Tag Archives: Solvay

Cementation, Sandvik and Micon achieve flexible raisebore-based sinking at Solvay Chemicals #5 shaft

Energy minerals, Explosives and blasting, Mine shafts and equipment, Mineral project development, Mining industry recognition, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , , ,

Cementation Americas has announced the completion of the full faced raisebored raise at Solvay Chemicals #5 shaft in Green River, Wyoming, USA.

The project required the company to complete a 22 ft (6.7 m) diameter shaft, complete with concrete liner, from surface to a depth of 1,506 ft (459 m).

Concrete liner thickness increased as the depth of the shaft increased, so the initial concept was to complete a pilot slash raise with a raisebore drill and then slash from the top down to achieve the differing diameters to accommodate concrete liner thickness, the company explained. Cementation instead proposed a full face raisebored shaft solution with variable diameters for each section.

“We worked closely with Sandvik to design, engineer and manufacture a reaming head that could be diminished in diameter rather than manufacturing different diameters of outside wings,” Cementation said. “Final design allowed for five diameter options; maximum of 26.67 ft (8.1 m), down to 24.48 ft, in increments of 6.6 in (168 mm). The 26.67 ft. diameter reamer consisted of 12 individual sections, 46 cutters and weighed 136,000 lbs (61,689 kg).”

Following completion of 68 ft deep collar excavation and lining, Cementation’s Strata 950 Raise Drill was set up over the collar and a 16 in diameter pilot hole was drilled with Micon’s rotary vertical drilling system (RVDS). When the completed pilot hole was surveyed, the total deviation from vertical was found to be less than 4 in over entire length of pilot hole, according to the company.

Based on the pilot hole survey, it was determined that the first leg of the shaft would be reamed to 26.13-ft diameter for 588 ft of shaft, followed by 25.02-ft diameter for the next 285 ft of shaft and 24.47-ft diameter for the final 535 ft of shaft to surface.

Reaming of the shaft was completed on April 24 and the Cementation shaft crews are now in the process of completing the shaft lining.

This raise was one of the largest ever pulled in the Americas and was completed without incident, the company noted.

Its success was the result of a collaborative effort by all parties involved by providing the best technical solution for the Solvay Chemicals #5 Shaft, which is part of the company’s trona operations in Green River.

Pictured is the Solvay reaming head at the Sandvik workshop in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Purify Fuel and Solvay launch new additive blend for diesel-powered engines

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Purify Fuel and Solvay say they have developed a nanotechnology-based fuel additive blend designed to improve fuel efficiency, increase power and reduce harmful emissions in existing diesel-powered engines.

First marketed 18 years ago, Solvay EOLYS Fuel Additives, an essential element in Purify Fuel’s fuel additive formulations (nanO2®), have been used in more than 16 million new engines with similar nanotech combustion catalysts. They are designed to reduce greenhouse gases and regulate emissions while improving fuel efficiency.

Through this effort, Purify Fuel’s nanO2 Fuel Additive Blends leverage Solvay’s nanotechnology expertise to create diesel fuel additive blends that reduce harmful emissions while improving fuel efficiency, Purify Fuel said. “The nanO2 Fuel Additive Blends can be introduced without any upfront costs to the 400 million diesel engines not already equipped with pollution control devices,” the company said.

John Carroll, CEO of Purify Fuel, said: “It is exciting to be part of this partnership, and to be working on a technology that will make meaningful impacts to transform the rail, marine, fracking, mining and power generation industries, leading to a significant reduction in harmful emissions on a global scale.

“While we all know the world needs faster conversion to renewable sources, there is still a great deal of infrastructure that is operating on diesel that will take years to convert. We have a proven solution that is available now, that reduces costs, and improves air quality.”

Sebastien Meric, Executive Vice President of Solvay Special Chem, added: “We are pleased to combine our 30 years of expertise in technologies for exhaust emission control & fuel efficiency with Purify Fuel to tackle both increasing emission and fuel consumption challenges.”

This global technology, which will be available in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia, provides advantages, according to the company, such as:

  • Reducing harmful emissions by up to 35-55%;
  • Improved fuel efficiency offsets the cost of the emissions-reducing fuel additive, and;
  • Operator savings of 6-12% on net fuel costs.

Carroll added: “If operators of existing engines implemented nanO2 to reduce emissions by 30%, it would have the equivalent effect of removing 100 million diesel trucks off our roads – buying the world more time to implement smart pollution control technologies.”