Modern Mining February 2022

and are supplied complete with dome plate, barrel, wedge and grout fittings (breather tube, grout tube and gasket). Mechanical trusses, also manufactured by Fabchem, are generally used for supporting slips, faults, bullnoses, large roof spans and friable roof conditions (used in conjunction with mesh and straps and pillar wrapping support). “Dynamic testing of our anchors is carried out on our 50-tonne (t) test rig,” says Mugeri. “Pre-load indicators are tested to ensure that they activate at the specified loads and shock testing is carried out on the anchor to simulate a blast in situ.” He says anchor barrels are struck three to four times with a four-pound hammer to check that the anchors do not lose excessive load. Anchors are also tested to destruction to validate ultimate breaking strength. Mining consumables Fabchem Mining produces hydraulic and mining hoses and fittings; drill rods; couplers and drill bits; exploration drill rods; coring bits; core lift- ers; safety slings; lubricators (steel); oils and lubricants; splitset dollies; roofbolt spanners; spin adaptors; resin and grout. Stressing equipment The company’s stressing equipment includes stressing jacks, stressing pumps and power packs. The FAB170 25 t stressing jack, used to ten- sion cable anchors, is suitable for tensioning 13, 15 and 18 mm cable anchors. It features rear gripping, with a 500 mm minimum strand length for gripping, and offers easy gripping wedge or jaw changes. The FAB170 is powered by a double-acting hydrau- lic pump. The FAB P55 hydraulic stressing pump is a sin- gle-acting, 4-way valve hydraulic pump featuring a maximum output pressure of 10 000 psi/690 bar. It is hand operated and is compatible with most single and double-acting hydraulic cylinders. The single acting FAB820 complete pull tester has a 20t maximum pulling capacity, maximum pres- sure of 55 MPA and a ram area of 3 436 mm 2 while the FAB195 strand cropper, which can cut 13, 15 and 18 mm anchor strands, features a maximum pressure of 60 MPA and a design cutting force of 290 KN. The company’s 15 kg FAB500 lightweight 20 t jack is suitable for tensioning 15 and 18 mm cable anchors and features front gripping, with 150 mm minimum strand length for gripping, as well as easy- to-change gripping wedges or jaws. The jack is powered by a double acting hydraulic pump. The double-acting, 4-way valve FAB603 air hydraulic stressing pump operates with compressed air at a maximum output pressure of 10 000 psi

The FAB603 air hydraulic stressing pump.

Fabchem Mining is a one-stop tailored support solution company to the mining and civil industries The company offers a total support solution, from drilling the hole for the tendon, to installation, pre-stressing, grouting and post installation integrity testing Fabchem is certified through the SABS to the Quality Management System ISO9001:2015 The company’s Grout Detector is used to ensure that an anchor is full-column grouted Monitoring equipment & training Fabchem Mining introduced the GDT100 Grout Detector, a handheld device used to detect and provide assurance that an anchor has been full-column grouted during and after installation of a cable anchor. The Grout Detector is able to detect the presence of the grout for up to two months after installation of a cable anchor. It uses up to three colour-coded proprietary Fabchem sensors, mounted into a cable anchor to detect if sufficient grout has been pumped to cover the full length of the cable anchor. Fabchem Mining also has the equipment and knowledge to provide training in various areas, including cable anchor installation.  (690 bar) and is compatible with most single and double-act ing hydraul ic cylinders while the hand operated heavy- duty, double-acting 4-way valve FAB470 hydraulic stressing pump with maximum output pressure of 10 000 psi (690 bar) provides high volume per stroke. It, too, is compatible with single and double acting hydraulic cylinders. Key takeaways

Mechanical anchors.

February 2022  MODERN MINING  31