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Southern Africa focus - InfoMine

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Pilot Crushtec, manufacturer of crushing,<br />

screening and conveying systems, is making<br />

its contribution to development in <strong>Africa</strong><br />

by providing equipment used to develop<br />

infrastructure and to boost minerals production.<br />

Equipment is being used by mines in the DRC,<br />

and in mining and infrastructure development<br />

in Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Angola,<br />

Zambia and Kenya. In Namibia, large investments<br />

have been made recently in Pilot Crushtec mobile<br />

screening equipment for use in diamond mining.<br />

Graham Kleinhans, Sales Manager, commented,<br />

“We have embarked upon a serious marketing<br />

drive into <strong>Africa</strong>. There is so much potential on<br />

the continent and politically, <strong>Africa</strong> is now<br />

considered to be more stable,” he said. “Our<br />

company is aiming at a 30% to 40% growth<br />

rate per annum and we believe we can achieve<br />

this with our growing sales into <strong>Africa</strong>.”<br />

He pointed out that 80% of sales into<br />

<strong>Africa</strong>n countries comprise complete systems<br />

from its modular range of semi-mobile, skid<br />

mounted, ready-to-run crushing, screening and<br />

conveying equipment. “These systems meet<br />

current needs in <strong>Africa</strong> because they are<br />

cost-effective and relatively easy to move around.<br />

The modular system is readily extended as the<br />

need for production increases,” stated Kleinhans.<br />

“Another interesting development is that<br />

foreign companies investing in <strong>Africa</strong> have a<br />

preference for equipment from South <strong>Africa</strong>nbased<br />

companies because they are assured of<br />

an efficient back-up service. Now we can see<br />

the benefit of a ‘made in South <strong>Africa</strong>’ sticker<br />

on our products. Investors want to know the<br />

product they buy has a warranty that means<br />

something,” he said.<br />

“We put everything together in one package<br />

by providing a system for material to be fed in<br />

at one end, processed and for the finished<br />

product to come out on the other end,”<br />

Kleinhans commented. “We put it all together<br />

quickly, with a 12 month warranty, and we<br />

guarantee that it will work smoothly. Today,<br />

people prefer to buy the whole puzzle, and this<br />

is the unique service that we provide.”<br />

www.pilotcrushtec.com<br />

At the beginning of January Bateman Engineering<br />

secured the engineering, procurement and<br />

construction (EPC) contracts with Equinox<br />

SOUTHERN AFRICA FOCUS<br />

<strong>Southern</strong> <strong>Africa</strong> <strong>focus</strong><br />

IM looks at some of the new ideas, new technologies and new techniques from a<br />

few of the ever resourceful suppliers and engineers of South <strong>Africa</strong> and the region<br />

Pilot Crushtec’s Slaes Manager, Graham Kleinhans,<br />

stated that 80% of sales into <strong>Africa</strong>n countries<br />

comprise complete systems from its modular range of<br />

semi-mobile, skid mounted, ready-to-run crushing,<br />

screening and conveying equipment.<br />

Minerals for the $408 million Lumwana project<br />

in Zambia. The Lumwana project is one of the<br />

largest copper projects to be undertaken on the<br />

<strong>Africa</strong>n continent. The project is to be executed<br />

through a joint venture with Ausenco and is to<br />

be split equally between the two companies.<br />

Project completion is expected by June 2008.<br />

Since January 2006, Bateman Engineering<br />

and Ausenco have completed more than<br />

one-third of the front end engineering and<br />

design for the Lumwana project on a reimbursable<br />

EPCM basis. Similarly, orders for a<br />

majority of the major equipment items have<br />

been placed and bulk earthworks will soon be<br />

finished. Following the receipt of a notice to<br />

proceed, the contract will convert from EPCM<br />

to EPC, and the advance work performed will<br />

enable Bateman Engineering to achieve rapid<br />

FEBRUARY 2007 International Mining 25


SOUTHERN AFRICA FOCUS<br />

progress and a relatively high percentage of<br />

completion early on.<br />

This new order brings the total amount of<br />

new orders for the six month period ending<br />

December 31, 2006 to some $500 million. This<br />

is 185% up from the $175 million in new<br />

orders for the same period in the previous year,<br />

and significantly above the $308 million<br />

secured in the entire previous financial year<br />

ending June 2006. This very strong momentum<br />

in new orders is a reflection of the continued<br />

buoyant market in which Bateman is operating<br />

as well as the success the company is realizing<br />

in its strategic initiatives. Major new orders<br />

were secured in Zambia (copper), South <strong>Africa</strong><br />

(coal handling) and India (zinc), increasing the<br />

company's sector diversification and geographic<br />

diversification. This is also a reflection of the<br />

increasingly important role Bateman<br />

Engineering is playing in the global resource<br />

sector. Bateman Engineering expects to meet or<br />

exceed market expectations for the current<br />

financial year ending June 2007.<br />

Commenting on these developments, Dr Sivi<br />

Gounden, CEO of Bateman Engineering, said,<br />

“The Lumwana copper contract underscores<br />

Bateman Engineering's central role in the<br />

development of mining resources in Central<br />

<strong>Africa</strong> and in particular in the Copperbelt. This<br />

project is one of the biggest copper developments<br />

currently under way, and should provide Bateman<br />

Engineering with an excellent reference site for<br />

further work in the copper industry.”<br />

www.batemanengineering.com<br />

In October 2006 Bell Equipment started to<br />

use the rollout of tier 3 specification engines in<br />

its ADTs as an opportunity to introduce<br />

upgrades to its D-series range. The most<br />

noticeable changes were to the interior of the<br />

cab. The instrument panel has been replaced<br />

by one featuring newer technologies such as<br />

stepper motor gauges, LED warning lights<br />

rather than globes and a dot matrix screen as<br />

opposed to a LCD screen.<br />

Other cab improvements include the<br />

repositioning of the relays, circuit breakers<br />

and radio from the roof panel to a position at<br />

the left hand side of the operator for better<br />

access and easier service and maintenance.<br />

The front windscreen bonding area has been<br />

increased and a rear windscreen wiper option is<br />

now available. Operator comfort and ease of<br />

use were two of the key criteria for cab<br />

upgrades; hence the steering wheel adjustment<br />

clearance has also been improved along with<br />

the cooler box temperature control and the seat<br />

adjustment clearance. A further enhancement<br />

to the cab is the new seat that boasts an<br />

improved design to reduce whole body<br />

vibration with fore and aft damping as<br />

26 International Mining FEBRUARY 2007<br />

The trommel viewed during final<br />

manufacture at Multotec’s facilities<br />

well as vertical isolation for greater operator<br />

comfort.<br />

An improved hydraulic block across the Bell<br />

ADT range has reduced residual pressure to<br />

effectively decrease fuel burn and reduce noise<br />

in the cab. Improvedhydraulic hose routing and<br />

a simpler brake pedal are geared to improve<br />

reliability and offer easier servicing and<br />

maintenance. Likewise, a simplified pneumatics<br />

system has improved the commonality of<br />

pneumatics systems throughout the range and<br />

has succeeded in reducing the parts count. The<br />

new hydraulic block has paved the way for the<br />

introduction of an electro-hydraulic tip function<br />

with an ‘I-Tip’ programmable control and tip<br />

cylinder soft stops. The innovative I-Tip system<br />

links the accelerator, neutral button on the<br />

transmission, the soft stop on top of the<br />

hydraulic cylinders, the park brake and the<br />

bin-tip lever - all of which are monitored and<br />

controlled by the electronic chassis control<br />

module of the ADT. www.bell.co.za<br />

Multotec has supplied two trommels to Lihir<br />

gold mine in Papua New Guinea, fulfilling an<br />

order placed by Outokumpu Australia. “These<br />

trommels will be installed on the end of<br />

Morganshammer mills manufactured by<br />

Outokumpu; one is a SAG mill and the other a<br />

ball mill,” explains Anthony Yell, Product<br />

Manager - Screening.<br />

On the SAG mill, the trommel is a unique<br />

design and one which is not often used.<br />

“Essentially, the trommel’s function is to<br />

remove scats and pieces of steel balls which<br />

were not completely ground down in the mill,<br />

thereby protecting the downstream circuit<br />

processes. While the SAG trommel operates in<br />

this manner, here provision has been made for<br />

a bucket wheel arrangement and return pipe at<br />

the end of the trommel, which automatically<br />

picks up the scats and returns these to the mill<br />

for regrinding,” says Yell.<br />

Generally this type of system uses water in<br />

the return pipe to force the material back into<br />

the mill. However, in this instance, the chute<br />

work is designed to return the scats and pieces<br />

of steel dry to reduce water content going back<br />

to the mill and generally to reduce water<br />

consumption. The return pipe has a spiral or<br />

scroll arrangement to facilitate the feed of<br />

material back into the mill.<br />

“We designed it specifically to return only<br />

the normal oversize amount of material back<br />

into the mill. Should a grate plate in the mill<br />

fail and the oversize be excessive, the return<br />

system will limit the amount returned with the<br />

balance reporting to an overflow chute. This<br />

was done to prevent choking of the system,<br />

rendering it failsafe,” he says.<br />

The SAG trommel has an inside diameter of<br />

1,710 mm and is 2,733 mm in length with a<br />

mass of 4.5 t. Conventional modular injection<br />

moulded polyurethane panels have been used<br />

measuring 305 x 305 mm x 36 mm thick.<br />

The second trommel is attached to the ball<br />

mill and has an inside diameter of 2,697 mm, a


UUnlocking nlocking A<strong>Africa</strong>’s frica’s WWealth ealth<br />

FF or more than 40 years, Bateman Engineering expertise has been<br />

assisting the <strong>Africa</strong>n continent to release its mineral wealth through<br />

the design, construction and project management of process plants<br />

to convert natural resources into marketable products.<br />

Metals processing plants.<br />

Minerals processing plants.<br />

Engineered technologies.<br />

Finance facilitation.<br />

■ Project services<br />

Studies and planning, engineering, procurement, project<br />

management, commissioning, operation and maintenance.<br />

■ Finance and commercial facilitation<br />

Sourcing funds for projects and arranging off-take agreements<br />

for products.<br />

■ Application of state-of-the-art process technology<br />

Design and construction of commercially viable process plants.<br />

■ In-house know-how<br />

Feed preparation, minerals processing, solvent extraction,<br />

electrowinning, etc.<br />

Smelting, molten-metal and slag handling.<br />

Bulk-materials handling, conveying and conveying, storage silos.<br />

Environmental and dust control.<br />

Bateman Engineering handles all kinds of projects, from the largest<br />

turnkey contracts to retrofits, modifications, audits and staff<br />

training. Flexible contract structures manage commercial risk.<br />

Our proud track record includes Kasese – cobalt, Uganda;<br />

Skorpion – zinc, Nambia; Chambishi – cobalt, Angola; Zisco –<br />

iron ore, Zimbabwe; Moma – mineral sands, Mozambique and<br />

Miba – diamonds, DRC; as well as many of South <strong>Africa</strong>’s leading<br />

projects in diamonds, platinum-group metals, industrial minerals,<br />

base metals and gold.<br />

Bateman Engineering N. V.<br />

Amsteldijk 166, 1079 LH Amsterdam, Netherlands<br />

Offices in <strong>Africa</strong>, the Americas, Australasia and Eurasia<br />

For your process-plant requirements, call us at:<br />

Tel : +27-11-899-9111<br />

Email: enquiries@BatemanEngineering.com<br />

Web: www.BatemanEngineering.com<br />

– process plants that work


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Telephone: +27 35 907 9431<br />

email: sales@bell.co.za<br />

BELL GERMANY:<br />

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email: center@bell-germany.de<br />

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Telephone: +27 11 928 9700<br />

email: africa@bell.co.za<br />

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SOUTHERN AFRICA FOCUS<br />

length of 3,628 mm and a mass of 11 t. “In<br />

this trommel, we have used the latest designs<br />

developed using Finite Element Analysis by<br />

Multotec with extensive cross bracing, which<br />

reduces the chances of torsional twisting when<br />

started under load,” Yell points out.<br />

When trommels reach over 2.5 m in diameter,<br />

it is cost effective to use large bolt- down<br />

screen panels, as less steelwork is required,<br />

reducing the costs of the steel structure and<br />

making it lighter. This trommel is fitted with<br />

cast polyurethane panels 596 x 875 mm x 50 mm<br />

thick.<br />

The frames on both trommels are rubber<br />

lined to prevent corrosion and erosion of the<br />

steelwork and extend the life of the trommel<br />

frame. They were both manufactured at<br />

Multotec’s Spartan facility and panels were<br />

installed prior to shipping.<br />

www.multotec.com<br />

Boart Longyear (BL) has moved from a<br />

regional to a global structure and, in South<br />

<strong>Africa</strong>, this means that all manufacturing<br />

operations and warehousing of the group’s<br />

other product lines have been consolidated at<br />

Boart Longyear Roodepoort. The Roodepoort<br />

plant has been designated as one of BL’s global<br />

centre’s of excellence which<br />

means that – in addition to<br />

selling and supporting the<br />

full range of BL products<br />

and services - it is now the<br />

group’s sole manufacturer<br />

of certain product lines for<br />

the global market. Locally<br />

manufactured products<br />

include the worldrenowned<br />

percussive<br />

rockdrills and hardrock<br />

tools.<br />

BL’s fastest growing<br />

business sector is drilling<br />

services – which provides<br />

rigs, crews and project<br />

management services for<br />

drilling applications across the spectrum of<br />

surface coring, underground coring and longhole<br />

drilling and blasting operations – and is<br />

active across sub-Saharan <strong>Africa</strong>, from its<br />

Roodepoort base. Working predominantly in<br />

Botswana and South <strong>Africa</strong>, BL draws on its<br />

innovative capability and international expertise<br />

to overcome the difficult drilling challenges and<br />

is the region’s exclusive provider of underground<br />

directional coal drilling services and a<br />

leader in long-hole drilling and blasting.<br />

“In Roodepoort, and around the world, our<br />

dual status as drilling service provider and<br />

drilling product manufacturer gives us a unique<br />

perspective on our customers’ needs and the<br />

30 International Mining FEBRUARY 2007<br />

optimal solutions required to satisfy them,”<br />

says Marketing Manager Joseph Oerson.<br />

“Whether undertaking surface coring or underground<br />

percussive drilling operations for our<br />

customers – or supplying them with products<br />

for their own use - we only sell and use the<br />

world’s most trusted equipment.<br />

“All the rigs, the consumables and the<br />

technology – for rotary, sonic, surface coring,<br />

underground coring and geotechnical applications -<br />

are developed and manufactured by us to the<br />

toughest specifications, with valued input from<br />

our own highly experienced drilling operators,”<br />

Oerson commented.<br />

www.boartlongyear.com<br />

NCS Engineering has been a supplier of<br />

failsafe braking systems to the mining industry<br />

since the late 1980s.The last few years saw the<br />

introduction of the Maxim-B brand of<br />

failsafe braking systems, which included a<br />

range of products for a variety of trackless<br />

mining vehicles, including a range of brakes for<br />

the utility vehicle market.<br />

Nxco Mining Technologies’ NoneX rock breaking<br />

cartridges being used in a narrow vein platinum stope.<br />

With an increased presence in the market<br />

place and the apparent lack of purpose built<br />

personnel carriers and support vehicles for<br />

underground mining applications, the company<br />

decided to design and develop its own mining<br />

support vehicle. The company’s primary<br />

objective was to develop and supply a purpose<br />

built vehicle to withstand the underground<br />

environment, with emphasis on build and<br />

component quality, safety and the reduction of<br />

the maintenance and operational costs.<br />

The result, the new Maxim-B support<br />

vehicle, is driven through four hydrostatic drive<br />

motors fitted to the wheel ends of the vehicle.<br />

These drives can be supplied either as single or<br />

dual speed ranges and offer an excellent means<br />

of power transmission when variable output<br />

speed is required. Hydrostatic drives typically<br />

outperform mechanical and electrical variablespeed<br />

drives and gear-type transmissions, offering<br />

a relatively fast response, allowing for vastly<br />

variable speed control and being able to<br />

maintain precise speed under varying loads.<br />

In addition to this, they are able to offer a<br />

smooth and controllable acceleration and they<br />

can be stalled without any damage. The ease<br />

of control, compact and lighter package and<br />

advanced electronic control of the drive<br />

motors made it a favourable selection for the<br />

support vehicle.<br />

The Maxim-B support vehicle comes fitted<br />

with a 48 kW naturally aspirated diesel engine.<br />

A Maxim-B liquid cooled SAHR type failsafe<br />

braking system is fitted to all four wheels. The<br />

vehicle is initially offered in either a high (1.8 m)<br />

or low (1.4 m) profile configured as a personnel<br />

carrier with a load bay.<br />

www.maximb.co.za<br />

NoneX rock breaking cartridges, Nxco<br />

Mining Technologies’ low impact method of<br />

breaking rock and concrete, have been<br />

exported and used in 26 countries worldwide.<br />

They are accepted worldwide<br />

as a viable alternative<br />

to the use of high<br />

explosives. The unique<br />

characteristics of the NoneX<br />

cartridge make it the product<br />

of first choice in any<br />

rock breaking application in<br />

environmentally sensitive<br />

areas or in close proximity<br />

to existing infrastructure,<br />

providing safe and effective<br />

non-explosive rock breaking<br />

and boulder splitting. The<br />

cartridges break rock with<br />

minimal fly rock, vibration<br />

and noise and are available<br />

in 12, 28, 34 and 60-mm<br />

diameters; and in charge-weights from 2 to<br />

500 g. www.nonex.co.za<br />

“Roymec Technologies cover all aspects of<br />

solid-liquid separation including screening and<br />

dual media filtration,” says Managing Director,<br />

Malcolm Royal. “Our emphasis is to offer<br />

customized solutions to our customers, which<br />

extend from laboratory and pilot plant testing,<br />

design assistance around core equipment<br />

through to installation and commissioning.”<br />

From membrane filters through to filter<br />

presses and including thickeners, vacuum belt<br />

filters and screens, Roymec Technologies’ offers<br />

an extensive complement of solid-liquid<br />

separation equipment. Its portfolio also includes


SOUTHERN AFRICA FOCUS<br />

The Melco Rollerbrake was designed to prevent belt<br />

runback. By adding it to the conventional Melco roll it<br />

provides unidirectional stopping to any inclined<br />

conveyor installation.<br />

continuous and fixed bed ion exchange<br />

systems. Pin bed clarifier technology has<br />

enhanced its range recently. Recent sales into<br />

Zambia, for instance, include dual media filters<br />

for Kansanshi and Mopani and pin bed clarifiers<br />

for Nkana. Belt screens have been sold into<br />

Kazakhstan, for Varvarinskoye and vacuum belt<br />

filters for FGD projects in China.<br />

www.roymec.edx.co.za<br />

LignoTech manufactures a variety of<br />

lignin-based products that are environmentally<br />

friendly and are based on renewable natural<br />

resources, namely lignosulphate, which is a<br />

co-product of cellulose production. For<br />

���������������������������������<br />

32 International Mining FEBRUARY 2007<br />

instance, LignoTech manufactures lignin-based<br />

dispersants that prevent elemental sulphur,<br />

formed during pressure-leaching, from coating<br />

the desired sulphide ore particles. Recovery of<br />

copper, nickel, zinc and other metals is thus<br />

increased. The binding property of lignosulphonates<br />

is utilized as a dust palliative for<br />

dust control on roads and other dust binding<br />

applications. www.lignotech.com<br />

The Melco Rollerbrake was designed and<br />

developed to prevent belt runback, reduce<br />

downtime and minimize the risk of injury to<br />

personnel. By adding the Rollerbrake to the<br />

conventional Melco roll, this essential device<br />

provides reliable unidirectional stopping power<br />

to any inclined conveyor installation, and<br />

supplements conventional conveyor holdback<br />

devices in the event of their failure. The contact<br />

surfaces of the brake are not load-bearing<br />

during normal operation, so there is no<br />

additional friction added to the conveyor<br />

installation. Melco Rollerbrakes are available in<br />

all Melco standard roller shaft and bearing<br />

configurations. www.melcoconveyors.com<br />

Nedbank Capital, the investment banking<br />

business of the Nedbank Group consists of a<br />

number of divisions that together manage the<br />

structuring, lending, underwriting and trading<br />

businesses. One such division is Specialized<br />

Finance with its three sectoral specialist teams<br />

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that serve as Nedbank Capital’s knowledge<br />

hub: energy; infrastructure; mining and<br />

resources. Mark Tyler, Head of Mining and<br />

Resources at Nedbank Capital said, “The<br />

investment bank adopted an industryknowledge<br />

model three years ago where strong<br />

sector-<strong>focus</strong>ed teams pursue opportunities in<br />

mining, energy, and infrastructure.”<br />

The Mining and Resources team specializes<br />

in the customized design and implementation<br />

of sophisticated and innovative deal solutions<br />

to entities undertaking major infrastructure and<br />

mining projects in <strong>Africa</strong> and the rest of the<br />

world. These include structured debt,<br />

project finance, equity, quasi-equity and<br />

corporate advisory services that take advantage<br />

of Nedbank’s substantial balance sheet to<br />

create value for its clients. Tyler says the Mining<br />

and Resources unit has emerged as a formidable<br />

project finance force, with deal flow having<br />

contributed about a third of all project-financerelated<br />

activities over the past two years in<br />

South <strong>Africa</strong>.<br />

The unit provides a single gateway to the<br />

wide range of assets - both intellectual and<br />

financial - that are available at Nedbank. The<br />

team's considerable hands-on expertise and<br />

deep understanding of banking products and<br />

services allow it to guide clients to an optimal<br />

solution quickly and efficiently.<br />

The final critical path component necessary to proceed on schedule,<br />

the ball mill, was successfully delivered to Rio Narcea’s Tasiast gold<br />

project in Mauritania in October 2006.<br />

The team specializes in providing complete<br />

deal solution from sourcing and negotiating the<br />

transaction to providing relevant advice and<br />

designing an optimal funding package that<br />

creates benefits for all parties. This offering<br />

02/07<br />

embraces the full range of financing instruments<br />

(equity and quasi-equity, as well as mezzanine,<br />

junior and senior debt funding), the syndication<br />

of such instruments, documentation and postdeal<br />

administration. www.nedbank.co.za<br />

FEBRUARY 2007 International Mining 33


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That’s where the action is.<br />

Keeping a close eye on things


SOUTHERN AFRICA FOCUS<br />

Rio Narcea’s Tasiast gold project in<br />

Mauritania has total proven and probable<br />

reserves of 885,000 oz gold, with a further<br />

1.19 Moz in measured and indicated resources.<br />

In January 2005, Rio Narcea awarded the basic<br />

engineering for the project to Senet. Capital<br />

costs for the Tasiast project are estimated at<br />

$63.5 million and the cash cost over the<br />

eight-plus year open pit mine-life is expected to<br />

average $240/oz.<br />

In November 2005, construction commenced<br />

followed by a lump-sum turnkey contract,<br />

finalized in January 2006 with Senet for the<br />

construction of the plant, the camp and related<br />

facilities. Construction of the project is expected<br />

to be completed during the first half of 2007,<br />

with first gold production expected shortly<br />

thereafter.<br />

All critical path items were on site by the<br />

beginning of November and construction was<br />

proceeding on schedule. The final critical path<br />

component necessary to proceed on schedule,<br />

the ball mill, which was manufactured and jaw crusher were due to arrive at the end of<br />

bench-tested in China, was successfully<br />

November. Civil construction was 92%<br />

delivered to the mine site in October 2006. complete, with pending work relating to the<br />

The overall progress of Senet’s works at the crushing area, foundations, laboratory and<br />

end of October was 80% with engineering ROM tipping bin. The structural and mechanical<br />

completed and orders procured. The shipping erection was 46% complete and electrical<br />

was 64% complete. The cone crushers were works 20% complete. The tailings storage<br />

already in Mauritania and the thickener and the facilities were well advanced with paddock 1<br />

complete and earthworks<br />

and plastic lining<br />

of paddock 2 in<br />

progress.<br />

Clayton Equipment Ltd The water supply to<br />

Maximum Uptime the mine had been<br />

Minimum Maintenance established, with the<br />

pipeline successfully<br />

pressure tested and the<br />

World Leading Locomotives<br />

reservoir ready. The<br />

& Haulage Solutions<br />

diesel power plant<br />

for Mining, Tunnelling &<br />

became operational in<br />

Surface Transport<br />

December 2006.<br />

With 73 years of experience and “The delivery of the<br />

ISO 9001:2000 approval,<br />

ball mill represents the<br />

Clayton Equipment can satisfy any final critical piece of<br />

haulage requirement at lowest cost<br />

equipment to arrive<br />

of ownership.<br />

safely on site. Our<br />

•¥Battery,<br />

Trolley, Diesel &<br />

construction timetable<br />

Flameproof Battery Locomotives<br />

continues to progress<br />

•¥Rolling<br />

Stock<br />

on schedule. When<br />

combined with the<br />

•¥Transfer<br />

Cars<br />

recently announced<br />

•¥Refurbishments<br />

and conversions<br />

18% increase in open<br />

•¥Custom<br />

Builds<br />

pit ounces, our<br />

•¥Training<br />

optimism for the Tasiast<br />

Please contact us for more information: gold project and our<br />

Clayton Equipment Ltd<br />

ability to augment gold<br />

Telephone Telephone: +44 (0) 1283 870 112 812382 9191 Fax: Fax +44 (0) 870 1283 112 814772 9192<br />

e-mail info@claytonequipment.co.uk ounces in and around<br />

web site www.claytonequipment.co.uk it, has been further<br />

36 International Mining FEBRUARY 2007<br />

A birdseye view of Mintek’s Atomijet at Implats<br />

refinery in Springs, showing the melting head (right)<br />

and the atomizer cup (left), with the power supply in<br />

the background.<br />

enhanced,” said Chris von Christierson,<br />

Chairman and CEO of Rio Narcea.<br />

www.rionarcea.com<br />

At the end of December 2006 Major Drilling<br />

Group International purchased the drilling operations<br />

of the Longstaff Group in southern <strong>Africa</strong>.<br />

These include the operations of Raldril in South<br />

<strong>Africa</strong>, RA Longstaff in Botswana, and RA<br />

Longstaff in Namibia.<br />

These businesses operate in regions where<br />

Major Drilling does not currently have a presence.<br />

Through this purchase Major Drilling will acquire<br />

55 conventional drill rigs, together with related<br />

support equipment, inventory, and contracts.<br />

“We are very pleased to welcome these new<br />

operations into the Major group. Not only does<br />

this acquisition provide us with assets, experienced<br />

drillers and existing contracts in southern<br />

<strong>Africa</strong>, but it will also facilitate our expansion<br />

into other countries in the region,” said Francis<br />

McGuire, President and CEO of Major Drilling<br />

Group International. www.majordrilling.com<br />

DRA Mineral Projects is an engineering<br />

company which specializes in project management<br />

and process plant design. The company also<br />

offers services in feasibility studies, procurement<br />

of equipment and supplies, fabrication and<br />

erection, commissioning and training. In August<br />

2006 DRA completed the upgrade of Anglo<br />

Platinum’s Amandelbult concentrator from<br />

30,000 to 75,000 t/month throughput of UG2<br />

ore.


The extension consisted of front-end<br />

conveying upgrades, transfer and feeding<br />

station modifications, crushing, silo storage,<br />

primary, secondary silicate and chrome milling,<br />

four stages of flotation, classification and sampling.<br />

Ore is received via the existing UG2<br />

rail-bunker system, and the new plant makes<br />

use of up-graded existing tailings thickening,<br />

reagent make-up and concentrate handling<br />

facilities.<br />

Critical to the entire project was the tie-in to<br />

existing operating plant. Due to the substantial<br />

feed requirement increases required after a load<br />

flow study was completed by Lebedev, DRA<br />

had to change conveyor profiles, belting,<br />

pulleys, drives, electrics, add feeders and<br />

strengthen the structural steelwork in<br />

buildings. www.drasa.co.za<br />

Mintek, based in Randburg, South <strong>Africa</strong>,<br />

specializes in mineral and metallurgical research<br />

and development (R&D), technology transfer<br />

and beneficiation. Working closely with industry<br />

and other R&D institutions, Mintek provides<br />

service testwork, process development and<br />

optimization, consulting and innovative products<br />

to clients worldwide. In October 2006 Implats<br />

successfully commissioned Mintek’s Atomijet<br />

atomizer for Impala Platinum Refineries in<br />

Springs, South <strong>Africa</strong>.<br />

The custom-designed unit employs induction<br />

heating to melt the charge, and three highpressure<br />

water nozzles to impact on the stream<br />

of molten metal, transforming it into fine<br />

powder. Control of the pour is automated to<br />

ensure consistent results. “The technology is<br />

similar to normal atomizing, but is more costeffective”,<br />

said Nick Maritz, Manager of<br />

Mintek’s Engineering Services Division.<br />

“The particles of the product produced by<br />

the Atomijet are somewhat coarser than<br />

those from a normal atomizer – 90% smaller<br />

than 300 m as opposed to 40 to 70 m,<br />

which is much finer than needed for some<br />

applications.”<br />

The Atomijet was originally developed as an<br />

adjunct to Mintek’s Minataur all-hydrometallurgical<br />

gold refining process, in which it is used<br />

to prepare atomized gold for leaching. The unit<br />

at Impala is a second-generation machine<br />

featuring a number of improvements.<br />

“Specifically, the melting head and the atomizer<br />

cup have been separated, each with its own<br />

independent induction heating coil”, explained<br />

Maritz. “This enables greater operating temperatures<br />

to be attained – in excess of 1,600°C,<br />

compared to about 1,100°C with the earlier<br />

models. This extends the range of materials that<br />

can be processed.” www.mintek.co.za<br />

Mining equipment simulators are becoming<br />

more and more popular, particularly in the<br />

02/07<br />

current times of long lead times for equipment.<br />

They allow operators to be trained without<br />

taking equipment out of the production process.<br />

Fifth Dimension Technologies (5DT) offers<br />

simulators for surface mining (like haul trucks,<br />

all kind of loading tools and dozers) and underground<br />

(like continuous miners and roof bolters).<br />

Looking in more detail at the longwall<br />

training simulator, the trainee wears a Head<br />

Mounted Display (HMD) and controls the<br />

machine with the same radio remote controller<br />

that is used for the real machine. First the<br />

trainee is taught the shearer, and then how to<br />

operate the radio device. From this point, the<br />

trainee can move on to cutting coal with the<br />

shearer. The operator can control the primary<br />

and secondary booms, the cutting drums, the<br />

cutting direction, the water sprays and the<br />

cowels. The longwall roof supports are<br />

controlled from the simulator keyboard.<br />

As well as teaching control of the shearer,<br />

this simulator can teach trainees about the<br />

longwall process. Trainees can ‘walk’ up and<br />

down the face and underneath the shields.<br />

Trainees can view the advance of the longwall<br />

in accelerated mode, facilitating a rapid<br />

understanding of the mining method. The system<br />

also has a ‘see-through’ mode where the longwall<br />

may be viewed from any angle through<br />

the coal. www.5dt.com<br />

FEBRUARY 2007 International Mining 37

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