Tag Archives: Screening

Elastomers Australia develops fire retardant screen media panels for Rio Tinto Iron Ore

Base metals, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

A three-year collaborative project between Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO) and Elastomers Australia has delivered a major improvement in fire mitigation to enhance safety and protection of assets at the miner’s Western Australia iron ore sites, the mining services specialist said.

The project involved developing and rolling out Elastomers Australia’s Armalast fire retardant screen media panels in relevant RTIO-owned and operated processing facilities.

The development of the fire-retardant panels occurred following root cause analysis activities after a fire at RTIO’s Cape Lambert ore processing and port facility in early 2019. The analysis highlighted the flammable nature of various materials including screen media panels when exposed to elevated temperature conditions and ignition sources, Elastomers Australia said.

This incident is one of several similar fires that have caused issues for other miners and mineral processing operators in recent years, particularly in the iron ore sector, it added.

Within months of the fire, RTIO and Elastomers Australia had worked together to develop and commence testing a series of fire-retardant rubber screen media products.

Elastomers Australia General Manager Business Solutions, Pat Caputo, says due to the high occurrence of consumable rubber and other flammable materials in processing plants, the risk of fire is always present.

“Operators are always conscious of managing the risks of ignition, but with so many moving parts and the need for hot works to be carried out within close proximity to flammable components, there is always some degree of risk,” Caputo said.

“So, as part of Rio Tinto’s risk mitigation, the company approached Elastomers Australia to develop a screen media product that would inhibit the spread of flames.”

It is not the first time manufacturers have tried to develop fire retardant rubber, but a persistent issue for screen media, and particularly that used for hard-rock processing such as iron ore, has been the impact on wear life and screening efficiency.

The fire retardancy of the Elastomers Australia products was quickly established, but other criteria had to be evaluated prior to rollout, including verifying performance and ensuring that no new risks – such as increased manual handling requirements – were introduced, according to Elastomers Australia.

Caputo said while the rollout was impacted to some degree by COVID restrictions, it was aligned with regular shutdown cycles to prevent any undue impact on planned production.

He added that Elastomers Australia had developed Armalast fire-retardant screen media for use in other mineral processing applications including gold, copper, nickel, coal and lithium operations.

“We typically develop customised screening solutions based on the unique ore properties of materials being mined from one site to another, which means we can formulate fire-retardant solutions to suit most dry screening applications where fire may pose a risk,” he said.

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

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , ,

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.

Sandvik and Finning partner on HVO biodiesel use in crushing, screening equipment

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , ,

Sandvik’s Mobiles business unit and Cat dealer Finning say they have successfully tested hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) with C series Cat® engines without making any modifications to the engine or fuel tanks.

The test could pave the way for the renewable synthetic diesel powering large, mobile crushing and screening equipment from Sandvik, the OEM said.

Forming a part in both company’s journey towards a more sustainable future, the use of HVO reduces net carbon emissions by up to 90% compared with conventional diesel, the companies say, with the HVO used by the companies only made from renewable feedstocks certified by The International Sustainability & Carbon Certification.

Its performance is similar to regular diesel, so the power output and uptime are not compromised, according to the companies.

The companies explained: “Hydrotreating of vegetable oils is a modern way to produce very high-quality renewable diesel fuels without requiring any changes to fuel logistics, engines, or exhaust aftertreatment devices. Unlike other biodiesels, HVO is not sensitive to low or high temperatures, or indeed to exposure to sunlight, as all oxygen is removed during the production process. Also, due to the use of hydrogen in the production process, HVO has an impressive shelf life, compared to other biodiesels. Since no iron or system changes are required, it can be considered a drop-in replacement for diesel.”

Jesper Persson, Vice President Life Cycle Services at Sandvik Mobiles, said: “We are committed to using engineering and innovation through our products to make the shift towards more sustainable business. With a host of innovations in the pipeline, including electrification of our offering, we are excited to be pioneers in the industry and invest in renewable fuel sources sustainable rock processing solutions.

“Working alongside Finning to performance-engineer the feasibility of HVO means we can collect data and monitor any impact on the performance and output. It’s an exciting step in our contribution to sustainability and we will work together with our customers and suppliers for more productive, safer, and innovative solutions.”

Steffen Barrett, Sales Manager – Industrial Engines, Finning UK & Ireland, said: “As Sandvik strive to balance environmental and business sustainability, we are ready to provide the solutions they need to achieve their goals. Our customers’ priorities are evolving toward a carbon-reduced future and our products and services are evolving with them.

“We are actively supporting the use of plant-based and waste-derived fuels in our engines as alternatives to traditional fuels. Our engines are engineered for use with a range of renewable fuels, including up to B100 HVO (EN15940 or ASTM D975), that have a significantly lower net carbon footprint than conventional diesel.”

Haver & Boecker Niagara tackles high moisture levels with new elliptical screen

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Steel and iron ore, Water management, , , , , , , , ,

Haver & Boecker Niagara has engineered a new, elliptical motion Niagara XL-Class vibrating screen for a Brazilian iron ore producer that, it says, is ideal for applications challenged with high moisture content.

The new technology can handle capacities up to 3,500 t/h while minimising water usage, with the XL-Class running in an elliptical motion of up to 6 g in this high moisture iron ore screening application to ensure stratification in all phases of screening. The new vibrating screen also features an elliptical exciter drive that offers a bearing life up to 75,000 hours.

“We are dedicated to using innovative technological solutions to enhance our customers’ daily processes,” Denilson Moreno, Haver & Boecker Niagara Sales Manager, said. “Our new XL-Class design is a prime example of that. The vibrating screen’s unique elliptical movement maintains unrivalled screening performance when processing high moisture materials.”

Iron ore, for example, can contain up to 15% moisture, and often behaves like a pasty, clay-like material, prone to blinding on a screen deck. The elliptical movement motion and increased acceleration of the XL-Class ensures the material is stratifying without blinding or contamination, according to Haver & Boecker.

The elliptical motion XL-Class vibrating screen is available in a wide-range of sizes, in either a single module or tandem design.

Haver & Boecker Niagara manufacturers its own brand of Niagara Exciter technology, which functions as the drive system for all elliptical XL-Class vibrating screens. The bridge-mounted exciters are available in five different sizes and offer the largest static moment range on the market, according to the company.

Each elliptical XL-Class machine is custom designed to the operation’s specific application using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), which measures high stress areas and natural frequencies of a vibrating screen. The analysis helps engineers optimise machine performance by giving them the information they need to determine where to reinforce critical areas and reduce the weight of any oversized components, the company explained.

“With more than 15 years of FEA and experimental measurement experience – and nearly 400 high-capacity vibrating screens supplied to the global market – Haver & Boecker Niagara is able to engineer state-of-the-art high-capacity vibrating screens that offer easy operation, low maintenance and unmatched reliability,” it said.

Operations can pair the elliptical XL-Class with the with the company’s signature Ty-Deck Ultra modular screen media to maximise the screening efficiency of high moisture material and address its challenges, according to the company. Ty-Deck Ultra’s accelerated screening action cleans material without the use of water, therefore reducing the need for tailing dams.

With a 50% longer wear life than the original Ty-Deck, the screen media panels are an ideal choice for screening high moisture materials, such as iron ore, Haver & Boecker said.

CSI to deploy ‘innovative’ screening solution at Roy Hill iron ore operations

Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

CSI Mining Services (CSI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Mineral Resources Limited (MRL), has been awarded a mining services contract by Roy Hill at its iron ore operation in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

This new contract builds on CSI’s long-standing relationship with Roy Hill, which has seen CSI provide crushing and screening works since early project inception. The new contract will see CSI deliver an expanded scope of work which includes crushing, screening and haulage services.

CSI says it is uniquely positioned as a key service provider to Roy Hill given its strong track record of exceeding performance targets and detailed understanding of the mine and its operational processes and procedures.

In delivering the new contract CSI will deploy an innovative new screening solution to deliver industry-leading efficiencies to the project. The screening solution is an exclusive product to CSI and is not available on the market, giving CSI a distinct design advantage.

Mineral Resources’ Chief Executive Mining Services, Mike Grey, said: “We are very pleased to be selected as preferred mining contractor by Roy Hill to provide safe and efficient crushing, screening and haulage services, following the successful completion of our previous contract.

“Our track record at the operation demonstrates that we can mobilise quickly and exceed production targets, while maintaining an industry leading safety record.

“Our mining services business has delivered strong growth year-on-year and this new contract for Roy Hill reinforces CSI’s position as a market leading mining services contractor.”

Roy Hill Chief Operating Officer, Anthony Kirke, said: “CSI has been a valued partner to Roy Hill since February 2017, initially providing crushing services, followed by the addition of screening and associated haulage services for our Direct Shipped Ore. CSI’s agility in responding to changing operational requirements, commitment to innovation and continuous improvement and alignment with our values have resulted in positive outcomes for Roy Hill.

“The award of this new and expanded multi-year contract reflects the strong relationship between our two companies and we look forward to the deployment of CSI’s new screening solution at our mine site.”

Metso Outotec expands India facility on track-mounted crushing/screening equipment demand

Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec is to invest in extending its current manufacturing capacity of mobile track-mounted crushing and screening equipment in Alwar, India.

The total Alwar production value is planned to grow by 30% from the current level and global track-mounted mobile machine capacity by 15%, the OEM said. Construction of the new factory facilities is planned to start in early 2022, and be completed by the end of the year.

The increased capacity in India will be used for the manufacturing of McCloskey mobile and Lokotrack equipment, employing approximately 200 additional people. After the extension is completed, the Alwar factory will be one of the biggest manufacturing sites of Metso Outotec, employing some 800 people, the company said.

“This is another step in developing our domestic and export business in India,” Markku Simula, President of the Aggregates business area of Metso Outotec, said. “At the same time, we are also investing significantly in engineering and R&D resources in Alwar and making it one of our global engineering hubs.”

Kwatani large vibrating screen customisation pays off

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

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.”

Metso Outotec to provide ‘unique’ sustainable screening tech to iron ore project

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec says it will supply unique sustainable screening technology for an iron ore project in the Southern Hemisphere.

The order for the product screening and scalping application covers 12 Metso Outotec BSE Series™ (Banana Screen Elliptical) tandem screens and 4 MF Series™ screens, all equipped with 305PS screening media. In addition, the contract covers Metrics monitoring system for screens, expert support and installation services, the company says.

Metso Outotec explained: “The need to reduce water in iron ore production and other minerals processing is a critical global challenge. The innovative and patented BSE Series screens enable iron ore processing even with higher natural moisture content without adding water.”

The order value, which is not disclosed, has been booked in Minerals segment’s September quarter orders received. The start-up of the project is scheduled for the first half of 2024.

Jouni Mähönen, Vice President, Screening business line, Metso Outotec, says: “We are pleased that the customer chose Metso Outotec for sustainable screening solutions for their process. The BSE screen is an outstanding option for their needs. The elimination of process water ultimately results in lower processing costs, increasing the customer’s competitiveness and profitability in the iron ore global markets.”

Results the customer can expect after implementation, according to Metso Outotec, include:

  • BSE Series screens, which are part of the company’s Planet Positive solution, enable elimination of process water in the screening process;
  • A 93% reduction of the plant’s overall water consumption, elimination of the need for tailing dams;
  • Reduced energy consumption from the entire plant compared with the wet screening process: 18,000 MWh/y electricity saving;
  • 30% increase in screening capacity compared with traditional screening;
  • Increased safety during media change-outs using the Hammerless Attachment system; and
  • Reduced capital expenditure due to the adoption of high-performing BSE screens.

MOBISCREEN MS EVO screening plants hit the mark at Orissa Mining’s iron ore site

Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wirtgen Group’s Kleemann MOBISCREEN MS EVO screening plants have been helping Kalina Commercial Corp and Orissa Mining hit their goals at the Keonjhar iron ore mine in Orissa, India, classifying material into the desired grain sizes.

Kalinga, which is responsible for iron ore extraction on behalf of the state-owned company Orissa Mining, has been using six MOBISCREEN EVO mobile screening plants from Kleemann to classify the iron ore in up to four fractions.

More than 20 excavators are deployed for extraction, handling and loading of the ore, with 140 large dump trucks transporting the material from the mines for further processing by the screening plants.

Five double-deck screening plants MOBISCREEN MS 952 EVO and a triple-deck screening plant MS 953 EVO make classification of the blasted and then crushed material into up to three or four (with the MS 953 EVO) fractions possible.

With the use of these six mobile classifying screens, Kalinga has achieved a continuous daily production target of 30,000 t in two shifts and the desired final grain sizes of 0-10 mm and 10-40 mm.

The MOBISCREEN MS EVO screening plants are able to operate precisely and efficiently under extreme conditions: in the open-pit mining site in Keonjhar, they process feed material with a moisture content of 6-7% without issue.

Dr SR Samal, Managing Director, Kalinga Commercial Corp, said: “We have been using Kleemann screening plants for more than two years. These plants have proved their value with regard to product quality and output. Over the years, they have become an indispensable element of our operation. The service, above all, is exemplary. The co-operation with the Wirtgen Group was crowned with success.”

The classifying screens in the EVO series provide high productivity, good transport properties and first-class screen results, according to Wirtgen. The product series includes the two double-deck classifying screens MS 702 EVO and MS 952 EVO, as well as the triple-deck classifying screens MS 703 EVO and MS 953 EVO. Thanks to the particularly large screening surfaces of 7 sq.m or 9.5 sq.m, high production outputs, combined with effective screening of up to four first-class final products, can be achieved, the company says. Depending on the application case, throughputs of up to 350 t/h (MS 702 and MS 703 EVO) or 500 t/h (MS 952 and MS 953 EVO) are possible.

With the MOBISCREEN EVO screening plants, Kleemann has also considered safety. The plants can be operated with an intuitive control system via a mobile control panel that can be attached at three different points of the plant. This increases work and operational safety.

Easily accessible work platforms mean service activities can be carried out quickly and screen surfaces can be replaced without any problems, the company says. All other service components can be accessed from the ground so maintenance tasks can be executed without complications.

TerraSource to highlight high-performance crushing and feeding equipment at MINExpo

Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

TerraSource Global and its three flagship equipment brands – Gundlach, Jeffrey Rader and Pennsylvania Crusher – are gearing up to showcase new products at MINExpo International that, TerraSource says, are helping the company remain an innovation leader in durable, high-performance crushing and feeding equipment for the mining industry.

The company’s products are known to many in the sector, with a list of crushing and feeding solutions that include roll crushers, jaw crushers, hammer mills, impactors, cage mills, vibratory feeders and centroload feeders.

At MINExpo in Las Vegas – September 13-15, 2021 – TerraSource’s booth highlights will include the EnduraHog™ hammer mill, which takes the best of its Jeffrey Rader hammer mills and hogs for a new industry standard of flexible, durable, and low-maintenance crushing equipment; and its EnduraHog Flextooth® crushers, which couple unique hammer designs with patented Slant-Flow® screen grates – designed to facilitate more uniform sizing capabilities, faster material evacuation and longer wear than other types of grates.

“Not only are these machines designed for durability, high performance and energy efficiency, but our new EZ-Access™ housing design also makes these machines safer and easier to maintain than competitor models,” TerraSource said.

Also on show will be the company’s line of premium-performance Duralife® hammers and Brute Armor™ wear-resistant screen grates.

“Many of our mining customers have presented us with particularly challenging material sizing applications that require specialised hammers and striking surfaces with enhanced performance characteristics and wear resistance,” the company said. “TerraSource has met these challenges with our Duralife and Brute Armor premium OEM parts offerings, the result of years-long investment in patented chemistry and material compositions, advanced design features, and proprietary production processes to provide the highest-performing wear parts options – up to four times longer life than third-party offerings – for customers with the toughest material sizing requirements.”

And new Jeffrey Rader NFE vibratory feeders will also be displayed.

The Jeffrey Radar NFE provides additional size configurations along with the most-requested design upgrades to ensure even more precise feeding capabilities coupled with simpler and safer maintenance features, greater energy efficiency, and lower overall cost of ownership, the company claimed.

Finally, the redesigned Gundlach Cage-Paktor® maintenance cage mill (pictured) for finer grind, higher volume and fewer fines applications will be shown off to attendees. The redesigned Gundlach Cage-Paktor is equipped with, among other elements, thicker, more wear-resistant materials over the entire cage; improved resistance to breakage from tramp; and no-wear liners and bolted-on components for easier, faster and less-expensive maintenance.