CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NOV 2018

MINING NEWS

New McCloskey J45 jaw crusher for Spy Group

Crushing and screening specialist in the coal mining sector, Spy Group Holdings, has in- vested in a new McCloskey J45 jaw crusher from HPE Africa. “Our ongoing investment in advanced machinery forms part of our team’s com- mitment to continually find more efficient ways to process coal,” says Martin Brown, Spy Group Holdings. “The new, heavy-duty McCloskey J45 jaw crusher enhances our existing McCloskey C50 and J40 crushers, which have exceeded performance expecta- tions,” he says. “One of the outstanding features in the design of McCloskey crushers is minimal electronics, which means fewer problems resulting from dust damage in tough coal processing conditions. McCloskey crushers have a user-friendly dust and water-proof control panel that allows efficient moni- Striving to find effective, flexible solutions to customers’ unique needs underpinned Babcock’s recent partnership with Zululand Anthracite Colliery (ZAC). Earlier this year ZAC celebrated an impressive average of 5 000 machine hours worked in the space of just one year, with zero downtime while running 24-hour shifts. ZAC’s fleet of Babcock-supplied and maintained machinery consists of three Volvo A30G articulated haulers, two Volvo crawler excavators and two Volvo wheel loaders. The machinery was purchased to manage the reprocessing of a discard dump in KwaZulu-Natal, located approximately 100 km from Richards Bay, and has worked up to 5 800 hours per individual machine since July 2017. Owned by Menar, a mining resources in- vestment company, the Zululand Anthracite Colliery is South Africa’s sole producer and exporter of prime anthracite coal. COO of Menar, Bradley Hammond, says the compa- ny’s purchase from Babcock is an all-round success story. “In addition to providing us with a highly competitive price, Babcock was the only company able to fulfil our extended service warranty requirements. The cost-effective, tailored package was the ideal solution for ZAC. Babcock also provided spot-on advice as to which machinery would be the most effective and efficient, and we are currently running at full utilisation with no wastage,” says Hammond. As the mine dump is located in a remote bushland area, dealing with multiple equipment suppliers would not have been

toring of pressures, fluid levels and fuel consumption. The minimal, yet effective electronics system, also provides push-but- ton control of the jaw, track and feeder functions,” adds Brown. The new McCloskey J45 jaw crusher is in operation at the 100 000 t per month Wonderfontein coal crushing and screening project. “Our preference for equipment is in line with the current trend in the mining sector, where mines choose to operate mobile equipment owned and operated by contractors. This system reduces capital investment costs for mining companies and eases their responsibility for daily running operations. It is a win-win situation – the contractor gets paid per tonne and the mine gets the coal quantities required for sales,” says Brown. “In selecting equipment, we believe it’s important to consider factors like

Spy Group Holdings has taken delivery of a new McCloskey J45 jaw crusher.

performance specifications and suitability of the machine for harsh environments. It’s also critical that downtime of equipment is minimal and maintenance requirements are low. McCloskey crushers, with high performance and reduced electronics, have a significant advantage in that regard.” b

Babcock and ZAC partnership a success story

A fleet of Babcock-supplied Volvo machines is performing beyond Zululand Anthracite Colliery’s expectations.

a practical option for ZAC. After a thorough assessment of the market, Babcock stood out with a comprehensive, cost-effective package that ticked all the boxes. Hammond explains that although the quality of Volvo Construction Equipment was at a higher premium than other contenders, the 10C warranty and attractive mainte- nance plan offered by Babcock made the package highly cost-effective in the long term. The CAP10C extended warranty covers 10 000 hours, and Babcock’s Richards Bay branch maintains the Volvo machinery

through Caretrack. Caretrack allows for early detection and resolution of problems and Volvo-trained Babcock technicians are sent to site when necessary. “The Volvo fleet is a great investment for our mining operation with a fuel burn that is 20% less than competitors and equipment that is perfect for our needs,” says Hammond. Siyabonga Mathonsi, Engineering Manager at Zululand Anthracite Colliery, who played a key role in selecting the Volvo machines, adds that the equipment has performed extremely well over the past year in terms of service and ease of usability. b

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS NOVEMBER 2018 37