.

After the extension is complete, the total size of the Alwar factory is approximately 340,000 sq.m, adding 35% more capacity to the factory initially opened in 2008.

The Alwar factory has become one of Metso’s biggest manufacturing sites, employing approximately 1,300 people in total. The official opening took place on September 19, 2023, and production ramp-up to reach full capacity will continue until the end of the year.

The new factory showcases the most modern manufacturing practices, hosting several sustainability-driven functions like automated warehousing, automated assembly lines, modern painting lines and 13,000 solar panels installed to enable the increased energy production. After the extension, solar energy covers 85% of Alwar’s total power generation, which is maximum permitted as per state government guidelines.

“With the increased manufacturing capacity, Alwar becomes the major Metso site for increased domestic business in India and exports to Metso’s customers globally,” Markku Simula, President of the Aggregates business area of Metso. “Additionally, significant investment has been made in engineering and R&D resources, making it one of our key global engineering hubs.”

The Alwar factory will facilitate the manufacturing of several Metso Group brands. In addition to the mobile Metso Lokotrack equipment, the increased capacity in India will be used for the manufacturing of mobile McCloskey and Tesab equipment. At the same site, Metso is also producing wear parts and pumps for the aggregates and mining industries.

Monadelphous to construct new chemical plant at Talison’s Greenbushes lithium mine

Comminution of minerals, Energy minerals, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

Monadelphous Group has secured what it says is a major contract for the construction of the Chemical Grade Plant 3 (CGP3) at Talison Lithium’s Greenbushes site in the south west of Western Australia.

The multidisciplinary contract, valued at approximately A$160 million ($102 million), covers the installation of a new crushing and screening facility and lithium concentrate processing plant. It also includes associated tank and piping fabrication works and electrical supply.

Monadelphous Managing Director, Zoran Bebic, said the award of this contract follows a successful period of early contractor involvement.

“We are delighted to have secured this key opportunity which further extends our participation in the development of Talison Lithium’s Greenbushes operations,” Bebic said.

Work will commence on site later this year and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025.

The mining and processing operations at Greenbushes have been upgraded and expanded over the decades to increase production and incorporate new technologies as demand for lithium minerals has grown. The development of this third chemical grade lithium processing plant at Greenbushes will enable Talison to continue to supply the downstream lithium processing facilities of its shareholders currently being established in Western Australia and its facilities in China.