Modern Mining May 2021

Weba says no secret to getting real value from chutes

General maintenance service provid- ers often show l ittle respect for the engineering design of specialised on-mine equipment, which can cost the mine dearly in the long run. This applies as much to transfer chutes as to other mining infrastructure, according to Weba Chute Systems technical director Alwin Nienaber. The result of poor mainte- nance is usually that mining operations are compromised by unscheduled stoppages caused by equipment failure. “The tragedy is that what generally drives mines to outsource maintenance to general service providers is an attempt to cut costs,” says Nienaber. “But the result is frequently the opposite – on top of which the mine’s production revenue is severely undermined by misguided attempts at cost-saving.” He highlights that poor maintenance prevents chutes from delivering the value that the OEM has promised. In Weba Chute System’s case, its chutes are cus- tom-engineered to suit the specific duty; any short-cut taken in maintenance – for instance, in terms of the materials used – will reduce performance and lifespan. There could be costly operational con- sequences, such as added impact on conveyor belts and resulting damage. More spillage could occur at the transfer point, along with higher dust emissions – all requiring urgent attention. “OEMs bring a wealth of highly-focused experience with each product, adding tan-

gible value to the mine’s overall efficiency, safety and profitability,” he says. “This expertise translates into smoother mining operations, as we have so much practice in our field that we can assure the customer of the outcome of every intervention.” This reliability is a key part of the value offered, and extends to the timeous sourc- ing or delivery of spares and the convenient scheduling of the necessary maintenance. “We have witnessed first-hand what can happen to plant availability when critical components like chutes are not well cared for,” says Nienaber. “By collaborating with a customer on maintenance, we helped keep plant availability as high as 98%; when the mine opted for a general contractor to save costs, availability dropped to below 90%.”

OEMs bring a wealth of highly-focused experience with each product, adding tangible value to the mine’s overall efficiency, safety and profitability. A performance deterioration of that magnitude could be fatal for a mine, Nienaber warns, while the amount saved in operating expenditure was minuscule, and was far outweighed by revenue losses. 

Becker Mining to deliver hoists to a Rustenburg mine Becker Mining South Africa’s distributor in Rustenburg, Tech-North Rustenburg, has secured an order for 26 Kito electric and manual chain hoists and accessories for a processing plant at a mine in the North West Province.

dependable, industry-approved equipment is essential. To maintain safe and stable operation, it is crucial that hoists are cor- rectly used by properly trained operators and that they are tested regularly at a certi- fied repair centre,” he adds. “Kito lifting equipment, which meets strin- gent quality and safety specifications, has been used in South Africa’s mining sector for many years and is known globally for efficient and safe performance, low maintenance and extended service life. The strength and reli- ability of these hoists are in the sophisticated design and meticulous manufacturing, in line with Japanese standards.” 

“The lifting equipment is to be installed in the processing plant and will play a criti- cal role during installation of machinery and thereafter for necessary maintenance,” explains Rick Jacobs, senior GM for Consum­ ables, Becker Mining South Africa. “Adherence to the strictest safety stan- dards is critical in every aspect of a mining operation, which is why the investment in

May 2021  MODERN MINING  41