Tag Archives: Screening

CRC ORE grade engineering trial pays off for Minera San Cristóbal

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

A successful full-scale production trial of Australia-developed grade engineering techniques is paying dividends for a South American mine, and its local workers, according to CRC ORE.

Once fully implemented, this is expected to generate an additional A$451 million ($312 million) in profit for the mine and reduce its energy consumption, it said.

Located in the south-western Bolivian province of Nor Lípez, and owned by Sumitomo, Minera San Cristóbal (MSC) is the country’s largest mine. Operating since 2007, the mine produces around 1,500 t/d of zinc-silver and lead-silver concentrates. To achieve this result, MSC needs to move a daily average of 150,000 t of rock – ore and waste.

Part of MSC’s vision is to “develop a model mining operation through safe operations, at low cost, with innovative technology”.

Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Summit Mining International, Sumitomo is a participant of the Cooperative Research Centre for Optimising Resource Extraction (CRC ORE). Based in Brisbane, Australia, CRC ORE works to minimise the impact of declining grades and radically improve the productivity, energy and water signatures of mining operations, CRC ORE said.

The centre is jointly funded by what it calls ‘Essential Participants’, which includes mining companies such as Sumitomo; mining equipment, technology and services (METS) companies; research organisations; and the Australia Government.

One of CRC ORE’s key solutions developed for the mining industry is grade engineering. “This solution deploys a range of waste rejection technologies that integrate with a suite of separation technologies relevant to ore specific characteristics,” CRC ORE said. “A deeper understanding of the orebody can be achieved, leading to the ability to exploit inherent ore deposit heterogeneity and variability.”

For mining operations such as MSC, this involves an innovative approach to the early separation of ore from waste material, minimising the impact of declining grades and productivity.

CRC ORE and MSC teams conducted site studies and analysis in 2017 to determine the level of opportunity available at the mine by deploying grade engineering, and a great deal of potential was evident.

Since late 2018, CRC ORE and Sumitomo have been working together on a full-scale production trial of grade engineering using screening at MSC. A Metso Lokotrack ST2.8 mobile screening plant, which can process up to 450 t/h, was deployed on site to assist in providing a production-scale testing capability.

The trial focused on upgrading mineralised waste from the pit to determine if grade engineering could efficiently produce a new economic stream of valuable material that could then be combined with run of mine feed through to the concentrator and produce a positive net smelter return.

CRC ORE Chief Executive Officer, Ben Adair, said initial results of the trial were impressive and encouraging, with 66% of value now contained in just 25% of the grade engineered mass.

“So far, results show that by applying grade engineering to areas previously designated as ‘mineralised waste’, the value of grade engineered feed to the mill can be increased by over 2.5 times,” Adair said.

“This has the potential to convert this waste material into high-grade ore feed with associated opportunity to increase metal production and reduce process power and water intensities.”

A 15-20% reduction in energy has been evident in the mine’s SAG mill when processing a combined grade engineered and direct run-of-mine feed, according to CRC ORE.

The success of the grade engineering trial has led to Sumitomo considering deployment of grade engineering techniques for life of mine extensions, CRC ORE said.

MSC Operations Director, Dave King, said: “The big benefit of grade engineering is its potential ability to extend the life of the mine and add over A$451 million in profit to its value.”

To fulfil its goals of knowledge transfer and for its technology to directly benefit the local mining industry, CRC ORE says it has recently commenced similar production trials at Australia mining operations.

Kwatani makes manufacturing commitment on comminution equipment

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Vibrating screen and feeder original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Kwatani, is promoting the need for high-quality engineering and the strictest tolerances for unbalanced motors and gearboxes to ensure components can run over the long term.

The harsh operating conditions that screens face in mining operations makes having these safeguards in place all the more important, it says.

According to Kenny Mayhew-Ridgers, Chief Operating Officer at Kwatani, local design and manufacture to the highest standard is a “non-negotiable”, with the OEM designing its own range of motors, as well as locally manufacturing the gearboxes for its vibrating screens.

“We design our own motors with local conditions in mind, giving the customer a high performance and long lasting product,” Mayhew-Ridgers says.

This includes optimal sealing arrangements for keeping electrical components dry and clean, Kwatani says. Power cables, for instance, must always enter from the underside to prevent water ingress, while the design must consider various orientations of the motor, depending on the angle of installation. Dusty conditions on mines also present a challenge that need to be addressed.

“Dust ingress can compromise the sealing configuration of the lid,” he says. “Our design is therefore like a top-hat, so the O-ring is not on a flat surface but rather on a cylindrical, vertical surface. There is even a double-sealing arrangement for the lid, which includes a gasket.”

Kwatani’s gearboxes are locally manufactured, with only the high quality bearings imported direct from leading global producers, it says. Gearboxes comprise two shafts, each with its own set of unbalanced weights linked to each other by a gear to achieve synchronised motion. Gears and shafts, meanwhile, are locally fabricated by selected suppliers, while the housing is cast by a local foundry and machined to exacting specifications.

“We have spent a great deal of effort on the sealing configuration, to ensure no oil leaks,” he says.

Mayhew-Ridgers says Kwatani is probably the only OEM that services its own gearboxes. This, he says, ensures adherence to strict tolerances, so that units have sustained performance and longevity.

He also highlights the massive centripetal forces exerted on the screening machine by the unbalanced motor and gearbox, which makes it vital to secure them well to the screen.

“To achieve this, we specify our own fabricated bolts, nuts and washers,” he says. “If sub-standard fasteners are used, components can come loose and cause extensive damage.”

Unbalanced motors usually have to be installed at an angle. Taking account of the weight of these components, there are rigging points all around the housing to manipulate the angle of installation. The feet of are normally larger in Kwatani installations than those of competitors, for a better contact surface, the company says.

“If there is the slightest imperfection in the flat surface of the join, this can cause costly damage to the drive and the screen,” Mayhew-Ridgers says. “This is why OEMs like Kwatani have such detailed installation procedures on issues like torqueing of bolts. Installers and maintenance teams need to stick closely to these specifications.”

Metso to add mobile crushing and screening specialist to group

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

Metso has signed an agreement to acquire McCloskey International, a Canada-based mobile crushing and screening equipment manufacturer with market share in the aggregates sector, as well as customers in the frac sand and industrial minerals segments.

“The mobile aggregate equipment market is expected to grow by 4-6% annually during 2019-2023, driven by the underlying road construction spend,” Metso said. “With this acquisition, Metso will be able to better take part in the attractive growth of mobile products within the aggregates industry.”

The enterprise value of the transaction is C$420 million payable at closing with an additional profitability-based earn-out consideration of up to C$35 million for the two-year period after closing, Metso said.

The deal comes on top of Metso’s recent acquisitions of Chile-based HighService Service and UK-based Kiln Flames Systems.

Pekka Vauramo, Metso’s President and CEO, said the McCloskey acquisition was in line with Metso’s profitable growth strategy.

“It strengthens our aggregates business in key growth areas. The different cycles of aggregates balance our previously more mining-focused Minerals portfolio well,” he said.

Markku Simula, President of the Aggregates Equipment business area in Metso, said customers in aggregates and construction have varying business needs, with this acquisition supporting the company’s expansion plans to “approach customers through multiple complementary channels and offerings to meet their diverse needs”.

He added: “Going forward, Metso plans to continue developing the McCloskey brands and distribution channels independent of the Metso channel. Synergies are, apart from sourcing, mainly revenue-related, resulting from the wider offering available to both channels as well as additional crusher equipment, service and consumable sales.”

In the 12-month period ending September 30, 2018, McCloskey had pro-forma sales of C$464 million ($344 million) and a pro-forma EBITDA margin of 10.3%, with the company’s sales in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, expected to exceed C$500 million, according to Metso.

McCloskey has around 900 employees in Canada, the US and Northern Ireland.

Paschal McCloskey, Founder, President and CEO of McCloskey, said: “We are proud of the growth achieved in a competitive market. I know that joining Metso is the right move for all our customers, employees, dealers and business partners. The combination of our unique focus on products and people and Metso’s global resources will help create even better solutions for our customers.”

Metso said the transaction is expected to be positive for Metso’s earnings per share in 2020. McCloskey will be reported in Metso’s Minerals segment following the acquisition, which is expected to closing during the December quarter of this year.

South Africa’s Kwatani wins screening export plaudits at awards ceremony

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Vibrating screen OEM, Kwatani, has been named a finalist in the SACEEC Exporter of the Year Awards recently held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Kwatani, one of few local manufacturers that holds an ISO 9001:2015 quality certification as well as a Level 1 B-BBEE rating, it says, placed in the Exporter of the Year Large category and came second in the Export of the Year Africa category.

The company said: “As one of South Africa’s leading vibrating screen OEMs, Kwatani understands the major role that local manufacturing has to play in the country. In addition, and of enormous advantage to mining operations in Africa, the company is the only South African vibrating equipment OEM independent of international technology and employs a far higher percentage of engineering personnel than others in this sector.”

Kim Schoepflin, CEO of Kwatani, said while recent amendments to the South Africa Mining Charter place even greater emphasis on the local manufacturing of mining equipment and products, it is vital to meaningfully measure exactly what ‘local content’ means in the mining environment.

“We can proudly say that Kwatani’s screening machines are locally manufactured,” Schoepflin said. “Our equipment is designed in our own in-house facility by our competent engineers and then built under stringent quality control conditions in our Spartan plant. This allows us to contribute significantly to job creation and economic transformation.”

She said Kwatani’s long history of manufacturing locally has brought many benefits to mining customers. The company has a legacy of more than 43 years and can reference fit-for-purpose screening machines installed across a wide spread of commodity sectors including coal, iron ore and other heavy metals.

“A key benefit of being a fully local OEM is that we can control quality,” she said. “With our suppliers close by, this facilitates close collaboration, quick turnaround and integration into our quality systems.”

Multotec trommel solution hits the right note at Tronox’s Namakwa Sands

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Industrial minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , , , ,

Original equipment manufacturer, Multotec says it has won a tender from Tronox’s Namakwa Sands to replace a trommel at the mine’s Primary Concentration Plant East (PCPE) at its Brand se Baai site, in South Africa.

Greta Mantell, Technical Sales Representative at Multotec Manufacturing, said the scope of supply included the trommel screen, screen panels and ancillary equipment which formed part of the installation at the PCPE.

Mantell said: “What was essential on this particular project was that the new Multotec trommel would replicate the exact process functionality of the old unit and provide the same level of operational performance and reliability as the old screen had for the past 12 years.”

In this application, the Multotec trommel screen is used to classify East mine run-of-mine (ROM) by size and discharge the oversize to the tailings conveyor. The undersize is processed as normal.

“Significantly, this screen is the only piece of equipment operating in the ROM processing circuit for which there is no standby or bypass alternative,” Multotec said.

Tronox’s PCPE uses sea water for its processes and this, together with operating in the harsh west coast environment, meant corrosion protection was a priority on the trommel. It has been supplied with replaceable polyurethane shell protectors as well as a high performance corrosion protection paint on all the non-rubberised surfaces. The trommel screen is fitted with Spalto polyurethane panels selected to ensure optimum throughput and wear life, according to Multotec.

With a focus on improving total cost of ownership, Multotec implemented its one-side fitting of screen panels on the trommel, and Mantell said this will facilitate quicker panel changeouts, saving on costs. As panel maintenance now only needs to be executed from the inside, safety will also be enhanced during this activity, the company said.

The new Multotec trommel is 7.2 m long and has a diameter of 2.5 m. The total mass of the trommel, including panels, is 12.5 t.

The new trommel was delivered on time and installation was done by the mine with Multotec handling the commissioning, the company said. Mantell said that after trouble-free installation, the trommel screen immediately operated at 95% of its design capacity and one day later full feed of 1,000 t/h was maintained.

Aury Africa equipped for the digitalisation of mining

Automation, Coal technology, Comminution of minerals, Communications in mining, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Mining software, Water management, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Aury Africa Managing Director, Sydney Parkhouse, says in the near future the company will be tracking all of its screening and vibrating equipment via RFID tags and will incorporate full data packs for real-time access.

Speaking to IM, Parkhouse said Aury had been increasing its use of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to measure important information such as temperature and vibration in its equipment. Initially this technology has been installed at three mines in South Africa to help track service data and share that information with mine operators, he said.

He told IM he saw many more applications beyond this.

“RFID tags have the capabilities of providing proof of presence when activated by for-purpose RFID readers. The associated software is configurable so that external monitoring devices can be inputted into the reader providing valuable information such as temperature, vibration, etc.

“However, the real benefits are through the digitisation of work processes,” he said. By capturing such data, personnel can verify all work processes are being completed in a logical manner, according to Parkhouse.

“Furthermore, real time capturing of data by trained personnel provides useful information, through configurable reports,” he said.

The RFID technology, using InfoChip software, was developed for Aury Africa by its Johannesburg-based technology partner, Thembekile Asset Management Solutions (AMS). The system not only allows the company to track when services are provided, but also enables some self-learning for its crew, while ensuring regulatory compliance for the mine, Parkhouse said.

AMS has offered active and passive RFID-based solutions to the mining industry, as well as the health care and logistics sectors, since 2012, according to Parkhouse.

In addition to the development of the use of RFID tags in equipment – which Parkhouse considers to be part of Aury’s broader goals of adapting to all facets of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including the digitalisation of mining – Aury’s sister company, Tianjin Meiteng Technology, is piloting ‘Smart Plant’ technology.

“The group’s ‘Smart Plant’ concept utilises automated control and sensor technology to monitor key parameters to boost operational efficiency on a proactive, real-time basis,” Parkhouse said.

This can range from pump pressure to conveyor belt speed, with all associated software and hardware proprietary and developed specifically by Aury’s parent company, Dadi Engineering Development Group.

Dadi recently retrofitted such a system at a 30 Mt/y coal handling plant in China, but Parkhouse said the market in Africa for such ‘Smart Plants’ was still in its infancy.

“Although several major mining houses have set goals for smart plants, the acceptance of the technology is slow and we believe it will be several years before there will be any significant changes,” he said.

Aury has also been carrying out work in dry processing; an area that has come into focus in recent years on the back of heightened fears over water resources.

Dadi, its parent company, has devised an intelligent dry sorting system (pictured above) that does not consume water or media, and has been gaining favour in China – Aury estimates some 60 dry systems are already in operation in the country.

Parkhouse expected Aury to have sold and installed its first dry sorting system in Africa by the end of the year, explaining ongoing trials of South Africa coals were taking place at Meiting’s facilities in Tianjin, China.

“In the meantime, plans are in place to bring into South Africa a pilot plant during the third quarter (September quarter),” he said.

When asked how this technology differed from other ‘dry’ technologies being developed by original equipment manufacturers, Parkhouse responded: “The real brains behind the technology is the development of big data capture, cloud computing, high-speed processors and high-tech IT skills. We believe Meitieng is at the front of this development.”

He said there were also applications beyond coal: “Trials are on-going in manganese and gold, which have produced very positive results to date.”

NRW Holdings signs A$10 million deal to buy RCR’s Mining and Heat Treatment businesses

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, Mining techniques, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NRW Holdings has entered into an agreement to acquire RCR Tomlinson’s Mining and Heat Treatment businesses for A$10 million ($7.3 million) in cash.

The agreement was signed with RCR’s administrators, which have been offloading various RCR subsidiaries since shortly after the company declared total liabilities of A$581.3 million alongside cash and equivalents of A$89.9 million in its 2018 financial year.

The purchase consideration will be funded from NRW’s existing cash reserves, with the deal expected to complete within the next two weeks, NRW said.

RCR Mining and Heat Treatment form part of the original RCR Tomlinson business established over 100 years ago.

RCR Mining includes the Mining Technologies business, which owns significant intellectual property across a range of products and processes and is recognised as a market leader by global resources clients, according to NRW.

“The Mining Technologies business is a leading national and international original equipment manufacturer and innovative materials handling designer with an extensive product range including apron and belt feeders, high capacity conveyors, slide gates, stackers, spreaders, fully track-mounted in-pit mining units (an example pictured above), sizers, scrubbers and screening plants,” NRW said.

One of RCR’s recent mining technology innovations is a 5 km relocatable conveyor, which includes a semi-mobile primary crushing station and feeds directly into Fortescue Metals’ Cloudbreak iron ore processing facility in the Pilbara of Western Australia.

Both the Mining Technologies and Heat treatment businesses have a high proportion of activity in equipment product support and maintenance (both on site and off site), NRW said, adding that the Heat Treatment business has facilities that include the largest stress relieving furnace in Australia.

Mining Technologies and Heat Treatment generated around A$110 million of revenue in the 2018 financial year and have a track record of delivering positive earnings, NRW noted, explaining the acquisition would be earnings per share accretive on a full-year basis, excluding integration and other one-off costs.

Jules Pemberton, NRW’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said the acquisition would allow NRW to provide incremental services, in line with its strategic objectives, to several core clients common to both NRW and the RCR businesses.

“In addition, the annuity style income from the maintenance activities of Mining Technologies and Heat Treatment will provide a platform to continue to build a broader service offering across an expanded resources and oil and gas client base.”

Sandvik unveils new scalper, cone crusher and telematics system

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It was a busy Hillhead for Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology last month, with the company debuting a new scalper, cone crusher and automation and control telematics system at the show.

The company used the Hillhead quarry as a backdrop to launch its QE342 screener/scalper, a “heavy duty [machine] … with class leading open scalping area enabling it to deliver enormous rates of production”, Sandvik said.

Built for the hardest wearing materials, the QE342 has a wear resistant steel apron feeder, large stockpiling capability, two-speed tracking and over-wide conveyors that maximise delivery.

It has a crusher-style chassis designed specifically to accommodate the engine power packs and comes equipped with a CAT C4.4 96 kW engine (EU Stage IV, Stage V and Tier 4 Final emission compliant options). The engine can operate at a speed of 1,800 rpm, providing lower fuel consumption and reduced noise compared with its predecessor, the QE341. The QE342 also comes with hybrid drive and electric plug in options.

“The QE342’s wear resistant rigid hopper is compatible for two-way or three-way split configurations, as well as having the ability to interchange side conveyors thereby demonstrating the ultimate flexibility of the unit,” Sandvik said.

The screen-box jack up facility allows easier access to the bottom deck for maintenance and screen media changes, while the hydraulic fluid change interval has been extended from 2,000 hours to 4,000 hours, providing a plus-50% saving as well as delivering environmental benefits.

An electrical control system has features to improve both the operational effectiveness and machine safety. This includes a key switch, mode selector switch (set-up, operation and tracking) and one global plant button to commence sequential automatic start-up and automatic shut-down of the plant while in operating mode.

“With a wide choice of screen media available, the QE342 can be configured to match specific requirements and is able to cope with a huge range of different, and difficult, materials and applications,” Sandvik said. “These include construction waste, landfill mining, quarry overburden, mine dumps, and scalping before a crusher or screening aggregates after a crusher.”

Two in one

The Sandvik stand also hosted a new mobile cone crusher at the show – the QH332 DDHS (pictured) – combining crushing and screening in one system.

“The brand new … QH332 DDHS (double deck hanging screen) is a tracked, self-contained cone crusher with an on board diesel engine. It is based on the world leading QH331, with this new cone crushing solution also providing the functionality of a double or single deck (utilising the top deck as a breaker deck) hanging screen in a fully detachable and standalone form,” Sandvik said.

“Able to be detached/attached without the use of additional lifting equipment, the QH332 DDHS thus delivers multi-functionality as a one-, two- or three-way split screener as well as a highly productive and efficient cone crusher.”

The machine is able to produce two screened products and recirculate the oversize back into the feed conveyor, which, itself, can be hydraulically rotated through 90o for stockpiling up to three products on the floor, according to Sandvik.

The CH430 cone crusher is at the heart of the QH332 DDHS and is equipped with a hydroset system that provides closed-side setting adjustment and a heavy duty I Beam chassis.

“The automatic setting regulation system not only optimises production, it also keeps track of liner wear, making it easy to plan liner changes and minimise interruptions in production,” Sandvik said.

The CH430 cone has a choice of six concaves and three eccentric bushes providing a range of throws from 16 mm to 36 mm.

As the standalone double deck hanging screen is completely detachable, operators can use the QH322 in open or closed circuit, with the machine able to be set up in less than 30 minutes, Sandvik said.

Going digital

Both of these new machines can benefit from the use of the My Fleet telematics system, which was also launched at the Hillhead show last month.

Developed initially for the premium (Q) range of crushers – expected in the September quarter – this digital solution has been designed to “help operators get the very best out of their investment”, Sandvik said. A launch for the company’s mobile screen and scalper range could occur soon after.

The monitoring, control and data collection tool, provided via the cloud, is designed to eliminate guesswork and provide the data needed for informed business decisions, according to Sandvik.

“My Fleet has been purpose developed to help our customers know exactly how equipment is being utilised. Through the collection and accurate monitoring of a wide array of parameters, this facilitates accurate production forecasting, ensuring that the most efficient use is obtained from equipment, thereby maximising return on investment,” the company said.

In addition to the ability to forecast production, this can also help customers plan their service and maintenance schedules.

There will be two packages available for My Fleet customers, with the option to take one of the packages or alternatively, opt out of the system. These consist of:

  • Freemium – a basic package aimed at providing machine location and utilisation
  • Premium – provides a wide array of parameters for a more in-depth analysis and monitoring of the equipment.