Capital Equipment News June 2021

MINING NEWS

Caterpillar to unveil new Cat R1700 XE LHD battery electric vehicle

South African motorists and pedestrians alike are acutely familiar with potholes and the dangers of road deterioration. A sobering statistic reveals that an average of 1 000 potholes are reported weekly to authorities in Johannesburg alone. Shisalanga Construction, a market leader in innovative solutions for road construction, is tackling the nationwide pothole problem with new technologies. Its most recent innovation is a prototype pothole-patching trailer unit able to patch between five and eight tonnes of asphalt a day. “It’s like transporting a mini asphalt plant conveniently hitched to your vehicle,” says Lisa Mills, financial manager. “The trailer is a packaged unit that has every- thing one might need to patch up potholes successfully.” Shisalanga’s portable unit significantly streamlines the patching process. The com- pact trailer is able to function with as little as three to five workers at a time thereby reducing the need for large teams of manpower and reducing unnecessary costs. The mobility of the trailer also prevents the back-and-forward nature of transport- ing hot mix. If an asphalt plant or quarry process plant, but despite this risk many plants continue to use manual greasing procedures which are often unreliable. Lubricating of pumps is a time consum- ing and labour-intensive process that is often difficult to control and to conduct with the required level of precision, says Marnus Koorts, product manager – pumps at Weir Minerals Africa. “Many minerals processing plants around Africa may not have duty sched- ules that closely monitor and enforce regular lubrication of pumps with the exact volumes of lubricant,” says Koorts. “In our experience, pumps are frequently under-greased or over-greased, and this can severely undermine the lifespan and reliability of pumps.” The answer, he says, is the Accumin range of lubrication systems from Weir Minerals, designed for use with Warman pumps. The Accumin 250 Lubricator, for instance, includes a 250 ml replaceable lubricant cartridge fitted to a reusable drive unit. “The lubricator is driven electro-me- chanically, dispensing a consistent Pump failure due to lack of regular lubrication can halt production in a

isn’t readily accessible, the costs incurred from regularly fetching asphalt can be ex- cessive. Shisalanga’s portable trailer provides a convenient solution: hot storage within the unit can keep as much as eight tonnes of mix sufficiently warm without compromising the quality of compaction. “In time our trailer will become a game-changer for SMMEs and for municipalities who either don’t have easy access to a plant or don’t have a massive budget for pothole patching,” explains MD Deane Koekemoer.

The new Cat R1700 XE LHD features a battery electric design that delivers superior productivity in underground applications with the benefits of no engine heat or exhaust emissions.

and Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) both guarantee high performance while simul- taneously lowering the carbon footprint associated with paving. Eco Asphalt utilises locally sourced re- cycled plastic in the binder produces which enhances binder properties of the mix. WMA reduces carbon emissions as it can be paved at lower temperatures while still achieving the best compaction to ensure longevity of the patch. b

One concern regarding pothole patching is the debris that often gets left behind after uplifting asphalt. To curb the issue of asphalt debris, Shisalanga’s Pothole Patching trailer includes a rejuvenation pack to re-use insitu material taken out of potholes. This technology recycles and extends the life of old asphalt by mixing it on site to be used for repaving. As eco-friendly alternatives to regular hot mix asphalt, Shisalanga’s Eco Asphalt dosage of lubricant at precise intervals, regardless of ambient temperature and back pressure,” he says. “It can even be installed up to five metres away from the lubrication point, allowing operators to gain access to the mounting point more easily than to the pump itself.” He notes that the lubricators are also simple to maintain. The status of some units can be determined by an LCD display, flashing LED alert system and an on-car- tridge recording system. The clear car- tridge shows how much lubricant remains. “The accurate lubrication of pumps pays itself back in improved uptime by avoiding the disruption and consequences of unexpected pump failure, as well as in reduced maintenance costs and even energy consumption,” he says. As South Africa’s electricity costs climb and mines work towards energy efficiency as part of their efforts to combat climate change, a more effective lubrication regime makes pumps more economical to run. “Bearing wear is a ‘silent killer’ for a pump’s efficiency, demanding significant- ly more power as it progresses,” says Koorts. The Accumin lubricator also adds to

Automatic lube system for Warman pumps

Accumin lubrication systems prevent over- or under-greasing, protecting equipment from bearing failures.

smooth plant operation by freeing up operators to focus on more demanding functions, he concludes. b

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS JUNE 2021 38