Tag Archives: South Africa

FLS evolving regional strategy to better serve EMEA region

Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , ,

Supporting mining in achieving its energy, water and emissions reduction goals, FLS says it is evolving its regional strategy for even greater impact.

Mining customers are to benefit from the stronger regional capability being developed by FLS, which is making the company even more responsive to customer needs, the OEM says.

This is one of the key outcomes of the company’s strategic evolution underway, according to Bernard Kaninda, newly appointed FLS President Sales and Service for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). As a leading full flow sheet technology company, FLS occupies a distinctive place in the market, he says, giving it a special relationship with customers.

“Being a partner through all their mineral processing requirements, FLS walks with customers throughout the lifecycle of a comprehensive range of equipment and solutions,” he says. “This engagement gives us greater impact in helping the mining industry achieve its sustainability goals.”

FLS aligns itself with industry imperatives by committing to energy and water reduction targets, and committing to reach zero emissions by 2030. To achieve these goals, Kaninda says, it was imperative to further grow the region’s capability – shifting from the previous regional definition which comprised sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and Southern Asia to a more cohesive EMEA region.

“We believe the move to an EMEA region will better create the capabilities we are looking for, combining the strengths of Africa and Europe, and our learnings in the Middle East,” Kaninda explains. “We expect to be able to respond more quickly with services, spares and equipment, and are building local resources to achieve these improvements.”

The focus on communication and partnership is being fostered through clusters within the region, which are empowered with adequate resources for quick response times and effective support for end-users.

“As a partner that tailor-makes solutions for our customers, we go further by guaranteeing the performance of that equipment,” Kaninda says. “This means being able to respond effectively as and when the situation demands, so we need to be in close proximity to the customers’ sites – and very familiar with the conditions they experience.”

The clusters in Africa ensure a strong presence in Southern African countries – including South Africa, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – as well as West Africa and North Africa. These are areas where FLS already has a significant footprint of equipment in operation.

“The mining sector is dynamic, however, so we are constantly expanding our equipment footprint and will be establishing a presence wherever we have a significant installed base,” Kaninda says. “It has always been a matter of pride for us that FLS customers will receive the same close attention irrespective of where they are around the globe.”

Streamlined logistics are an important aspect of the strategic shift, which will reduce delivery times through better availability of inventory in-country. Teams in the clusters will also facilitate faster access to service and parts.

“We are also committed to the communities in the regions where we operate, and are increasing our local employment as we develop our presence in different countries – especially in Africa,” Kaninda says. “We believe in building local capability and this is visible in our teams, in which 90-100% of staff are already local in the various clusters.”

These teams are supported by specialised training provided by facilities such as the FLS Training Academy at the Chloorkop service centre in South Africa. This well-equipped regional training hub underpins ongoing skills transfer to build the company’s skills base and succession pipeline, he says, ensuring all customers receive the same FLS experience. So successful is Chloorkop’s model of combining technical services with training, that the company plans to replicate such a facility in the Middle East.

“This will allow us to upskill youth and enhance our positive economic and social impact on the community,” he explains. “There is no reason why we shouldn’t even look at another such centre in Africa, as there is growing demand for artisans and other specialised skills.”

Africa remains vital as a provider of mineral resources for the transition to a lower carbon future, concludes Kaninda, highlighting that FLS will continue to partner with customers so that mining itself becomes more responsible to the environment and community.

TLT-Turbo

TLT-Turbo Africa reports on major PGM mine ventilation installation in South Africa

Environmental, Mine ventilation, Mineral project development, Mining services, Precious metals, , , ,

In a move that it says marks a significant technological advancement in the mining industry, TLT-Turbo Africa has announced the successful implementation of a major ventilation project within the Platinum Belt of South Africa.

TLT-Turbo Africa says its latest project emphasises its role as a leader in mining equipment provision, with the project, completed in two phases, including the installation and commissioning of bespoke bifurcated surface fan stations, each with a dual-stage 220 kW fan system. Designed to operate continuously, these fans address the high pressure and efficiency demands characteristic of underground mining operations, according to the company.

Complying with noise restrictions to minimise the impact on nearby communities was an important achievement for the project, the company noted.

Additionally, the use of TLT-Turbo Africa’s standardised, modular A&B Fan range highlights a shift towards streamlined manufacturing processes that, it says, significantly reduce lead times and promote local availability of spare parts, thus ensuring swift maintenance and repairs.

Katlego Nchabeleng, Sales Engineer at TLT-Turbo Africa, said: “Our ventilation solutions are engineered to ensure the safety, health and wellness of mining personnel while facilitating better underground conditions and ease of maintenance. These installations epitomise our approach to delivering quality and sustainable advancements in mine ventilation.”

With eco-design at the heart of their operation, TLT-Turbo Africa’s fans exemplify their alignment with global environmental standards, focusing on energy-efficient solutions that contribute to the broader environmental imperatives of the mining industry, it says.

The company’s ongoing projects include a notable initiative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a forthcoming installation of modular mine fans in South Africa.

Venetia Mine reflects on significant safety milestone on way to underground transition

Automation, Diamond mining, Mine operation news, Mineral project development, Mining safety, , ,

At the end of December 2023, De Beers’ Venetia Mine near Musina, in South Africa, celebrated reaching 10.2 million fatality-free shifts, a significant achievement as it transitions from open pit to underground operations, it said.

The challenging journey to date has included reskilling the company’s open pit employees for underground operations, while coordinating the many contractors working to implement the ambitious Venetia Underground Project (VUP). Gavin Anderson, Senior Manager for Safety and Sustainable Development at Venetia, says the vision of ‘Pioneering a Brilliant Future for Venetia Mine’ needed a bold and innovative approach to safety.

This challenging task was underpinned by a very comprehensive risk management program – but there was a difference: instead of focusing on safety risk, the decision was made to take everyone on a personal journey towards safely creating one Venetia Mine.

“We developed our own holistic approach to operational risk management,” Anderson says. “Rather than focusing purely on safety or on occupational health and hygiene, we have worked on giving employees a psychologically safe workplace in which to operate.”

He explains that ‘psychological safety’ is a concept that moves away from a focus on management, and towards a new appreciation of leadership. Where leaders demonstrate care for their employees, he argues, then companies can drive safe production.

“Traditionally, a manager would pursue safety compliance through checking that certain standards and procedures were in place,” Anderson says. “A psychologically safe workplace, however, is where employees feel free to speak up when they believe a procedure or risk assessment is not adding the necessary value to their safety efforts.”

From this foundation, employees can engage directly with leadership and there can be collaborative efforts to design and apply safety improvements. Anderson notes that, once the right environment is created, more effective safety interventions and tools can be applied. One such initiative at Venetia is the Safety Sentry, in which each team elects a sentry to capture and communicate the safety observations of his colleagues during that shift.

Using a tablet to record images, conversations or videos underground, the Safety Sentry is able to highlight areas where improvements can be made at the workface. Leveraging digital communication technology, this data is uploaded to a manager who can view, assess and take forward the observations or suggestions – both with the team and senior management.

Another important avenue for Venetia’s safety approach is to remind employees of their families’ love for and reliance on them. A recent campaign asked employees’ family members to send video clips urging them to come home safely from work to enjoy the Christmas season – with these personal messages being played on screens in the workplace.

“Focusing on the human component has given Venetia Mine the edge in terms of shifting safety practices,” Anderson concluded.

Glencore’s Rhovan vanadium facility looks to ‘go green’ with solar PV facility

Environmental, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , ,

Rhovan, a Glencore Ferroalloys managed vanadium mining and processing facility located near Brits in the North West province of South Africa, has commenced construction of a 25 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant.

Once completed, the energy produced by the PV plant will be fed into Rhovan’s network and is expected to supply approximately 30% of the operations’ annual energy demand. This reduction in grid-supplied electricity is expected to save over 48,000 t/y in CO2e emissions at the plant, according to Glencore.

Japie Fullard, Glencore Ferroalloys CEO, said: “We are very excited to announce this development at our Rhovan mine. Not only does our mine produce a range of vanadium products that can be used in applications that support a low-carbon economy, but by installing a solar plant that will supply renewable electricity to our operation, we are reducing the mine’s overall emissions footprint.”

Glencore says the solar project was conceived in keeping with its purpose of responsibly sourcing the commodities that advance everyday life. It also supports Glencore’s broader climate strategy aimed at reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions from its industrial operations in line with its short- and medium-term targets.

Supporting the transition to a low-carbon future is not just about reducing emissions and leveraging more green technology, but also involving communities and supporting their economic development, the company said.

Fullard added: “Rhovan has already consulted with the Bakwena- Ba- Magopa Community in South Africa’s North West province where the operations are situated. The community will be further engaged, and local small and medium sized enterprises will be contracted to assist in the construction and installation of the solar plant.”

Work has already commenced on the project, with the commissioning planned for late 2024.

Trollope Mining Services boosting southern African reputation with Metso hybrid crushers and screens

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

Amid growing demand for its crushing and screening services, Trollope Mining Services, one of the largest open-pit mining contractors in Africa, has continued to increase its fleet of Metso machines from Pilot Crushtec, the South Africa-based company says.

With nearly 500 pieces of equipment in its fleet, Trollope has over the years established itself as the go-to contractor in the open-pit mining sector in southern Africa, it says. Currently operating in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana, the company has also previously executed projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea. The company operates across commodities including but not limited to coal, platinum, copper, andalusite, gold, phosphate, lithium, iron ore, manganese, diamonds and limestone.

To establish itself as a total solutions provider in the mining contracting fraternity, Trollope Mining Services added a crushing and screening division to its business in 2016. Managing Director, Guy Hopkins, says that in the past three years the division has seen exponential growth on the back of some major projects, necessitating an expansion of the crushing and screening fleet.

Following the fleet expansion program, Trollope Mining Services now operates a total of 15 machines. Of note is that the whole fleet is made up of only Metso machines.

“We prefer Metso machines because of our experience with the equipment,” Hopkins says. “Fundamentally, the design and build quality of these machines are unmatched. Our buying decision is also influenced by the technological evolution of the Metso offering, which allows us to run ‘hands off’ operations. Apart from improved efficiencies, technology paves the way for improved safety on mining sites.”

Of its 15 Metso machines, six are dual-powered units, making Trollope Mining Services the biggest operator of Metso hybrid crushers and screens in southern Africa, confirms Charl Marais, Sales Manager at Pilot Crushtec. The dual-power fleet comprises two Lokotrack® LT120E™ jaw crushers, a Lokotrack LT330D™ cone crusher and three Lokotrack ST2.8E™ scalping screens. These were expressly purchased for a project in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.

With their ability to have both electricity and diesel as power sources, Marais says dual-power solutions provide the best of both worlds – significant fuel savings and a marked reduction in carbon emissions. “Significant cost reduction is achieved when the machines are connected to the grid,” he explains.

Hopkins added: “Given the high cost of diesel, dual-powered solutions help reduce operating costs for our customers. In our experience, the cost of running bi-power machines off the grid is 1/20 the cost of running them off a diesel engine. There is therefore a major cost benefit for our customers’ operations.”

Apart from the Metso build quality, Hopkins says the aftermarket support from Pilot Crushtec is crucial to ensuring high uptime.

“In all our buying decisions, having a partner that we can trust for the long term is fundamental,” he said. “Pilot Crushtec plays a crucial role in supporting us with all the necessary spares and technical expertise to keep our Metso machines running.”

Murray & Roberts Cementation continues to boost mining reputation in southern Africa

Mine shafts and equipment, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , ,

Murray & Roberts Cementation continues to add to its order book of business in southern Africa, with the company saying it is engaged in a number of projects in South Africa and having project prospects in nearby countries.

According to Graham Chamberlain, New Business Director at Murray & Roberts Cementation, the busy pipeline of projects demonstrates the mining sector’s faith in the company’s industry knowledge and depth of skills. In southern Africa, the main projects underway are at De Beers’ Venetia Mine, Ivanhoe Mines’ Platreef project and Palabora Mining Company.

At the Venetia Underground project near Musina, work has been ongoing since 2013 in one of the largest investments in South Africa’s diamond industry in decades. Transitioning from open-pit to underground mining will extend the mine’s life until 2046. Murray & Roberts Cementation has been engaged in sinking, lining and equipping of two shafts – the production and service shafts – to a depth of 1,080 m. The company also developed a decline tunnel and is completing associated surface and underground infrastructure, in a project whose scope included raiseboring work to establish ventilation infrastructure.

“In this maturing project, the mine is now getting into ore and starting to develop the infrastructure levels,” Chamberlain says. “At the shaft bottom, good progress continues to be made with the construction of workshops, pumping stations, silos and loading arrangements.”

Murray & Roberts Cementation is also conducting all the infrastructure development at Ivanhoe Mines’ Platreef project near Mokopane. This includes the sinking of a 5.1 m ventilation shaft to meet horizontal development at 950 m below surface. To achieve the high accuracy levels demanded by the project, the raiseboring equipment was guided by directional drilling technology.

“A unique aspect of this project is that the shaft will be hoisting ore at that same time as allowing upcast air to reach surface,” Chamberlain says.

Another vent shaft by Murray & Roberts Cementation – measuring 8.5 m in diameter and reaching a depth of 1,200 m – is nearing completion at Palabora Mining Company near Phalaborwa. Part of the mine’s Lift II expansion, the project has earned an impressive safety record – being fatality free and achieving 574 days without a Lost Time Injury since 2022. Ground conditions were among the reasons why a blind sink was chosen as the optimal method instead of raiseboring, as the side walls needed immediate support to prevent scaling.

“We also have a number of services projects underway related to raiseboring, grout plants and rehabilitation,” Chamberlain explains. “Much of our work in this field is focused on old infrastructure that requires maintenance, repairs or upgrades; we also conduct extensive vertical work in ore passes and silos.”

The company carries out vital rehabilitation in ore passes where ground conditions have deteriorated to prevent ore from moving smoothly – thereby risking production targets. Innovating safer techniques for this work, Murray & Roberts Cementation has developed the tube-and-fill method, first applied about seven years ago at an underground platinum mine in South Africa. These installations are also expected to outlast the lifespan of an ore pass rehabilitated with traditional shotcrete.

“On the engineering front, we continue conducting rebuilds of underground mining equipment at our Bentley Park facility near Carletonville,” Chamberlain says.

He highlights the work of the company’s design department, which remains extremely busy with feasibility studies associated with vertical work. With the renewed interest in commodity segments like copper, there is also previous work that customers are asking Murray & Roberts Cementation to review and update.

Training in underground mining and related skills at the company’s Training Academy on Carletonville continues to empower many thousands of learners each year, Chamberlain points out. This skills development is done on behalf of clients, as well as for the company’s own requirements.

“At any one time, we can host about 420 learners, and we are generally at full capacity,” he says. “We have just recently upgraded these facilities to further enhance training technologies that allows learning to take place safely but in a realistic environment.”

In compliance with many African countries’ localisation regulations, Murray & Roberts Cementation has registered companies in eight countries in the Southern African Development Community – most of which have seen the company active with raiseboring. Chamberlain notes that there are specific opportunities in Zambia that the company hopes to capitalise upon in the near future, and is encouraged by the mining sector’s progress in countries like Namibia and Botswana.

Platreef-Ivanhoe-Murray&Roberts

Murray & Roberts Cementation to accelerate ore hoisting at Ivanhoe Mines’ Platreef project

Automation, Mine shafts and equipment, Mineral project development, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , ,

In a project innovation that will allow early hoisting of ore at Ivanhoe Mines’ Platreef project, in South Africa, Murray & Roberts Cementation will be repurposing its 3 Shaft – a ventilation shaft – to serve a dual function.

“This is a unique project in many respects, as the shaft will be hoisting ore at that same time as allowing upcast air to reach surface,” Graham Chamberlain, New Business Director at Murray & Roberts Cementation, says. “We were able to bring our well experienced experts into the planning process to develop a safe and effective solution.”

The project has followed the sinking of the vent shaft by Murray & Roberts Cementation, which had required very accurate drilling, using raiseboring equipment guided by directional drilling technology. The 5.1-m diameter shaft meets horizontal development at a depth of 950 m below surface.

“During this process, Ivanhoe looked at bringing forward some of their ore generation activities, and this required adding hoisting capacity,” Chamberlain explains. “The timeline for their main shaft meant that it would not be able to contribute to this capacity, so a team was established to consider how to retrofit the vent shaft into an early hoisting shaft.”

As an integral part of that multidisciplinary team, Murray & Roberts Cementation conducted a feasibility study on the options, allowing for the selection of the most suitable methodology. The company also carried out the necessary designs, including winders and headgear as well as hoisting and tipping arrangements. In September 2023, the project was awarded to Murray & Roberts Cementation to implement, and is scheduled to take about two years.

“This project stands out in terms of innovation, adaptability, teamwork and design,” Chamberlain says. “With our many decades in the sector, we were able to draw on hundreds of years of experience in mining – and leverage this in our design team.”

Among the range of technical challenges is the need to work within the vent shaft while it is performing its function of channelling an upcast current of air to surface. Any blockage of the air current in the shaft would affect the development operation of the mine, so this is critical to avoid.

“There needs to be periods during which we can reduce the ventilation, but we will have to ensure that air flow is always adequate,” Chamberlain says. Another vent shaft is planned to add ventilation capacity for the future.

Chamberlain points out that it will be necessary to deal with the slight deviations in the shaft; while accurately drilled, vent shafts are not designed to the same tolerances as hoist shafts. An important aspect of the design was the steelwork required to accommodate those deviations.

“The work will be conducted by a relatively small team of our highly skilled people,” he says. “This will include the installation of a compact headgear using refurbished winders from our strategic stockholding.”

The infrastructure will employ technology that will allow man-less operation to enhance safety, using automated processes in loading and measuring functions, for instance. The project will require specialised subcontractors on much of the equipment employed, but the more day-to-day consumables are procured locally to support local businesses.

“In the absence of a supplier, we would then develop their capability through our procurement system and enterprise development commitment,” Chamberlain says. “In this way, we foster small businesses and help to nurture them until they are self-sustaining.”

AECI aims for top three integrated mining explosives and chemicals solutions provider status by 2030

Automation, Explosives and blasting, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , ,

Ahead of AECI’s 100th anniversary, the South Africa-based company has announced that it aims to double the profitability of its core mining and chemicals business by 2026 and to become a global top three integrated mining explosives and chemicals solutions provider by 2030.

These ambitions were laid out at a recent Capital Market Day, where AECI Chief Executive, Holger Riemensperger, announced the company’s revised strategy, which aims to extract value from its underlying operations.

Riemensperger said: “AECI is more than a business. It is a South African institution. At our core, we enable safe mining operations. While some synergies exist across our diversified industrial group, other business units within the portfolio have no synergies. Those underperforming units will be better served under different ownership. The changes we are making take into consideration several factors, including the external environment. They are aimed at ensuring that as AECI reaches its centennial anniversary in 2024, it is better positioned to navigate the changing environment and positioned for strong growth in the future.”

AECI’s strategic update follows a comprehensive review of the business’ operations in which the board and management identified the business units that are central to the sustainable and profitable growth of AECI, the company said. The strategy is premised on building on the group’s solid foundation and ensuring that it is structured in a manner that enables it to unlock value in the near term.

A core driving force of the strategy is to deliver operational and executional excellence through focusing on AECI’s core businesses and existing strengths while ensuring a disciplined approach to capital allocation and execution.

The AECI of the future, the company says, will see the group focus on its core mining and chemicals capability and divest out of non-core businesses.

AECI Mining will remain the group’s main growth focus. The business will look towards growth in Asia-Pacific, South America and North America as it drives its ambition to be top three on a global scale by 2030. AECI Chemicals will be re-organised and repositioned to enhance its cash generation capabilities through prioritising high-margin products and services and ultimately support the growth of AECI’s Mining division. The remaining businesses – Much Asphalt, Animal Health, Schrim, Sans Fibers and Beverage – which are not core to the identified growth levers will be exited out of in an orderly manner and over a period of time, the company said.

The group management structure has also been adjusted to reflect the changes in the business and to drive empowerment, accountability and quick decision making.

Riemensperger concluded: “At AECI, we stand together with a shared vision of a better world. We recognise that to secure our place for the next 100 years, we must embrace change, progress our strategy to seize new opportunities, and navigate market shifts with agility and profitability. I believe that the changes that we are making will be net positive for the business and the unwavering focus on operational and functional excellence will act as a catalyst for further innovation and profitable growth, and will unlock value for all of AECI’s stakeholders.”

Weba Chute Systems helps Northern Cape mine with transfer point efficiency project

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

Weba Chute Systems is working with a mine in the Northern Cape of South Africa to improve material flow, with the operation having ordered two custom engineered chutes from the specialist transfer point company, which are expected to improve efficiency at the transfer points.

According to Weba Chute Systems’ Regional Manager for the Northern Cape, Arnold Archer, the contracts are for an apron feeder discharge chute and a jaw crusher feed chute. Archer says the company had previously supplied the mine with a SAG mill feed chute, and had collaborated successfully to improve performance within that application.

With run-of-mine material at the mine including large lump sizes of 800 mm to 1.2 m, there is a high risk of blockages if the chutes are not purpose designed, he argues. The high velocity of the material can also cause considerable damage to chutes as well as create excessive dust.

To inform Weba Chute Systems’ designs, the company’s team uses technical questionnaires to help gather information from the customer on a range of variables. This includes factors like lump size indicators, belt speeds, feed rates, moisture content and material velocity. The application-specific data paves the way for a design that optimises flow and equipment life, the company says.

“On the apron feeder discharge chute, for instance, we designed a swing door that will absorb most of the impact of big lumps moving at high velocities,” Archer says. “This also helps to protect the wear plates on the jaw crusher.”

The aim of the design will be to assist the mine reduce the incidences of chute blockages, spillage and excess dust – making the process more streamlined and less labour intensive. He points out that the mine aims to achieve higher uptime through optimal chute performance. The reduction in spillage and dust also contributes to the mine’s high standards of health and safety.

“Our philosophy is that every transfer point on a mine has its own specific challenges, so the chute for each transfer point will be different to the next one,” Archer says. “We work with customers to understand the detail of their material flow through these points, so that our design takes all the key factors into account.”

He notes that most mines will have the necessary data gathering systems in place to inform the correct chute design – as they have tachometers on their conveyors, blocked chute detectors and feed monitors. The issue is that this information is not always systematically considered during chute design.

“We are proud of the chutes we design and manufacture, and stay close to our customers to ensure that the chutes’ performance is up to expectation,” Archer explains. “Our staff is passionate about getting everything right, and being there to follow up where necessary.”

Among the improvements made on the SAG mill feed chute at the mine, for example, were changes to the liner composition and pattern. Rather than removing all the liner segments to reach the middle row, the pattern change now allows this row to be removed without loosening all the other liners, he says.

Weba Chute Systems can also install its own chutes, but provides supervision and assistance where the mine arranges the installation itself, Archer concludes.

ABB ELDS designs world-first solution for major platinum miner

Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining services, Power supply for mines, , , , , , ,

When a consulting engineering company approached ABB about a specific problem that its platinum mining client was experiencing at its smelter facility in the North West Province of South Africa it was an opportunity for the technology provider to showcase its innovation and adaptability in responding to specific customer requirements.

“There was nuisance tripping of the furnace due to an assumed earth fault caused by an unbalanced inrush current on the transformer,” Jan van Zyl, Engineering Manager at ABB, said.

The solution devised was based on using the on-point switch capability of the Switchsync® PWC600. This relay is designed for single-pole operated circuit breakers, controlling each pole to close and/or open at the optimal point on the wave where inrush currents and flux generation is the lowest for the switched load.

It features unprecedented flexibility for switching various loads with diverse configurations and comprehensive monitoring functionality to track circuit breaker behaviour and handling multiple loads connected to the same breaker. For power transformers, PWC600 can estimate the residual fluxes in the core to minimise energisation transients under all switching scenarios. It compensates for variations in environmental factors and drifts in circuit breaker properties.

The solution ultimately resulted in a significant reduction of downtime and production losses for the platinum miner. “The main focus of the client was to increase the efficiency of the furnace by removing all of this nuisance downtime, thereby boosting its profitability by a considerable margin,” van Zyl says.

Fanie Delport, Sales Specialist at ABB, says that this specific solution has now been applied to three different furnace applications for the client. The first (12 kV or 17.5 kV) has already been commissioned, while a second slag cleaning application is being finalised. The third 33 kV solution is just pending the final installation of panels.

“We have provided three different solutions for three different areas of the plant,” Delport explains.

The facility was decommissioned in line with the platinum miner’s furnace rebuild program. While the furnace was being upgraded, it was decided to refurbish the substation as well. In parallel with this program, two substations at Polokwane were also refurbished.

“Obviously, the furnace rebuild had a tight timeframe, and we had to carry out a lot of work during that limited period. We had one service team on-site that were running all three of these installations simultaneously,” Delport says.

Commenting on the technology applied for this solution, Delport says the PWC600 was designed originally for capacitive back switching. Prior to it being upgraded to switch single phase transformers or power transformers, ABB was already using it for this application.

A third-party engineering house was appointed to carry out the initial investigation on the relay and the intended application, whereafter it was integrated success with ABB’s VD4 breakers. Two different solutions were applied, namely a VD4 P standard uniform breaker and a VD4 AF furnace-specific breaker used on the 33 kV application.

“Just to get to where we are now was quite a challenge,” van Zyl says. “This is the first time that this combination of products has been used for this particular solution.” Various global ABB Product Managers were also involved. “We shared our design and information so ABB globally could understand what we were doing and how we were applying it.”

Apart from resolving the issue of nuisance tripping, another major benefit is increased life expectancy of the equipment.

Delport says: “This is a solution that 100% suits the customer’s specific requirements. It is a real testament to the flexibility of ABB in being able to assist our customers. There was a lot of upfront investigation and alignment with the customer, ABB and the EPC contractor that worked on the project.”

“The plant personnel are getting used to the solution and are extremely happy with its performance to date. They are relying quite heavily on the functionality it is providing.”

The solution is now even being rolled out generally at another industrial company in Zimbabwe looking for the same level of technical capability. “A lot of furnace operations are now being built around what we have achieved here,” says Delport.

Van Zyl concludes: “We not only have to keep up with technology but also with our customers’ requirements, who are keen to see what kinds of solutions we can out on the table for them. While a consulting engineer, various subcontractors and the global ABB engineering team were all involved, at the end of the say it was ABB ELDS in South Africa that pulled all this together successfully.”