Modern Mining May 2020

CRUSHING, SCREENING AND MILLING

He says B&E International has executed several of these con- tracts with great success. “In the EPCM model, the customer opts to self-finance the plant, and contracts us to operate it on their behalf, at a fixed rate.” The third option, toll-based processing, removes any oper- ational or financial risk from the customer, as the company charges a fixed cost for pro- cessing their commodity. Sandvik’s core focus, says

Schoeman, is on crushing and screening process equipment and services, and the company has developed a flexible product range to suit customer requirements in hard rock applications. “The design flexibility caters to extensive cus- tomisation wherever necessary,” he says. “Our R&D efforts are informed by customers’ input and our global experience at many hundreds of mining sites.” These developments include wear and spare parts, with a range of special alloys to customise the crushing chamber, the profiles and wear-resistant properties of which can extend chamber lifetimes by up to 20%. “We have also developed a world-first product to mitigate the impact of metal contamination in a crushing and screening circuit. An electronic tramp iron relief system, the E-Dump, samples hydraulic pressure 200 times per second, reacting instantly to uncrushable objects or fine material packed in the crushing chamber.” Key considerations for customisation To Schoeman, “it all starts with a clear understanding of the customer’s brief and knowing exactly what the final product must deliver. Working back from that point, we design our product offering to provide a customised solution.” The Sandvik PlantDesigner, an internal process design program, ensures that such customisation is effective and accurate. “Aspects such as the correct crushing chamber selection play a vital role in this process, as the opti- mal output from the crusher will also enhance the efficiency of other production elements such as vibrating screens, chutes and conveyors.” He says it must be borne in mind that customi- sation applies not only to new items of equipment but also to existing equipment in the process plant. Conditions at mines, including ore body character- istics, change constantly, affecting the performance and longevity of the equipment. “Ongoing collaboration with the mine’s metallur- gical manager and engineering professionals allows us to optimise the technology as conditions change.

engineered solutions abilities to offer its customers a value-added benefit. “This is the sum total of our experience, coupled with the specific expertise we bring into analysing the customer application and developing the most cost effective and technologically relevant solutions.” She says Kwatani’s in-house team of mechani- cal engineers and metallurgists consults extensively with each customer to provide customised screening and feeding solutions designed to deliver optimal processing performance and tonnage at the lowest cost of ownership. These solutions can be tailored to replace the existing equipment footprint, which avoids changes to the plant, if and when required. “We have invested in a fully-fledged, in-house laboratory for material testing, coupled with our in- house process sizing software. Each Kwatani design is produced using the latest 3D modelling and design techniques.” She says all designs are subjected to finite ele- ment analysis to verify engineering integrity, and all vibrating equipment is tested at Kwatani’s in- house test facility for conformance to the design specification. Basson says B&E International has over 40 years’ experience in minerals processing and offers “truly bespoke” comminution solutions. “We owe this to our technical expertise as an operator, an equipment designer and a manufac- turer. Our service offering gives customers the option of three different value propositions: build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT), as well as engineer- ing, procurement, construction and management (EPCM), and toll processing.” He says the BOOT concept generates interest, especially from junior miners, as it reduces financial and operational risk. The company designs, con- structs and operates a minerals processing plant on behalf of the customer, allowing them to focus on other aspects of their business. “In this model, we own the plant for a pre-deter- mined period. Once our contractual obligations are fulfilled, the customer has the option to take over the plant at a value agreed on in the BOOT contract.”

Kwatani’s vibrating multi- slope screen doubles tonnage throughput while significantly reducing water carry over.

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28  MODERN MINING  May 2020