Modern Mining May 2023

CRUSHING, SCREENING AND MILLING

The Weir Minerals team engages with customers to gather as much data for the application as possible.

use of powerful software to simulate the full plant process – visualising for the customer how exactly the material will move through the flowsheet. This confirms the required mass balances and the expected particle size distribution at every stage in the process. The primary station typically comprises a ROM hopper, a Trio® vibrating grizzly feeder, a Trio® apron feeder where the material has high clay or moisture content, a Trio® jaw crusher and Enduron® screen. In the secondary stage, there is generally a combina tion of Trio® cone crushers and Enduron® screens, while Enduron® HPGRs are also included in the ter tiary phase when finer crushing is required. “For customers wanting a turnkey solution from us, we are able to provide structures for the equipment as well as the conveyors to move mate rial between different sections of the plant,” says Hendricks. “We also provide the chutes at the vari ous transfer points within the plant.” The plants can be customised to the extent required, but at the same time can draw from a range of standardised equipment in the Weir Minerals offering. This equipment may be available ex-stock, removing months of lead-time from the planning equation. Weir Minerals Africa is a technology hub for the group’s Enduron screens and the Trio apron feeders, meaning both products can be locally manufactured at its Alrode facilities in Gauteng. All these factors

Karabo Moalamedi provides support during a project installation at a customer site.

Weir Minerals has the depth of experience to offer customers sound technical decisions. make for shorter lead times and less uncertainty in the supply chain – considerably reducing project risk for customers. Where these plants must be positioned within or adjacent to an existing facility, 3D scanning is con ducted to ensure accurate positioning of all aspects. The value of 3D visualisation is that the customer and design team can see clearly – and in advance – where any improvements could be made. This avoids any unexpected complications down the line, says Moalamedi, and smooths the project rollout. To further confirm the integrity of the plant, a trial erection is conducted before the plant is sent to site, explains Hendricks. This allows any potential issues to be identified and resolved – without impacting on the project’s overall schedule. “This is done within the controlled conditions of our own manufacturing facilities, to which the cus tomer is also invited to conduct inspections,” he says. “This helps to give the customer peace of mind about the progress of the plant, and further builds our relationship with them.” When the time comes for on-site commissioning, a product support team of specialist technicians will supervise the installation and the commissioning. This intervention also creates another opportunity for Weir Minerals Africa to share skills and provide on-site training. Moalamedi concludes that, once in operation, these plants can benefit from ongoing technical support from Weir Minerals Africa’s branch network around the continent – ensuring reliable perfor mance and maximum uptime. 

Through the branch network, Weir Minerals offers technical support to customer plants once they are operational.

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30  MODERN MINING  May 2023