Modern Mining September 2023

MINING TECHNOLOGY

Significant step as first Sandvik screen package built in SA

H eralding an exciting new phase in Sandvik Rock Processing’s presence and growth in Africa, the first South African-manufactured Sandvik screen package has been com pleted at the company’s world class facility in Spartan, Johannesburg. The facility already produces Kwatani and Schenck products as part of Sandvik’s screening solu tions offering. “This is a significant vote of con fidence for our local design and engineering capability,” says Riaan Steinmann, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Operation Director

Riaan Steinmann, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Operation Director Screening Solutions at Sandvik Rock Processing, showing the grizzly bars that were manufactured using VRN500 high manganese durable plates, equivalent to AR500 plates.

Screening Solutions at Sandvik Rock Processing. Steinmann highlights the Spartan facility’s capac ity to build vibrating screens from the raw materials upwards, including a range of exciter gearboxes using locally procured castings. This underpins the company’s tight quality control while facilitating shorter lead times for customers. The Sandvik screen package – ordered by a gold mining customer in north-east Africa – includes a vibrating grizzly screen with motor-driven exciter as well as five feeders and two custom engineered feed-in chutes for the package’s larger 1,6 m feed ers. Streamlined processes and local procurement allowed the whole project to be successfully com pleted within three months of the order being received. “Screens manufactured in South Africa represent the same standard as those from Europe or India, where this particular range of screens is gener ally manufactured,” he says. “Our proximity to the

customer has multiple benefits including reduced shipping times and costs due to Southern African Development Community (SADC) trade agreements. For the local economy, exports obviously benefit South Africa, and increasing our capacity means more job creation.” Steinmann notes the importance of selecting the correct manufacturing process for this unique pack age, as it was key to identifying the best assembly and welding requirements for each component. All manufacturing processes adhere to Sandvik Rock Processing’s strict internal controls ensuring fabrica tion and welding are done to the correct standards and procedures. “The Sandvik screen range is best known for its applications in the quarrying and aggregate sector, although it is also applied more broadly,” he says. At the time of manufacture, regional heads from coun tries such as Australia, Chile, China, Germany and Sweden were visiting the South Africa facility to dis cuss how this operation can contribute even more to the group’s global success. “Importantly, they were in the country to witness first hand our technical and operational capability, and to optimise our teamwork globally,” he says. “This gave the South African operation the chance to showcase the high calibre of our operations, tech nology and expertise as well as our in-house design and production capability.” He noted that his colleagues were impressed by the standards of technological excellence that have been developed here and were looking to lever age the strong local base of experience to support the group’s production needs globally. The South African facility has a well-established reputation for the manufacture of bespoke vibrating screens and

The Sandvik screen package included the supply of five feeders.

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30  MODERN MINING  September 2023