Modern Mining December 2016

COVER STORY

Tenova TAKRAF Africa on a roll Tenova TAKRAF Africa, a leading supplier of advanced technologies, products and engineering services to the mining and metals industries, is entering 2017 with

a very healthy order book after winning several major contracts in recent months. Modern Mining recently spoke to two of the company’s senior executives, Richard Späth, General Manager – Engineered Technologies, and Paul Davies, General Manager – Client Support Services, to learn more about the new contracts and TAKRAF Africa’s strategy moving forward.

CAD drawing of the innovative semi-mobile Bradford breaker.

our competitiveness,” says Späth. He adds that the systems being supplied under the new con- tracts will have a high degree of local content (although the tippler will be manufactured in China). The tippler will have a capacity of 8 000 t/h, which offers unloading rates in excess of 100 wagons per hour. It will be supplied complete with a positioner and ancillary equipment (hop- pers, TAKRAF apron feeders and apron feeder support platform), as well as a 98 m 3 /h reverse pulse bag filter type dust extraction system. The tippler is being supplied in conjunction with TAKRAF in Germany, widely regarded as a global leader in mining and bulk material handling systems and equipment, including conveyors, bucket-wheel excavators, stackers, reclaimers and ship loaders and unloaders. As evidence of TAKRAF’s capabili- ties, Späth points to the fact that the group was recently awarded the contract for the 10 000 t/h ore transportation system at Codelco’s Chuquicamata underground mine in Chile (see also page 41). TAKRAF’s innovative belt conveyor system will overcome a number of technical challenges including significant elevation change from the underground mine to the surface and will comprise a variety of uphill tunnel conveyors that transport copper ore from underground storage bins. The conveyor system will be installed with advanced gearless drive technology with the uphill tunnel conveyors boasting the highest drive power ever to be installed on a belt con- veyor. In fact, total installed drive power for the entire system will be around 55 MW. “This is the type of industry-leading

T he spate of orders is welcome news for TAKRAF Africa, which last year – like many other compa- nies in the industry – had to ‘right size’ aspects of its operations in order to cope with the effects of the resources downturn. Says Späth: “We emerged from this exercise as a leaner, much more focused busi- ness and we’re now reaping the rewards.” The two most significant orders to be secured are for a dual rotary wagon tippler for the iron ore export market and a truck loading facility, including associated conveyors, for a new power station, both projects being in South Africa. “These contracts were won in the face of very stiff competition based on the quality of our systems, our track record and, of course,

Pictured here are (from left) Paul Davies, General Manager – Client Support Services, and Richard Späth, General Manager – Engineered Technologies.

16  MODERN MINING  December 2016