Modern Mining May 2020

CRUSHING, SCREENING AND MILLING

Customisation in comminution equipment unpacked

She says mineral processing is complex and com- bines a sequence of “interlocked unit operations,” each affecting the performance of downstream pro- cesses and impacting overall plant performance. “Equipment sourced from a catalogue is limited to range of output parameters and does not fit the footprint of every existing plant and infrastructure seamlessly,” she says. To Glenn Schoeman, business line manager at Sandvik Mining & Rock Technology, pressure on mar- gins and sustainability in the mining sector mean that mines are working more closely with their technol- ogy partners and looking to companies like Sandvik for added value in their comminution offerings. “An important aspect of this is our ability to cus- tomise equipment for optimal performance in the customer’s particular application. It goes further, however, to the way we customise our broader ser- vice offering. This requires us to listen closely to what customers really need, and to adapt the way we work to meet their requirements.” He says this makes Sandvik’s research and devel- opment a “central element” of its success.

Product customisation in the mining sector is a major trend in the development of comminution equipment of late. Modern Mining approached a few players in this field to identify the drivers behind this trend and their individual responses to it. We also explore some key considerations for the manufacture of bespoke commi- nution equipment. By Mark Botha

T he day-to-day activities of mining operations are now more dynamic than ever, and every project has its own specific range of ore vari- ability, says Kim Schoepflin, CEO of vibrating equipment service provider Kwatani. She says scarce resources and cost pressures are increasingly challenging the mineral processing industry. “The need has therefore arisen for each piece of equipment in the process to deliver efficient out- put to the exact specification and at the lowest cost possible. The need for customised comminution equipment is driven by this need for efficient pro- duction throughput to specification.”

Copper crushing circuit establishment by B&E International.

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24  MODERN MINING  May 2020