Africa Mining Insight May/June 2022 Edition

Africa’s Own Mining Journal May - June 2022 > Issue 3 . Vol #4

DEALING WITH FIRE RISK IN A MINING ENVIRONMENT Pg06

SWEEPER PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Pg18

SUPPLYING GEOSYNTHETICS FOR OVER 50 YEARS Pg28

AF R I C A

MI N I N G

I NS I GHT

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SEPURA'S VHF TETRA SOLUTION IMPROVES SITE SAFETY FOR MINING ORGANISATIONS

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Editor’s Note

Africa’s Own Mining Journal May - June 2022 > Issue 3 . Vol #4

DEALING WITH FIRE RISK IN A MINING ENVIRONMENT Pg06

This issue of Africa mining Insight tries to bring together this wide range of perspec ves in mining on the con nent. It is my sincere hope that you will appreciate the insights

SWEEPER PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Pg18

given. Our publica on focuses on the developments and ac vi es taking place in the mining sector through out Africa. As you are aware the con nent is a haven of minerals which are in demand world wide. The diamonds of Botswana, the South African gold,

SUPPLYING GEOSYNTHETICS FOR OVER 50 YEARS Pg28

AF RI CA

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I NS I GHT

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and the oil of Angola, to men on just a few. Zimbabwe boasts of coal which is in COVER

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abundance, with Zambia renowned for its copper. Unfortunately despite its mineral wealth, Africa s ll lags behind in development as compared to the rest of the world. It seems the Interna onal companies mining on the con nent are only interested in extrac on of the minerals and working on them outside the con nent.

Editor Goodwill Sibanda editor@africamininginsight.co.za

Minerals mined in Africa leave the con nent in their raw state. This has deprived Africa in terms of developing the country's mining industry and from earnings which accrue from the minerals once value is added on to them. It is me that Africa holds on to its

Writer Kennedy Chamu writer@africamininginsight.co.za Sales Daren daren@africamininginsight.co.za Leon Jaure leon@africamininginsight.co.za Cleopas Moyo cleopas@africamininginsight.co.za Jacob White jacob@africamininginsight.co.za Samuel Ndlovu samuel@africamininginsight.co.za

minerals and only dispose of them a er value addi on to enable it to fully benefit from its produce.

Beneficia on is a factor African governments should impose on their resources before expor ng their minerals. It is believed that in the purifica on of pla num there are over seven by minerals which are also found in the process. These are not brought back to Africa by the mining companies but sold as finished products through out the world.

This process has led to few jobs being created within the industry. In the case the products come back to Africa, they are sold at very exorbitant costs. Zimbabwe' diamond is cleaned out of the country and sold at treble the price by its buyers a er value addi on. This occurrence has led to few jobs being created, with industries being built overseas to benefit foreigners. Saudi Arabia does not have a diamond mine but boasts of a 25 billion dollar diamond industry. Most of its diamonds are procured from Africa. The following example illustrates clearly what I am wri ng about. The granite that was used to build the Royal Danish Library was mined in Mutoko, Zimbabwe. The

Design and Layout Kelvin Munash design@africamininginsight.co.za Accounts Lenon Chirimuta accounts@africamininginsight.co.za Subscription Thatho Ndlovu subscrip on@africamininginsight.co.za

Italian company paid US$150 per ton as mining rights and extracted 6500 tons. The Zimbabwean government made US975 000 from this venture. The Italian firm cut and polished the stones and sold them to the Danish for US$18 million. The country lost almost US$17 million in possible revenue.

It is very sad to con nue to watch our people wallow in poverty and live in slums when wealth can be kept on the con nent. Countries in Africa should not only be eager to sell their raw products but should strive to add value to it. The pla num mining firms in Zimbabwe should build a smel ng plant to avoid the product being sold raw outside the country. This will create more jobs and increase the tax basket of the country at the same me witness a growth in mining infrastructure.

General info@africamininginsight.co.za sales@africamininginsight.co.za Call: +27 84 744 4593 +27 79 499 2268 www.africamininginsight.co.za

Your comments and contribu ons will be most appreciated.

Best regards Goodwill Sibanda

Disclaimer: All material is strictly copyright. The magazine or any part thereof may not be reproduced or adapted without writen permission from the publisher: - Africa Mining Insight welcomes material submi ed for publica on but retains the right to edit copy. The views expressed in the publica on are not considered those of the publisher, which accepts no liability of any nature arising out of or in connec on with the contents of this magazine. While every effort has been taken in compiling this publica on, the publisher does not give warranty as to the completeness or accuracy of its content. The publisher and the editor cannot accept responsibility for any loss inconvenience & damage that may occur there from.

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CONTENTS

MAY / JUNE 2022

DEALING WITH FIRE RISK IN A MINING ENVIRONMENT

PAGE 06

SOLVING THE CHALLENGES OF MINING COMMUNICATIONS

PAGE 07

A.N. SOLUTIONS ENABLES SMART MINING APPLICATIONS

PAGE 10

THE SAFE AND CLEAN DIRECT IN-LINE PUMPING SYSTEM

PAGE 12

VARIANT MINING TECHNOLOGIES

PAGE 14

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY RESPONDING TO INDUSTRY DEMANDS

PAGE 16

SWEEPER PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

PAGE 18

SEPURA'S VHF TETRA SOLUTION IMPROVES SITE SAFETY FOR MINING ORGANISATIONS PAGE

Site Safety for Mining Organisations p20

20

TOMRA SORTING MINING BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH UNIQUE XRT

PAGE 22

WESTBROOK RESOURCES

PAGE 25

SUPPLYING GEOSYNTHETICS FOR OVER 50 YEARS

PAGE 28

TRACKS AND DRIVE SPROCKETS FOR MINING

PAGE 30

LUBRICATION SOLUTIONS TO WEAR RATE REDUCTION

Dealing with fire risk mining p06

TOMRA Sorting Mining breaks new ground p22

PAGE 32

ROYAL IHC'S EXPERTISE INVALUABLE FOR WATER MANAGEMENT IN DREDGE MINING PAGE

34

LIBS CHEMICAL SENSING APPLICATIONS IN THE MINING AND MINERALS INDUSTRY

PAGE 36

AIRLESS TYRES FOR UNDERGROUND MINING

PAGE 34

CLEAN ENERGY METALS FROM AFRICA – IMA TO BOOST PRODUCTION

PAGE 42

Clean Energy Metals from Africa p42

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Mining-Tech

Solving the challenges of mining communications Modern mine operators are increasingly recognizing the need for technologically advanced communica on systems for both worker safety and opera onal efficiency.

Keeping workers connected and informed is key to a safe and efficient workplace and communica ons play a vital role in ensuring opera onal coordina on.

We have asked Regional Director Carsten Laursen and Regional Sales Director Stuart Will from DAMM Cellular Systems how their communica on solu ons conform to these requirements.

Fail-safe voice and data communica ons Why should mining companies consider a DAMM radio communica on solu on?

“DAMM fully understands the cri cal importance of fail-safe voice and data communica ons. We specialise in providing equipment perfectly suited to the remote, harsh environments and severe working condi ons of mining opera ons. Our solu ons provide crucial communica ons integra on between the mining site, rail and port opera ons and centralised administra on, enhancing both efficiency and the safety of personnel,” says Carsten.

When communica on systems fail, mining companies have to stop opera ons, which costs millions a day. The decentralized architecture of the DAMM system combined with a fully redundant setup prevent down me, even if the network is hit by lightning.

Along with high availability, DAMM's system includes a wide range of other safetyenhancing features, including clear voice

Carsten Laursen Regional Director

quality even in noisy environments, emergency calls, man-down func onality,

Easy to deploy, move and maintain

geo-loca on services, mul ple pre-emp ve

How are DAMM's products specifically useful

and low temperatures. Their compact design

calls, broadcast messaging alerts and direct

for the mining sector?

and low weight make them easy to mount

alarm dispatch to emergency units.

environments from high heat and dust to rain

“Our IP65-protected outdoor base sta ons

directly in masts, providing coverage for the

are built for remote areas, harsh

en re mining site. In addi on, their design

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Solving the challenges of mining communica ons

makes them suitable for portable deployment, e.g. on trailers that can be moved to adapt to changing mining loca ons or along haul roads.

Thanks to the simple and self-configuring setup, you can quickly and seamlessly expand your system when needed,” Stuart explains.

Breakthrough TCO and proven success What makes DAMM's products especially suitable for the African region?

“Not only are our products built for harsh environments and for improving opera onal efficiency and safety. We are commi ed to offering solu ons that ensure low CAPEX and OPEX. One of the key features of our outdoor base sta ons is their cost efficiency. The low power consump on saves on electricity costs and even allows a completely solar-powered solu on providing portability saving costs every day.

In addi on, the base sta ons are designed with passive cooling, which means there is no addi onal cooling systems requiring a power source, maintenance, or repair – indeed low maintenance is a key trait of our products. Our system is not only cost-efficient when it comes to purchasing and opera ng it. Due to the high reliability, you are also guaranteed a minimum of costly down me with opera ons coming to a stands ll,” says Carsten.

Stuart adds, “We have many years of experience in providing costeffec ve solu ons to major players within the mining industry around the world and have delivered systems for huge opera ons run by Rio Tinto, BHP, Glencore and Fortescue Metals Group (Australia), New Gold (Canada) and BUMA (Indonesia) to name but a few. We therefore have the know-how and the exper se needed to support similar large-scale opera ons in Africa.”

About DAMM With its nearly 40 years in the industry, DAMM is a well-established name within TETRA radio communica on and has built up extensive experience in delivering products that can endure the harsh environments that characterise the mining industry. DAMM's TetraFlex® solu on is 100% IP-based and comes with complete outdoor and/or indoor base sta ons and comprehensive features as well as integrated so ware such as network management, voice and data recording and full dispatch applica ons.

To learn more about our products and solu ons and how we can help you, please contact Carsten Laursen Regional Director cl@damm.dk Stuart Will Regional Sales Director sw@damm.dk Stuart Will Regional Sales Director

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www.dammcellular.com

Mining-Tech

A.N. Solutions Enables Smart Mining Applications with Reliable Wireless Connectivity

Smart Sensors Improve Efficiency and Cut Costs The mining industry has come a long way from pickaxes and shovels to sophis cated machines and tools. Yet another revolu on is sweeping the industry. Powered by wireless sensor technology, the Internet of Things (IoT) brings connec vity to every piece of equipment in the field while offering significant benefits, from enhanced safety to cost reduc on and increased efficiency.

Whether it's an underground or a surface mine, the miners' safety is of paramount importance. Methane gas buildup may cause an explosion. Contaminated dust and vola le organic compounds (VOCs) are toxic and pose a significant health hazard. Machine operator's fa gue can cause an accident. By keeping a watchful eye on air quality and worker's vital signs, wireless sensor devices spring into ac on when cri cal condi ons are detected. They help prevent accidents and

save lives 24/7.

Mining opera ons require a lot of sophis cated tools and equipment. Open-pit mining requires a fleet of dump trucks and earth-moving equipment. Every mechanical failure results in costly down me and may affect many other links in the produc on chain, snowballing the losses. Smart connec vity allows a company to diagnose each vehicle's health remotely, and schedule maintenance proac vely. Vehicle usage can be op mized by tracking and analyzing its performance.

Ground subsidence and erosion are extremely dangerous while being everpresent in open-cast mining. By detec ng minute shi s, lt sensors monitor ground subsidence and provide advance warning. It is also important that the dump trucks do not get overloaded. Wheel load scales help ensure that the truck load is within the acceptable range. Fi ed with radio

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transmi ers, they relay real- me data to the opera ons control center.

How Sensor Network Operates Mines use a wide variety of sensors that measure all kinds of parameters, from temperature and humidity to lt and accelera on. However, all this valuable sensor data needs to be harvested and transmi ed, o en in real- me, so that it can be analyzed and visualized, and ac ons can be taken in a mely manner. Wireless technologies hold the key to solving this challenge.

Each sensor node is equipped with a ny radio transceiver and antenna. An embedded microcontroller is its “brains.” So ware determines the mode of opera on of a sensor node and the frequency of data transmission. A sensor node can serve as a pure monitoring device or when equipped by an actuator, will perform a control func on.

A.N. Solu ons Enables Smart Mining Applica ons with Reliable Wireless Connec vity

Ba ery-powered sensor nodes can operate autonomously for years and are easily fi ed even into the most hard-to-reach loca ons.

They offer the ul mate flexibility in the network configura on.

Wireless Solu ons that Work Reliably A.N. Solu ons specializes in developing reliable and rugged wireless sensing solu ons that work in the environments that are most “unfriendly” to a radio signal, from trains to industrial equipment to mines. A.N. Solu ons has been building ATEX compliant solu ons and designs capable of opera ng in the -85°C to 145°C temperature range, which far exceeds IP67 requirements. With a large por olio of reference designs from different industries, A.N. Solu ons can create a futureproof system quickly and cost-effec vely.

The recent prolifera on of wireless standards makes it difficult to select the one that best fits the applica on. A.N. Solu ons will help you select the wireless protocols and components spanning 169MHz up to 5.2GHz radio spectrum to achieve an op mum range vs. signal strength, ba ery life, and important characteris cs, according to your requirements. So ware fine-tuning is important for a secure and efficient sensor data acquisi on and storage process, as well as ba ery life. Antenna design is a cri cal factor for reliable data transmission. Long ba ery life is the key to smooth opera ons,

and A.N. Solu ons has mastered different ba ery technologies, including industrialgrade rechargeable cells, and more.

Many mines have wired or wireless legacy systems in place. Replacing them completely is prohibi vely expensive. A.N. Solu ons' experts will be able to seamlessly integrate a new wireless network with the legacy system, and combine the data collected. A.N. Solu ons offers comprehensive expert services for every stage of wireless product development - from a thorough review of the current architecture and the need assessment to mapping out a migra on plan and crea ng a proof of concept. Combining in-depth knowledge of wireless protocols, such as IEEE 802.15.4/Zigbee, 6LowPAN, and LoRa, and their compa bility, with all aspects of connec vity and device management, network security, and sensor data acquisi on, A.N. Solu ons experts will provide step-by-step guidance.

● Extensive partner ecosystem of industry leading vendors and service providers, incl.

Bosch Sensortec, Microchip, Nordic, Qorvo, Sensirion, and more; ● Flexible engagement op ons and support packages; ● Uncompromising “Made in Germany” quality.

Explore our IoT solu ons and contact our engineers at www.an-solu ons.de.

Thomas Lerm, Founder & CEO thomas.lerm@an-solutions.de Tel: +49 351 30900 195

The advantages of working with A.N. Solu ons are many: ● In-depth exper se in all facets of IoT design; ● Its own product line of rugged IoT components; ● Rapid prototyping using 3D modeling; ● Safety and compliance cer fica on assistance;

www.an-solutions.de

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11

Mining- Pumps

The safe and clean Direct In-line Pumping System for economic & environmental wastewater lift stations

www.africamininginsight.co.za

12

www.side-industrie.com

www.dipsysteme.com

info@side-industrie.com

Mining-Solution

Variant Mining Technologies SAFETY RELIABILITY ACCURACY First-of-its-kind ore handling solu on puts safety first Mining companies are digging deeper than ever to maximize output, what starts as an open-pit mine o en extends underground.

“As mines get deeper, extrac on of valuable ore becomes more costly,” said Derek Meloche, manager of business development, Variant Mining Technologies. “In addi on, safeguarding personnel from underground hazards is a cri cal concern.”

Located in the Sudbury basin in Ontario, Canada, Variant Mining Technologies specialize in solu ons for underground hard rock mining. The company works to solve one of the industry's biggest challenges – moving material underground safely and efficiently.

Block Caving Challenges Transpor ng ore underground presents significant challenges, depending on the excava on method used. In block caving, a large sec on of rock is undercut. The ore then collapses – or “caves” – gradually under its own weight. The resul ng rubble funnels through a series of ver cal ore passes at various levels in the mine. A chute system is located at the bo om of each ore pass.

“The chute is a device that allows ore to be transferred safely to the haulage vehicles,” Meloche explained. “It controls the flow so haulage equipment can be loaded quickly and safely.”

Trucks collect the material from a chute at the haulage level and transport it to conveyance systems, which bring the ore to a centralized crusher and/or to the surface.

Safety First We are focused on crea ng a produc ve mining environment that mi gates and eliminates risk – and is an a rac ve place to work. Tradi onally, underground ore chute systems have been viewed as steel fabrica ons, with very limited control.

However, Variant brings control technology to the forefront to help make equipment safer, more efficient, and more reliable.

A Two-Fold Control Solu on Successful opera on of the ore loading system depends on the coordinated control of the ore chutes and haulage vehicles.

Variant is charged with supplying the ore chutes – and a safety control system that meets func onal safety requirements. To achieve a func onally safe system, in this case a system that meets SIL 3 ra ngs, the design considered the process that encompasses the bin, chutes and trucks.

The control system is built on pla orm Featuring, designs that eliminate hazards, safety-rated controllers, and HMI interfaces.

The system is designed with a controller and HMI in each chute and aboard each truck. For fail-safe communica on, the integrated system uses safety-rated protocols running on an Ethernet wireless network.

Enabling Smart Technology To op mize the system, Variant incorporated several technologies that are not new in other industries but new to underground mining. For example, the vehicle detec on system in the chute loading area detects a truck's presence and posi on – while RFID technology determines the vehicle model and type. www.africamininginsight.co.za

14

“This technology allows operators in the truck cabs to control the chutes in a safer manner,” Meloche said. “The chute will not operate unless a haulage truck is present and in the correct posi on. Jeeps or other vehicle types cannot trigger opera on.” The system also includes fallen object protec on. A gate at the end of the chute contains any loose rocks from the previous load to help safeguard approaching vehicles and personnel. “And our system monitors the ore bins associated with each chute to make sure they don't run empty,” Meloche said. “We keep material in the bins at all mes to serve as a buffer – so ore falling 150 feet doesn't come out of the chute like a rocket.”

Exceeding Expecta ons Our Team of Cer fied Machine Safety Experts CMSE™ design ore handling systems that improve operator safety while op mizing mine throughput. Variant an cipates the system will enable significantly be er traffic control and equipment u liza on than other systems on the market. “Overall, mining companies are most concerned about safety – and produc vity,” said Meloche. “Our safety-rated SIL 3 system is designed to improve both.” This truck loading control system is currently patent pending.

info@variantmining.com

www.variantmining.com

Mining-Tech

Advanced Technology Responding To Industry Demands

Fiber reinforced concrete consists of a

seek technology that will help solve the

versa le construc on material, yet it is also

concrete mixture that is reinforced with

inherent flaws in concrete and tradi onal

beset with several drawbacks that are

dispersed, randomly oriented fibers.

reinforcement.Ultra-Fiber is one of those

inherent to its composi on. By generally

Engineers, architects, owners, specifiers and

innova ve products, and its popularity is

accepted engineering standards, concrete is

concrete contractors are increasingly turning

quickly gaining trac on worldwide. It is made

rela vely bri le and lacks flexural strength.

to the use of fibers as a means of reinforcing

using a 100% virgin polypropylene fibre of

Concrete also has the propensity to crack in

their concrete, making fiber reinforced

0.85mm diameter, with a con nuous

both its plas c (early-age) and hardened

concrete one of the fastest-growing segments

deformed profile. Its “X” shape anchorage is

(long-term) state. In either case, these cracks

in the concrete industry.

specifically designed for shotcrete, normal

can jeopardize the overall integrity of the

There are s ll the tradi onal methods of

pouring methods, mining, tunnelling and

concrete and not allow it to maintain its

concrete reinforcement using steel

various other applica ons as opposed to the

maximum performance capability.

reinforcing bars and weld mesh – however

conven onal rebar or welded mesh.

Ultra Fiber reinforcement stands out from

there are other op ons which are to ac vely

Concrete is widely recognized as a cheap and

other reinforcing products through its ability

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Advanced Technology Responding To Industry Demands

to make concrete more pliable, and therefore

are added directly to the concrete matrix and

construc on call for new building materials.

it offers ul mate flexibility in the design and

evenly distributed throughout. The result is

Due to the enhanced performances and

construc on process. Working with fiber

an advanced, mul -dimensional

effec ve cost-benefit ra o, the use of

reinforcement not only means less steel, but

reinforcement system that can be placed

polypropylene fibers is o en recommended

it also eliminates and reduces the labour-

quickly, accurately, and safely

for concrete structures

intensive process of steel fixing. Ultra Fibers

Innova ons in engineering design and

www.ultrafibers.com

colin@pal-usa.com

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Mining- Machinery

Sweeper Product Development

Deon Van Rensburg from Palomino Plant SA

Following this approach, we were able to

test as we fly'”. – David Giger, a SpaceX

(Pty) Ltd, approached ETT in 2014 to develop

quickly release a working, yet imperfect

engineer.

a high performance mine haul road sweeper

version of the prototype sweeper.

The Ultra Sweeper became the world's

intended to deliver a significant step up in

Following 12 months of tes ng and itera ve

highest performance off-road sweeper ,

performance and safety to the process of

upgrades, a second prototype was built. The

however a series of components failures

mine haul road sweeping.

second prototype had a range of upgrades

affected reliability of the brush head drive

The process was ini ated with the placement

developed by repeatedly go through

and trimming system .

of an order for a prototype unit based on a

planning, design, manufacture, tes ng and

The lessons learned from early failures were

Bell 25mT Ar culated Dump Truck.

evalua on phases to rework the product and

used to develop the final itera on of a 6.0m

It was decided to proceed with the

new func onality.

brush head and trimming system, which in

development process of this prototype by

Frequent releases of these upgrades allowed

turn became a part of the 620 Sweeper.

means of the Itera ve product development

us to collect feedback and improve the

The 620 sweepers were developed as a high

model where a prototype is designed,

product to meet all requirements.

power accelerated test bed for the 6.0 m

constructed and out into service, and

“We weren't just going to sit there and

Brush Head System.

development takes the form of frequents and

analyse something for years and years and

This need arose from the situa on that the

incremental improvement that would be

years and years to the nth degree. SpaceX

mine sites that the Ultra Sweeper was being

implemented during the tes ng cycle.

was built on 'test, test, test, test, test.' We

tested on were extremely difficult to access in

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18

Sweeper Product Development

order to do proper system monitoring and

site.

manufactured with several upgrades, and were commissioning in March 2020. All three

product op misa on, an essen al part of the

The 620 Sweeper maiden launch was a

product development cycle.

tremendous success with the prototype

machines are now in con nuous opera on.

The 620 Sweeper was constructed with the

exceeding performance expecta ons by a

The rela vely rapid development of the third

assistance of a large global mining company,

large margin. The 620 Sweeper is integrated

prototype would've been impossible without

First Quantum Minerals. A long term

to a Volvo A40 because First Quantum Mining

employing the itera ve development process.

technical rela onship with this mining

happened to have several A40's available.

The latest two units that are in opera on at

company, enabled a workable opera ng

It was agreed with First Quantum to put two

First Quantum Mines in Zambia are again

arrangement to be put in place where, within

more prototypes on test, where First

exceeding performance expecta ons and

the bounds of the mine regula ons,

Quantum would provide the Volvo A40

have proven to be reliable .

engineers could have free access to the test

Power Heads. These units were

info@palsa.co.za

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www.sepura.com

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alloys@wbrl.co.uk

www.wbrl.co.uk

alloys@wbrl.co.uk

www.wbrl.co.uk

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admin@ssbs.co.za

www.ssbs.co.za

Mining- Solutions

Tracks and drive sprockets for mining

Synergy Undercarriage Components supplies

processes to provide unique, cost effec ve

who has been manufacturing steel cas ngs

high quality, market leading tracks and drive

solu ons that are applica on specific –

for over 80 years, enables us to provide

sprockets for most popular mining size

whether it's hard rock copper and gold,

quality solu on based, differen ated

hydraulic excavators and electric rope shovels

coking and thermal coal or iron ore. We

products.

to end users throughout Australia, the Asia /

understand no two ore bodies are the same

All Synergy Undercarriage tracks and drive

Pacific region and Africa. Our strategic

and that opera ng condi ons can vary

sprockets are manufactured in superior grade

partnerships with blue chip mining

greatly - which a standard design & material

quench and tempered alloy steels then

contractors and companies over the years has

from an OEM may not stand up to.

induc on hardened on the high wearing

afforded us the opportunity to develop a

Our unique, long standing and technology

surfaces u lising state of the art, purpose

broad range of designs, materials and

driven partnership with our manufacturer,

designed and built equipment. Hardness

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Tracks and drive sprockets for mining

levels of the wear surfaces are matched to the ma ng components whilst ensuring a duc le core that is able to provide significant impact resistance.

Our capabili es: ·

Computer-aided engineering, design and manufacture

·

FEA

·

Virtual prototyping / CNC pa ern making

·

Solidifica on simula on

·

Concurrent engineering

·

Fast track prototyping

·

CMM dimensional verifica on

·

In-house mechanical tes ng

·

On site prototype tes ng and monitoring

sales@syunco.com.au www.syunco.com.au www.africamininginsight.co.za

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Mining- Solutions

Lubrication Solutions to Wear Rate Reduction

By Chuck Strait

Petron Corpora on, located in New Berlin,

equipment owing to their ever-increasing

Formula ng our products with primarily

Wisconsin, USA, has over 50 Years of

demands.

heavy viscous oils, in many cases above

experience manufacturing high performance

Some historians call pin and bushing joints

50,000 cSt, along with a light carrier oil,

lubricants focusing on surface mining,

the first type of bearings. They have been

allows Petron lubricants to have the

underground mining, and ore processing.

around for thousands of years and were

characteris cs of a much lower “apparent”

Petron Corpora on's specialty lubricants

originally used in applica ons such as

viscosity lubricant. This lower “apparent”

excel in lubrica ng equipment such as

rota ng wheels on wooden axles. However,

viscosity lubricant will flow readily into a load

Draglines, Electric/Hydraulic Shovels, Loaders,

in today's mining world there are hundreds of

zone, deposi ng select addi ves and high

Haul Trucks, and any other mobile pit

machines that use various materials and

viscous oil molecules right where they are

equipment, as well as Crushers and all types

configura ons for their pins and bushings.

needed the most, while remaining viscous

of Mills.

Though material construc on has changed

enough to eliminate the need for large

from the original plain wood pins and

amounts of soap to hold the oil in

Let's face it

bushings, providing a lubrica ng film and

suspension.

Mining Equipment is designed to have parts

elimina ng contamina on between the pin

This lubricant film then separates even the

wear out while s ll maintaining the machine

and bushing has not.

highest loaded surfaces, greatly reducing the

integrity. While it is beneficial that high wear

How is Petron Corpora on different? Petron

possibility of contact wear, while the light

items can simply be replaced, it is also

has pioneered the development of specific

carrier oil washes the would-be

detrimental if these parts wear out too o en.

high viscosity lubricants that greatly reduce

contamina on out of the load zone and safely

Early wear causes loss of up me and

wear on slow moving gears, pins, and

away.

throughput, which nega vely impacts the

bushings. Tradi onally, these applica ons

company's bo om line.

were lubricated with a Mul -Purpose Grease

Wear reduc on is the key

A classic example of this would be the pins

with a soap addi ve. This soap, much like a

Today's mining equipment uses the most

and bushings used in almost all mining

sponge, holds the base oil and addi ves in

sophis cated form of bronze pin bushings,

equipment. Petron Corpora on has

suspension un l sufficient force is applied to

and their ability to reduce wear is impressive.

recognized that the tradi onal lubrica on

squeeze out the oil into the load zone. By

Even though bronze is extremely reliable and

techniques and products no longer provide

their nature Mul -Purpose Greases do not

durable, it is s ll designed to be a “wear”

the protec on needed in modern mining

flow due to their high soap content.

material. The purpose of wearing is to

www.africamininginsight.co.za

32

Lubrica on Solu ons to Wear Rate Reduc on

reduce the damage to structural steel components. The bronze bushing is much less expensive to replace than something like the loader boom arm, and, therefore, it is used as a wear material to reduce damage to the other rota ng components.

Typically, in these applica ons there are two types of wear on pins and bushings: A.

Galling - is when excessive contamina on builds up between the pin and the bushing surface and the load pressure forces the contamina on into the bronze bushing.

B.

Impact loading – is when a sudden

As seen in the photo above, tradi onal lubricants only penetrate a par al distance from the end of the pin toward the load zone, leaving the heaviest loaded sec on of the pin with marginal protec on.

providing a film thickness for the pin to

impact keeping the surfaces apart greatly

rotate on. These lubricant grooves can also

reducing the wear rate on those parts

impact is applied to the bushing surface

capture contamina on if the proper

designed to “wear out.”

greater than the lubricant film can

lubrica on intervals are not maintained.

Petron Corpora on is ac vely seeking new

withstand causing a rupture.

Therefore, wear can occur if the bushings are

distributors for Africa region. If you are

not purged adequately.

interested in becoming a Petron Distributor,

If proper lubrica on maintenance is prac ced, the replacement and/or repair of

The use of Petron Open Gear Lubricants on

please contact Chandrasekar at

pins and bushings can be greatly reduced.

your pins and bushings will form the thickest

rchandrasekar@petroncorp.com

Most pins and bushings today have “lubricant

lubricant film possible allowing most

For more informa on about Petron

grooves” on the inner diameter that aid in

contaminants to remain suspended in the

Corpora on's products or services, feel free to

purging contamina on from the bushing by

film un l they are purged out. This very thick

visit our website at www.petroncorp.com or

forcing out unwanted materials while

film will also cushion the blow of a sudden

email – info@petroncorp.com

www.petroncorp.com

lnfo@petroncorp.com

www.africamininginsight.co.za

33

www.africamininginsight.co.za

34

www.royalihc.com/mining

www.royalihc.com

Mining- Solutions

LIBS chemical sensing applications in the mining and minerals industry The mining industry is faced with an increasing scarcity of natural resources. At the same me, the global demand for resources keeps growing and the requirement to reduce the environmental footprint of mining becomes more important. This creates the need to develop innova ve solu ons that increase the

Example of part

efficiency and sustainability of mining natural

of the output of

resources.

a drill core scan (warmer colors are

Mining opera ons deal with huge quan

higher concentrations)

es of

excavated material with varying mineral concentra ons and economic value. Increased knowledge about the composi on of this material provides opportuni es to improve decision making for stockpiling, sor ng, and mineral processing. However, no systems currently exist that can be used to measure the chemical composi on of large material

several different elements and for some

(fast) moving raw material. The sensor

es in real- me. LIBS chemical sensor

minerals the rela ve quan ty of these

features our unique IRIS spectrometer with

technology provides a solu on, because no

elements can vary. Depending on the size of

world-class signal-to-noise (S/N) ra o, rugged

quan

sample prepara on is required and

the mineral grains, a single LIBS measurement

pulse laser source and highly efficient op cs.

measurements can be performed at rela vely

can represent one or several minerals.

The design allows for flexible integra on into

high speeds.

At SPECTRAL Industries we work together with

Development of advanced data processing

industrial equipment and can be mounted in

techniques is therefore required in order to

any orienta on. Suitable for a wide range of

provide quan ta ve composi onal

environmental condi ons, it offers low

the mining industry to develop LIBS-based

informa on that meets the required accuracy.

maintenance cost and improves processes by

sensor applica ons for the mining

Addi onally, calibra ons need to be tailored to

delivering real- me informa on. SPECTRAL

environment. Examples of applica ons are in-

the geological se ng of a specific mineral

delivers its unique sensor systems for the

line conveyor belt analysis, scanning exposed

deposit to take all the varia on between rock

following applica ons:

rock surfaces (see Figure 1) and scanning drill

types and mineralogy into account.

chips from blasthole drilling. Addi onally, we

•

Drill core scanning

•

Rock surface mapping

also work on applica ons that improve the

The results obtained using LIBS chemical

•

Drill cu ngs analysis

explora on for new mineral deposits such as

sensing on ore samples from ac ve mining

•

Ore, concentrate and slag

•

Muck pile characteriza on

the scanning of drill cores (see Figure 2). We

opera ons show that LIBS can be used to

develop the best LIBS sensor for a specific

provide the informa on that is needed to

applica on using our in-depth exper se of

improve the efficiency and sustainability of

lasers, spectrometers and data processing.

future mining.

characteriza on

The LIBX sensor can be applied for automated ore sor ng, that separates valuable from

One of the major challenges of using LIBS for

SPECTRAL Industries is a new chemical sensor

non-valuable rocks to prevent unnecessary

characterizing the mineral quan ty in rocks is

developer and manufacturer, with a focus on

cost for processing worthless ore and

the heterogeneity of this material. Rocks are

applica ons in the mining and minerals

maximize return on investment. The

composed of many different minerals with

industry. SPECTRAL's chemical sensors are

technology is highly scalable as the hardware

various grain sizes. Each mineral consists of

robust, mobile & fast: they can be applied on

is suitable for any type of ore and materials.

www.africamininginsight.co.za

36

maas@spectral-i.com www.spectral-i.com

Mining- Solutions

Airless Tyres for Underground Mining

Tyres used in underground mining are

There are 2 major prevalent alterna ves for

Solid tyres are available in a range of pa erns

replaced frequently as they are prone to

airless tyres i.e. Solid Tyres and Foam-filled

like to suit various opera ng condi ons & can

punctures, sidewall damage and fast tyre

Pneuma c Tyres. Solid tyres are generally

also be supplied as ready to fit.

wear due to harsh underfoot condi ons, ght

used for high load, short haul and low speed

working spaces, high loads & overall severe

applica ons whereas Foam-filled tyres are

Solid tyres are suitable for equipment

opera ng environment. The frequent repair

suitable for longer haul cycles, higher speeds

opera ng at low speeds such as:

& related down me results in increased

and where ride comfort is required. It is

· Load Haul Dumpers (LHDs)

opera ng costs and safety risks. Tyre related

important for users to select the right

· Jumbo Drills / Roof Bolters

costs are es mated to be among the top five

product based on their applica on,

· Shield Haulers

opera ng costs for mining equipment.

equipment and opera ng condi ons to

· Shu le Cars / Ram Cars

It is therefore impera ve for mine operators

reduce cost per hour (CPH) and bring down

· U lity Vehicles

to explore op ons such as Airless Tyres that

total cost of ownership (TCO).

have the following advantages over

In addi on to the advantages of airless tyres men oned above, the solid tyres are:

pneuma c tyres:

1/ Solid Tyres:

· Airless – hence are 100% puncture proof

Solid tyres have a full rubber construc on

· Highly damage resistant

· Increased Safety – There is no risk of tyre

and thus are airless & puncture proof, have

· Have a Long Life – typically 2-4 mes that

blowouts · Extended Limp-in Capability – machine doesn't get stuck inside a mine · Reduced Tyre Maintenance – Periodic infla on pressure checks are eliminated

an extra deep tread for long, uninterrupted service, with specially designed sidewall

of foam filled pneuma c tyres · Ready to use

apertures for shock absorp on. However, these are not suitable for speeds beyond 25 kmph & have a firm ride.

2/ Foam-Filled Tyres: Tyre Filling (or Foam Filling) is a process in which a pneuma c tyre is injected &

www.africamininginsight.co.za

38

Airless Tyres for Underground Mining

pressurized with a two or three component urethane polymer in a precise propor on

About Trident:

using a special metering pump. The

Trident has developed applica on specific,

polyurethane cures into a resilient and

outcome orientated products and solu ons

synthe c rubber core replacing the air in the

to assist machine owners & mine operators

tyre. The resultant filled tyre is thus rendered

get the best out of their equipment in the

puncture proof and maintains the required

most demanding condi ons. Our products

pressure throughout its service life. Foam-

are distributed in over 25 countries which

filled tyres have a full footprint & are capable

include the Americas, Europe, Africa, the

of carrying their rated load at all mes. Tyre

Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

Fill Compounds are available in different grades based on applica on.

For further informa on please visit

Foam filled tyres are recommended for

ankit@trident-intl.com

www.trident-intl.com or write to vehicles that operate at speeds upto 50 kmph

Foam-filled Tyre

& for machines for which solid tyres are not suitable e.g. · Low Profile Dump Trucks (LPDT's) · Personnel Carriers While these can also be used on LHD's, Shu le Cars, U lity Vehicles etc. it needs to be borne in mind that although foam filled tyres are airless & puncture proof they may s ll suffer irreparable damage & may have to replaced prematurely.

Equipment owners should evaluate various parameters (see table 1) and select the right airless tyre depending on their equipment and applica on for lowest opera ng costs & op mum capital efficiency

www.africamininginsight.co.za

39

www.africamininginsight.co.za

www.willard.co.za

www.africamininginsight.co.za

www.africamininginsight.co.za

www.africamininginsight.co.za

www.tianjingreen.com

green@tianjingreen.com

Advertisers Index 02 SINTECH

27 WEST BROOK RESOURCES

03 PROBE IMT

29 SSBS

09 DAMM

31 SYNERGY UNDERGROUND CARRIAGE

11 A.N. Solutions

33 PETRON CORPORATION

13 SIDE INDUSTRIE

35 ROYAL IHC

15 VARIANT MINING TECHNOLOGIES

37 SPECTRAL

17 ULTRA-FIBER

41 WILARD

19 PALOMINO PLANT

45 WMITC

21 SEPURA

46 VERMEER

24 D & B EQUIPMMENT SALES

47 VEGA

24 ESCAPE CHUTE SYSTES

48 SINTECH

www.vermeersouthafrics.com

info@vermeersouthafrica.com

www.vega.com

sales@sintech.co.za