Modern Quarrying Q3 2018

QUARTER 3 – 2018

INTO NEW TERRITORY

CONTENTS The acquisition of Demaneng mine and the subsequent creation of a Commodities Segment set Afrimat on a seemingly new direction, but it is the fundamental synergies that have made the operation a fitting business for the leading open-pit mining company.

QUARTER 3 – 2018

ON THE COVER

AT THE QUARRY FACE

AT THE QUARRY FACE

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WILL SA’S LEADERSHIP CHANGE BODE WELL FOR CONSTRUCTION? PAGE 46

STAYING PROFITABLE PAGE 48

AROUND THE INDUSTRY 04 AfriSam’s ‘green’ charge 05 Coal ash association joins Aspasa

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06 Staying on top of water management in mining 08 Diversification remains Afrimat’s pillar of strength

SUPPLY CHAIN 36 Setting new blast-hole drilling standards 38 HPE launches new Hyundai R260LC-9S excavator 40 Exploring new opportunities in processing 43 CDE launches new A900 AcquaCycle

EARLY TIPPING GAINS Having trusted a certain premium truck brand for its aggregates distribution business for decades, Polokwane-based Alpha Sand recently decided to take the Scania tipper truck route, and 18 months later, both management and drivers are impressed by the performance of the two units to date.

COST-EFFECTIVE HAULING SOLUTION FOR QUARRIES Bell Equipment’s two-axle B30E 4x4 ADT offers a cost- effective hauling alternative for operations that do not require extreme 6x6 off-road capabilities, such as quarries.

CIRCULATION Karen Smith PUBLISHER Karen Grant

EDITOR Munesu Shoko quarrying@crown.co.za ADVERTISING Bennie Venter benniev@crown.co.za DESIGN Ano Shumba

DEPUTY PUBLISHER Wilhelm du Plessis

PRINTED BY: Tandym Print

PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY: Crown Publications P O Box 140 Bedfordview, 2008 Tel: +27 11 622 4770 Fax: +27 11 615 6108 www.crown.co.za

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TOTAL CIRCULATION 2 465

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.

EMBRACING CHANGE

B efore I air my views on matters concerning the industry, please allow me to take this opportunity to salute my predecessor, Dale Kelly, for her dedication and passion for the quarrying industry over the years. The fact that she founded both existing quarrying titles in Africa is a true indicator of her love for this industry. I have watched closely, with great interest, the discussions she has had in her titles over the years. You will all agree with me that she has been at the centre of revolutionising an industry that is otherwise notorious

now, is how the industry can leverage the role of technology in enabling new capabilities. The calls for innovation in the industry are deafening, and technology is slowly, but surely making its way into quarry sites. While some are still stuck in their old ways, it’s encouraging to see that some are already moving ahead, finding newer solutions to improve their processes and boost their bottom lines. A case in point is my recent visit to an operation in KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa, where a quarry manager’s emphasis on new technologies is at the heart of improved efficiency and productivity. Realising the fast pace at which technological innovation is taking place, he knew it was time to devote attention to new equipment. He hired a consultant to help re-evaluate the plant, who suggested that the operation could have one new, fully-automated hydraulic crusher doing the same job of two old machines on site. Within the first month of installation, there was a 25% production increase! For some, it is difficult to leave behind a suite of what they deem tried-and-tested processes. The adoption of new technology, just like the implementation of any other new process, has to improve the bottom line or meet a mandated requirement. For this KwaZulu-Natal quarry, new production figures are testimony to the beneficial role technology can play in running a profitable and sustainable business. Technology is opportunity – let’s embrace it.

for sticking to its old ways. Quarrying has long been an industry with great traditions where change, at times is gradual. The African building materials industry is as vital to today’s economy as ever before, yet it is at a crossroad, currently combating multiple adverse industry trends such as illegal mining, the regulatory burden and shrinking margins, to mention a few. My view is that quarry owners have critical choices to make about every aspect of their businesses – they can either innovate or stagnate. The most fundamental change, right

COMMENT

Munesu Shoko – Editor quarrying@crown.co.za

@MunesuShoko

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INDUSTRY NEWS

AfriSam’s ‘green’ charge

AfriSam has long led the charge in the cement sector for a cleaner environment, and continues to develop and conduct a range of initiatives to maintain the momentum toward a greener planet. This has a special significance as South Africa is among the world’s largest and fastest growing carbon emitters, according to Nivashni Govender, environmental specialist at AfriSam. “The country is one of the top 10 CO 2 emitters in the world, when measured per capita,” says Govender. “This places a huge responsibility on the cement manufacturing sector to be proactive, as South Africa has committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2020.” Having established its own environ- mental department as early as 1992, and developed an environmental policy just two years later, AfriSam has gone on to innovate several air quality management improvements. Upgrades in cement kilns and emission filters have led to the lowest dust emissions in Africa. “Our ongoing focus on alternative fuels and resources (AFRs) has allowed us to steadily reduce the amount of coal burnt in our cement kilns, which in turn contributes to lower CO 2 emis- sions,” she says. “For instance, we have

Nivashni Govender, environmental specialist at AfriSam.

developed a way of burning old tyres in our Dudfield plant – a strategy that also contributes significantly to address- ing the environmental hazards posed by tyres when they are disposed in a landfill.” Energy conservation is an ongoing programme, which has included the progressive installation of energy efficient lighting across the compa- ny’s range of cement, readymix and aggregate quarry facilities. As water scarcity becomes a more pressing issue for countries like South Africa, water conservation has also featured high on AfriSam’s environmental agenda, says Govender. l

Aspasa acts on quality issues

Disagreements over the quality of sand and stone delivered on site may soon be a thing of the past, thanks to the intervention of surface mining industry association, Aspasa, whose special task team is moving rapidly to formalise standards for the benefit of both producers and their customers. Since the establishment of a special technical committee on quality management, the association has made strides in addressing quality issues internally among its members, as well as assisting in the formulation of new national standards that will be used as a measure of quality among users of sand and aggregates. According to Saartjie Duvenhage, chairperson of Aspasa’s technical committee on quality management, a number of large strides have already been made to narrow the gap between customer’s expectations and the actual ability of producers to supply the required materials. “First and foremost, we have defined quality and what it means to everyone on the entire supply chain, from extraction, to processing and delivery to the customer’s site. In our case we define this as a product that meets a certain measure of excellence which is free from deficiencies and significant varia- tions,” she says. “To assist our members to achieve this, we have subsequently intro- duced our own quick guide to quality management. The 123 of Quality Management for Material Producers guide is designed to act as a guideline to quality management and explains the concept with eight steps for members to successfully implement their own systems,” she adds. l

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Coal ash association joins Aspasa In its ongoing effort to reach out to potential users of coal ash products, the South African Coal Ash Association (SACAA) has joined forces with well- respected surface mining industry association, Aspasa. While the industries derive their

members and the overall industry at heart,” says Mark Hunter, GM of SACAA. Hunter adds that Aspasa will extend its services in legal compliance, health and safety, technical, engineering, transport, government liaison, environ- mental, HR, training, public relations, as well as internal and international liaison, to its members. In the surface mining industry, Aspasa, which previously represented only sand and aggregate quarrying com- panies, has had to diversify to include all types of surface mines to accommo- date growing calls for assistance and representation from diverse operations who had not previously enjoyed all the benefits broad industry representation. Aspasa director, Nico Pienaar, says the association wants to play an active role engaging all stakeholders from the ash producers, to current users and resellers, as well as promoting the use of ash broadly to all levels of industry.

products through different means, they share many of the same outlets and in some instances coal ash can be used as a substitute for aggregates in the manufacturing of concrete and con- struction of roads and other structures. Furthermore, the machinery used to process, load and transport the two products are similar with related legisla- tion and challenges. “With its advanced programmes in safety, health and environment, as well as long standing relationships with government and all other industry stakeholders, it makes sense to join a progressive association like Aspasa, which acts with the best interests of its

Mark Hunter, GM of SACAA.

“We welcome members of SACAA and encourage them to make use of our ser- vices and engage with us to find ways to promote the safe and responsible use of coal ash,” concludes Pienaar. l

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Staying on top of water management in mining

Another important step is to understand the cost of water on both a financial and risk basis for current and future conditions. Consider how your operation impacts the environment and whether you could implement alternative methods to optimise water use and save time and money. Educate employees One way to achieve a more streamlined production is to ensure your employ- ees are on the same page. Make sure employees can identify any practices that need to be rectified during your water management solution pro- cess, which in turn will also improve productivity. It’s important that employees are taught about the importance of con- trolling your water management and any processes being implemented which will allow you to do this more effectively. Understand the benefits For many mining and quarrying appli- cations, pumped water management systems are a necessity and the associated pipework must be capable of withstanding a specified internal pressure. However, towards the end of a mine’s water cycle, pressured systems are still being specified when gravity pipes could provide a more economical solution. l

Implementing an effective water management strategy is imperative for mines and quarries.

The current global demand for water is at the level of 4 500 billion m 3 a year and is expected to rise to 6 900 billion m 3 by 2030 – therefore, it’s imperative that busi- nesses take action to ensure sustainable water management is front of mind. Philip Wood, international business development manager at Polypipe, believes this can be done by imple- menting an effective water management strategy which can minimise carbon footprint, save time and improve workers’ productivity. Wood shares his top four tips on how your mining/ quarrying business can control water management. Do your research It’s important to spend time research-

ing the right piping system rather than the cheapest optionwhichmay not always deliver the right results, for example, pressuredpipes vs. gravity-fed applications such asHDPE. Taking the time out to do thorough researchwill save time andpro- vide a cost-effective solution in the long run. Understand and evaluate your water wastage Understanding where your water source is coming from and how it is being used is crucial to controlling your water management. Start by drawing a schematic diagram that shows inflows, sources of fresh and process water and how it’s recycled. This will allow you to understand the situation and adopt the changes necessary.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Diversification remains Afrimat’s pillar of strength Afrimat, a leading open-pit mining company providing indus- trial minerals, commodities and construction materials, has released full year results for the year ended February 28, 2018. Andries van Heerden, CEO of Afrimat, indicates satisfaction with the results, which were well supported by the group’s diversification strategy. “Despite difficult trading conditions impacted by political uncertainty, which in turn affected business confidence in the first half of the year, the industrial

MORE ON THIS STORY HERE:

large part of the increased cost was as a result of an approved decision to accelerate the ramp-up of Demaneng in order to capitalise on the attractive iron ore price,” explains van Heerden. Headline earnings per share declined by 8% to 180,7 cents per share (2017:

minerals segment of the group faired particularly well.” Van Heerden indicates that the economic slow-down during the last quarter of 2017 exacerbated the operating climate, but the entrepreneurial flair of the businesses that make up the group did not allow market conditions to dic- tate performance. “Our product range is highly diversified and coupled with our strategic positioning and excellent service delivery, we were able to maintain, and in some instances even gain, market share,” he says. The acquisition of Demaneng, the new name for Diro Manganese Proprietary Limited and Diro Iron Ore Proprietary Limited, added bulk commodities to this already diversified product offering and provides the group with the ability to now market and sell iron ore. Group revenue increased by 10,3% to R2,5-billion (2017: R2,2-billion), with the contribution from operations declin- ing by 13,3% to R351,8-million (2017: R405,6-million). “A

196,4 cents). The net debt equity ratio increased from 19,8% in the prior year to 37% in the current year, mainly due to a new R300-million amortising five-year term facility being introduced to finance the acquisition of the Demaneng mine. Afrimat declared a final dividend of 42 cents per share, taking the total dividend for the year to 62 cents per share. The business operates in Aggregates and Industrial Minerals, Commodities and Concrete Based Products. The Aggregates and Industrial Minerals segment generated a satisfactory result. Van Heerden indicates that he was “particularly happy with the industrial mineral producing operations across all regions, as well as the Western Cape aggregates business”. l

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ON THE COVER

The acquisition of Demaneng mine and the subsequent creation of a Commodities Segment set Afrimat on a seemingly new direction, but it is the fundamental synergies that have made the operation a fitting business for the leading open-pit mining company. Following a meticulous turnaround strategy, the previously distressed operation has already been set on a sustainable growth path, writes Munesu Shoko . INTO NEW TERRITORY

L ast year’s acquisition of Demaneng, previously known as Diro Manganese Proprietary Limited and Diro Iron Ore Proprietary Limited, gave Afrimat a foot into the commodities market, further allowing the company to expand its already massively diversified product offering. Following the transaction, Afrimat created a new Commodities Segment, adding to its traditional industrial minerals and construction materials portfolio. Grant Dreyer, Head of Business Development and Group Strategy at Afrimat, says iron ore was a logical next step for the open-pit mining giant, given the operational aspects are so similar. There are fundamental

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In 2017, Afrimat expanded its product footprint into iron ore with the acquisition of Demaneng.

The mine’s product is of high quality with low contaminates and good physical properties, in addition to low stripping ratios.

Andries van Heerden, CEO of Afrimat.

Grant Dreyer, Head of Business Development and Group Strategy at Afrimat.

metallurgy, cost structure or location. This is exactly what Demaneng offers; the mine’s product is of high quality with low contaminates and good physical properties, in addition to low stripping ratios and good access to infrastructure. On a growth path Afrimat has over the years demon- strated its prowess in corporate revitalisation, exhibited by its approach of acquiring existing businesses in distress and in need of a turnaround, successfully making them strong solid performers within a short space of time. The same approach has been well executed at Demaneng – an operation it acquired for about R300-million – where a combination of inter- ventions have notably resulted in

increased production. Initially, Afrimat acquired 60% of the mine for R276-million, before purchasing the remaining 40% stake from minorities for a further R44-million, giving the group a 100% stake in the operation. At the time, the mine had halted operation due to financial distress the previous owners found themselves in, which subsequently led to the placement of the mine into formal business rescue in June 2016. Having acquired the full value of the operation by July 31 last year, the operation formally exited business rescue by August 2016. Barely a year later, Afrimat has already ramped up production to

aspects of the new business that remain the same with the traditional portfolios – opencast operation, conventional drill and blast, load and haul, primary and secondary crushing and screening. “Essentially it was about lever- aging our competencies in a new sector, but more importantly diluting our exposure to the cyclical nature of the construction sector locally,” explains Dreyer. “In addition, it allowed us to earn USD-based revenue, providing significant hedge against local currency weakness.” Dreyer adds that as part of the company’s diversification strategy, Afrimat has always maintained that it will acquire operations it believes – based on fundamentals – will provide solid returns, and have inherent com- petitive advantages such as unique

1-million tonnes per year. “Key to the turnaround at Demaneng was to realign the operations to ‘become fit for

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has experienced a year of labour stability as a result of various human resource interventions and a strong operational team that has created an amicable, mutually beneficial cli- mate. The operation employs a total of 105 full-time workers, with a further 39 contractors on site. Operational processes Given the company’s entrepreneurial culture and flexibility, Afrimat has been able to vertically integrate the operational value, adding services which have allowed management to control most of the operations and operational cost drivers. “Afrimat conducts all operations at Demaneng including bulk mining, loading and hauling, reduction and beneficiation processing, quality control and the management of the load-out facility,” explains Dreyer. Some initial challenges at the site related to the navigation of the complexities of the business rescue scenario and working with a disillu- sioned workforce and community, especially given the history of previ- ous poor management practices. “Key individuals within the Afrimat leader- ship team are highly experienced in the iron ore sector and they were able to guide the team in this new terrain. The combination of this expertise with Afrimat’s ability to execute oper- ationally meant a quick solution to the issues,” explains Dreyer. Looking to the future, Dreyer says Afrimat views Demaneng as a platform to grow from in the bulk commodities space, and the company is currently assessing various opportunities in the sector in order to expand the business. Furthermore, he believes that Afrimat can play an important role in developing assets out of favour with the larger corporates, enabling junior miners and succesfully bring to life resources that otherwise would not have existed. “Afrimat can play an integral part as a catalyst to enable growth in the sector, positively impacting all stake- holders by unlocking the value in opportunities through leveraging our core competencies and potentially partnering with entities and together work towards a vision for the sector in the broader South African context,” concludes Dreyer. l

ON THE COVER

Afrimat entered into an agreement with Transnet for rail allocation and a load-out facility.

Demaneng reached its design production capacity of 1-million tonnes per annum at the end of February this year.

Announcing Afrimat’s full year results for the year ended 28 February 2018, Andries van Heerden, CEO of Afrimat, noted that the mine had reached its design production capacity of 1-million tonnes per annum at the end of February this year. All processing equipment had been commis- sioned, as well as the new load-out facility that enables the company to load trains on the Sishen-Saldanha railway line. “The mine has been ramping up to production run rate of 1-million tonnes per annum. However, the robustness of Afrimat’s operating model was once again proven during this time when the company acted swiftly in order to cut costs. Another key factor to the imme- diate success is that the business

purpose’. This included right sizing the business and engaging with all stakeholders to ensure alignment of the culture and values in addition to extensive housekeeping and reparations to plant and equipment,” explains Dreyer. “Forming positive relationships with key stakeholders has also been important in the process and we have found it particularly refreshing to work with the Transnet team to overcome various challenges.” Afrimat entered into an agree- ment with Transnet for rail alloca- tion and a load-out facility. After restarting production in July last year, Afrimat shipped its first ore to China in an agreement that will see the mine’s output exported to China through an agreement with a local iron ore exporter.

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AT THE QUARRY FACE

In the face of tough market conditions, several initiatives at AfriSam Peninsula quarry – including relentless pursuit for operational excellence, a range of in- house and group-wide innovations and the identification of niche, high value products – are key success drivers. The quarry boasts the highest sales volumes within the AfriSam group, and is one of the largest operations of its nature in South Africa, in size and production capacity. Munesu Shoko was recently on site. AT THE FOREFRONT OF INNOVATIVE QUARRYING

A friSam’s Peninsula quarry is one of the largest quarries, not only in the Western Cape, but across South Africa. Ideally located some 25 km north of Cape Town, it supplies aggregate material, mainly to asphalt, readymix, building and civil construction markets across the greater Cape Town area. Unquestionably one of the best-looking aggregate quarries in the country, Peninsula started mining around 1962, and a new 30-year mining right was granted in August 2009 to August 2039.

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Peninsula quarry is one of the largest operations of its nature in South Africa in terms of its size and production capacity.

Three Cat 950 front-end loaders are deployed to load customer trucks at the stockpiles.

Two 40-t Cat 745 articulated haulers with a payload of 38 t haul ROM material from the pit to Primary A.

Pushing boundaries When Modern Quarrying recently viited Peninsula quarry, it was encour- aging to see that the management team, led by works manager, Chris Kruger, is pushing boundaries, main- taining high sales volumes during such a difficult economic spell. According to Bradley Thomas, terri- tory manager, West Region, Western Cape at AfriSam, the quarry is the highest volume producer among AfriSam’s 15 other operations across the country. It is also one of the very few quarries in South Africa that has an annual production capacity in excess of 1-million tonnes per year. The basis of its success is the geology of the rock; the operation is endowed with a top quality rock, which pro- portionally divides itself between the staple blue (blue rock) and brown (G-type) material. As Kruger explains, the operation lies within the rocks of the Malmesbury system, comprising of greywacks/hornfels, clay slates

Chris Kruger, works manager at Peninsula quarry.

Bradley Thomas, territory manager, West Region, Western Cape at AfriSam.

the key red flags. By September 2017, confidence was at its lowest level since the third quarter of 2000. Weak growth in construction activity, pegged at just 3% year-on-year, and a contraction of around 1% in the value of spending, contributed to poor growth.

That the construction industry is in a protracted tough cycle is no overstatement. To give an idea, confidence in South Africa’s construction industry plummeted to 17-year lows in 2017. Policy uncertainty, slow economic growth and an underperforming rand were

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AT THE QUARRY FACE

In line with new TMM legislation, the quarry is among the first operations nationally to implement its Traffic Management Plan. This has resulted in the implementation of pedestrian safe walkways.

and phyllitic shales underlying the Tygerberg hill area. “These sediments have undergone meta- morphism during a period of granite intrusion and resulted in hornfelsic rock types which have been generally called in quarry terminology as blue rock/stone,” explains Kruger. Kruger says the quality of the rock is a major competitive edge. “We are blessed with a top quality blue rock which allows us to produce a wide range of high-quality aggregates,” he says. Innovations abound Apart from the quality of the material, Kruger and his team have implemented several innovations to improve their mining processes, optimise productivity and further increase the quarry’s sales reach in the face of a shrinking market. At the top of it all is a strict safety regime. Safety is a prime parameter in every aspect of the operation, and it is everyone’s responsi- bility, all the way from contractors to employ- ees and management. The quarry promotes CBS and BBS in its safety regime, and a trend analysis on all incidents is prioritised. In line with new TMM legislation, the quarry is among the first operations locally to implement its Traffic Management Plan. This has resulted in the implementation of several safety parame- ters such as pedestrian safe walkways, vehi- cle-to-vehicle and pedestrian interaction, soft

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the blue rock material. “For example, we have seen a surge in demand for our 19 mm con- crete stone, where at some point we find our- selves even supplying some of our competitors for their readymix businesses. The main driver of the demand is that 80-90% of the current concrete mix designs in the industry specify the 19 mm concrete stone,” says Thomas. Further innovations In an environment where traditional big sellers don’t fly anymore, management at Peninsula quarry continues to investigate a number of niche products that are largely made possible by the quality of its blue rock material. “We continue to manage sales demand for high value products, saleable materials,” explains Kruger. For example, Peninsula is the only quarry in the Western Cape to produce -37,5 mm drain- age material for the N7 contract through a first crush. Any other operation would need to run material through a number of various process- ing stages to achieve this. The -37,5 mm is a new product specification recently approved by Sanral engineers and is to be written into the revised edition of the COLTO, called COTO – standard specifications for construction of roads and bridges in South Africa. In line with current market trends where construction projects are largely undertaken by small construction contractors, Thomas says the sales team has also adjusted its approach and is now more geared at working closely with small and upcoming contractors. Thomas says the majority of sales now go to small and medium enterprises. This is in stark contrast to the old days where the operation’s clientele used to be largely the big construc- tion concerns. At this stage, construction is more like water from a sprinkler than a bucket. It’s a different market altogether, which changes every operation’s strategy, reasons Thomas. Other innovations include mainatining of a 1:1 production sales ratio during poor market conditions, doing away with large stockpile reserves and only producing per available orders, as well as maintaining COS rand per ton in line with budgets. The result of all these initiatives is high sales volumes during poor market conditions. Quarry structure Efficiency is sought in every aspect of every process from the pit through to the process- ing plants. The mining process starts with drilling and blasting in the pit. This function is outsourced to a contractor, B&E International, and blasting is undertaken once per month, with the exception of December, which is usually a short month in terms of production

and hard vehicle parking areas. as well as cartage truck parking areas. Proof that these initiatives are con- tributing towards a safe environment on site are the safety figures. In the year to June 2018, when we visited the site, the operation had no fatalities or permanent disabilities and no LTIs. It had completed 771 LTI free shifts. “Addressing health and safety should not be seen as a regulatory burden; it offers significant benefits such as reduced costs, reduced risks, lower employee absence and turnover rates, fewer accidents, as well as increased productivity, because employees are healthier, happier and better moti- vated,” explains Kruger. Another key driver behind the suc- cess of the operation is the implemen- tation of the group-wide AfriSam Way, which was launched in 2016. It is an effective leadership culture that aims to create shared clarity of purpose and direction. This ensures greater team alignment, engagement and focus, which is key as far as optimis- ation of business processes, systems, resources and competencies is con- cerned. In 2018, the group followed this up with the launch of Lets Build, a team/individual pledge to contribute towards building AfriSam as a family. Management also closely monitors market and industry trends, an initia- tive which advises on potential new markets and niche product supplies, especially at a time when demand for traditional products is very low. “The sales team is always in touch with the industry to stay abreast of the trends and often attends various forums where market movements are discussed,” says Thomas. For example, when Modern Quarrying visited the site, Kruger noted that 75% of the product range at the time was from the blue rock mate- rial, while 25% was from the brown material. A market trend driving this production pattern is that the demand for layerworks material is on the down- side due to the reduced number of new road projects in the area. Thomas says the pattern is different to last year where there were about six layerworks projects in the area, compared with one this year. An increased number of housing developments in the area has resulted in increased demand for concrete products, which are produced from

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Two 30-t Astra RD32 rigid haulers with a payload of 28 t haul material from the pit to Primary B.

AT THE QUARRY FACE

days. This amounts to a total of 11 blasts per year. Blast are kept large, achieving between 60 000 and 100 000 tonnes of material on the ground. Drilling and blasting is outsourced. Hole diameter is kept at 115 mm, burden and spacing at 3,9 x 4,3 with 2,5 m stemming. “The blast design ensures good blast fragmentation to warrant correct size rock that suits both the primary plants,” explains Kruger. Efficiency of drilling and blasting patterns in open pit mining determines, to a large extent, utilisation of equipment, crushing and screening, as well as productivity and economics. Mining is currently taking place in the southerly direc- tion of the quarry, with 11 benches being mined, at an average pit depth of 110 m. Bench lengths are up to 400 m wide, with average bench heights of 10 to 12 m. “Long benches provide for both rock types simultaneously (blue and brown) on the same bench, which contributes to lower operational costs,” explains Kruger. Load and haul is also outsourced to a contractor, Lulenco Plant Hire. The contractor is running two 40-t Cat 745 articulated haulers with a payload of 38 t. These are being loaded by a 50 t Hyundai excavator and are used to feed Primary A. Two 30-t Astra RD32 rigid haulers with a payload of 28 t – loaded by a 40 t Volvo excavator – haul brown material from the pit to Primary B. Meanwhile, two 30-t Volvo ADTs are used for bin out loading and stock- piling material at the tertiary plant, while three Cat 950 front-end loaders are deployed for stockpiling and loading customer trucks at the stockpiles. In terms of equipment choices, the quarry doesn’t neces- sarily specify the type of machines to the contractor, but only stipulates production capacity per hour. “Equipment choices are largely informed by reliability and correct fleet size to meet production requirements. Mining equipment should not exceed 12 000 hours, while dispatch equip- ment can only be used to a maximum of 15 000 hours,” explains Kruger, adding that compliance to safety stan- dards and MHSA is a pre-requisite. A strict maintenance regime ensures increased crushing plant uptime. “We ensure proper scheduled maintenance plans and integrity of workmanship. This helps maintain a Product Rate Index (PRI) of 100% and plant availability of 68%,” says Kruger. In terms of resource consumption, Kruger is so particu- lar about measuring and controlling fuel consumption, which is kept at 0,3 ℓ /tonne. Water usage, both billed

and unbilled, is also closely monitored. With the current drought conditions in the Cape area, Peninsula quarry has actually reduced its municipal water consumption by 85% year-to-date, measured against the same period last year, says Kruger. This is a massive improvement from last year. This has been achieved through several interventions such as the changing over of ablutions and water supply to the readymix concrete plant to quarry pit water. Plant structure The plant at Pensinsula quarry has a design capac- ity to produce about 1,2 million tonnes per annum. Primary A plant comprises a 38/48 Osborn jaw crusher fed with an apron feeder, three conveyor belts, one screen and a Sandvik H6800 cone crusher fitted with an automatic setting regulation (ASRi) for multiple closed side setting (CSS) features. Fed by the two Cat ADTs, it has a feed rate of 450 tph. In terms of product range, it produces blue rock material for the intermediary stockpile (ISP), unwashed sand, as well as 9 mm or 13 mm ROC. Primary B plant – which is fed by the two Astra rigids – has a feed rate of 275 tph. Its equipment comprises a 30/40 Osborn jaw crusher with a vibrating grizzly feeder, 9 conveyor belts, one screen, a Sandvik CH440 cone crusher with ASRi and a Barmac. Its product range includes blue rock material for the ISP, base and sub base material (G1 to G7); 19 mm concrete stone and 9 mm or 13 mm ROC. The tertiary plant comprises ISP feeders, six conveyor belts, four screens, two Sandvik cone crushers – H4800 and H3800 with ASRi, and a Barmac. The product range here comprises 53 mm, 37 mm, 26 mm, 19 mm, 13,2 mm and 6,7 mm concrete stone, as well as -6 mm unwashed sand. There is also a sand plant which has five conveyor belts, one screen, a cone crusher and a single Barmac. This produces -6 mm unwashed sand. Kruger and his team ensure optimal crushing pro- cesses with regards to CSS and choke being fed. A key competitive edge of the plant is its flexibility, which allows Penisnula quarry to produce material to customer spec at any given time with no need for investments into new additional equipment. “As the market and demand changes, you have to be able to change with it,” con- cludes Kruger. l

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AUTHOR: MUNESU SHOKO EARLY TIPPING GAINS

HAULAGE

Having trusted a certain premium truck brand for its aggregates distribution business for decades, Polokwane-based Alpha Sand recently decided to take the Scania tipper truck route, and 18 months later, both management and drivers are impressed by the performance of the two units to date. Munesu Shoko r ecently visited the site.

S ince 1971, Alpha Polokwane. Initially, the company’s business entailed buying, selling and distribution of aggregates, but it recently established its own quarry to have better control of the quality of the product it supplies. Newly-established Roodepoort Crusher operates a granite quarry on the outskirts of Limpopo province’s capital, Polokwane. The first blast went off in November 2015, and crushing started in January 2016. Within the Alpha Sand Group, the newly established Roodepoort Crusher business specialises in aggregate mining, while Alpha Sand, as has always been the case since its inception in 1971, concentrates on aggregate sales and distribution. For its aggregates distribution business, Alpha Sand has always been a loyal operator of a certain premium European brand for many years. “We never thought we would change, not at any point,” says Niekie van Waveren, director at Alpha Sand. However, 18 months ago, a decision was taken to invest in Scania P410 units, and Van Waveren tells Modern Quarrying that the results to date are overwhelming. Sand has been the first choice supplier of construction aggregates in

ON PHOTO: ALPHA SAND A Polokwane-based quarry operation

“Two things particularly have stood out for us – fuel economy and the braking system,” explains Niekie Van Waveren. The Scania P410 8x4 trucks are equipped with 15 m³ tipper bodies offering a road legal payload of 20 t, and can load up to 25 t when doing short hauls to several cus- tomer sites within a 1 km radius of the quarry – such as Coreslab, PPC 3Q Readymix, Technicrete and Much Asphalt. Perfect for application One of the key features that has

stood out for both drivers and management at Alpha Sand is the Scania braking system. In any other application, this may sound an unimportant consideration, but at Alpha Sand, it’s very significant due to the type of application. It is a par- ticularly short haul – with deliveries done, on average, within a 20 km radius in the repetitive stop-and-go nature of urban traffic. Niekie van Waveren is especially thrilled by Scania’s retarding sys- tem. He reasons that some of the competitor trucks running on site

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Alpha Sand has deployed Scania tippers to haul aggregates from the stockpiles to different customer sites around Polokwane.

“Within the Scania truck, there is also what they call Driver Scoring. This constantly rates the driver through a star-rating system. As they are driving, Driver Scoring gives them tips on how to improve in certain areas.” NIEKIE VANWAVEREN

make use of the engine and wheel brakes only. Conventionally, the way to slow down a moving truck – in addition to applying wheel brakes – is to shift down and use the engine brake. All trucks have an engine brake. Scania trucks also come with a Scania Retarder, which together with downshifting, can be consid- ered a third auxiliary braking system. The retarder is used to supplement the main braking system by reduc- ing the amount of effort that the primary braking system must assert

brakes unnecessarily is in the hands of the driver at all times. “On Scania trucks, the interface between the driver and the retarder is not a hand-operated lever, but is incorporated into the brake pedal itself. the first part of the brake pedal travel applies the retarder, and only after further application of the pedal will the service brakes come into play,” explains Niekie van Waveren.

to bring a vehicle to a stop. He reasons that the difference between Scania and its competitors’ retarder is the interface between the driver and the retarder. On compet- itor trucks that are also equipped with a retarder, the driver has to con- sciously apply the retarder by hand to slow down the truck. This means that the effective use of the retarder to save money by not using service

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Scania tippers, at maximum, are doing about 5 000 km per month. Compared with other truck brands in the fleet, they have, over the past 18 months, returned fuel savings of 10% on average. “To help customers keep productivity high and fuel expenditure low, Scania coninually strives to improve its trucks and services. By constantly refining the three cornerstones of fuel economy – vehicle, driver and services – we help customers thrive,” explains Scheepers. Scheepers says a key contributor to fuel efficiency is that Scania engines offer excellent fuel economy. Coupled with weight optimisation and aerodynamics, Alpha Sand is optimising its fuel consumption. Meanwhile, improved driver performance is helping

HAULAGE

From left: Phillip Botha, mine manager at Roodepoort Crusher; Jan van Waveren, director at Alpha Sand; Niekie van Waveren, director at Alpha Sand; and Hercules Jansen van Vuuren, corporate manager at Alpha Sand.

save up to 10% in fuel consumption. Considering that driver behaviour has a significant impact on both fuel efficiency and truck longevity, Scania Driver Support is another feature that has appealed to Alpha Sand management. Scania smart-analysis tools collect useful data and give drivers feedback that helps them to significantly reduce fuel consumption, wear and tear, while increasing road safety and uptime. Live feedback shows drivers how braking, acceleration and gear-shifting affect fuel consumption and road safety. “Within the Scania truck, there is also what they call Driver Scoring. This constantly rates the driver through a star-rating system. As they are driving, Driver Scoring gives them tips on how to improve on certain areas,” explains Niekie Van Waveren. “Using the available information, we are also able to create a specialised training programme for a particular driver. Instead of going through all the training points, we can focus on areas of improvement to enhance the driver’s capabilities. Our drivers are also able to self-correct while driving, resulting in better fuel efficiency and lower operational costs at large.” More talking points Hercules Jansen van Vuuren, corporate manager at Alpha Sand, is also particularly excited by the OEM’s windscreen cover, which is part of the Scania Insurance package. “This works very well for us, especially in a quarry application where there is a lot of rolling stone on the roads,” he says. Phillip Botha, mine manager at Roodepoort Crusher, says apart from the product, aftersales service from Scania South Africa has been impressive. “The truck has proven itself, but we are also largely impressed by the aftersales service from Scania, particularly the prompt service from their local workshop,” concludes Botha. In future, both directors, Niekie Van Waveren and Jan van Waveren, are open to investing in more Scania units when it’s time to replace some of the units in the fleet or when there is need to expand the fleet. “The truck has performed beyond expectations. We will definitely invest in some more units when there is need to,” concludes Niekie Van Waveren. l

Scania Retarder is a hydraulic system that is inte- grated into the output end of a truck’s gearbox and uses high-pressure oil as a braking medium. Via a gear transmission, the retarder acts on the output shaft of the gearbox and thus directly on the propeller shaft. Once the retarder is applied, it generates a braking force on the propeller shaft corresponding to up to 500 kW, depend- ing on the propeller shaft speed and the applied braking torque. This is about two to three times more braking power than can be delivered by the engine brake. The lever on the steering column controls retarder braking in five steps of increasing brake power. Depending on the position of the automatic exhaust brake switch, the automatic exhaust brake is also activated with increasing brake power to achieve the highest possible performance. “The Scania Retarder distributes the braking power in a vehicle to as many different systems as possible, keeping the brake pads as cool as possible. In an emergency, the pads can then deliver as much braking as possible,” says Niekie Van Waveren. “With a lot of town deliveries, this comes very handy as it reduces the truck’s reliance on primary wheel brakes, thereby reducing maintenance costs related to rake pads.” Coenie Scheepers, Scania Representative in Polokwane, says the Scania Retarder is capable of dealing with 90% of all braking, thereby substantially increasing the service life of wheel brakes. “Within the first seven degrees of the brake pedal, the truck uses the retarder instead of wheel brakes, so it considerably extends the service life of the wheel brakes,” explains Scheepers. Moreover, in such an uptime-conscious application, the saved costs of downtime, wear, time and labour related to changing linings and brake pads translate into substantial gains for Alpha Sand. Fuel economy matters Fuel is a big part of every fleet budget. In an environment where diesel prices have gone up 42%between January 2016 and April 2018, every drop counts. Jan vanWaveren, director at Alpha Sand, says fuel efficiency has been another great benefit offered by the two Scania trucks on site. Due to the short haul nature of the application, the

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HAULAGE

COST-EFFECTIVE HAULING SOLUTION FOR QUARRIES

Sharing the proven base of the company’s conventional three-axle 30-t B30E and the four-wheel concept of the flagship 60-t B60E, Bell Equipment’s two-axle B30E 4x4 ADT offers a cost-effective hauling alternative for operations that do not require extreme 6x6 off-road capabilities, such as small-scale quarries. Munesu Shoko recently visited the ADT specialist’s Richards Bay factory and filed this report.

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The B30E 4x4 offers important cost advantages for those operations that do not necessarily require the superior off-road capability offered by the 6x6 configuration

Thanks to the 4x4 drivetrain, the Bell B30E 4x4 can still safely operate in more challenging conditions than conventional rigid trucks, tippers and truck-trailer combinations.

Having one less axle means no tyre scuffing, which results in reduced tyre wear compared with a 6x6 configuration in hard ground applications

Not only does the tyre scuff compromise tyre life, it also damages the road surface, and therefore, the two-axle ADT reduces site maintenance requirements

KEY BENEFITS

idea is to provide a truck that moves the same payload and same material, but significantly lowering the cost per tonne in targeted applications. By removing the third axle, tyre scuffing is eliminated and parasitic losses are reduced. This reduces both fuel and tyre running costs, ultimately providing lower cost per tonne of material moved,” explains Castle. The B30E 4x4 shares the same 240 kW Mercedes-Benz engine, six-gear Allison automatic transmission with integrated automatic retarder and a comprehensive package of productivity, safety and ease of operation features, as the conventional B30E 6x6. The features are based on real-time data collection by the truck’s sensors (onboard weighing, pitch/roll sensor, among others) and are controlled by embedded software in the truck con- troller. The brakes are a full wet brake sys- tem, which offers reduced maintenance with the rear axle inheriting the large wet brake unit of the B40E. Several benefits The front tyres are typical 23.5R25, whereas the heavier loaded 36-t rear axle uses 29.5R25 tyres, commonly found on the 40 t ADTs. With its oscil- lation joint providing a permanent point of contact of all wheels, and a well-balanced load distribution – empty 50:50; laden 33:66 – the 21,5-tonne Bell B30E 4x4 is said to proven itself to be far superior than rigid tippers have truck-trailers at undulating load and dump areas or in wet conditions. Thanks to the 4x4 drivetrain, the Bell B30E 4x4 can still safely operate in more challenging conditions than conventional

offers sound all-weather characteristics on undulating haulage roads and light terrain, thus making it a better fit than tra- ditional RDTs and truck-trailer combina- tions in applications where poor weather conditions can cause work stoppages due to safety consideration or necessitate more site maintenance,” explains Castle. In terms of applications, it is suited for small to medium-sized quarries with integrated aggregate production facili- ties. It also finds application in specific jobs where turning radius is a principal consideration, such as tunnelling. The solution also provides better manoeu- vrability in confined materials handling areas or stock yards. B30E 4x4 in detail The new two-axle truck is based on the 6x6 model B30E and shares the same front chassis and oscillation/articulation joint. “The B30E comes with a standard front end like the conventional B30E, but we have reconfigured the rear end to allow us to use drivetrain components similar to those found on our B40E 6X6 which allows us to forgo the middle axle,” explains Castle. With an identical payload to that of the B30E 6x6, of 28 000 kg, the major differ- ences are the shorter rear chassis with a solidly mounted Bell 36-t axle and the newly-designed 18,6 m 2 bin. Compared with that of the three axle B30E, the B30E 4x4’s outer turning circle diameter is 1,3 m smaller (at 14,6 m), which makes manoeuvring in narrow loading or tipping spaces easier and faster. “The payload remains the same as that of the conventional B30E 6x6, and the

I n a world where total cost of ownership is the difference between profitability and per tonne of their assets. With that in mind, Bell Equipment is further revolutionising the articulated hauler industry with its two-axle, B30E 4x4 solution that offers important cost advantages for operations that do not necessarily require the superior off-road capability of the 6x6 configuration. According to Brad Castle, Product Marketing Manager at Bell Equipment, the B30E 4x4 is a supplement to the company’s traditional 6x6 ADT range, providing an alternative to rigid dump trucks (RDTs) and tipper trucks. “While not possessing the same off-road capabilities of a 6x6, the B30E 4x4 still stagnation for quarry operators, they keep a keen eye on the cost

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