Tag Archives: South America

Bradken aims for South America mill liner expansion with Funtec facility acquisition

Base metals, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , ,

Bradken, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd, has purchased the land, buildings and some facilities necessary for a foundry from Fundacion Technologica S.A. (Funtec), a manufacturer of steel castings for mining sites in Peru.

Bradken says it aims to rapidly supply products and further expand its mill liner business to respond to the vigorous demand in South America, with a focus on Peru and Chile where hard rock is mined in abundance. Bradken will now complete construction of the foundry with first production of large mill liners expected in 2026.

This recent purchase was decided as part of the goal to provide products and solutions that solve customer issues at various touch points from pit to plant at mining sites.

The South American market for mill liners is the world’s largest, according to Bradken, and focuses on hard rock. Chile and Peru, in particular, have a high concentration of copper and gold mines which account for more than 80% of the demand for large mill liners in the South American region, it said.

Currently, Bradken imports mill liners for the South American market from India and Canada. However, producing mill liners locally in Peru will build a speedy product supply system and improve the ability to meet the needs of customers, including providing a pathway to recycle spent liners, delivering a more sustainable mining process.

The foundry purchased from Funtec is located in Chilca, some 70 km south of the capital city of Lima, Peru. Since this foundry is located in an industrial park, has many of the main plant items on site and already has permission for plant operation, typical approval and construction times can be accelerated, according to the company.

Furthermore, due to the ability to procure power based on hydroelectric power generation utilising Peru’s water resources, the new plant is expected to reduce annual CO2 emissions during plant operation by approximately 95% compared with the use of typical electrical energy by maximising the usage of hydroelectric power, according to studies from Bradken.

This purchase marks the first large-scale investment project in South America in the independent business undertaken in the Americas by the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group since March 2022. In the future, the group will consider using the Peru foundry targeted for investment at this time as a depot for storing Hitachi Construction Machinery mining parts and plans to leverage it as a South American mining market base for the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group.

FLSmidth to overhaul and update gyratory crushers at South America copper mine

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , ,

FLSmidth is to deliver three Top Service Design (TSUV) gyratory crushers to a long-standing copper mining customer in South America, the OEM says.

This new order allows FLSmidth to overhaul existing equipment with newer crusher technologies to boost efficiency for the company, it says.

The order is valued at approximately DKK200 million ($28.3 million) and was booked in the September quarter, with the equipment expected to be delivered during 2024.

Under the agreement, FLSmidth will overhaul three existing gyratory crushers, which were originally also supplied by FLSmidth, with three improved and more efficient gyratory crushers with the improved TSUV. By installing these new gyratory crushers, the customer will benefit from increased efficiency as well as safer and simpler maintenance, FLSmidth says.

Two of the crushers will be installed in the existing foundations of the old crushers to minimise construction costs, while also limiting the environmental impact from the replacements.

Chris Reinbold, Products Business Line President at FLSmidth, said: “We really appreciate when existing customers return to us. We see this as a clear vote of confidence in the quality of our technologies and services. Enabling our customers to achieve more efficient copper production is essential to electrification and the green transition.”

In 2020, FLSmidth launched the new “digitally-enabled” TSUV Mark 5 Top Service Gyratory Crusher to deliver the lowest total cost per tonne of material processed, even when crushing the most challenging ore.

Austin Engineering’s ultra-lightweight High Performance Tray finds its market

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Austin Engineering says it has received orders for, or been notified of award of, in excess of 210 truck tray orders in the December 2022 to January 2023 period, improving the company’s order book and revenue outlook for the second half of 2023.

The orders over the period represent approximately 40% (approximately 500 expected in the 2023 financial year) of orders received in a normal full year.

These orders have come from multiple customers across the globe and will be manufactured and delivered from Austin’s four operating sites located in the Asia Pacific (Australia and Indonesia), North America (Wyoming) and South America (Chile), it said.

Production of the trays is either already underway or planned to commence shortly, with most of the deliveries scheduled through 2023 but with significant revenue to be booked in the second half of the 2023 financial year.

Approximately 120 of the truck tray orders are for the recently launched, ultra-lightweight High Performance Tray (HPT). The HPT can, according to Austin, deliver significant additional ore per year due to its lighter weight and increased volume efficiency. In an early application, the truck body design could deliver an additional 45,000 t/y of ore per tray compared with previous comparable truck trays developed by Austin.

Austin expects the market interest in the HPT to continue due to its attractive design and operational benefits, it said. Austin has received several proposals to tailor the design for different geographies, suggesting it will become a mainstay in the company’s global product portfolio, complementing Austin’s existing four truck tray types.

Austin has previously announced manufacturing capacity expansions to deal with an anticipated surge in demand, which has now occurred. The expansions, now largely complete, were in Indonesia, Chile and in Western Australia, where a specialised bucket facility for Austin and Mainetec buckets has been commissioned.

Austin CEO and Managing Director, David Singleton, said: “The increased orders reflect an increased win rate in contracts across the business aided by the release of improved product designs such as the HPT, which is receiving significant market interest because of its attractive operational efficiencies.

“We had confidence to commit capital to capacity expansions at some of our major manufacturing sites, namely Indonesia, Chile and Australia. We have also invested in upgraded equipment in the workshops to enable efficiency and quality improvements across our product lines.

“Pleasingly, the capacity expansions have aligned with increased orders ensuring customer delivery timeframes can be maintained. The continuing and increasing strength in the order pipeline suggests that high utilisation levels in all jurisdictions will continue.

“We believe that our commitment to product design and development, our focus on cost control and developing capacity to meet our mining customer needs is driving this improvement in workload.”

Metso Outotec to supply Planet Positive Vertimills to iron ore project in South America

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

Metso Outotec says it has been awarded a contract to deliver sustainable grinding technology to an iron ore project producing premium pellet feed in South America.

The total value of the order exceeds €10 million ($10.2 million), the company says.

The OEM’s scope of delivery consists of the engineering, manufacturing and supply of four Vertimill® vertical grinding mills. In addition, Metso Outotec will provide installation and commissioning advisory services. The Planet Positive Vertimill grinding mills are expected to save more than 30% of the installed power compared with a conventional ball mill circuit, the company says.

“We are pleased that our customer has chosen the industry-leading Vertimill technology,” Christoph Hoetzel, Head of the Grinding business line at Metso Outotec, says. “The regrinding circuit will enable energy-efficient grinding combined with low operating and life-cycle costs.”

Hexagon’s Mining division to distribute HARD-LINE’s TeleOp tech in the Americas

Automation, IoT, Mining events, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

HARD-LINE and Hexagon’s Mining Division have announced a new partnership at MINExpo 2021, in Las Vegas, that, they say, will enhance their international mining capabilities.

Combining their expertise in surface and underground mining, Hexagon will serve as a major distributor of HARD-LINE’s teleremote technology, known as TeleOp, in North, Central, and South America as well as Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan.

“Partnering with Hexagon is a significant step in our evolution and really shows our ability and desire to grow and adapt,” Walter Siggelkow, HARD-LINE’s President, says. “This will allow both companies to be even more competitive globally, especially in massive mining markets like Latin America.”

Some other products receiving distribution include HARD-LINE’s RRC (Radio Remote Control) as well as BackBone Networks, Brow Alert, Brake Release and Farsight.

President of Hexagon’s Mining Division, Nick Hare, said: “We’re looking forward to collaborating with HARD-LINE, which shares our vision of a future that’s safer, sustainable and increasingly autonomous.”

Metso Outotec to deliver overland conveyor system to South America mine

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

Metso Outotec has received an order for a heavy-duty overland mine conveyor system in South America set to run at speeds of up to 6 m/s and a delivery capacity of over 9,000 t/h, the mining OEM says.

The delivery consists of high reliability overland conveyors, including a 2 km single flight conveyor, it said.

The order value is around €10 million ($11.9 million) and it has been booked in the company’s Minerals division March quarter orders received.

Alexandre Martins, Business Manager, Crushing and Conveying Systems business line at Metso Outotec, said: “Metso Outotec’s full range of overland conveyor solutions provides economic and reliable material transportation for both open-pit and underground operations at the lowest total cost of ownership. Metso Outotec’s patented Energy Saving Idlers bring important power savings to long-distance conveyors, reduced belt tension, and extended rollers life, enabling a reduced maintenance cost over the equipment life and a more sustainable operation.”

The Metso Outotec conveyor offering covers complete end-to-end conveyor solutions, it says, including concept studies and definitions for all types of terrains and route types with horizontal and vertical curves.

In addition, the offering also includes post-installation services and maintenance, including a full range of accessories, belts and components for different types of applications.

Gekko brings PMC in as mineral lab services provider in the Americas

Environmental, Metallurgy, Mineral processing, Mining services, Precious metals, Water management, , , , ,

Process Mineralogical Consulting Ltd (PMC Laboratory Ltd) and Gekko Systems Inc have signed an agreement that makes PMC the exclusive mineral laboratory services provider for Gekko’s North and South American customer base.

Together the strengths of PMC Ltd and Gekko Systems will be able to provide customers with “innovative data-driven project development and implementation”, the companies said.

PMC Ltd is a rapidly growing mineral services laboratory primarily focused on mineralogy, and has recently expanded to offer metallurgical testing. This collaboration with Gekko Systems is expected to further develop PMC’s metallurgical capabilities and incorporate Gekko’s extensive knowledge of gold processing.

Geoffrey Lane, President PMC Ltd, said: “We at PMC Ltd are excited to be working with Gekko Systems, a world leader in gold processing technologies. Our combined strengths will enable both companies to offer more capabilities for more customers looking to find data supported solutions in an efficient and cost effective manner.”

Mineral processing solutions company Gekko develops innovative flowsheets and brings new technologies to the market. The agreement with PMC adds a dedicated laboratory located in North America and adds new mineralogical testing capabilities aiding in evaluating the suitability of Gekko’s processing technology for specific projects, it said.

Geoffrey Lane, General Manager Global Sales & Solutions, Gekko Systems, said: “Gekko Systems is very pleased to be aligning with PMC Ltd to provide cost effective and efficient metallurgical laboratory testing capabilities in North America. We are also enthusiastic at being able to offer PMC Ltd’s mineralogy expertise to our clients to add further value to their projects.”

Commit Works expands mining software footprint into South America

Communications in mining, IoT, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , ,

Commit Works, a mining software company headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, is continuing its expansion plans with a move into South America.

This builds on Commits Works’ growth trajectory into South Africa, North America and New Zealand in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively, and comes only seven years since the company was founded in 2013.

While Commit Works is still assessing where its new office location will be, a spokesperson confirmed it was at this stage looking into addresses in Chile or Peru.

The expansion follows the successful relationship the company has been building since December with its first South America customer, a gold mine in Argentina.

Commit Works provides planning, scheduling and visual management software for the mining industry, with its flagship solution, Fewzion, enabling planners to quickly build integrated shift plans, which are provided electronically to mining and support crews, coordinating the complex work being performed throughout each shift.

Paul Moynagh, CEO and Founder of Commit Works, said: “Expanding into South America is an incredible opportunity our entire team is thrilled to have. With our frontline productivity software and proven approach that drives commitment, trust and performance, we can help mines throughout the continent sustainably deliver hard dollar value into the business, and build a better, more collaborative culture for the entire workforce.”

The South America customer in question has been realising preliminary production improvements that are consistent with the double-digit results Commit Works has helped mines elsewhere in the world achieve, the company said. “The foundation of those outcomes has been significant reductions in variability that boost and sustain productivity,” it added.

Moynagh added: “South America has many high-value mines, and it’s important the resources are managed in the most efficient way possible. We want to help mine leaders and their entire teams do that responsibly and safely.”

Moynagh said adding a new office in the region reflected how Commit Works’ software and proven approach will help customers emerge and surge when mines fully re-open following the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Our expansion in the region is an opportunity for us to work with the area’s brightest talent to positively impact the technology and mining sectors, and help mine’s emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever,” he said.

Optimize Group teams up with Rail-Veyor for alternative haulage modelling

Bulk handling, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining techniques, Sustainable mining, , , ,

Optimize Group says it is supporting innovative material handling system company, Rail-Veyor, with a series of South America initiatives, including the development of a conceptual trade-off study model comparing truck, conveyor and Rail-Veyor scenarios over a life-of-mine plan.

The model considers technical, financial and environmental metrics and is suitable for both open pit and underground operations, the company says.

Optimize Group added: “We look forward to applying the model in future projects, while unlocking economic and environmental value!”

Rail-Veyor, a low cost-in-mine haulage system has, to date, mostly been used underground, with one of its most successful installations the one at Agnico Eagle’s Goldex operation, in Quebec, Canada, which recently set a new quarterly performance record.

ZYFRA looks for South America copper mining growth with VIST’s new Lima base

Automation, Base metals, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , ,

ZYFRA Group has opened an arm of its subsidiary, VIST, in Lima, Peru, as it looks to expand its digital mining offering into South America and the continent’s massive copper industry.

The announcement comes as Igor Bogachev, CEO of ZYFRA, and Mikhail Makeev, Project Director of VIST, start a two-week tour of Chile and Peru taking in visits to numerous mining companies.

ZYFRA has, up until this point, been supplying industrial manufacturers in Europe and Asia with AI- and IoT- based solutions as well as autonomous vehicles. At the end of last year, it reached a milestone of $30 million in revenue, while announcing plans to enter the markets of Latin America as early as 2019.

Mario Rabines, VIST Business Development Director for LatAm, said: “The heart and soul of the world’s copper extraction, Chile and Peru, are being shaken by the latest technology developments. Within the region, the IT and operations departments are ready to change the status quo of the industry. The value proposition of our ZYFRA and VIST solutions will increase the levels of productivity and safety to record levels not seen in the region yet.”

Currently the most advanced miners in South America are performing a number of processes involving cutting-edge technology, such as drilling and transportation of raw materials with the use of robotics, according to ZYFRA Group. In 2019, the majority of industry players may start using new technologies on an industrial scale, the company added.

On top of international expansion, ZYFRA is eager to complete its ‘Intelligent mine’ project – a complex solution for unmanned surface mining with application of self-driving vehicles, it said. VIST is planning to spend a material share of investment provided by ZYFRA to accelerate its R&D projects including self-driving vehicles, autonomous surface mining machines (robots) and appliances, broader IoT- and AI-based applications as well as predictive analytics.

ZYFRA and VIST have developed an autonomous system for drills and autonomous and tele-operated system for mining vehicles as well as self-driving trucks and loaders. These are currently being demonstrated on BELAZ’s earthmoving equipment.

ZYFRA and VIST say autonomous drilling can bring a 16% productivity increase, while autonomous guidance from hole to hole (based on the electronic design imported from a planning system) can come with an 18% productivity increase.

ZYFRA, founded in November 2017, currently operates in Finland, China, Russia, Bulgaria, and India. Its platform connects over 7,000 CNC machines across the countries. At the end of 2018, more than 200 production facilities have been equipped with its products.

The company acquired VIST in November 2018 for $30 million.