Modern Mining March 2019

PRODUCT News

BOOT solution takes capex pressure off coal miners

company’s R&D. It is exploring practical options for ‘dry separation’ technology for coal plants, in collaboration with a local university. Traditional water-based coal washing technology is a major consumer of water in mine plants. Process optimisation is also a service that B&E International provides for cus- tomers, based on its years of experience in designing, constructing and operating plants, he says. “Whether a project is greenfield or brownfield, we can assist in providing solu- tions and addressing challenges,” he says. “For existing plants, our engineering team can identify and address constraints in the process – whether the equipment is ours or a competitor’s. We conduct detailed studies on how customers can remove

As the size of South African coal deposits shrinks and operations expect shorter mine lives, miners look to reduce capital expen- diture on infrastructure. B&E International believes its build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) plants offer the solution. “Our expertise and equipment in crush- ing and screening takes the capex pressure off the customer and relieves them of con- siderable production risk,”says Ken Basson, Director Plant and Engineering at B&E International. “We can even assume other responsibilities in the value chain, from drilling and blasting to coal conveying and processing.” This allows the business to flexibly fit into customers’ value chains, maximising production performance and machine uptime while taking on the risk of meeting the agreed output targets. With research and development as a key driver, new technologies are continuously in the pipe- line to meet the changing needs of the industry. “Our R&D focus has allowed us to develop our own primary coal crushing plant; a high capacity, track-mounted unit that is currently under construction and will soon be launched,” says Basson. “The design is aimed at further reducing unit costs that we can achieve when con- ducting a contract for a customer. Its high volume capacity means better efficiencies while being able to serve multiple small deposits on the same mine site.” Water conservation in the coal benefi- ciation process is another element of the

B&E International is developing a track-mounted mobile coal crushing solution.

bottle-necks from their plants.” Equipment is designed, built and main- tained by B&E International’s experts at their well-equipped facilities in Kempton Park, Gauteng. As a member of the JSE- listed Raubex Group, B&E International is B-BBEE-compliant and works closely with mines, project houses and contractors. B&E International, website: www.beinternational.co.za

Chairlift systems from Becker Mining Becker Mining South Africa’s chairlift sys- tems are designed to transport up to 900 personnel per hour, quickly, efficiently and safely in all underground applications.

“In emergencies, the chairlift system can be used for transporting injured workers quickly and safely back to the surface.” Safety features include a rope slip sen- sor and a fail-safe brake system, which is spring-activated and hydraulically released on the drive wheel brake path. Secondary and primary brakes are capable of holding the entire out of balance load. Other critical safety devices are the passenger override sensor and an intelligent pull key system. Becker Mining offers a full range of spares for chairlifts, as well as a full support service. Becker Mining South Africa, tel (+27 11) 617-6320

“Becker’s modular, low maintenance chairlift systems, which encompass the lat- est technology and manufacturing trends, meet stringent quality and safety regulations in the mining sector,”says Tom Searle, Senior General Manager: Capital, Becker Mining South Africa (Pty) Ltd. “These chairlifts, with a simple, yet robust structure, are installed in underground sites with steep inclines up to 45 deg and long haulages up to 2 000 m, at drive speeds between 1,5 m/s and 3 m/s.

March 2019  MODERN MINING  53