Modern Quarrying Q2 2020

“We are trying to remove the human element in some of our crucial processes, such as choke-feeding the crushers and water balancing. The vision is to eventually automate the whole system in the future.”

PHILCONIEMANN

improvements undertaken over the past 18 months. Asaph Mathibeng, operations manager at OMV, explains that the several in-house improvements, including an extended conveyor belt and a feed box at the dump; a new pan vibrating feeder; an automated secondary crushing circuit; a new, larger fines separator; and a self-built asset man- agement system, have addressed several bottlenecks previously experi- enced on site. Process flow Before we delve into the new developments, let’s go through the process flow at this particular site. OMV Stilfontein processes mine rock dumps in the Stilfontein area of the North West Province. From the current rock dump, which is a heap of material tailed during shaft sinking of the Margaret Shaft, a national key point pumping station that pumps water to prevent under- ground flooding of mines located in the area, OMV Stilfontein processes

A couple of plant improvements at OMV Stilfontein have resulted in 30 – 40% increase in production capacity

The loading constraints at the dump were addressed by a 100 m conveyor belt extension and a new feeder box

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QUARTER 2 - 2020 MODERN QUARRYING