MechChem Africa January-February 2022

⎪ Minerals processing and materials handling ⎪

Having started serving the cement sector more than 135 years ago, FLSmidth has technology to provide and support the full cement plant flow sheet, notes De Kock. It is no surprise, then, that the company is a leader in technology to support sustainable and environmentally friendly cement production. “We can drive the move towards zero carbon emissions, zero waste and 100% fuel substitution,” he says. “This also means being moreefficientwithenergy, unlockingefficien - cies in plants to ensureminimal heat wastage and optimal heat capture.” Better days for mining The current position of mining is, of course, much rosier –drivenbyhighdemand for com- modities across the board, especially those linked to battery manufacture and technolo - gies that promise a reduced-carbon future for the planet. However, he notes that mines cannot escape the rising pressure on their environmental and social impact. “Just as safety became priority number one a few decades ago, so mines are now adapting to reduce their environment foot-

FLSmidth’s LoadIQ smart sensor technology facilitates optimal mill loading.

Flexicon’s Basic Filler for bulk boxes, totes, bins or other intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) is a low cost solution for dust-free loading of bulk solidmaterials. The unit’s fill headcanbe raisedor loweredusinga forklift and securedwith clevis pins tominimise the clearance between the rectangular dust hood and the opening of IBCs ranging from 1 220 to 1 980 mm tall. A fill head port can be vented to a filter sock tocontaindisplaceddust, or toacentral bag-house that causes a clear flexible skirt to vacuum-seal against the container’s exterior, increasing dust containment effectiveness. Performance canbeenhancedbyavibra- tory deck to densify and stabilise the mate - rial duringfilling, and/or load cells that signal a PLC when to stop the flow of material by stopping a conveyor or closing a rotary valve Alistair McKay, FLSmidth Vice President forMining in Sub-SaharanAfrica,Middle East and South Asia, emphasises the company’s application of digital technologies such as LoadIQ across its large installed base of min- ing equipment, raising efficiencies to deliver lower carbon emissions while improving the bottom line. Joseph Appiah-Kubi, General Manager of print, water usage and carbon emissions,” he says.

or slide gate once a programmed weight is reached. Rated for loads up to 2 945 kg, the frame is offered incarbon steelwithdurable indus- trial coating, with stainless steel material contact surfaces, or in an all-stainless con- struction to industrial or sanitary standards. The Basic IBC filler can be integrated with Flexicon mechanical or pneumatic conveying systems, or the user’s upstream process equipment or storage vessels. Flexicon alsomanufactures dust-free IBC tippers, aswell as bulkbagfillers, drumfillers, bulkbagdischargers,flexiblescrewconveyors, tubularcableconveyors,pneumaticconveying systems, bulkbagconditioners, bagdumpsta - tions, weigh batching and blending systems, and engineered plant-wide bulk handling systems with automated controls. www.flexicon.co.za FLSmidth inGhanapoints out that regulations are tightening in West African countries on issues related to tailings dams – including their footprint, water consumptionand safety factors. “This is likely to lead many mines to re - ducing water levels in their tailings slurry, a concern that FLSmidth addresses with its filtered/dry-stack tailings solutions,” says Appiah-Kubi. www.flsmidth.com

Bulk box, tote and bin filler

Flexicon’s basic IBC Filler is available with optional densification deck, fill-by-weight controls, and material delivery conveyors.

January-February 2022 • MechChem Africa ¦ 19