COVER JAN (Ver 2) _proof 21/12/2017 10:53 Page 1

www.im-mining.com JANUARY 2018

Informed and in-depth editorial on the world mining industry

MAINTENANCE FATIGUE & COLLISION

STRATEGIES AVOIDANCE
SOUTH AFRICAN HIGH PROFILE –
TECHNOLOGY KAL TIRE
POWER FOR MINES
PROCESS DESIGN

OPERATION FOCUS:
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CONTENTS _proof 20/12/2017 12:17 Page 1

10 CONTENTS
JANUARY 2018

10 OPERATION FOCUS: BLANKET

John Chadwick looks at a historic, centurion
Zimbabwean gold mine, with a great
sustainable mining reputation, being upgraded
and expanded with mechanisation and its
concomitant benefits

20 HIGH PROFILE – LIEBHERR

In late October 2017, Paul Moore went with
Liebherr to the VA Erzberg iron ore mine in

20 Austria for an introduction to the new T236 100

t electric truck and quizzed its senior managers

26 potential

26 POWER IN MINING
Access to reliable and cost effective forms of
energy is a strategic priority for the global
industry. John Chadwick examines both
traditional and renewable energy solutions

40 FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION

40 48
Paul Moore reviews some key developments in
fatigue monitoring and collision avoidance
systems in mining, including some big rollouts
at major operations

48 SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPLIERS

South African suppliers will be exhibiting at
the Mining Indaba in Cape Town, looking to sell
equipment and services into the great
marketplace of African mining, John Chadwick
looks at some latest developments

58 MAINTENANCE

58 66 From electric vehicle maintenance strategies,

to conveyors and crushers, Paul Moore takes a
look at equipment servicing across the board
in mining

66 PROCESS DESIGN
Paul Moore looks at some mineral processing
developments, designs and initiatives with a
focus on innovation

74 HIGH PROFILE – KAL TIRE

Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group has been hot on
the acquisition trail in the last three years.
74 Paul Moore caught up with Dan Allan, Senior
VP, to get some insights
www.im
-mining.
com

COVER: Loesche JANUAR

Y 2018

The cover this month shows New Steel’s Fines Dry Magnetic Separation IInfo
nforrme
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and
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n ept
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ial on
the wo
rld min
MAINT
(FDMS) iron ore pilot plant in Brazil that uses a Loesche mobile ore grinding
ing ind
ustry
EN
STRATE ANCE
GIES FATIGU
SOUTH E & CO
AFRICA LLISIO
plant (OGPmobile) in three 40 ft ocean containers. The machinery for TECHNO
POWER
LOGY
N AVOIDA N
HIGH PR
NCE
FOR MIN OFILE –
grinding, classifying, product separation and material transport is installed PROCES
S DESI
GN
ES KAL TIRE

in two of the containers. For New Steel, the OGPmobile allows it to produce
up to 300 t of grinding product for direct treatment in subsequent
processing stages. Grinding tests are performed to determine the specific
grindability factor and the optimum process parameters, such as grinding
pressure, grinding energy, and wear values. www.loesche.com OPERAT
Caledo
IO N FO
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ket

AROUND THE WORLD 3 The Leader 4 World Prospects 76 & IBC Forthcoming Events and Classifieds

JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 1

LEADER JANUARY 18_final 20/12/2017 12:15 Page 1
Founder and Publisher
John Chadwick B.Sc. Min Eng
Email: john@im-mining.com
Editor
Paul Moore B.Sc (Hons), M.Sc.
Email: paul@im-mining.com
Editorial Board
Professor Malcolm Scoble
Robert E. Hallbauer
Chair in Mining Engineering.,
University of BC, Vancouver
Peter Knights
Professor and Head of Division of Mining
Stephen Stone
West One Management
Perth, Western Australia
Dr. Andrew M. Robertson
President, Robertson GeoConsultants
Vancouver, Canada.
Ed McCord
Project Consultant
Caterpillar Global Mining, USA
Jason Nitz
Fleet Management & Dispatch
Superintendent
Newmont Mining Corporation, USA
Dr Terry Mudder
Managing Director, TIMES Ltd, USA
Simon Tarbutt
Consultant, Santiago, Chile
Dr. Mike Daniel
Comminution Process Consultant
CMD Consulting Pty Ltd
Editorial Enquiries:
Tel: +44 (0)1442 870 829
Fax +44 (0)1442 870 617
Advertising Sales:
Phil Playle
Email: phil@im-mining.com
+44 1442 87 77 77
Advertising Production
Lynne Lane
Email: lynne@im-mining.com
Design & Production
Trevor Sheldon
Email: sheldonmann@gmail.com
Circulation Enquiries
circulation@im-mining.com
Website:
www.im-mining.com
Annual Subscription Enquiries:
Emma Smith
Email: emma@im-mining.com
Annual Subscription
UK and Europe £160, €230
Rest of the world US$270
International Mining (ISSN No: 1747-146X) is
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and is distributed in the USA by Asendia USA,
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and additional mailing offices. Periodicals
postage paid at New Brunswick NJ.
POSTMASTER: send address changes to
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Printed by The Manson Group, St Albans
© Team Publishing Ltd 2018
ISSN 1747 -146X
IM uses, as preference,
SI units throughout, so, for example, all
tonnes are metric unless otherwise stated.
All dollars are US unless otherwise stated
THE LEADER
To buy or retrofit?
etrofitting autonomy to conventional mining
R trucks rather than buying “all in” new
autonomous trucks is now the name of the
game, for several reasons – obviously lower cost, but
also the ability to utilise existing fleets for the benefits
of autonomous operation, and to get those benefits
faster. The trend towards retrofitting was dramatically
illustrated on December 18 as IM went to press, when
Rio Tinto announced that it will expand its fleet of
autonomous haul trucks at its world-class iron ore
operations in the Pilbara by more than 50% by 2019
after signing agreements with leading manufacturers
Caterpillar and Komatsu to convert traditional trucks
to autonomous vehicles.
A total of 29 Komatsu haul trucks will be retrofitted
with Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) technology
starting in 2018. The project at the Brockman 4
operation is scheduled for completion by mid-2019,
allowing the mine to run entirely in AHS mode once
fully deployed. A further 19 Caterpillar haul trucks at
the Marandoo mine will also be retrofitted starting
mid-2018 for completion by the end of 2019. The
retrofit is significant for Rio Tinto as it marks the first
time AHS technology has been deployed by the
company on Caterpillar haul trucks. Also significant is
the fact that Marandoo will also install Cat Command
for hauling software for operation of the autonomous
fleets and in addition use a mine-wide implementation
of Fleet, the Caterpillar scheduling-and-assignment
and material tracking system, which will mark the first
use of that system by Rio Tinto.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Chris Salisbury
said: “We are excited to be starting a new chapter in
our automation journey with a valued long-term
partner in Caterpillar and we are proud to be extending
our successful partnership with Komatsu on this
world-first retrofitting initiative.” He added: “Rapid
advances in technology are continuing to revolutionise
the way large-scale mining is undertaken across the
globe. The expansion of our autonomous fleet via
retrofitting helps to improve safety, unlocks significant
productivity gains, and continues to cement Rio Tinto
as an industry leader in automation and innovation.
We are studying future additions to our autonomous
fleet in the Pilbara, based on value, to help deliver our
share of $5 billion of additional free cash flow for the
company by 2021.”
In a Rio December 4 Investor Seminar in Sydney, he
had earlier stated: “In terms of the retrofit we are very
clear: first of all, we want to make sure we are
extracting value out of the capital we have already
installed and I’ve talked a lot about some of the work
we’ve done on payload and improving utilisation and
so on, and we want to make sure we do extract that
first. The second point I would make is we are going to
proceed in an appropriate manner. We have done the
first maxi retrofit, we wanted to make sure we
understood that process, and we will move forward
with a retrofit strategy, but again being really clear, it is
not just about retrofitting to every truck we have it’s
actually got to be on a value basis. The fleets are at
VO LU M E 1 3 • N U M B E R 1
different ages, they are
used in different
applications, we want to
make sure it is focused on
value, not just about fitting
new toys.”
In 2016, on average,
each of Rio Tinto’s
autonomous haul trucks
operated an additional
1,000 hours and at 15% lower load and haul unit cost
than conventional haul trucks. About 20% of the
existing fleet of almost 400 haul trucks in the Pilbara is
AHS-enabled. Following the completion of the projects
with Komatsu and Caterpillar, Rio Tinto will have more
than 130 autonomous trucks, representing about 30%
of the fleet. From a safety perspective, automation has
been shown to reduce the number of people exposed
to potential hazards as well as reduce the number of
critical risk scenarios.
Of course, retrofitting is not new in the industry.
Autonomous Solutions Inc (ASI) has been applying its
OEM agnostic autonomous truck retrofit solution to
Anglo American’s truck fleets in South Africa and
elsewhere as part of that company’s FutureSmart™
initiative. Caterpillar has developed autonomous
mining truck technology for an expanded range of
models, including its own range, but also other
brands. In early 2017 at a Cat® MineStar™ Command
for hauling demonstration at the company’s facility in
Arizona, Caterpillar announced a project to adapt
hardware and software for retrofitting the Komatsu
930E mining truck with Cat autonomous technology,
stating: “This interoperability initiative is driven by
mining companies’ goal of reducing mining costs
using their existing fleets.” It seems Caterpillar knew
this wave of retrofitting was on its way, though it has
been successful in selling its new Cat 793F CMD
autonomous trucks in the Canadian oil sands and in
South America now, on top of FMG Solomon and BHP
Jimblebar in Australia, bringing its AHS total to over
100 new machines. BHP having Caterpillar as a global
strategic partner, is no doubt looking at the retrofit
option at multiple sites.
So, it seems that the big show in town now for the
autonomous solution providers is retrofitting; whether
the system is provided by Caterpillar, Komatsu, ASI or
someone else, and whatever brand of truck the
autonomy retrofit is being applied to. Arguably, it is a
far larger immediate market for the technology than
selling new autonomous machines. And things are
moving fast in this market. Hitachi has just announced
very successful tests of its AHS technology at Meandu,
Liebherr is working with ASI on its autonomous truck
solution, and BELAZ is rolling out autonomy through
partner VIST Group at OCP in Morocco and soon with
SUEK at a Russian coal mine.
Paul Moore
Editor
paul@im-mining.com
JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 3
WORLD PROSPECTS_visuals 17/12/2017 11:52 Page 1
WORLD PROSPECTS
CleanTeQ deal for Fosterville plant
obert Friedland and Jiang Zhaobai, Co-
R Chairmen of Clean TeQ Holdings, and Sam
Riggall, Chief Executive Officer,
recently announced that Clean TeQ,
through its wholly owned subsidiary
Clean TeQ Water Pty Ltd, has entered
into a landmark agreement with
Fosterville Gold Mine Pty Ltd to
design, supply and commission a
two million litre-per-day Clean TeQ
DeSALxmine water treatment plant.
The award of the contract follows a period of
extensive due diligence and testwork conducted
by Fosterville to validate the efficacy of Clean TeQ’s
DeSALxsystem for the treatment of mining process
waters. The value of the contract is A$3.5 million
and serves as a significant milestone for the Clean
TeQ Water division.
“Sustainable water management is becoming
critically important in the mining industry as
environmental regulations are tightened globally
and water scarcity increases. The Fosterville water
treatment plant is an important reference project
for Clean TeQ’s DeSALx technology, which is
expected to add significant momentum to the
growing pipeline of Clean TeQ Water projects.”
ASI Mining and Enaex progress blast automation
utonomous Solutions, Inc (ASI): ASI Mining,
A has collaborated with Enaex (subsidiary of
the Sigdo Koppers Group) to develop semi-
autonomous blasting functionality with ASI’s
autonomous command and control software, Mobius.
“Mobius continues to expand as an enabler of
autonomous applications in mining,” said Drew
Larsen, Director of Business Development for ASI
Mining. “It’s expanding its role as an integration
software platform for autonomous mobile
equipment, including haul trucks, dozers, drills,
etc, enabling them to work together within an
autonomous mining environment. We are excited
to add blasting equipment to that growing list
with the involvement of Enaex.”
ASI’s Mobius for Blasting application provides
capability for tele-op and autonomous navigation
of blast vehicles, including mobile manufacturing
unit and stemming vehicles. In addition, Mobius
has the potential to coordinate drill and blasting,
Miner tracking at Tizapa
“Es Tu Llave de regreso a casa” literally
translated means “Your key to return home.”
This is the central message of Group Penoles
Tizapa silver mine in Mexico to encourage their
workforce to embrace the new high-precision
tracking system designed and supplied by
Becker’s subsidiary Lasec Telecommunications.
The promotional video created by the mine to
roll-out the “Key Out” system shows a miner
leaving home, utilising the Becker Lasec system
4 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
Fosterville operates the Fosterville Gold Mine
near Bendigo, around three hours
drive north-west of
Melbourne. During
the mining process,
groundwater is
produced which is
currently stored at surface
in limited capacity dams on the
mine site. To create a more sustainable
water management strategy, Fosterville
approached Clean TeQ to provide a system that
will treat the mine water to match the quality of
the region’s underlying aquifer. Fosterville can
then use managed aquifer injection (MAI) to return
the water to its natural source, or alternatively, use
resulting in dynamically
tailored blast processes based
on actual “As-Drilled” hole
data, creating higher efficiency
and increased fragmentation.
Steps were taken to ensure
the autonomous blasting
solutions meet all required
safety, operational and
availability standards, given the
high risk of danger for both
workers and equipment.
“These projects were specially created to
further enhance the mining operation and its
resources by taking care of our greater value,
which are people,” said Juan Andrés Errázuriz,
CEO of the Enaex Group.
Enaex announced the joint robotic effort at a
recent event highlighting Mine-iTruck, a “mobile
manufacturing unit,” using teleoperation and
during his daily work and returning safely home
to his family at the end of the day.
“We are proud that the safety of each and
every member of our workforce is paramount to
providing a happy, motivated and efficient
workforce” stated Ing Guillermo Hernandez
General Manager from Tizapa mine. “It is
important to us that every single member of the
team gets home to their families every day
without problems.”
the treated water from the Clean TeQ plant for
further treatment and subsequent recycling and
re-use of the water.
The Fosterville water treatment plant comprises
an integrated precipitation and continuous ionic
filtration process (DeSALx). The precipitation
process removes arsenic and antimony from the
water as a coprecipitate. The water is then treated
by the DeSALxprocess to remove hardness,
P
sulphate, and other dissolved metals.
DeSALxtechnology is ideal for complex mine
wastewater treatment. The DeSALxprocess
can be used as a standalone or as a
pretreatment for membrane
based water treatment
systems.
As the DeSALxby-product is
gypsum-based, it is compatible with
Fosterville’s established lime treatment
facility and provides a zero-brine water
treatment solution. Design of the Fosterville
water treatment plant is already underway, with
equipment supply, installation and commissioning
all scheduled for 2018.
Clean TeQ Water says it is actively engaged with
S
several mining companies globally in testing its
unique continuous ion exchange systems for the
treatment of process water treatment for recycling
or environmental discharge. www.cleanteq.com
autonomous features that operate the vehicle
autonomously inside an open pit mine. This
development is part of an ecosystem of
teleoperation and autonomous units that will
allow Enaex to improve workers’ safety by using
technology to perform tasks on risky mine
environments from a safe location.
www.asirobots.com; www.enaex.com
The system deployed at Tizapa is a state-of-
the-art tracking system using business
productivity software from Lasec and leading-
edge radio technology from German location-
module supplier nanotron. It uses time of flight
technology to deliver new levels of tracking
accuracy for the underground workforce,
providing a non-stop flow of data to locate each
worker and asset continuously with a 1 m to 5 m
resolution and a two seconds update rate.
Each member of the team wears a small
robust radio tag which transmits signals to a
series of readers located along the corridors
s
 Ready
for the
future.

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WORLD PROSPECTS_visuals 17/12/2017 11:05 Page 2

WORLD PROSPECTS

throughout the mine. The readers are connected
through the mines’ network to the central
control room where software displays the
location of each team member together with any
important associated emergency information.
“Man down” situations (when a worker is no
longer moving) are detected immediately by the
on-board sensors integrated in the tag modules
and transmitted to the Mine’s Central Sever. A
panic button, and emergency LED are also
provided to alert the team of any accident or
critical conditions occurring in the mine, so that
evacuation conditions can be managed and
organised efficiently and safely from the central
control room. The battery health is also
continuously monitored and transmitted to the
server to ensure continuous 24/7 operation.
The mine operator, Minera Tizapa is at the
forefront of safety with the implementation of
state-of-the-art solutions to comply with NOM-
023-STPS-2012 and today it is one of the few
mines in Mexico and worldwide that has
implemented tracking and identification of all
personnel entering the mine.
The next step in the agenda of Lasec is the
implementation of a mineral handling system,
traffic control, and environmental monitoring,
elements that will be a part of the mine’s
intelligent integral operational system.
Location Running by nanotron – the
availability of location information 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week – has enabled new standards
in safety and productivity. Becker Lasec’s
solution has been extremely well received since
both Group Penoles and its workforce benefit
from it. www.lasec.com.mx; www.nanotron.com

Caterpillar progressing well with Rock Header

aterpillar is continuing development of its expectations while

C Rock Header through testing of its RH55

prototype in the Hagerbach Test Gallery in
Switzerland. The RH55 is designed for fast,
meeting Caterpillar’s
high standards for
quality, reliability and
mechanised roadway development in serviceability.
underground hard rock mines – to help mining The Rock Header
companies accelerate return on investment. uses Caterpillar’s
“As part of the rigorous Caterpillar New Activated
Product Introduction process, our engineering Undercutting
team is working to validate and optimise the Technology for
performance of the RH55 prototype to ensure efficient hard rock
that we deliver the machine required by cutting. The design of
customers,” Jens Steinberg, Commercial the cutting head
Manager of Caterpillar’s Hard Rock Cutting enables the picks to
group, told International Mining. “When this attack the rock from
phase is completed, we will move on to pilot an optimum angle to
machines to be evaluated in customers’ mines.” exploit its tensile
The prototype validation process has included strength, which is
gathering detailed input from Caterpillar only 10 to 20% of its
customers in many different mining districts compressive
around the world. The engineering team strength. The
continues to tune performance objectives and to activation movement optimises velocity, and heating. The result is reduced energy
test in different scenarios to ensure that the momentum and impact of each pick – while consumption and replacement cost of cutting
RH55 will meet customers’ production moving the pick away quickly to minimise wear tools. www.cat.com

respectively, mainly due to the ramp-up of S11D,

S11D truckless operations advance which is advancing according to plan, plus
better operational performance in the mine and
ll of Vale’s S11D truckless iron ore mining be delivered during 2017-2019.” plant at Carajás and the weather-related

A systems are operating, with their start-ups

ahead of schedule. The four systems are
already operating at over 80% capacity. The four
Vale’s overall iron ore production achieved a
quarterly record of
95.1 Mt in 3Q17, 3.3
seasonality. www.vale.com

systems each utilise the Sandvik PF200 fully Mt higher than in

mobile crushing station, each loaded by 2Q17, mainly due to
Caterpillar 7495 rope shovels. The IPCC systems the better
are being used in the Serra Sul (S11D) block, a operational
ridge of land 30 km long and around 1.8 km performance in the
wide. Northern System and
Sandvik’s Mining Systems business was the S11D ramp-up.
recently acquired by FLSmidth, and when that The Northern
deal closed, the Sandvik statement said: “The System, which
projects to be finalised during 2017-2019 by comprises Carajás,
Sandvik, through an operational agreement with Serra Leste and S11D,
FLSmidth, will, however, remain reported in achieved a quarterly
discontinued operations.” FLSmidth stated record of 45.0 Mt in
before this: “FLSmidth to provide project 3Q17, 8.5% and
management and aftermarket services to 16.4% higher than in
Sandvik on the majority of ongoing projects to 2Q17 and 3Q16,

6 International Mining | JANUARY 2018

Fast and accurate volume measurement
the reason why half of the largest mining companies use Pix4Dmapper

Drone photogrammetry for stockpile

measurement
Of the biggest 40 mining companies announced in PWC’s mining
report, nearly half of them use drone photogrammetry software
(Pix4Dmapper) as part of their mining workflow.

Managing stockpile inventory, that is, finding a solution for accurate

volume measurement and easy inventory management, is one of the
biggest challenges in the mining industry.

These top mining companies claim that by applying the

photogrammetry workflow with Pix4Dmapper, they can achieve
measurement accuracies of around 2-5% for their stockpile volumes.

Why use drone photogrammetry for stockpile volume measurements?

Horizontally, high-resolution photogrammetric results create more precise stockpile models, and thus better volume measurement accuracy
than ones interpolated from certain measured points.

Vertically, they lower the uncertainty in Z values, which is proportional to the resolution. For example, flatter stockpiles will benefit more from a
high GSD than taller stockpiles.

High-resolution images give you more details of the mapped

stockpiles

When it comes to stockpile volume measurements, stockpiles do

not conform to a perfect shape. A photogrammetric survey with
a fine ground sampling distance (GSD, which indicates the actual
distance each pixel represents) is able to better describe irregular
stockpiles in detail. Volume measurement of the same stockpile in the data sets of (Left) GSD=2 cm
(Right) GSD=20 cm. Larger uncertainty in vertical direction in low GSD data sets

Pix4Dmapper allows you to adjust the reference base above which you want the volume to be measured

Why is setting a precise reference base important for getting accurate volume measurement?
Imagine we have a 10-meter-tall crushed gravel stockpile in a cone shape, with a 45° angle of repose:

The bottom 2 meter section occupies 48.8% of the entire stockpile

2m

volume, while the top 2 meter section occupies only 0.008%.

10 m

The error of the height values will have much more influence for the
bottom flat part than the tip. This also explains how important to
45°
well-define the base surface is in order to obtain an accurate volume
2m

measurement.

Typically, there are several

types of stockpiles
Standard stockpile is the most generic
stockpile type. It is constructed with
basic bucket loading and dumping
techniques.
Ramp stockpile is constructed high,
with a narrow ramp, and is optimal for
storing a large amount of materials in
a very limited area.
Bin stockpile is a common stockpile
type. Materials are stored in a row
of three-sided bins, with enclosures
consisting of a hard floor and walls. It
is the best solution to keep different
materials separate.

Precise volume measurement in Pix4Dmapper

In addition to generating precise 3D models for the purpose of measurements, Pix4Dmapper performs
accurate stockpile volume measurements because of its ability to customize base surfaces.
MEASURE FROM IMAGES
The software provides 6 different base surface-defining options in its volume management module; for
more complicated conditions, users can import their own base surface (or ground-surveyed points which
form the base surface) and use them as a base to calculate stockpile volumes. For more information on
Start a free software trial on
this subject, read our support article: How to select base surface for accurate volume measurement in
Pix4Dmapper. pix4d.com
IPCC 18 dps AD_Layout 1 21/12/2017 09:56 Page 2

In-Pit Crushing and Conveying Lead Sponsor

IPCC 26-27 April 2018

DoubleTree By Hilton
2018 Santiago – Vitacura, Chile

DAY ONE April 26th

08:00 – 08:15 Opening remarks and welcome

Paul Moore, IPCC 2018 Conference Director
Keynote session – The miners take on IPCC
08:15 – 08:45 Continuous extraction in open pit mineral mining – how close are we?
Simon Williams, Snr Mgr Mine Engineering, BHP and Stephen Kou, Director of
Strategic Growth - Terra Nova Technologies
08:45 – 09:15 IPCC and other considerations for expanding a large mining operation
Steve Davis, Principal Advisor – Bulk Materials Process, Rio Tinto
09:15 – 09:45 Layout engineering for a 20 Mt/y crushing and conveying system
GSSV Suresh, Deputy General Manager and K Sudhir Kumar, Senior Manager, NMDC Ltd
09:45 – 10:15 Near face solutions for oil sands mining
Michael Carniato, Senior Associate Engineer R&D, Syncrude Canada
10:15 – 10:45 Speaker TBC
10:45 – 11:45 COFFEE BREAK AND NETWORKING
New designs and concepts for IPCC systems

11:45 – 12:15 High productivity IPCC systems and technologies

Claus Butter, Process line Director IPCC and Bill Malone, Global Product Director,
Crushers, FLSmidth
12:15 – 12:45 Fully mobile IPSC technology
David Pitchford, President of Business Development, MMD Americas
12:45 – 13:15 Innovating IP2C technologies for new mining models
Neville Kelly, Manager Technical Support, RCR Mining Technologies
13:15 – 14:15 LUNCH
Crushing and conveying innovation
14:15 – 14:45 Crushing plant configurations
Dr Frank Hubrich, CEO and Dr Robert Ritter, Mine Planning Engineer, TAKRAF
14:45 – 15:15 The lizard system for heap leaching and dry tailings stacking
Branco Lalik, Sales Manager, thyssenkrupp Mining Systems
15:15 – 15:45 COFFEE BREAK
IPCC 18 dps AD_Layout 1 21/12/2017 09:56 Page 3

Drive systems and digitalisation for IPCC

15:45 – 16:15 IPCC digitalisation: smart sensor solutions in excavation, crushing,

heap leaching and spreading
Reik Winkel, Executive Director, indurad
16:15 – 16:45 Implementing gearless drive solutions for large mine conveyors in South America
Christian Dirscherl, Vice President for Mining, Excavation & Transport, Siemens
16:45 – 17:15 A new direct drive solution for medium powered conveyor drives
Ulf Richter, Global Product Manager – Conveyor Systems, ABB Automation
DAY TWO April 27th
Planning for IPCC
08:15 – 08:45 Considerations for selecting the right option for in-pit or underground
crushing and conveying
Sergio Zamorano, Consultant, ZING eirl
08:45 – 09:15 Speaker TBC
09:15 – 09:45 Speaker TBC
09:45 – 10:45 COFFEE BREAK AND NETWORKING
IPCC related technologies

10:45 – 11:15 High angle conveying – new projects and designs

Joseph Dos Santos, President, Dos Santos International
11:15 – 11:45 Surface miners for caliche extraction in Chile
César Leite, Regional Manager, Vermeer Latin America
11:45 – 12:15 Introducing bulk sorting: its enablers, application, and potential
Bob McCarthy, Principal Consultant, SRK Consulting
12:15 – 13:15 LUNCH AND CLOSE

Sponsors to date
Photo courtesy MMD

www.im-mining.com/events
    
  
    
 
    
  
    
OPERATION FOCUS- BLANKET GOLD_proof 17/12/2017 11:15 Page 1
OPERATION FOCUS
Blanket gold
John Chadwick looks at a historic, centurion
Zimbabwean mine, with a great sustainable mining
reputation, being upgraded and expanded with
mechanisation and its concomitant benefits
ast July, Caledonia Mining Corp's common
L shares were listed on the NYSE American
stock exchange. At the time, Steve Curtis,
CEO, stated: “This listing for the company on
the NYSE American is another significant step
for Caledonia which joins some of the world's
best-known gold and precious metals
companies with a listing on this prestigious US
exchange. This further step in the development
of Caledonia's corporate status has taken place
against the backdrop of continued progress on
our major operational development projects,
principally the sinking of the Central Shaft at the
Blanket mine in Zimbabwe.
“The Central Shaft, which is being funded
from Blanket's internal resources, is expected to
fundamentally change the nature of Blanket's
operations by improving operating efficiencies
and providing access to deeper levels for
exploration, development and production.
Completion of the Central Shaft remains on
schedule for the fourth quarter of 2018.
“The listing on the NYSE American is intended
to provide the company with greater access to
US institutional and retail investors which in
turn is hoped will result in better overall trading
liquidity, a lower cost of capital and other
benefits for Caledonia and its shareholders”.
Caledonia Mining is well placed to benefit from Zimbabwean opportunities. There is worldclass gold
potential in the country, but it is under explored and under-capitalised
10 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
Those shareholders include many residents
local to the mine and mine workers.
Blanket plans to increase production from
50,351 oz in 2016 to approximately 80,000 oz in
2021.
Caledonia acquired Blanket from Kinross Gold
in April 2006. Following the implementation of
indigenisation with effect from September 5,
2012, Caledonia now owns 49% of Blanket, a
well-established gold mine, which currently
operates at a depth of approximately 750 m
below surface. Blanket also holds brownfield
exploration and development projects both on
the existing mine area and on its satellite
properties which are within trucking distance of
the Blanket metallurgical recovery plant.
Blanket mine is located in the southwest of
Zimbabwe approximately 15 km west of
Gwanda, the provincial capital of Matabeleland
South. Gwanda is 150 km southeast of
Bulawayo, the country's second largest city and
196 km northwest of the Beit Bridge Border post
with South Africa, and 560 km from Harare.
Access to the mine is by an all-weather tarred
road from Gwanda, which is linked from Beit
Bridge to Bulawayo and Harare by a national
highway.
Zimbabwe had an excellent infrastructure
system of good roads, railways and electricity
generation. Lack of investment over the last 10
to 15 years means that much of the general
infrastructure in Zimbabwe has deteriorated and
substantial investment will be required to rectify
and remediate it. Notwithstanding the general
deterioration of the country, Blanket has
adequate access to the specific infrastructure it
requires in order to operate efficiently.
Zimbabwe's national highway system remains
serviceable and most of Blanket's consumable
and equipment supplies are transported to the
mine by road from Johannesburg. Blanket has
funded the maintenance of the minor road that
connects the mine to the national highway and
heavy goods vehicles can easily access the mine
without impediment throughout the year.
To address the national problem of
considerable interruptions to power supplies,
Blanket installed four, Caterpillar 3516 B 2500
kVA generators fully automated through a
SCADA system. These allow the mine and all of
the metallurgical operations to run normally
during any interruption to the main electricity
supply. In addition, Blanket has entered into an
un-interruptible power supply agreement with
the state-owned electricity supplier. Although
the power supplied in terms of this agreement is
more expensive than previously, it is substantially
cheaper than the electricity generated by the
stand-by diesel generators. Following the
conclusion of the un-interruptible power supply
agreement, the frequency of power interruptions
has diminished to an acceptable level.
Sustainable mining
Much of Zimbabwe’s social infrastructure
(eg water treatment and healthcare) has
deteriorated making outbreaks of illness such
as cholera and typhoid amongst the general
population more likely. The majority of Blanket's
employees live with their dependants on the
Blanket mine village where they are provided
with potable water (treated at Blanket's on-site
treatment facility) and healthcare facilities.
Despite the country’s problems and a chronic
shortage of funding in recent years, the general
levels of education in the Zimbabwean
workforce are very high and this is reflected in
Blanket's well-educated and highly skilled
workforce.
The indigenisation of the operation was
achieved by various transactions implemented
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OPERATION FOCUS- BLANKET GOLD_proof 17/12/2017 11:15 Page 2
OPERATION FOCUS
with effect from September 5, 2012 on the
following basis:
I 16% was sold to the National Indigenisation
and Economic Empowerment Fund
I 10% was sold to a Management and
Employee Trust for the benefit of the present
and future managers and employees of
Blanket
I 15% was sold to identified Indigenous
Zimbabweans
I 10% was donated to the Gwanda Community
Share Ownership Trust.
Blanket also made a non-refundable donation
of $1.0 million to the trust as soon as it was
established and paid advance dividends of $4
million before the end of April 2013. The trust
will receive no further dividends from Blanket
until the advance dividends have been repaid by
the offset of future dividends arising on the
Blanket shares that are owned by the trust.
Caledonia facilitated the vendor funding of
these transactions: ie Indigenous Zimbabweans
who have purchased their interest in Blanket
will repay their outstanding facilitation loan by
sacrificing 80% of their future entitlement to
Blanket dividends.
As an indigenised entity, Blanket can now
develop and implement its long-term growth
strategy.
Zimbabwe has a long and august history in
gold mining but by the end of 2008 all its gold
mines had been forced to close due to the
failure of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)
to pay for gold which, under the prevailing
regulations prior to February 2009, required all
gold producers to sell gold to the RBZ. Most of
the Zimbabwean gold mines re-opened in the
course of 2009 following the liberalisation of the
commercial environment for gold producers.
Gold production in 2009 was approximately 5 t
and is estimated to have increased to
approximately 10 t in 2012 and 13 t in 2013.
In the period from October 2008 until Blanket
resumed operations in April 2009, Blanket
continued to pay and provide food and basic
necessities to all of its over 500 employees,
thereby successfully retaining the majority of
the skills embedded in its work force. Current
employee numbers are much higher, at 1,300.
The Caledonia office in Johannesburg, South
Africa provides procurement services to Blanket.
This means that Blanket has ready access to
consumables and specialist technical services at
highly competitive prices.
The Zimbabwean Government recognises that
the mining industry and particularly gold mining
is crucial to the Zimbabwean economy.
Accordingly in February 2009, it relaxed
restrictions on foreign payments, which then
meant it was relatively easier to make payments
of less than $5 million to foreign suppliers,
12 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
lenders and investors
without the requirement
for Central Bank
approvals. However,
currency controls have
been reinstated in light
of the current foreign
currency shortage.
Caledonia receives
remittances from
Blanket in the form of
payments for goods and
services procured by
Caledonia on behalf of
Blanket; a management
fee payable by Blanket
to Caledonia; payments of dividends from
Blanket to Caledonia and the repayment of
facilitation loans which were extended by
Caledonia to the Indigenous Zimbabweans who
acquired shareholdings in Blanket.
In January, 2014 Caledonia announced that as
a result of new regulations introduced by the
Zimbabwe Ministry of Finance, all gold produced
in Zimbabwe must now be sold to Fidelity
Printers and Refiners, a company which is
controlled by the Zimbabwean authorities and
which is now responsible for the final refining
and marketing of all gold produced in
Zimbabwe. Accordingly, all of Blanket’s
production has subsequently been sold to
Fidelity. Blanket receives 98.75% of the value of
the gold within a maximum of seven days of a
sale to Fidelity. Blanket has received all
payments due from Fidelity under these new
arrangements in-full and on-time.
Since it completed the purchase of the
Blanket mine, Caledonia has allowed Blanket to
make considerable capital investments in its
underground, surface and township facilities.
These investments culminated in the
commissioning of the No 4 Shaft Expansion
Project at the end of September 2010 which
increased Blanket's hoisting capacity from the
No 4 Shaft from 500 to 3,000 t/d.
Gwanda Greenstone
Blanket mine is situated in the Gwanda
Greenstone Belt, a typical Archaean greenstone-
hosted gold deposit and was first established in
1904. The deposit is situated on the northwest
limb of the Gwanda Greenstone Belt along strike
from several other prominent gold deposits.
Blanket is the largest producing mine in a belt
which at one time had 268 operating mines.
The Belt extends 80 km in an east-west
direction and consists predominantly of basaltic
rocks (greenstones) with minor felsic and
ultramafic units. The belt has been intensely
sheared and intruded by granites resulting in
complex deformation structures and vertically
In October 2011 Blanket received two
prestigious safety awards. Blanket's
Occupational, Safety and Health (OSH) policy
and procedures have been audited by the
National Social Security Authority (NSSA). The
NSSA is a public institution in Zimbabwe and
was established as an initiative of the
Government of Zimbabwe with the objective of
introducing social protection to Zimbabwean
workers and their families. The NSSA audit
covered inter alia, Blanket's OSH policies,
procedures, training and management systems.
As a result of this audit, Blanket was awarded
the gold medal in the Mining and Quarrying
sector in Matabeleland and also the bronze
medal across all industrial sectors in Zimbabwe
dipping strata. The shape of the gold orebodies
is controlled by these structures, resulting in
their near vertical orientation.
Near vertical shear zones are developed
throughout the belt and are the loci of most of
the small mines that have been discovered in
the area. Most of Blanket's prospects are of this
type. Many of these now defunct small mines
were shallow, had historically high recovered
gold grades and closed towards the end of the
1960s when the gold price was low and the
mining and metallurgical techniques available at
that time were such that the mines became un-
economic. The area has a long history of gold
production and remains highly prospective and
must therefore be regarded as an attractive
exploration area as it has never been explored
using modern techniques.
Since the rock units of the Gwanda
Greenstone Belt are tilted on their side and
strike north-south in the vicinity of Blanket, the
stratigraphic sequence is exposed from the
oldest in the east to the youngest in the west.
The felsic unit consisting of quartzite and
sericite-quartz schists forms the base of the
stratigraphy. No gold deposits have been
recorded in this unit. Overlying this unit to the
west is the ultramafic-mafic unit interlayered
with banded iron formations. Gold occurs in this
unit at Vubachikwe mine, which is adjacent to
Blanket, where the deposits are confined to
steeply dipping folds in the banded iron
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OPERATION FOCUS- BLANKET GOLD_proof 17/12/2017 11:15 Page 3
OPERATION FOCUS
formation layers. The ultramafic-mafic unit is in
turn overlain to the west by the mafic unit, a
thick sequence of tholeiitic and pillow basalts.
Within this unit a prominent shear zone up to 50
m wide runs the length of and is the locus of all
orebodies on the Blanket property. The
sequence is completed by an andesitic unit
which caps the stratigraphic sequence.
Blanket mine is part of the group of mines
that make up the North Western Mining Camp
otherwise also called the Sabiwa group of
mines. What is today referred to as Blanket is a
cluster of mines extending from Jethro in the
south, through Blanket itself, Feudal, AR South,
AR Main, Sheet, Eroica and Lima in the north.
These ore shoots occur in the Blanket shear zone,
a low angle transgressive shear characterised by
the presence of biotite relative to the massive
amphibolites forming the country rocks.
A regional sub horizontal dolerite sill intruded
the above sequence and is emplaced about 500
m below surface. The sill does not cause a
significant displacement and although it
truncates all the ore shoots, the mineralised
shoots continue undisturbed below the sill.
Active mining at the Blanket mine takes place
over a 3 km strike that includes eight discrete
ore shoots. Mineralisation occurs in near vertical
shoots aligned along an approximately north-
south axis. The ore shoots vary in shape from
the tabular to lensoidal quartz reefs to the
massive to pipe-like disseminated sulphide
reefs (DSR).
Two main types of mineralisation have been
recognised; disseminated sulphide replacement
reefs and quartz-filled reefs and shears.
The disseminated sulphide replacement
mineralisation comprises the bulk of the ore
shoots. Typically these zones have a silicified
core with fine sprays of disseminated
arsenopyrite hosting the best grades.
Disseminated sulphide replacement orebodies
range up to 50 m in width with a strike between
60 and 90 m. Free-milling gold constitutes up to
50% of the total metal content with the
remainder occluded within the arsenopyrite.
Quartz-filled shear zones form the second
type of mineralisation. Two quartz shears are
mined, the Blanket Quartz Reef and the Eroica
Reef. These reefs tend to have long strikes but
are not uniformly mineralised although
continuous pay shoots of over 100 m on strike
are not uncommon. The Quartz Reef at Blanket
has a surface strike of some 500 m, but
economic mineralisation is restricted to three 90
m shoots which were defined on surface by the
early workers. Grade fluctuations are more
extreme in the quartz reefs than in the
disseminated type reefs but on average these
shears have higher grades and are used as a
‘sweetener’ of ore to the mill.
14 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
The current Blanket mining area has eight ore
shoots in the producing section of the mine. The
majority of the mine production is sourced at
present from the AR Main and AR South
orebodies with a lesser contribution from the
Blanket, Eroica and Lima reefs. AR Main and AR
South are massive orebodies up to 30 m wide
and are ideally suited to the long-hole open
stope mining method, while the remainder of
the Blanket orebodies are tabular and better
suited to underhand stoping methods.
Current production is about 1,500 t/d of ore,
following the installation of a new ball mill
(manufactured by Nimr and Chapman in
Bulawayo) in late 2016, using both long-hole
open stoping and underhand stoping methods.
The mine operates five GHH Aardvark LF 4.2
LHDs and recently acquired two Fermel Liberator
14 t low profile dump trucks. Broken ore is
trammed along the 22 level rail system by
battery locos and the ore cars self-tip onto one
of three grizzlies above the ore bins which are
located between 22 level and the 765 m level
crushing station. The minus 300 mm rock is held
in three underground storage bins; payable ore
and waste ore are held in separate storage bins
and handled accordingly. Ore is gravity fed from
level crushing station conveyor which
discharges the ore onto a vibrating grizzly
feeder which discharges the oversize into a 30 x
20 Telsmith jaw crusher.
The underground crushing station ensures
that all the ROM ore is reduced to minus 150
mm in size providing for the optimisation and
greater efficiency of the automated skip loading
and hoisting operations. This allows mining and
hoisting activity to continue without
interruption. Blanket No 4 Shaft has been
equipped with the first automated loading
system in Zimbabwe which sequentially fills the
two 6 t ore skips which are hoisted to surface.
The use of this state of the art automation
reduces the risk of ore loading accidents and
injuries, reduces manpower costs, minimises
spillage, reduces skip loading times, increases
hoisting capacity, ensures precise ore tonnage
accountability, and enhances winder efficiency
while lowering loading and hoisting costs. The
structures for this automated system were
designed, manufactured and installed by
Kenvist SA. The automation was designed,
supplied and installed by Festo in July 2010.
The double compartment No 4 Shaft is
Blanket's main shaft for hoisting ore to surface
from the loading stations at 510 and 789 m
below surface, and it has a proven hoisting
capacity of 110 t/h from 789 m. The Jethro and
Eroica Shafts and the No 5 and No 6 Winzes are
used for transporting personnel and materials
underground, and the No 2 and Lima Shafts are
also used for hoisting ore to surface.
The entire underground and surface
operations of the Blanket mine, except for the
Lima Shaft, including the surface compressors
and the No 4 Shaft Winder can be operated by
the 10,000 kVA standby diesel powered
generating sets.
The skips automatically tip ore hoisted to
surface into the Shaft Bins on the No 4 Shaft
headgear. Ore is gravity fed from the shaft bins
onto the No 1 belt which conveys the ore over
the automated belt scale and to vibrating
screens and 14 x 24 Telsmith jaw crushers. This
crushing circuit reduces the ore to minus 50 mm
and it is then deposited by the No 2 belt
stockpile conveyor onto the coarse ore stockpile
which has a live capacity of approximately 2,000
t of material. Ore from the coarse ore stockpile
is then fed onto the triple-deck vibrating screen
with the oversize being crushed to minus 12 mm
by one of two 38H Telsmith Gyrasphere
crushers.
The 12 mm ore is then fed into the 600 t Mill
Bin which feeds two (of the three installed) 1.8 x
3.6 m rod mills where it is milled down to
approximately 70% passing 75 micron, before
being passed through two 30” continuous
Knelson Concentrators where approximately
49% of total gold production is recovered. The
Knelson tails are pumped through cyclones and
into a 3.66 x 4.9 m x 750 kW regrind ball mill. As
part of the No 4 Shaft Expansion Project, the
capacity of the secondary crushers was
increased to over 2,000 t/d and the capacity of
the rod mills was increased to 1,800 t/d.
Slurry from the regrind mill is pumped into a
CIL plant consisting of eight, 600 m3 leach tanks
equipped with 45 kW agitators where leaching
at 50% solids and simultaneous adsorption of
dissolved gold onto activated carbon takes
place. The CIL plant has a nameplate capacity of
3,800 t/d of milled ore. Elution of the gold from
the loaded carbon and electro winning is done
on site. Gold is deposited onto steel wool
cathodes, the loaded cathodes are acid-
digested and the resultant gold solids are
smelted in an induction furnace to produce gold
bullion of approximately 90% purity, after which
the bullion is sold as required by Zimbabwean
law to Fidelity.
Overall gold recovery rates have been
increased from 85% at the time of acquisition by
Caledonia to over 94% as a result of the re-
design of more efficient CIL agitators and the
installation of an automated liquid sodium
cyanide facility which allows for multiple stage
cyanide dosing and monitoring of the CIL. The
PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) oxygen
generator has been re-commissioned and the
controlled sparging of oxygen into the CIL has
resulted in an increase in leach recoveries to
approximately 94%.
HARD-LINE(AlienTechnology)_January18 PROOF_Layout 1 17/12/2017 11:33 Page 1
OPERATION FOCUS- BLANKET GOLD_proof 21/12/2017 11:04 Page 4

OPERATION FOCUS

the Revised Plan Caledonia trend is likely to be sustained as increased

Blanket’s CIL capacity is high because there
used to be a tailings retreatment operation at
the site which is no longer in operation as the
tailings have been depleted
Major expansion
Central Shaft will be a 3,000 t/d, 6-m diameter,
four-compartment shaft that will transport men,
equipment and material from surface to 1,080 m
below surface. It lies located between the AR
Main and AR South orebodies, in the middle of
Blanket’s mining area. The shaft is being sunk in
two simultaneous phases: from surface and
from 750 m below surface. It provides access for
horizontal development in two directions on two
levels below 750 m.
The capital cost for Central Shaft is $23
million. Work commenced in August 2015 and is
due for completion in June 2018. It will improve
efficiency and de-risk the current single-shaft
status. The broader project including new ball
mill, horizontal development and the surface
infrastructure and including sustaining capex
over the course of the project is $70 million.
With the increased investment pursuant to
Lima
11
Mining is targeting a rise in production volume and economies of scale lead
production from Inferred to lower unit operating costs.
resources to 80,000 oz in The Blanket investment plan is beginning to
2021, this being in addition to yield fruit with strong cash generation from 2017
projected production in 2021 onwards. The low dividend pay-out ratio and
from Proven and Probable strong future cash generation leaves resources
mineral reserves of available for strategic purposes.
approximately 6,000 oz. The
Revised Plan is also expected Mascot and GG
to improve Blanket’s long term Blanket will continue exploration at two of
operational efficiency, Blanket’s satellite projects, Mascot and GG.
flexibility and sustainability. Blanket has 18 brownfields projects in the
The Revised Plan includes a vicinity of the existing mine operations, many of
revised LOM plan for the which were mined commercially from the early
Blanket in terms of which it is anticipated that the 1900s until the 1960s. At the time of their
approximate production from existing Proven and closure, only the highest grade portions of these
Probable mineral reserves above 750 m level will mines had been extracted, leaving significant
be as shown. amounts of lower grade mineralisation in the
The new Central
Shaft and the
deepening of No 6
Winze provide access to
the current Inferred
mineral resources
below 750 m and allow
for further exploration,
development and
mining in these sections
along the known
Blanket strike, which is some 3 km in length. workings which are likely payable given the
The PEA has been prepared in respect of the current gold price. In addition, these old ore
inferred mineral resources below 750 m. Based shoots remain open to depth and require further
on this, additional approximate production from exploration and development to determine their
current inferred mineral resources may be full potential. Advances in exploration, mining
achieved. So, Blanket represents high margin and metallurgical technologies over the last 40
operations with All-in Sustaining Costs (AISC) of years means that such old workings may now
$912/oz for 2016. The operation is anticipated potentially be economically viable on a
to produce 80,000 oz/y by 2021 at an AISC of sustainable basis and not just because of the
between $700 and $800/oz. The downward high gold prices which currently prevail.
Some of these workings therefore have
developed shaft infrastructure in place which
facilitates more rapid underground access for
Blanket
Sheet Feudal Jethro
Eroica 8
10 14 3 4
17 18 1
No 3 Shaft
AR M ain AR South
24538t
24538t
3.36g/t
3.36g/t

2
exploration, development, evaluation and the
5555t
5555t
3.03g/t
3.03g/t
47782t
47782t
140m l 5 7 Level

potential resumption of mining activity.

4.88g/t
4.88g/t

48278t
48278t
140946t
140946t 3.98g/t
3.98g/t
4.15g/t
4.15g/t 32875t
32875t 19015t
19015t
3.88g/t
3.88g/t 3.13g/t
3.13g/t
12 22778t
22778t 14911t
14911t 89662t
89662t

230m l 9
2.93g/t
2.93g/t 7 4.52g/t
4.52g/t 4.02g/t
4.02g/t

9 Level

121148t
121148t
3.82g/t
3.82g/t
58458t
58458t
4.48g/t
4.48g/t
Blanket has commenced exploration on two
10343t
10343t

of these areas (GG and Mascot) in order to

3.81g/t
3.81g/t 103570t
103570t
13 240587t
240587t
3.62g/t
3.62g/t 81911t
81911t
4.78g/t
4.78g/t
7036t
7036t
3.77g/t
3.77g/t 6 3.74g/t
3.74g/t

510m l 15
14 Level
28371t
28371t 366132t
366132t
3.29g/t
3.29g/t

better assess their suitability for further

3.58g/t
3.58g/t
78500t
78500t
3.74g/t
3.74g/t
5515t
5515t 72096t
72096t 22818t
22818t
13805t
13805t 2.91g/t
2.91g/t 4.45g/t
4.45g/t
3.15g/t
3.15g/t 3.07g/t
3.07g/t

16
630m l 18 Level
204620t
204620t
4.27g/t
4.27g/t

70722t
70722t
3.72g/t
3.72g/t
293033t
293033t
3.82g/t
3.82g/t
263850t
263850t
3.16g/t
3.16g/t
Vent Raise
36623t
36623t
2.99g/t
2.99g/t
107367t
107367t
3.44g/t
3.44g/t Ore Pass Raise

5707t
5707t
3.7g/t
3.7g/t
development as potential satellite operations.
750m l 22 Level
Decline

Depending on the successful outcome of

1146240t
1146240t
1158295t
1158295t 5.18g/t
5.18g/t
270593t
270593t 3.9g/t
3.9g/t
3.27g/t
3.27g/t
441399t
441399t
4.37g/t
4.37g/t

870m l 26 Level

exploration work, mining development and

6 Shaft

245016t
245016t 205107t
205107t
6.14g/t
6.14g/t 2.86g/t
2.86g/t
1500382t
1500382t
4.86g/t
4.86g/t
990m l 30 Level

159483t
159483t
9.03g/t
9.03g/t 1149435t
1149435t
4.92g/t
4.92g/t
metallurgical test-work, it is intended that
1110ml 34 Level

economic ore extracted from the satellites

1230ml 38 Level
would be trucked to the Blanket plant for
processing. The metallurgical plant has existing
Shafts
Legend
1
2
3
Jethro
Jethro inze
W
No 2 Main Incline
Levels
Stoped out area
surplus treatment capacity and when the
4 No 4 Shaft
Proved

planned crushing and milling plant extensions

5 No 5 Winze
6 6 Shaft
No 1 Orebody Shaft
Probable
7
8 BF Raisebore Probable Pillars
CALEDONIA MINING CORPORATION 9 AR

BLANKET MINE (1983) (PVT) LTD

10
11
12
Sheet
Lima
Eroica winze
Indicated

Inferred
have been completed could handle up to 3,500
13 Eroica shaft Exploration Targets

Mineral Reserv
es/ Resources 0 50 100
14
15
16
Central shaft
AR Main Vent Raise
Blanket Orepass Raise
Dyke t/d of ore from Blanket underground and
As at 31-12-2016 meters Shaft
17 Eroica Raise Bore
18 Feudal
45 236t
4.56g/tOre Reserves
successful exploration project areas.
Blanket’s underground Infrastructure following the implementation of the Revised Plan (not to scale) The GG project was previously the site of

16 International Mining | JANUARY 2018

 Total Mining Ad A4-Open-pit-2017.12.05-FA.pdf 1 12/5/2017 10:57:15 AM

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OPERATION FOCUS- BLANKET GOLD_proof 21/12/2017 11:24 Page 5

OPERATION FOCUS

small-scale surface workings and it lies about 7 km southeast of the mine.

Drilling programs were carried out at GG over the past eight years including
17 diamond-cored holes that were drilled amounting to 4,751 m of drilling.
Two zones of potentially economic gold mineralisation have been
established down to a depth of approximately 200 m, each with an
estimated strike length of approximately 150 m.
Work commenced on sinking a 3 m by 2 m shaft in 2012 and it has
reached the target depth of 120 m. During shaft sinking operations, the
shaft encountered a mineralised quartz shear with a near vertical
orientation. As the shaft sinking extended below 40 m, this quartz shear
swelled and occupied the full width of the shaft. This zone of mineralisation
has persisted down to 60 m and on assay returned an average grade of
6.0g/t Au. The sulphide intensity of this mineralised shear exposed by the
shaft between the 60 and 90 m levels appears to have weakened but the
shear structure remains intact. Underground diamond drilling will be
undertaken to evaluate the mineralisation of this structure.
Horizontal development has commenced on the 60, 90 and 120 m levels,
cubbies have been developed to allow for diamond drilling of the identified
mineralised zones. To date, four holes, totalling 400 m have been drilled to
investigate the North Main Shear and three of these holes have intersected
mineralisation with averaged grades and thicknesses of about 4 g/t over
about 2 m. Further diamond drilling is in progress to allow for a better
understanding of the geometry of the identified zones. A total of 3,000 m of
diamond drilling is planned from these three development levels during Providing full service mining
2013. solutions and innovation around
The Mascot project area comprises three existing shafts (Mascot,
Penzance and Eagle Vulture) which extend down to various depths of up to the world for over 55 years.
450 m. These shafts and other infrastructure need extensive rehabilitation.
Production at these shafts ceased decades ago due to a combination of
political difficulties and the limitations of the technology that was then
available. Blanket’s management believes that the application of modern
EXPERIENCE
exploration and processing techniques may allow some or all of these • Shaft Sinking • Raise Mining
shafts to operate profitably for a period of time, and not just at the • Mine Development • Underground Construction
prevailing high gold price. Priority has been given to the rehabilitation and • Contract Mining • Engineering & Technical Services
installation of infrastructure at Mascot. Work at Penzance and Eagle Vulture • Raiseboring • Specialty Services
has been deferred pending completion of work and underground
development at Mascot.
Mascot was previously mined down to approximately 300 m, exploiting
an orebody which narrowed continuously with depth. The decrease in the AFRICA | ASIA | AUSTRALIA
EUROPE | NORTH AMERICA
extent of the mined out ore at depth is thought to have been the result of
SOUTH AMERICA
limitations on mining localised low ore grades and thereby not exposing
the full extent of the mineralised zone. Previous drilling undertaken by Mining Contractors and Engineers
Blanket has indicated the existence of two further mineralised zones, one
on either side of the mined out area.
The shaft has been re-accessed down to the 120 m level below surface Consider it done. redpathmining.com
and refurbished. IM

JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 19

HIGH PROFILE- LIEBHERR_proof 20/12/2017 12:21 Page 1
HIGH PROFILE
A new class of technology
In late October 2017, Paul Moore went with Liebherr to the
VA Erzberg iron ore mine in Austria for an introduction to
the new T 236 100 t diesel electric truck, and quizzed
Liebherr Mining senior managers on the technical
argument for the design as well as its market entry potential
iebherr last year launched the T 236, a new
L 100 t class truck in an already crowded
market, so it had to be a game changer in its
technology offering and performance upside. It
had already gone through an intensive product
validation phase at Erzberg. The tests were
designed to evaluate the product using several
different parameters, specific function &
performance tests for the systems, and structural
evaluations. Extreme driving manoeuvres were
also used to evaluate operator safety, load
stability, and machine performance during this
trial which was successful, and the truck during
the IM visit was running through its first field
operation trials at the mine.
What is new about the T 236 is that it has
electric drive, traditionally confined to the
ultraclass, and that it combines this with state of
the art wet braking. With its IP 68-rated plug and-
drive power modules it is also safer and more
efficient from a maintenance point of view; while
the revolutionary in-line electrical power train
layout minimises cable length. Finally, the
ergonomic T 236 cab and the superior properties
of the front wheel suspension system promote
driver efficiency with superior comfort, safety,
acceleration and handling for increased
performance. But for the real insight, here is what
senior managers Dr Joerg Lukowski, Executive
Vice-President and Dr Burkhard Richthammer,
Managing Director, Design and Engineering have
told us about the new Liebherr Mining truck...
Q Why the Erzberg mine as a trial location for the
T 236?
20 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
BR: Erzberg has an interesting mine site set up for
100 t trucks in combination with the use of wheel
loaders. The site organisation allows the wheel
loaders to already have the material prepared at
the loading spots, and the trucks are running
more or less all the time without much queuing at
all, meaning it was a good test site for the T 236
as we are expecting a high machine utilisation.
The Mine blends the ore and uses lower tonnage,
single row blasts for a selective mining process.
The mine also has a number of challenging ramps
reflecting the topography, with both uphill and
downhill haulage cycles, and constant variation of
grade. It also has very variable climate. It is an
alpine mine active for more than 330 days each
year and has continuous 24 hour operation. The
climate conditions can vary from snow with
temperatures of -20°C to summer heat, with in-pit
temperatures that can reach 40°C. A particularly
interesting climate profile is that in a matter of
hours, it will intermittently switch between rain
and sunshine. This all translated to an ideal
challenge for our truck. Lastly, they run a
competitor fleet of mechanical drive trucks
making for a good comparison from that
standpoint.
Q What is unique about the T 236 in an already
very crowded 100 t truck market? How did you
arrive at the decision to go down this design
route?
BR: It’s a combination of the braking system
together with the Litronic Plus Generation 2 AC
diesel electric drive in that form and in this truck
The VA Erzberg iron ore mine offered an ideal
challenge for the new truck
class. The T 236 is the first 100 t truck which
combines an oil immersed, 4 corner wet braking
system with a diesel electric drive system. Other
electric trucks that have been made in this class
have diesel electric drives but are still using dry
brakes. That will only allow them to do the
retarding or if you like ‘maintenance free braking’
on the rear axle, which isn’t ideal in wet
conditions. In wet conditions, with 4 corner
retarding, you are still able operate our machine
much more safely than by relying on rear axle
retarding. Wet brake lifetime can be up to approx.
20,000 hours and beyond, dry brakes in the case
of a lot of use can mean workshop time
significantly more often. This is why many mining
customers wanted a 100 t truck with wet brakes
and why they asked us to develop one to get the
maintenance savings on top of the enhanced
safety. It also has an innovative, variable hydraulic
system that lowers machine parasitic losses to
provide maximum possible power for the drive
system.
JL: And don’t forget we have the other truck
models, including the T 284 and the T 264 so have
a lot of experience in applying advanced braking
systems on those. But to go back to 2012/2013 at
the start of this journey, we did an extensive
market study that showed first and foremost
mines were ready for a 100 t class diesel-electric
truck, with the better acceleration and starting,
and increased speed on uphill ramps. We started
developing two 100 t model concepts in parallel
on a feasibility basis; and realised soon that the
combination of wet brakes and electric drive
offered the greatest potential. Moving forward to
today, Erzberg have told us a big advantage of the
truck is its adaptability and flexibility in their mine
in that to some extent its systems, particularly the
drive and torque curve, can be programmed to
adapt to changing conditions and changing mine
set-up over the months and years, such as new
haul road layouts, particularly the ability to
handle steeper or shorter ramps. So the T 236 is
able to handle a wide range or working
environments in a mine with the same high
performance.
Q Can you go into more detail on the flexibility
advantage from an operational point of view?
BR: With the electric drive you are completely
decoupling the engine speed with the speed on
the rear wheels. There is no mechanical
interaction anymore, which gives us the freedom
to manage and change all the parameters as we
want. Same thing with the retarding, going
downhill we are able to adjust it required,
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HIGH PROFILE- LIEBHERR_proof 20/12/2017 12:21 Page 2
HIGH PROFILE
meaning the truck over time can be operated more
efficiently and with more freedom. Look at a
mechanical truck. Normally the efficiency sweet
spot based on a particular GVW is in second gear
on a 10% ramp with 2% rolling resistance, so this
is how you look to design the mine roads. Once
you start to alter the GVW, ramp angle, and rolling
resistance you start to move out of that sweet
spot. So mines with 100 t truck fleets that have
restricted themselves to 10% ramps will now have
more flexibility. Haul roads can be better adapted
to the geology and topography, such as looking at
a 12% ramp where they have dry conditions. The T
236 can handle this, whereas a mechanical drive
truck would have to shift back into first gear,
meaning lower efficiency and speed in
comparison. Our truck gives the mining guys the
opportunity to design the pit more to its optimum
layout not just to accommodate the truck. Even if
a 5% or 3% ramp is preferred for whatever reason,
on a mechanical drive truck, you are moving up
into 4th and 5th gear where the transmission has
several clutches and gear engaged. Our truck
doesn’t care and has even an increasing
powertrain efficiency at those higher speeds. A
big benefit of course will be in a mine that has a
high fuel burn. At a 75 litre per hour 100 t mining
truck operation, with 2% higher efficiency it
means a big difference. In larger quarries, while
the fuel saving may not be as marked, where you
are having to feed your crusher with granite
around the clock and the weather deteriorates,
the road gets softer and they may not have a
grader. Here the advantage is that we do not
generate any more shift bumps in the haul road as
we are not shifting any gears. This also reduces
the material spillage while driving.
Q: What about other 100 t electric trucks
compared to yours? Are there other differences
between the T 236 and larger electric drive models
from a design standpoint?
22 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
BR: The other electric trucks in the 100 t class are
a downscaled version of the bigger trucks
including the gridbox, which dissipates energy
during retarding. Gridboxes don’t handle wet air
well, and may suffer in wet conditions from short
circuits. There is a perception in some markets
that electric trucks are the first to go out of
production and the last to come back in poor
weather; and in some cases the gridbox is to
blame for this reputation, as well as the issue
already discussed where the truck relies on the
rear axle retarding that can cause slipping
problems in wet weather. This is why we took
away the gridbox and applied the 4 corner wet
braking. Independent drive control per side such
as on the T 236 is already used on larger electric
trucks. So, from a drive point of view, when you
propel they are operating in the same way. But the
larger diesel-electrical trucks do not push the
engine during retarding, to lower fuel
consumption during downhill operation. Our truck
has Active Front End technology, making efficient
use of electrical energy during retarding events,
so that the drive system is able to deliver
controlled engine speed with almost no fuel
consumption. It means the alternator is used as a
motor to propel the engine. The active front end
function allows the engine friction to be used for
retarding and provides power to the auxiliary
drives, reducing fuel consumption and ensuring
the engine never over speeds.
Q: And can you explain the safety upside of the
power modules?
BR: Safety is also an advantage with the smaller
electric drive truck. Larger trucks run on a higher
voltage level, so we said from the outset, we want
to stay at below the 1,000 Volt level, in our case
690 VAC and 900 VDC, so we come under the
lower voltage regulations without the high
isolation requirements during service. In the
The maintenance free IP 68-rated plug and-
drive power modules ensure reliable operation
in all-weather situations
electrical compartment, integrated Liebherr
Litronic Plus Isolation system allows
conventionally trained electricians, not specialists,
to work on the truck, another big plus for smaller
mine operators and mines in remote regions.
Secondly, if you look at the hybrid car industry, a
conventional mechanic needs extra training and
certification to work on them. We developed a
short circuiting and isolation device on our three
electric power modules, which each have a lever,
which allows you to short circuit the DC link so
there is no current, then the whole thing is
grounded/earthed to the chassis. So by design
there cannot be any more residual voltage giving a
safety risk, ie positive isolation. Only then can the
mechanic access the ports of the power cables to
remove them from the boxes. With our isolation
system we are preparing the ground so that in the
future trained multi-discipline technicians will
have the opportunity to change the electrical
cabinets on the machine in a “Plug & Drive”
principle.
And all auxiliary systems are hydraulically
driven. An additional benefit on the machine is the
positive drive isolation, which allows work to be
done on the machine while the engine is running.
There are other safety features in the truck’s cab,
such as dual-side access and incorporation of
ROPS comparable to a 150 t class truck, which
were engineered during the initial design process;
while a recessed, full-size passenger seat allows
for increased visibility for the operator to the off
driver side of the machine.
Q Why build it in Colmar with the rest of the trucks
being built in Newport News?
JL: It is for several reasons. We have capacity in
Colmar to do it; as in Newport News they are very
busy with the 363 t T 284 and 221 t T 264
production. And we are also working on a new
capacity truck there to fill the gap between these
two size classes. As a company we also realise we
don’t just want to have mining excavator expertise
on one side of the Atlantic and mining truck
expertise on the other. We are a global mining
equipment supplier so want to be multifunctional
at our mining equipment facilities globally as we
grow our product ranges. For now it means adding
the T 236 to the production at Colmar. It is good
for us to have both skill sets at both sites.
Q Finally where do you see the market entry for
the T 236? It isn’t going to be the lowest initial
cost option with its level of technology?
JL: Liebherr do not sell our products on price, we
sell on competitive advantage. That argument has
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HIGH PROFILE- LIEBHERR_proof 20/12/2017 12:22 Page 3

HIGH PROFILE

The T236 will be

manufactured in
Colmar, France,
meaning the company
will have mining truck
expertise in two hub
locations

been easier to play in the larger class with bigger operators. On smaller truck
classes, the TCO and life of mine cost arguments are new to some operators.
We have to show these mines that run 100 t mechanical truck fleets through
real data and training, including all that we have discussed here, what the real
benefits are of this new truck in production. We know we have something new
and innovative to offer and that it will prove itself in time. Important potential
customers for us include the high quality contract miners, many of whom are
already very familiar with our mining excavator performance, as well as many
precious metals and other mines using 100 t fleets that could benefit from the
operational flexibility of the T 236. Many of our excavators are put to use in the
difficult parts of customer mines because of their higher performance and
capabilities. Those customers that understand technology and know they can TRACTION
E L E VATO R S
use it to get cost per tonne competitive advantage will be the ones most likely
to opt for the T 236. Being a technology leader means we cannot be cheapest
on initial cost. This is new concept for the market that the market we know will
appreciate; as the existing 100 t trucks are based on 20-25 year old designs.
We will start market introduction where we already have an established
presence. Africa for example, is one of the top targets where we see a major The leader in rack-and-pinion
market for this truck class and where we are already very well known. We also elevators now offers traction!
have the option of working with some existing customers. If the truck performs
as we know it can, we can get to higher numbers of units as the size of the 100 Alimak Hek — the leader in rack-and-pinion elevators
t market is much larger in unit terms. We have no illusions that this is a new is launching a new series of traction elevators for use
product in a well established market, there are a number of 100 t truck models in challenging industrial environments. The com-
already available. We just have to prove the technology argument, and back it pany now offers one of the world’s most comprehen-
up with our service support. sive industrial elevator product portfolio with both
traction and rack-and-pinion drive technology and a
Q: What about the big picture in terms of Liebherr’s growing mining product wide range of car sizes and capacities — for both non-
range potential? hazardous and Ex environments. With surface treat-
ment corrosion classification up to C5 and ingress
JL: We will also look to maximise on being able to offer the truck together with protection rating up to IP65, the new elevators are
excavator package, and the new truck matches well with the R 9100, R 9150, R made for the toughest environments on the planet.
9200, or R 9250 mining excavators. At one point we had nine excavator models
and two trucks, now we are moving towards having a truck option for all of our Contact us for the best access solution!
main excavators in mining. And we have our increasing dozer options such as
the new PR 766 and the PR 776, that was presented on at the last MINExpo. It
is an exciting time for Liebherr in mining – our portfolio is getting there to make
us a truly global player with a full product line. The two market leaders have
85% of the 100 t market. We own more of the powertrain technology than
others meaning we can service it correctly, adapt it to customer needs more
effectively, and offer the best performing rebuilds in the industry. We want to www.alimakhek.com
have full control of all the core technology, as you know we are already doing it
with the key components and engines. IM

JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 25

POWER FOR MINES #3_proof 18/12/2017 11:44 Page 1
POWER FOR MINES
Access to reliable and cost-effective forms of energy is a
strategic priority for the global industry. John Chadwick
examines both traditional and renewable energy solutions
ining has traditionally relied on
M conventional fossil-based fuel sources
— diesel, oil, coal and natural gas —
to meet its growing energy demand. The
industry is expanding into new and often remote
locations as a response to increasing demand
from growing emerging markets. This often
means having to deal with unreliable power
supply from the grid and uncertain power prices.
In most instances, grid-connected electricity
needs to be supplemented with on-site
generation, typically large-scale diesel
generation, resulting in a dependency on diesel
fuel. The more remote the mine, the more likely
off-grid power solutions are required (From EY’s
Mining: the growing role of renewable energy).
“Many of the world’s largest mining
companies are evaluating greater use of
renewable energy plants — a trend set to
intensify rapidly — as part of a broader strategy
to lock in long-term fixed electricity prices and
availability while minimising exposure to
regulatory changes, market pricing and external
fuels.”
“In a highly volatile market”, says Majid
Zahid, Group President-Energy at Zahid Group,
the parent company of Altaaqa Global, a global
provider of multi-megawatt temporary power
solutions, “it is essential for mining companies
to strike a balance between controlling costs
and capitalising on growth prospects and
profitable opportunities. It is, therefore,
imperative for them to ensure the efficient
utilisation of their working capital.”
Zahid is of the view that power generation
and supply represents an area where mining
26 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
Lonely
power
operations can make significant adjustments to
their capital expenditure. “Electricity,” he says,
“remains to be the life-blood of mine sites
anywhere in the world. However, with the
present economic situation, mine operators
cannot afford to devote, rather strap, a large
portion of their scarce capital to a major
expenditure, like a permanent power plant.
Considering this, mine operators can instead
choose to hire multi-megawatt temporary power
solutions.”
A consistent, dependable and sufficient
supply of electricity is vital throughout the life-
cycle of a mine operation. “Temporary power
plants,” says Zahid, “can adequately provide for
the electricity needs of a mine site. They can
power camp sites during prefeasibility,
feasibility and exploratory stages, and support
the establishment of the mine operation after a
successful exploration. They can provide power
to the machinery and the processing plants, and
also to the temperature-control equipment.
Obviously, they can also provide the necessary
power for expansion.
“Multi-megawatt temporary power plants
could not be more relevant to the mining
industry than in these times,” says Zahid, and
adds that renting power is a logical decision for
any miner looking to effectively streamline its
operations.
“For instance, in this economic climate, one
cannot overstate the importance of precise
allocation of funds and of better management of
financial resources. A key benefit of renting
power is that payment schedules are fixed and
regular over a contracted term. This can help
mine operators formulate accurate financial
forecasts.”
“Along this line, mining companies should
also be mindful of associated costs that come
with building or purchasing a permanent power
plant. When a mine operator goes for the rental
option, all spares and ancillaries will be
provided by the temporary power company.
“Mine operators will be happy to know that in
hiring power plants, they will no longer need to
employ new operators or allocate or re-train
existing staff members to manage the plant.
Temporary power providers will provide the
necessary expert engineering services to ensure
the faultless operation of the power station.”
Temporary power plants can also assist in
reducing the energy intensity of mine
operations. “Hiring power plants will preclude
the chances of generators being under-utilised,
because the capacity of rental power generation
equipment can be increased or decreased with
respect to the demand of specific mine
processes.”
Zahid says that as conventional power plants
are usually specified to meet the peak demand
of a particular site, they are left under-utilised
when the power requirement decreases. “When
a power plant is running at part-load, it
consumes fuel less efficiently. This will no
longer be the case with rental power plants on
board, thanks to their flexibility and scalability.”
Zahid says that renting power during the
exploration stage of a mining operation yields
myriad advantages. “By hiring temporary power
plants, mining companies will have the freedom
to start with a small power plant, and then grow
as operations expand. When the long-term
prospect of a project is still uncertain, it may not
make sense to invest in permanent facilities.
Renting power, therefore, protects companies
from the unsecure future of mining projects at
the exploration stage.
“Rental power plants are highly suitable for
exploration activities in remote areas, because
they are containerised and modular, so they are
easily transported and installed. The latest-
generation temporary power plants have state-
of-the-art switching and transformation systems
that give them the ability to connect to any
location’s grid, regardless of its age, quality or
condition. This is possible even without a sub-
station, as the same systems allow the power
plants to assume the role of a sub-station and
connect to available overhead lines or
transformers.
“Temporary power plants also have cutting-
edge electric power control and protection
systems, which allow them to switch operational
mode, from grid, to island, to base load or to
standby at a push of a button in mere minutes.
This is particularly useful for companies whose
POWER FOR MINES #3_proof 18/12/2017 11:44 Page 2

POWER FOR MINES

exploration activities take place in areas unconnected to the grid.

“Caterpillar believes,” Zahid says, “that to be an innovator, a company
must be working directly in the service of its customers. As part of the
Caterpillar family, we at Altaaqa Global are proud to be well positioned to
offer our clients in the mining industry the latest technologies in temporary
power generation.
“For example, it is now possible for our engineers to monitor the status
and performance of our engines from any location through Cat Connect.
This gives us temporary power providers relevant insights on the go, so we
can better manage our equipment, optimise their performance or perform
preventive maintenance, if necessary.
“There are also hybrid power solutions, which now allows renewable
solar and wind power systems of any size to be delivered to and installed
in literally any location on earth. In tandem with our temporary power
plants, the solution guarantees a reliable, sufficient and sustainable power
supply to any mining operation anywhere in the world.
Remote projects that are far from national power grids will tend to pay a
premium for generating their own energy; so they need to plan carefully to
use it as efficiently as they can. This is the advice of Zest WEG Group CEO
Louis Meiring, who emphasises the opportunities presented by modern
technology to reduce energy consumption in just about any mining
enterprise.
“Savings of 3 to 5% of energy consumed on site is a realistic target for
most projects, especially if the enabling technologies and equipment can
be incorporated into the design at an early stage,” says Meiring.
He says the potential savings lie not only in the operating cost of the
standalone power generating facility, but in the capital expenditure for
construction, as better utilisation efficiencies can reduce the maximum
output capacity required from the plant.
Alastair Gerrard, Managing Director of Zest Energy, says his company –
which specialises in power supply solutions – works closely with EPCM
companies or directly with customers to plan and implement optimal
solutions. This approach ensures that equipment life cycle costs are well
controlled and contribute to overall project efficiency.
“In addition to ensuring the right power generation solution for
customers, we enhance our value-add through our knowledge of exactly
how the generated energy can be best used,” says Gerrard. “WEG’s high
efficiency, IE3 rated motors, for instance, can reduce the power consumed
in a range of industrial functions such as pumping, conveyor systems and
ventilation.”
Zest Energy recently installed a turnkey diesel power generation facility
for the Balama graphite project in a remote region of Mozambique.
Technology options such as variable speed drives can further enhance
efficiencies and reduce the consumptive demands that a standalone power
plant will have to meet; regeneration strategies also lower costs by feeding
power back into the network.
“There is also potential for ‘heat and power’ co-generation as an
efficiency strategy,” says Gerrard, “where heat can be drawn off equipment
like engines to feed back into plant functions, rather than being dissipated
with no benefit.”
He sees a trend among many users towards pursuing higher energy
efficiencies, as this can improve the cost-per-hour of running their assets
and lead to a reduction in emissions by using more efficient technologies.
“There is also a growing interest in hybrid solutions that can incorporate
renewable energy sources like solar and wind, alongside traditional fossil
fuels,” says Gerrard.

Diesel power
Conventional diesel power generation continues to have its place for
remote mines but is being strongly challenged by renewable resources.
One such traditional example is Wärtsilä supplying a power plant extension

JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 27

POWER FOR MINES #3_proof 21/12/2017 11:07 Page 3
POWER FOR MINES
2017-2020, thanks to
With this Siguiri project, Wärtsilä will mining investments,
have over 6,800 MW of installed
capacity on the African continent increased food
production and
electricity service.
“This is a significant
proof of confidence for
Wärtsilä in West
Africa,” comments
Arnaud Gouet,
Regional Director, West
Africa, Wärtsilä Energy
Solutions. “Wärtsilä is
a trusted partner to
AngloGold Ashanti at
to AngloGold Ashanti's gold mine in Siguiri, Siguiri mine where we operate the power
Guinea. This turnkey project consists of three 20- generation enabling them to focus on their
cylinder Wärtsilä 32TS engines running on heavy mining operation.”
fuel oil. They will be connected to the existing “We selected Wärtsilä for the new power plant
power plant at site, also supplied by Wärtsilä. at our Geita mine in Tanzania in 2016 and have
The extension is expected to be operational again selected Wärtsilä for our Siguiri project as
during the second half of 2018 and the total we have full trust in Wärtsilä's technology and in
power output at site will be 30.4 MW. their understanding of the criticality of power
Siguiri, a multiple open-pit oxide gold mine generation in the operation of such a gold mine,”
and the largest gold mine in Guinea, is AngloGold says Dale Bates, Project Manager, CAR Projects,
Ashanti's sole operation in the country. AngloGold Ashanti.
AngloGold Ashanti holds an 85% interest in Nearby, Gold Fields Ghana is switching the
Siguiri with the balance of 15% being held by the source of energy supply for its mining operations
Government of Guinea. After two difficult years, in the Western Region of the country from the
the Guinean economy is recovering, with an national grid to privately generated electricity by
average projected growth of 5% over the period the end of the third quarter.
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The switch over is the outcome of a special
arrangement between the company and
independent power producer (IPP), Genser
Energy Ghana, that will spare some 18 MW of
power for the national grid while insulating the
company's operations from the erratic power
supply.
The company's Vice President and Head of
Stakeholder Relations, David Johnson, explained
that the new arrangement will result in the
generation of 20 MW of electricity each in the
Tarkwa and Damang mines within the first two
years. Later, the amount of power generated
could be raised depending on the growth profiles
of the two mines, Johnson explained.
The two mines currently consume a total of 55
MW, with the Tarkwa operations, one of the
biggest surface mines in West Africa, consuming
38 MW and Damang 17 MW.
The production of 20 MW each in the two
mines, therefore, means that Gold Fields can
spare a total of 15 MW of electricity for the
national grid, which can then be redistributed
among new and existing customers of the
national power supplier, the Electricity Company
of Ghana (ECG).
Beyond shielding the company's operations
from the erratic power supply, Johnson said it
would also save cost as the alternative power to
the grid was comparatively less costly.
For the Damang installation, Centrax Gas
i
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POWER FOR MINES #3_proof 18/12/2017 11:44 Page 4

POWER FOR MINES

Turbines sold five CX501-KB7 generator sets to competition.

Genser Energy Ghana. Each incorporates a
Siemens 501-KB7 gas turbine. The KB7s will run
on vapourised propane with fuel supply and
treatment also part of the Genser contract with
Gold Fields.
Genser’s expertise in running turbines on
propane opens up a large potential market in
Africa for Centrax where pipeline natural gas is
not available and liquid fuel is not economically
viable. Peter Ward, Centrax’s Sales and Marketing
Manager commented: “this order further
strengthens Centrax’s position in West Africa and
follows on from the sale of a CX501-KB7 to
Cometstar, Nigeria.”
ACTOM Turbo Machines demonstrated its
ability to provide complete electro-mechanical
solutions with the installation of 150 MW turbo
generator sets for First Quantum Minerals’ Cobre
Panama new large open-pit copper mining
operation in the Donoso District, Republic of
Panama.
Securing what was the first international
contract to have been won by ACTOM Turbo
Machines can be attributed in part to the
longstanding relationship between Marthinusen
& Coutts, also an ACTOM division, and the
customer, as well as its established track record
of successes on previous projects for this mining
company. It is also noteworthy that this contract
was secured against tough international
ACTOM was
contracted for the
mechanical
installation of two
Skoda Doosan (Czech
Republic) 150 MW
turbo generator sets,
which each comprised
of an integrated high
pressure and
intermediate-pressure
turbine, a low pressure
turbine, a Siemens generator, a radial condenser, The turbine generator set for Cobre Panama
and auxiliaries. showing the Siemens 150 MW generator and the
low pressure and high pressure Skoda Doosan
Richard Botton, Marthinusen & Coutts’s CEO turbine set
as well as ACTOM Turbo Machines’ Managing
Director, Chris Bezuidenhout and eventual Site
Manager John Squire, took several trips to Machines installation crew’s expertise was
Panama to review the scope of work, drawings pivotal to the successful installation of the turbo
and site conditions to compile the proposal, generator sets.
which resulted in Marthinusen & Coutts’ first The tropical region’s high rainfall and open
international installation. building also placed extreme strain on the
ACTOM was responsible for the installation of schedule. The turbo generators’ house was
the centreline of the turbo generator sets, which largely open, and only equipped with a 40 t
started with the inspection of the civil works, overhead crane, whereas the larger assemblies
followed by the systematic assembly of the turbo and components, such as the HP-IP double
generator’s in the form of transportable turbine and the LP turbine components weighed
components and sub-assemblies. As the original 125 and 161 t, respectively.
equipment manufacturer (OEM) only supplied an Weather permitting, ACTOM made use of
Installation Quality Controller, ACTOM Turbo crawler cranes to install these larger

This Changes
Everything!
EFD’s HydroFloat™ Separator radically improves the traditional
sulfide processing circuit through Coarse Particle Flotation.
Particles approximately 850 microns
Unlike conventional flotation, the HydroFloat Separator
Þ`Àœœ>ÌÊ-ÞÃÌi“ recovers particles as large as 800 microns with as little as
1% mineral surface expression. By rejecting the balance as
“coarse” tailings, much of the recirculating load is eliminated,
thus greatly increasing mill capacity… with NO loss in
mineral recovery!
Overflow Coarse Mineral
Coarse Particle Flotation using EFD’s HydroFloat Separator can:

Recovers virtually all
particles which exhibit
greater than 1% hydrophobic
surface expression
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Air
>ÃʓÕV…Ê>ÃÊ£x‡Óä¯
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Underflow Coarse Tails U *Àœ`ÕViÊ>ÊVœ>ÀÃiÊÌ>ˆˆ˜}ÊÃÌÀi>“
RECOVERY OF VALUES FROM
A PORPHORY
RY COPPER TAILINGS STREAM

Rejects only those

Michael J. Mankosa, Jaisen N. Kohmuench,
nch, Lance Christodoulou
Eriez Flotation Division, 2200 Asbury
Road, Erie, PA 16506 USA
Phone: (814) 835-6000 Email: mmankosa@ereiz.com
E mankosa@ereiz.com
SPLIT-F
RTICLE Y
PARTICL
COARSE OGY EED CIRCUI
AREA IN OAT TECHNOL HNOLOG Jaisen Hilsen and Gerald H. Luttrell
Mining & Minerals Engineering, 100 T DESIGN
SURFACE HYDROFL Holden Hall, Virginia FOR PRIMAR
GRAIN THE ginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
ORE WITH
EXPOSED Phone: (540) 230-7112 Email:: Luttrell@vt.edu USA Michael
ANCE OF DE COPPER Y SULFID
Eriez Flotation J. Mankosa
es E RECOVE
THE SIGNIFIC LOW-GRA and Yan
Wang
and Earth
Sciences Phone: Division, and Jaisen
ON OF C.L. Lin of Mines ABSTRACT (814) 835-6000 2200 Asbury N. Kohmuen RY
FLOTATI Jan D. Miller, , College 84112 USA Mining Road, ch
al Engineering City, UT The efficiency of the froth flotation Email: Erie,
utah.edu process has long been known & Minerals mmankos PA 16506
of Metallurgic Utah, Salt Lake Jan.Miller@ For sulfide minerals, good recoveries own to be strongly dependent on particle Engineeri a@ereiz.c USA
Department University of Email: are typically achieved in industrial size. ng, 100 Gerald H. Luttrell om

particles that have no

60 the 10 to 200 micron size range. Particles flotation circuits for particles in Phone: Holden
801-581-51 outside this criticall size are typically (540) 230-7112 Hall, Virginia
Phone: N. Kohmuench 16506 USA rejected by industrial operations due lost in the tailings streams
and Jaisen Erie, PA to inherent constraints associated with
Email: Tech,
J. Mankosa Asbury Road, occur in the pulp and froth phases the physical interactions that
Michael 2200
ereiz.com of conventional flotation equipment. Luttrell@ Blacksburg,
series of experimental studies were In response to these limitations, a Mining VA 24061
Flotation
Division, Email: mmankosa@ conducted to determine whether particles Engineeri John A. Herbst vt.edu
USA
Eriez (814) 835-6000 could be economically recovered using previously lost as tailings West ng, 365A
Phone: Hall of ultracoarse and ultrafine particles
a suite of novel flotationon technologies developed for the upgrading Phone: Virginia Universit Mineral
Luttrell (304) 293-7680 Resource
Gerald H. , 100 Holden a fluidized-bed flotation system called
in the industrial minerals industry. For
the case of ultracoarse particles, y, Morganto s Building

For more details download

Engineering 24061 USA the HydroFloat separator Email: wn,
& MineralsBlacksburg, VA .edu novel flotation device in both laboratory ator was tested. The data obtained
using this A new jaherbst@ WV 26506
and pilot-scale trialss showed that good
Mining Tech,
Virginia 230-7112 Email:
Luttrell@vt lost sulfide values up to 0.7 mm in
diameter could be achieved.
recoveries of previously deployedgeneration of ABSTRA
mail.wvu
.edu
particles recovered by this technology ed. A sample photograph of coarse unique during in the advanced CT
middling
Phone: (540) T due to intensity flotation system known as
is shown in Figure 1.Similarly,
imilarly, for
f ultrafine particles,
particles, a new high- successfu
fluidized- industrial flotation technolog
ABSTRAC 0-200 microns
of 150-200 fluidize
fluidized- the StackCell was tested. This technology, bed
lly treated flotation minerals
industry. ies has recently
high-energy contacting of slurry and which utilizes high-shear scale equipmen by froth system has
ions, a novel

hydrophobic
topsize of gas, was capable of recovering
to a particle these limitations, for the purposelast were previously lost as waste due vering valuable ultrafine sulfide slimes
that be recovered t indicate flotation. dramaticaOne such technologbeen developed
limited ally to low capture efficiencies. lly increased
are typically phases. To
overcome specifically Over the describe the unique operating principles es. The objectives of this article
are (i) to metal
concentra
by conventiothat this technolog Recent
studies y is the and commerc
machines pulp and froth developed c minerals. units
u of these two advanced the HydroFlo
has been hydrophobi full-scale ancillary classification equipment, nced flotation technologies and associated containin tor indicatenal flotation y can also conducted upper
particle at separator ially
al flotation by the Separator of exposed minerals with several sed test w work (ii) to present experimental test data
showing the metallurgical benefits metals g as little as that this machines. be used using laboratory size limit . This
Convention created of this approach for upgrading coarse
constraints called the HydroFloat amounts sulphide-ba size th that is and fine sulfide minerals, s, and (iii) to provide a generic cost-benefit the use industry has 5% hydropho technolog Data collectedto float coarse , bench-sca that can
inherent only minuteapplied to industrialMore recently, grind analysis of the proposed system for bic mineral.y can float sulfide be
system ues at a raphy upgrading tailing streams of split-feed the potential from pilot-scal middlingsle and pilot-
bed flotation particles containing successfully 3 mm diameter.metalliferous values microtomog to concentrators. ms historically rejected by sulfide
mineral involves segregatio circuitry. to offer As such, composite
floating
coarse has been exceeding of recovering , X-ray
study, necess
necessary using separator The many advantage the middlingse tests conductedthat cannot
to and current n of split-feed crossover
this technology up rs. In the ace exposure both particle
p s/reagentsthe feed into s for recovery, of this as large as 700 at a base
decade, particles also capable c surface that flowsheet concept,
to recover device is concentrato hydrophobi data indicate grade this case, for sulfide specifical more than which technolog microns
installed that this novel used in industrial the degree of . The from a low a coarser flotation ly optimizedone size classis often used selectivity and y into the

these White Papers at

has shown ally quantify technology particle flotation achieved providedp use of followed for upgrading capacity base
than currently ons was of the coarse grind size that includes for
much coarser to experiment using the HydroFloat in coarse an
3D analysis features and coarse that particular by separate industrial through
1) was used different sizes critical factors as 850 microns ides detailed area exposure
particle
of the split-feed flotation correspondingly and fine processinsize class. upgrading minerals,
grains are as large

surface expression
(Figure of provides data showing
particles exposed multiphase particlesgrains. This articleextentt of surfaceissues of bubble the metallurgcircuitry equipmen higher g circuits An example of each class
recover surface area of for sulfide the al split-feed
circuitry incorpora t. The objective mill throughpu is provided of a split-feed
mass and Excellent recovery of locked defines undamental
Fundament illustratinical benefits ting the
HydroFlo s of this article t can be
accommoin Figure 1. In
exposure raphy, which Separator. operations. of this
copper ore. surface microtomog to the HydroFloat plant g the increased processin at technolog are (i) dated
sufficient to introduce via the
there was using X-ray size class fed strategies for improved milling g scheme, y, (ii)
products capacity and (iii) to present
flotation for recovery of
each process Split-Feed that may experime the key
as well as Sulfide
Flotation
to
be attainedprovide simulatio ntal test
necessary are also discussed by this
attachment Conventional approach ns of the
Rougher .
Conventional
Scavenger
Primary Secondary
Classifiers Classifiers

1.604.952.2300
Regrind
Figure 1 – Photograph of coarse middling Classifiers

www.EriezFlotation.com
HydroFloat
particles recovered as froth
discarded tailing stream using the HydroFloat concentrate from a previously
Float technology. Primary
Grinding
Column
KEYWORDS Circuit
Feed
Regrind
Cleaner Final
. Mill Concentrate

puted tomography
computed
Coarse Particle Flotation, Fine Particle
Flotation, HydroFloat, StackCell
by X-ray ckCell Figure
particles 1 – Flowshee
of locked t for a
– Analysis DS split-feed
Figure 1 KEYWOR
Separator Circuit sulfide Tails
HydroFloat
HydroFl Design, flotation
Exposure, Circuit KEYWO circuit.
y, Liberation/ Simulatio RDS
Tomograph n , Split-Fee
d Flotation,
X-Ray Computed Coarse
Flotation, Particle
Coarse Particle Flotation
POWER FOR MINES #3_proof 21/12/2017 11:17 Page 5
POWER FOR MINES
components. To avoid fouling of the equipment
due to the high humidity, ACTOM had to practice
extreme caution when handling and preserving
components during installation.
The remoteness of the site required ACTOM to
carefully plan and supply certain essential
equipment, such as highly specialised laser
levelling and alignment equipment.
According to Site Manager Squire, projects like
these require technical crews with in depth
knowledge of rotating equipment, and the ability
to perform with high-precision in remote sites.
“All challenges were overcome by ensuring that
we had the necessary resources available on site
and on time, as well as readily having the
appropriate people with the correct skill sets.”
Clarke Energy, a GE distributor and service
partner, will provide 11 of GE’s high-efficiency
Jenbacher J624 gas engines to Australia’s leading
energy infrastructure business, APA Group, for its
new 45-MW Yamarna power station in Western
Australia, which is being constructed to supply
power to the Gruyere gold project. Clarke Energy
will be the EPC contractor for the gas-fired power
station. Gas for power generation will be
transported a total of almost 1,500 km using four
APA Group interconnected pipelines including its
latest greenfield, 198-km Yamarna Gas Pipeline,
currently also under construction.
“As an infrastructure owner, our priority is to
provide safe, reliable and efficient energy to our
customers,” said Sam Pearce, Group Executive
Tailored Hydropower Solutions
DesignEngineering
ManufactureInstallation
CommissioningTesting
TrainingSupport
Gilkes Turgo Turbine, designed to be
operational on silt laden water over long
periods with minimum wear, and with
limited service & maintenance makes it
perfect for mining applications and remote
locations.
www.gilkes.com
30 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
Networks and Power, APA Group. “Together with
Clarke Energy as the EPC and GE’s demonstrated
Jenbacher gas engine technology providing the
power, we will be able to, once again, deliver a
compelling energy solution for our customer
using both our interconnected pipeline and power
generation capabilities to the remote gold mine.”
Gruyere is a 50/50 joint venture between ASX-
listed Gold Road Resources and global miner
Gold Fields Ltd. It is located in the Yamarna
greenstone belt of Western Australia, 200 km
northeast of Laverton and to the north of APA
Group’s Eastern Goldfields Pipeline.
GE’s Jenbacher J624 is the world’s first two-
stage, turbocharged gas engine. GE says it
“provides the highest levels of engineering
excellence and significant advantages,
particularly in the areas of
operation in hot environments—
such as the Gruyere project
location—and in multiple engine
power plants for independent
power production and
combined heat and power
applications. It offers customers high efficiency
and improved flexibility and can power up to
10,000 Australian households.”
“GE’s high-efficiency, high-performance and
dependable gas engine technology is an
excellent fit for APA Group’s needs of safety,
reliability and efficiency and is well-proven with
an installed gas engine fleet of over 700 MW in
Australia,” said Greg Columbus, Managing
Director, Clarke Energy. “We look forward to
providing safe, on-time and on-cost project
delivery for APA Group and supporting its needs
at the Gruyere project well into the future.”
GE’s Jenbacher J624 gas engines will be built
in the company’s Jenbach, Austria, facility and
were expected to ship during late 2017.
Commissioning of both the pipeline and power
station is expected to be in late 2018 to align
with the Gruyere JV’s expectation of first gold
scheduled for early 2019.
“GE’s Jenbacher J624, high-speed gas engines
provide numerous benefits for customers. In
addition to high power density
in hot ambient temperatures
and best-in-class electrical
efficiency of more than 45%,
they also include the capability
to operate successfully with
large transient electrical loads
associated with mining
processing plants. We are
again proud to be supplying
our channel partner, Clarke
Energy, for this project,” said
Daniel Angelo Icasiano, Sales
Director Asia-Pacific, GE’s
Distributed Power. “GE’s gas engine technology
provides a proven, cost-effective solution for
powering the Gruyere mine site power station.”
GE/APR commitment
APR Energy, a global leader in fast-track power
solutions, and GE renewed their strategic alliance
to provide mobile turbine technology into the
fast-track power rental market in January 2017.
The strategic alliance grants APR Energy
exclusivity around the globe as the rental
provider of GE mobile gas turbines under 50 MW.
As part of the agreement, APR Energy will acquire
new Generation 8, GE TM2500+ mobile turbines
in connection with its initiative to upgrade and
standardise its fleet. In addition, GE and APR
The Jenbacher J624 gas engine is based on GE’s
proven Jenbacher Type 6 platform with over 4,300
units sold and delivers higher output and
increased efficiency
Energy will collaborate on leads for customers
looking for interim or rental power solutions as a
bridge to more permanent power solutions.
The acquisition of the new mobile turbines
further strengthens APR Energy’s position as
what it says is “the world’s leading provider of
mobile gas turbine power”, expanding its total
fleet capacity to more than 2 GW.
Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman and CEO of GE, said,
“We are very pleased to continue our partnership
with APR Energy. We have been impressed with
their high level of customer service and ability to
deliver turnkey power generation projects in
remote locations all around the world. With this
strategic alliance, customers will benefit from
APR Energy’s expertise, and can use GE
technology as a bridging solution while their
permanent GE power plants are under
construction.”
Inside view of an APR Energy mobile gas power
module
POWER FOR MINES #3_proof 21/12/2017 11:17 Page 6
POWER FOR MINES
“We are very excited about the mutual benefits
our renewed alliance brings, and appreciate the
increased collaboration between our two
companies,” said John Campion, Chairman of APR
Energy. “Our partnership will provide APR Energy
access to new leads and opportunities
throughout the GE global network, helping to
support our business growth and thereby
increasing demand for GE equipment. The
alliance also provides us with the latest
generation of TM2500+ units, giving us the
newest fleet in the industry, while benefiting
customers with the latest advancements in fuel
efficiency and emissions controls.”
Hybrid power
Aggreko has signed a 10-year deal to provide
solar-diesel hybrid power to Nevsun in Eritrea.
The company will supply 22 MW of diesel and 7.5
MW of solar-generated power for the mine’s
copper and zinc operations.
Aggreko’s CEO, Chris Weston: “Technology
never stands still, and neither does Aggreko. Our
mobile, modular power enables us to make a
massive difference to the communities and
industries we serve, and our solar-diesel hybrid
offering is an example of an innovation that brings
cost-effective, reliable, uninterrupted power with
additional fuel flexibility to customers.”
Aggreko’s solar-diesel hybrid power package
combines cost-effectiveness and green
renewable energy with
the reliability of diesel-
generated power to
provide uninterrupted
power round the clock.
The hybrid program
was developed at
Aggreko’s state of the art
manufacturing and
technology centre in
Dumbarton, Scotland,
and uses the latest diesel
generators, which are
considered to be the most efficient in the world.
They are monitored using Aggreko Remote
Monitoring (ARM) telemetry to ensure optimum
operational and fuel efficiencies.
Aggreko notes solar power is now “more
affordable than ever, but it can be intermittent
and unreliable. Night falls or clouds come in and
power is lost. Seasons change and power
capacity drops, which means that your business
cannot rely on it as a sole energy source. Diesel
power is reliable, so you can have electricity
round the clock. But for off-grid customers diesel
fuel is often a high proportion of operating costs.
“Our solar-diesel hybrid package combines
seamlessly both sources of energy thanks to a
state-of-the-art energy management system,
minimising operating costs without
compromising on reliability. This gives you
reliable power, 24/7,
Working with miners to develop clean, cost-
effective and reliable power sources is not a new
concept for Aggreko. It developed an innovative
approach to such a problem in partnership with
Sibanye Gold at its Beatrix gold mining
operation in South Africa. The infrastructure
allowed Aggreko to capture naturally occurring
methane gas intersected during underground
mining operations to create a self-sufficient, free
source of fuel that would otherwise have been
wasted as flare gas
produces over 400,000 oz/y of gold. Essakane
Solar, a local entity created by the project
developers, will operate the solar power plant
that sells the energy to the Essakane mine.
“Hybrid power systems enable energy
intensive industries, such as mines, to reduce
fuel consumption, decrease energy costs, protect
against fuel price volatility, as well as improve
their social and environmental footprint by
cutting greenhouse gas emissions and boosting



with cost savings of up
to 20% over diesel only
local employment,” commented President and
CEO of IAMGOLD Steve Letwin. “This 15 MWp
power all packaged into solar project may only be the beginning for our
0/..-,+*-/,)('& a single contract.” Essakane mine, but IAMGOLD is already well on
0$#")!/ ,)/+*)-$)#-)'')'& A power purchase its way to increase the proportion of renewables
-,+*)+('&%$#"%! +' %'( +)%))'%!*'( %,'*%- ('#
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!-%--%-&% +'% '*+'% ! %& *'%! '(  signed between five years. Switching power generation to
 %%*'(* +* %!**
IAMGOLD Essakane, renewables has been on IAMGOLD's agenda for
-//."*$+)('& EREN Renewable several years as evidenced by the 5 MW solar
-,/")$.-
-$) +,")''')'& Energy, AREN ENERGY power plant that was installed in 2014 at the
-,+*)+('&%$#"% +'%%*'(* +* %!**
and Essakane Solar to company’s Rosebel gold mine in Suriname.”
+*$-,$
")-,"$)'& begin the development With the transition to processing harder ore,
-,/")$.-
-$) +,")'')'&
-,+*)+('&%$#"%--% +'%*'(* +* %!**%%  of a 15 MWp solar power energy consumption at the Essakane mine has
plant for IAMGOLD’s increased from about 14 GWh/month in 2013 to
/")-,"$/)'& Essakane mine in 26 GWh/month in 2015. In light of this, IAMGOLD
0$#")!/ ,)/+*)-$
/".
")'')'&
-,+*)+('&%$#"%--%('(%
'(+%)'(%-'*%%*'(* +* % Burkina Faso. The Essakane decided to partner with EREN
!** agreement is for an Renewable Energy (EREN RE), a global renewable
initial period of up to 15 energy independent power producer (IPP), and

-!")"*$
'&
0$#")!/ ,)/+*)-$
/".
"))'& years. The mine is AEMP, a South-African based developer and
-,+*)+('&%$#"%*'(* +* %!** located about 330 km independent power producer, to push the frontier
northeast of the of innovation in power solutions to mines.
0/.#+*$*-/,$)/"-,)'
0$#")!/ ,)/+*)-$
#-))' Burkinabe capital city, Together they are constructing solar capacity to
-,+*)+('&%$#"%*'(* +* %!** Ouagadougou. Jointly complement the existing 57 MW heavy fuel oil
owned by IAMGOLD (HFO) power plant. In the project's first phase, 15
-$)"#$$*-/,
'
0$#")!/ ,)/+*)-$
$)')' (90%) and the MWp of solar capacity would be built and the
-,+*)+('&%$#"%*'(* +* %!**%
 Government of Burkina hybridisation of IAMGOLD Essakane's HFO power

  
   Faso (10%), IAMGOLD plant will allow savings of approximately 6
Essakane, which owns million litres of fuel and a reduction of 18,500 t/y
 

  
and operates the mine, of CO2.

32 International Mining | JANUARY 2018

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POWER FOR MINES #3_proof 18/12/2017 11:48 Page 7
POWER FOR MINES
EREN says it is “the largest solar farm
connected to a thermal-based power plant.” The
fixed-tilt 15 MWp solar power plant is comprised
of close to 130,000 photovoltaic (PV) panels,
deployed over an area of nearly 22 ha.
“The solar power plant project engages our
Essakane mine in energy transition, sparks real
local sustainable development and is an honour
for Burkina Faso. It’s worth noting that this hybrid
diesel-solar power plant will be the first of its
kind in this country,” declared Bruno Lemelin,
CEO of IAMGOLD Essakane at the inauguration.
The IPP solution obviates the mining company
from deploying significant upfront capital and
adding the power asset to its balance sheet. It is
also a way of handing down the development,
financing, permitting, construction and operation
to an expert, therefore freeing some time to focus
on the core business. The power purchase
agreement signed between the independent
power producer and the off-taker sets an
electricity price which is applicable over the long-
term – renewable power serves as a solid hedge
against fuel price volatility.
Christophe Fleurence, Vice President Business
Development – Africa of EREN Renewable Energy:
“The project started with a site visit two years
ago where we assessed the best terrain for a
solar project, meaning relatively flat land and the
closest possible to the diesel power plant, and
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analysed our client’s load curve and specific
needs. From there, we conducted fuel simulation
and grid stability studies to come up with an
optimal size of the PV plant while ensuring stable
and non-disruptive power supply.
“Renewable energy for mining companies can
be competitive and reliable today. The business
rationale is really simple: maximise the savings
for our customers. EREN RE thrives to lead the
energy transition of mining companies in Africa,
but also globally. The Essakane solar project truly
highlights our expertise in actually delivering
large scale sustainable and economical energy
solutions that are adapted to the needs of the
extractive industry.”
Wärtsilä signed its first Asset Management
Agreement for a PV power plant in April 2017 and
will assume full responsibility for the operation
and maintenance of the Essakane solar plant.
The solar plant shares a control system with a
thermal power plant. Operative co-ordination to
maximise the production of the two plants is key
in the new agreement.
The seven year agreement includes the daily
operation of the solar plant, preventive,
scheduled and corrective maintenance, cleaning
of the modules and coordination of operations
with those of a thermal power plant using the
same control system. The new Asset
Management Agreement seamlessly
complements the EPC agreement Wärtsilä signed
in March 2017 for the solar power plant.
Wärtsilä’s task is to optimise the production of
the PV plant and make sure that the thermal
plant delivers effective, efficient and stable
power with unsurpassed performance. In parallel,
the thermal plant, which operates on 11 Wärtsilä
32 engines, retains a sufficient number of
engines in stand-by mode to cover potential
fluctuations in the PV solar energy production.
Maximising the PV plant’s production means
that less heavy fuel oil is needed for the thermal
plant, reducing both fuel costs and
environmental impacts.
The local operations of the PV plant in Burkina
Faso are remotely supported by Wärtsilä
Expertise Centres which continuously monitor
the plant parameters and alert for potential
problem situations that may arise in the day-to-
day operation of the facility.
“This agreement is significant to Wärtsilä in
many ways. It is our very first operation and
maintenance agreement for a solar plant,
beginning an entirely new chapter in the story of
Wärtsilä. In co-ordinating production of the two
power plants, we will be able to combine our
strong background in engine-based power
production with our solar offering. We look
forward to many years of successful cooperation
with EREN RE,” says Serge Begue, Vice
5-
Cape to 8 FEB 2018
wn, Sou
Stand 6 th Africa
03
POWER FOR MINES #3_proof 18/12/2017 11:48 Page 8

POWER FOR MINES

President, South Europe & Africa, Wärtsilä

Services.

Solar, the rising energy star

Total Mining Solutions has become the partner of
choice to mining companies. Today, it supplies
fuel, lubricants and associated services to over
200 mining sites in over 40 countries. Its
professionals from the mining sector also have
expertise in hydrocarbons and its management
on mine sites.
Total has combined its solar offer with its
mining expertise to develop a sustainable and
reliable energy solution. It says that “besides
being environmentally sustainable, solar energy
represents several advantages for the mining
industry. Often located in remote areas, mining
companies can boost their operational reliability
with this off-grid energy solution. The highly
reliable PV panels can also be used as a back up
power supply.
Through its SunPower division, one of the
world's leading suppliers of solar panels, Total is
also a supplier of the innovative option of a
hybrid solar-diesel energy solution, combining
sustainability with cost-effectiveness.
With the addition of Tenesol, SunPower has
acquired the expertise to design and tailor-make
off-grid solutions. With nearly 30 years of
experience working in tough geographical areas
it can meet energy consumption needs.
SunPower offers standard and back up PV
solutions, fully solar and hybrid solutions
(solar/diesel). Building on this, SunPower has
excellent experience in deploying and
maintaining off grid systems in all types of
challenging conditions.
Harness the Namibian sun
B2Gold Corp has selected Caterpillar and Cat®
dealer Barloworld to supply 7 MW of solar power
at the Otjikoto mine in Namibia. The full system,
including Cat PV solar modules and the Cat
microgrid master controller (MMC), will be used
to reduce reliance on a heavy fuel oil (HFO)
power plant currently used to power the mining
facility.
Barloworld is supplying EPC services for the
project. Installation of the system is underway,
with the completion of the project expected in
early 2018. “At B2Gold, we embrace
Total has combined its solar offering with its
mining expertise
environmental stewardship and social
responsibility as key corporate priorities in doing
business,” said Mark Dawe, Managing Director
and Country Manager for B2Gold Namibia. “As
one of the largest solar installations in Namibia,
the facility at the Otjikoto mine will help us to
leverage a plentiful, renewable resource while
improving the quality of life for nearby
communities.”
Caterpillar’s solar PV system is powered by
advanced thin-film solar modules that are setting
the industry benchmark with improved
performance over conventional silicon solar
panels. Fully scalable and pre-engineered for
quick and easy installation, the system offers
reliable and predictable energy in all climates
and applications with modules that are

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POWER FOR MINES #3_proof 18/12/2017 11:49 Page 9

POWER FOR MINES

independently tested to pass accelerated life and

stress tests beyond industry standards.
Caterpillar’s solar PV offering is a key
component of the Cat Microgrid technology suite,
an innovative lineup of power systems that adds
environmentally friendly solar panels, state-of-
the-art energy storage, and advanced monitoring
and control systems to Caterpillar’s traditional
line of reliable power generation equipment,
including HFO, natural gas and diesel generator
sets, switchgear and automatic transfer switches.
The Cat Microgrid technology suite is designed to
reduce fuel expenses, lower utility bills, decrease
emissions, and reduce the total cost of
ownership while increasing energy efficiency in
even the most challenging environments.
“A key differentiator in Caterpillar’s offering is
the Cat MMC, which keeps loads continuously
energised with high-quality power at the lowest
cost. It manages the flow of power from every
source in the system, including the main grid
when connected. The Cat MMC determines
optimum recharge times for the energy storage
systems while managing power during times
when solar energy is not available.”
The MMC also uses Cat Connect technology for
real-time collection and communication of on-site
performance data that can be monitored and
analysed remotely. “The economic viability of
remote mining operations depends on the cost-
efficient generation of power,” said Tom Frake,
Vice President of the Global Power Solutions
Division for Caterpillar. “Caterpillar’s solar
technologies provide a scalable, sustainable
power solution that significantly reduces fuel
consumption while delivering the reliable power
needed to support mining sites.”
Renewable and storage technologies
ABB says “for off-grid mining in particular,
renewable and storage technologies present an
ideal opportunity not only to improve the mine’s
environmental footprint, but also to reduce
energy costs while improving power quality.
“For off-grid mines operating in remote
locations, the cost of electricity can reach
$300/MWh and consume up to 15% of mining
revenues. Lowering energy costs will not only
increase viability of mining operations today but
also help future proof them against rising fuel
costs.
“To test the viability of storage plus
renewables for brownfield mining sites, ABB
considered four scenarios that were optimised
using HOMER Pro2 microgrid modelling software.
The benefits compared include:
n Fuel saving (and associated reduction in CO2
emissions & maintenance costs)
n Reduced Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE)
with an attractive IRR
n Improved power quality.
“The results showed that the highest
BESS + solar PV benefits for an off-grid remote brown-field mine (~5 MW demand example)
investment IRR of 36% was possible by installing
a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) where
the main benefit comes from improved generator
operational efficiency that results in a reduction
in maintenance costs. Alternatively, by combining
this with solar PV generation we can additionally
substitute expensive diesel fuel with cost
competitive solar PV thereby delivering the
largest reduction in fuel consumption (28%) and
LCOE (11%), while maintaining a healthy IRR
(16%). Additional power quality benefits provided
by a BESS such as reduced stress on the
electrical installations across the mine site and
associated reduction in maintenance cost and
down-time have not been modelled in this
study.”
Finally, ABB’s analysis shows that the most
important factor impacting system design is the
price of delivered diesel followed by the cost of
the installed solar PV system.
Two conclusions can be drawn from the
business case:
n Mining companies have the opportunity to
start transforming their mines today as solar
PV now delivers a lower LCOE than diesel
n Deployment of solar PV + BESS is an
excellent hedging solution against diesel
price increases and/or future carbon costs.
ABB concludes that “powering remote mines
with diesel generators provides a proven and
reliable energy source, but leaves the mine
operator vulnerable to diesel price fluctuations,
fuel supply risk as well as uncertainty around
future carbon taxes. It also fails to capitalise on
the economic and operating benefits that BESS
and solar PV offers today and potential cost
savings from carbon taxes in the future. The
figure presents an overview of the economic
Up to 28% reduction in fuel and CO2 possible
when combining diesel with BESS and solar PV
benefits and capital requirements of the four
scenarios tested.
“In some cases, mine operators may prefer the
incremental hybridisation route as it allows more
gradual changes to the operating system and
strategy. This analysis shows that it makes sense
to consider BESS in the first step without
additional renewable energy capacity as this
offers the highest IRR. Ideally, the use of a
flexible BESS, such as the ABB PowerStore,
would allow the storage capacity to be increased
if renewable energy systems are later added.
“In terms of renewable options, wind has also
proven itself to be effective in the mining sector,
particularly in those areas with high wind
resource and low solar resource. Due to
historically lower costs, high scalability and
relative ease to gain approvals in remote
locations, wind has accounted for 59% of
installed renewables in mining to date. Where
mine lives are shorter than 10 years new
business models allowing for relocatable solar
PV to be installed could be considered. Once you
have found the right renewable choice for your
location, combining with a BESS can provide
additional cost-savings that mining operators can
benefit from today.”
For more detail, see http://register.e.abb.com/
ABBMicrogridBusinessCaseforMining
Hydro power
In 2016, Gilkes Hydro won a contract to supply its
Compact Turgo turbine to AngloGold Ashanti
in Mali, where it will generate in the region of
150 kW. At the time, the company said “we are

36 International Mining | JANUARY 2018

 Delivering the Support You Need

The Umbrella of Mine Safety

You can count on our System Solutions

Customized for your challenging projects!

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170316_DSI_IM-Mining-2017.indd 9 28.06.2017 15:55:58

POWER FOR MINES #3_proof 18/12/2017 11:50 Page 10
POWER FOR MINES
The 12" Compact Turgo unit to be supplied by
Gilkes Hydro to AngloGold Ashanti in Mali is
very similar to the one pictured
very excited about this new opportunity of re-
entering the mining sector, where we have a long
history worldwide, and to expand our presence in
Africa.
“We believe that there is huge opportunity for
our Turgo to be installed on the tailings of mines
due to their superior resistance to abrasion.”
The Turgo Impulse turbine was developed by
Gilkes to be a simple impulse type machine with
a higher specific speed than a Pelton. The design
therefore allows a larger jet of water to be
directed at an angle onto the runner.
Covering the boundary between a Pelton and
Francis machine, Turgo turbines have proved
themselves to deal extremely well with ‘dirty’
water without any detriment to performance.
Originally designed and patented by Gilkes,
the first ever Turgo turbine was installed in
Scotland in 1919. Since then, turbines of Gilkes
originated design have been operating in over 80
countries worldwide and many of the original
units are still in operation.
ClearPower North America has expanded the
market for its patented, Straflo design Industrial
Turbine Generator (ITG) with the launch of its
new ITG-M Series for the mining industry. The
ITG-M Series allows mining companies to use
their existing gravity-fed pipelines or outfalls to
convert water and selective water slurry flows
into a source of sustainable, renewable, low-cost
electricity. By harnessing sufficient water flow
and head, mining companies that install the ITG-
M Series can produce over 30 MW of economical
off-grid power, significantly reducing their
electricity costs. The ITG-M is capable of
producing up to 3 MW of electricity per 46 m of
head.
ClearPower says that “mines that currently use
38 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
expensive diesel fuels and inefficient generators
spend approximately $212 to $281 per MW for
electricity according to data provided by the
Rocky Mountain Institute. At these rates, mines
are spending approximately $65 to $100 million
annually on energy for the 30 to 50 MW of
electricity they need for operations.”
“Our Industrial Turbine Generator-M Series is a
perfect fit for mining companies,” said Michael
Prendergast, Managing Partner at ClearPower
North America. “Mines utilise millions of gallons
of water every day. This water can be
economically converted into an inexpensive and
sustainable source of clean energy. ClearPower’s
in-conduit ITG-M platform provides a robust bolt-
on solution that can dramatically cut the cost of
power for a fraction of the investment of other
renewable sources, while reducing their carbon
footprint.”
ClearPower North America’s ITG-M Series is a
bolt-on platform that can be installed quickly
with potentially no downtime or disruption to
operations. It also offers a small footprint that
easily becomes part of an existing
infrastructure that removes pressure while not
affecting flow
The ITG-M Series features a unique direct-
drive, synchronous, permanent magnetised
generator (PMG) that harvests the energy of
moving water from gravity-fed pipelines. The
unique all-in-one rim design of the generator
removes the need for a central shaft and
couplings, resulting in a simplified, compact and
efficient generating system that improves
efficiency, limits noise, and prevents vibration.
Power storage
One way to overcome the problems of
intermittent power from renewable sources is to
store some of the power when it is available. A
huge amount of R&D dollars is being poured into
battery research.
Aggreko has spent £40 million to acquire
Younicos, a global market leader in the
development and deployment of integrated
energy systems, based on battery storage.
Aggreko stated: “This acquisition strengthens
our position as global energy markets continue
to evolve and is in line with our strategy to invest
in technology in order to reduce the cost of
energy for our customers.”
Younicos delivers smart energy solutions
integrating battery storage, which are modular
and scalable. “Its knowledge of batteries
combined with proprietary control systems,
enables the seamless integration and
management of all forms of power, including
thermal, renewable and battery energy
resources; this is becoming critical in an
increasingly distributed energy market.”
Global energy markets are changing:
decarbonising and becoming more decentralised
and digital. As renewables penetration
increases, intermittency becomes a more
difficult issue to manage across grid systems.
Integration and control of thermal, renewable
and battery systems will be increasingly
required to ensure power stability and reliability
are maintained. Off grid and microgrid energy
solutions are ever more integrating renewable
generation, whilst industrial and commercial
customers are also taking advantage of
opportunities for renewable integration and
demand-side management.
“The capabilities brought by Younicos,
leveraged through our global footprint and
experience in distributed power generation, are
compelling. The Younicos integration and control
systems, combined with batteries, can be
deployed across our existing business to lower
the cost of energy, ensure reliability and reduce
carbon emissions for our customers around the
world. Younicos has invested heavily in R&D since
it was founded in 2005. It is based in Germany
and the USA and has over 200 MW of installed
storage systems, with a strong pipeline across
both developed and emerging markets.” IM
IMEA _JAN 18 PROOF_Layout 1 20/12/2017 12:28 Page 1

Supported by Organized by

MINING TODAY - 2018

International Conference-cum-Exhibition
February 14-17, 2018
HITEX Exhibition Centre, Hyderabad, India

B.R.V. Susheel Kumar

Dr. C. Narsimulu Director of Mines & Geology Telangana, Dr. G. Malsur
Organizing Secretary Chairman MEAI Hyderabad Chapter & VC&MD, TSMDC &
94408 17718 Chairman Organizing Committee, Mining Today - 2018 Convenor

Goutham Chand Jain J. Ramu Rao

Chairman, Pokarna Ltd & Director & CEO,
Co-Convenor My Home Industries P.Ltd

Mining Today 2018, an International Conference-cum-Exhibition is organized by Mining Engineers’ Association of

India (MEAI) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) from 14-17 February 2018 at
Hitex Exhibition Centre, Hyderabad. This event is supported by Government of India and Government of Telangana.
The inauguration of the event is on 14th February 2018.
The theme of the event is T-E-M-P-O (Technology, Equipment, Machinery, Policy and Overseas). The Mining Today
2018 signifies 3-day event, primarily, the first two-days will be Conference-cum-Exhibition having technical sessions
on policy and regulatory aspects of mining vis-a-vis guest sessions and third day, exhibition open to public on the
display of mineral resources and machinery. The event will bring together Mining Engineers, Geologists, Academicians,
Mineral Processing Technologists, Entrepreneurs, Procurement Managers and Stakeholders of Minerals, Mines,
Steel, and Cement on one forum.
The international conference will be an epoch-making platform with deliberations on policy, regulation, mineral
resources, transfer of technology, latest machinery in mining etc. Exhibitors & Delegates from Europe, Asia, Africa,
United States of America, Canada, Australia etc are expected to participate in the event.
For further information and for Online Registration as Exhibitor, Delegate, Visitor & Speaker please log on to
www.meaiminingtoday.com. Technical Papers (Abstract by 31 Dec 2017 and Final Paper by 31 Jan 2018) and for
further information mail us at secretariat@meaiminingtoday.com

Be a part, share views and benefit from the event.

B.R.V.Susheel Kumar
Director of Mines & Geology Telangana,
Chairman MEAI Hyderabad Chapter &
Chairman Org. Commit., Mining Today - 2018

Book Today
and Get Prime Locations
Contact us at:
secretariat@meaiminingtoday.com
FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE_proof 20/12/2017 12:50 Page 1
FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Satisfaction
in safety
Paul Moore reviews some key developments in fatigue
monitoring and collision avoidance systems in mining,
including some big rollouts at major operations  part of BHPs efforts to integrate its operations.”
atigue monitoring, especially of haul truck
F drivers; and Collision Avoidance Systems
(CAS) are now major focus areas for most
mining houses, with trials and testing now
having been replaced by full rollouts and
meaningful results in terms of safety. Initial
operator hesitation in terms of feeling they are
being watched in relation to the fatigue
systems, has largely been replaced by a feeling
of reassurance that someone is watching their
back in case they do succumb to tiredness in
what the industry calls a microsleep. CAS
systems are getting ever more advanced and
being integrated to a greater degree with other
systems such as those for fleet management.
In July 2017, Guardvant, one of the industry
leaders in real-time operator fatigue detection,
announced it had been selected by Glencore
Australia for its Ravensworth open cut coal
operation. Guardvant’s OpGuard system will be
installed on a mixture of 54 Caterpillar 797 and
789 trucks. Ravensworth’s Mine Manager,
Murray Gregson explained: “We selected
Guardvant after an extensive year long trial of
their system. We wanted a reliable non-intrusive
system that assisted us in detecting and
supporting our operator’s fatigue management.
We found the Guardvant OpGuard system
surpassed these requirements and added
additional benefits of mobile phone detection
and a forward-facing camera.”
Guardvant Australia’s Managing Director,
Sean Perry says, “it’s been a very thorough trial
of our solutions, with significant developments
and improvements along the way at the request
of the customer. Putting our product through
Glencore’s Failure Mode Engineering Analysis
40 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
(FMEA) and Risk Analysis process was a
stepping stone to ensuring our product met
Glencore’s high standards.”
Ryan Hawes, VP Business Development at
Guardvant told IM that the company has quite a
few trials and installations ongoing going,
however, due to confidentiality agreements they
can’t yet be made public. In addition to this, he
said the company has new solutions that will be
coming out in 2018.
OpGuard is a non-intrusive fatigue and
distraction solution that continuously monitors
operators to proactively prevent accidents.
OpGuard’s infrared camera continuously
monitors the operator for eyelid closure, facial
and head movements, and other unsafe
behaviour (mobile phone use, reading, etc)
while the vehicle is in motion.
SmartCap moving ahead
In May 2017, SmartCap Technologies announced
its new collaboration with Newtrax
Technologies. These two industry-leading safety
solution providers are adapting Life by
SmartCap, already a world-first solution, into
one that will suit underground mining
conditions. The new initiative will bring many
benefits to both operators and supervisors
alike. Life provides real-time alerts to prevent
microsleeps before they happen, empowering
users to be their own fatigue manager.
Supervisors will have real-time data access so
they can make fact-based decisions that keep
their workforce safe.
Back on surface, at the BHP-operated
Escondida copper mine, a recent successful trial
of SmartCap Life has seen the system there
To date there are 1,757 DSS units being used in
mining operations and supported by Caterpillar
adapted to integrate the EEG brainwave sensor
into the webbing of hard hats rather than the
original baseball caps. BHP's Chief Technology
Officer, Diane Jurgens, told Sydney Morning
Herald: “It’s in 150 plus trucks, so it's not
inexpensive, but in terms of safety it's really
effective. So we are going to be rolling it out
across our other operations as well. The
technology right now is only used in Chile, but it's
applicable across all of our operations,” she said.
SmartCap Life is non-invasive and uses EEG
(brainwaves) technology to monitor operator
fatigue. Life measures an operator’s ability to
resist sleep and provides alerts as they progress
to a place of risk.
Daniel Bongers, Chief Technology Officer at
SmartCap told IM: “We’re proud to be working
with BHP to help their operators come home
safe every day. With deployments at multiple
BHP sites and its contractors, we’re excited to be
He added that in addition to the deployment at
Escondida, the system is already fully deployed
at another BHP site. In terms of wider
deployment he states: “As an industry-proven,
repeatedly validated technology, we now have
mining deployments in the following countries:
Australia, USA, Canada, Chile, Peru, Mexico,
South Africa, India, Mongolia and Madagascar.”
The company is seeing a trend of sites
replacing camera-based technologies with
SmartCap. “Our clients consider falling asleep at
the wheel an incident, and camera-based
technologies are really in the business of
counting these incidents. As an early warning
solution, SmartCap empowers individuals and
businesses to prevent the incident by
intervening well prior to dangerous sleep
events. Our new product, Life by SmartCap, is a
truly ‘anywhere, anytime’ solution that allows
real-time fatigue monitoring of individuals
outside of heavy equipment. We see it used in
light vehicles, construction equipment, control
rooms, passenger cars, planes, trains and
buses.” The company says Life by SmartCap is
differentiated from all other fatigue-related
solutions in a number of ways, including:
n Early warning: Measurement at the source
(EEG) allows Life by SmartCap to identify the
full spectrum from full alertness through to
significant risk of a microsleep. “Our early
warning trigger would be best described as
‘at risk of becoming at risk’, which
accompanied by an audible and visual alert,
empowers users to respond prior to external
intervention being required. A typical,
effective response would be to sip water,
adjust posture, stretch, or engage in
conversation.”
FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE_proof 21/12/2017 15:31 Page 2
COLLISION AVOIDANCE
n Accuracy: Again related to measurement at
the source, “our universal fatigue algorithm
represents world’s best practice in accuracy,
and does not require individual calibration.
Validated independently in both laboratory
and real-life operational settings, our product
has industry-best specificity and sensitivity.”
n Driver-centric: “Given that our product is a
wearable, it is suited to a wide variety of
practical applications outside of traditional
driving and equipment operation.”
GE on fatigue monitoring developments
GE has integrated both Optalert and SmartCap
as part of its GE Digital Mine offering to give
customers the best range of fatigue
management options as part of the overall
digital solution offered. Kevin Shikoluk, Global
Strategic Marketing Leader, Digital Mine, GE
Transportation told IM: “GE Digital Mine is
agnostic when it comes to mining fatigue
monitoring systems so we don’t endorse one
product/solution over another but let the
customer make the selection after which we are
happy to review integration with Collision
Avoidance Systems if driven by the Voice of
Customer with supporting business case. We
don’t offer any sort of exclusivity as the
customer needs to make the end selection. We
believe in providing the largest amount of
decision flexibility possible. We have integrated
GE CAS with SmartCap which was deployed at
AMSA Centinella in Chile. We are also yet to
integrate GE CAS with Optalert which is
scheduled for H1 2018 and driven by Voice of
Customer from key strategic accounts in
Australia and South America. Finally, Newcrest
Mining have just gone to market for mining
fatigue monitoring systems and have short
GE CAS with SmartCap integrated was deployed
at AMSA Centinella in Chile
listed SmartCap and Optalert and have specified
integration with GE CAS with these technologies.”
Caterpillar DSS use growing fast
worldwide
There are few, if any, mine sites in the world that
don’t recognise that operator fatigue and
distraction are issues that need to be
addressed. Over the past decades they have
tried to manage the situation through policies
and procedures, and through various education,
training, scheduling, diet and motivational
efforts. Sites have focused on scheduling and
roster solutions, ensuring that they have the
right schedule to fit the amount of work that has
to be done with the staffing levels that they
have. A lot of good work has been done
providing education and awareness programs
for operators and employees.
Ultimately, though, it is often left up to the
individual operators to manage their own fatigue.
While many shift workers are well-trained and
highly skilled, most have never been trained in
how to deal with fatigue, manage their sleep
schedule or adapt to the social and physical
challenges that come with shift work. So this
work, Caterpillar highlights, is just as important
as the fatigue management systems themselves.
However, fatigue management is a very
important tool, and Caterpillar’s offering is the
Driver Safety System (DSS) which was originally
developed by Seeing Machines but in mining is
now a Caterpillar technology managed and
monitored by Caterpillar exclusively. DSS is
based on eye tracking technology that detects if
a driver is distracted or falling asleep while
operating heavy equipment. Using sensing
equipment that is mounted on the dashboard of
the truck, it tracks head alignment to detect
potential distraction events while also tracking
and analysing eye behaviour to detect signs of
fatigue, such as excessive eye closure and
microsleeps. In a general comparison against
competitors, DSS does not involve wearing
anything and does not involve inputting a code.
There is no physical interaction at all.
IM spoke to Caterpillar’s Fatigue Solutions
Manager Todd Dawson. “Two years ago, we
acquired executive rights to the DSS
technology within Caterpillar’s field of use
and the product has been very well
received. This has sometimes been to the
point where as soon as we have had DSS
certified for mining use in a country, there
are already several operators waiting to
use it.” Caterpillar adds that DSS is now
certified in most of the world including all
the major mining hubs.
Caterpillar also continues to make
improvements to DSS in terms of how well and
how fast the face tracking is done and how
accurately any events are analysed and
interpreted. A key part of any fatigue monitoring
system is the reaction to an event and what
criteria is used to trigger an alarm. Customers
through training are very familiar with what the
system is designed to do. The operator’s safety
is paramount in all situations and they are the
priority, with any other analysis by the customer
JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 41
FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE_proof 20/12/2017 12:50 Page 3
FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE
or by Caterpillar secondary to this. The event
response for the operator is an instant audible
alarm as well as a seat vibration.
If an alarm goes off, then the Caterpillar Safety
Monitoring Center in Peoria will quickly assess if
the event requires further action to be taken and
if so immediately contact the mine FMS dispatch
team who will then normally speak to the truck
operator by radio or SMS to ask them if they
need a break and if they are OK. This all happens
typically in less than two minutes. There are
different scenarios – if an event happens while
the truck is stationary in a queue then the action
taken may be different to if the operator is out on
the main haul road, for example. All the event
data received by the Caterpillar Safety
Monitoring Center is also analysed for longer
• Analysis of Feeds, Concentrates and Tailings
• Mine Mapping and Grade Control
• Ore-body Assessment
• Exploration
Handheld XRF mining
analyzers provides fast
and accurate results for
all aspects of mining.
www.bruker.com/mining-hhxrf
sales.hmp@bruker.com
Innovation with Integrity
42 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
term trends and Cat provides daily, weekly and
monthly reports as requested. As far as operators
are concerned, they receive reassurance through
training that it isn’t about spying on them and
that it is there to keep them safe – they won’t be
disciplined just because an alarm goes off. This
means there is much less likelihood of an
operators trying to tamper with the system.
To date there are nearly 2,000 DSS units being
used in mining operations, and the vast majority
of mines using it have their DSS units monitored
by the Caterpillar Safety Monitoring Center which
is staffed by specialists trained to recognise fatigue.
In terms of surface fleet trends, early on in DSS
rollout, the focus was on ultraclass fleets, as these
were deemed to highest risks. But more and more
it is being applied at smaller mines and quarries
Elemental Analysis
and on other types of mine vehicles, such as water
bowsers, personnel shuttle buses, ADTs etc.
Dawson says that aside from the value of the
system itself from a safety standpoint, the reason
it has been so well received by mines and has
won out over competing technologies is the level
of service support, how the data is gathered an x
David Edwards is Product Manager – Safety
Technology at Caterpillar. He states: “Our
customers know that fatigue is a problem, but
without the data, they don’t really know how
significant an issue it is. “The DSS gives them
that data so they can truly measure it.”
Caterpillar is also taking that visibility further by
combining it with other on-board technologies to
develop risk profiles based on as much data as
possible to improve site safety. “We can use
these technologies to bring insight to our
customers in a very real way. For example, a mine
site may not believe it has an issue with fatigue.
But at the same time, they’re experiencing wear
and tear on tyres. When we combine fatigue
information with equipment health information,
we discover that the tyres are wearing out
because operators are using the berm as a
rumble strip when they nod off. The data allows
us to make that connection.”
There are many contributors to fatigue and
distraction — long working hours, low lighting,
repetitive duties, shift schedules and solitary work
environments. All are characteristics of mining
operations and are all common to both surface and
underground mining. The big news with Caterpillar
DSS is that it is now being used underground at
three gold mines and two other mines in Australia
and one gold mine in the USA, on full fleets of both
trucks and LHDs; so at six mines in total. The major
issue of course is not having a GPS signal, as
usually the speed of the surface truck is taken by
the DSS from the GPS. So underground, the system
taps into the vehicle onboard analytics itself to get
this information. The underground mine needs to
have a good fibre optic network in place; currently
all events can be uploaded to the customer central
monitoring system in less than 15 minutes, though
of course in the both the surface and underground
situations, the alarm and response to an event to
the operator is instant.
To give a surface early stage project example,
HSE Mining in 2016 conducted a trial of
Caterpillar DSS fatigue monitoring on four Cat
789C haul trucks at South Walker Creek coal
mine. “Fatigue is a significant risk in the mining
industry and we are committed to building on
efforts made to date and seek further solutions
and control strategies,” said HSE. The 60-day
trial was conducted in three phases:
n Silent Phase: No alarms or contact from the
monitoring centre
n Alarms Enabled: In cab alarms activated for
fatigue events
FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE_proof 20/12/2017 12:50 Page 4

COLLISION AVOIDANCE

n Fatigue intervention plan is initiated for all operators who experienced a

fatigue event
NEW
“Fatigue and distraction events occurred at regular intervals
throughout phase one, however, a comparison of HSE Mining with 10
RIEGL VZ-2000i
other mines showed that the average fatigue events per mobile hours FOR TOPOGRAPHY AND MINING
was lower than average. This is a good indication that the education
programs and operational controls implemented to date are proving to be
somewhat effective. Fatigue events were reduced during both phases two
and three once full fatigue intervention protocols were implemented. The
reduction in verified fatigue events from phase one to the end of phase
three was 94%. The trial highlighted not only that DSS is a valuable tool
in detecting and managing fatigue events, but also that implementation
would be just one part of HSE Mining’s overall fatigue and distraction
strategy.”

Voice analysis fatigue monitoring

WOMBATT, previously a participant in the European Space Agency business
incubation network, is commercialising iVOICE, a voice based driver fatigue
prediction and detection system invented by the Centre for Space Medicine
at University College London. The company states: “We have all had the
experience of hearing tiredness in a person’s voice. Somehow, they sound
different to normal and less alert. Even a single sentence spoken over the
phone can be enough for you to say ‘you sound tired, are you OK?’”
“Now, a combination of voice analysis and machine learning originally
developed to track the health of astronauts on long term space missions
has been shown to have acquired this very human capability.” The voice
analysis system, iVOICE, has been developed at the Centre for Space
Medicine at University College London (UCL) to gauge a person’s level of
tiredness simply by listening to his or her voice for some seconds. high-accuracy RIEGL VZ-2000i scan data

The iVOICE system works by first getting to know the voice characteristics
of each individual driver so that it can identify small changes to their voice Long Range, Very High Speed
occurring over the working day which indicate increasing fatigue. This is
similar to the way humans detect fatigue in the voice – we notice tiredness
3D Laser Scanning System
most easily in people well-known to us than with strangers whom we have
just met for the first time. On published tests, iVOICE was able to detect
» up to 1.2 million measurements/sec –
significant fatigue with an accuracy of 90% once tuned to individual voices.
rapid data capture
Being just a software algorithm iVOICE can be installed wherever there is a
capability to make voice recordings onto a computer, either in bespoke
» range up to 2,500 m, 5 mm accuracy –
ideally suited for topography and mining
systems installed in vehicles, or via existing telecommunication channels to
a system in the cloud. » RIEGL Waveform-LiDAR technology –
For mining haul truck drivers an important feature of the new technology, highly informative and accurate data
apart from its accuracy, is complete unobtrusiveness. There is no need for » cloud connectivity via LAN, Wi-Fi and LTE 4G/3G –
specialist equipment such as cameras or wearable sensors, and drivers smart remote scanner control and data upload
would only need to speak as they might anyway as part of their job. iVOICE » automatic on-board registration during
will automatically recognise drivers from their voices when they speak in data acquisition – tremendous time savings
the cabin, perhaps in response to a simple question such as “How are you
» customizable workflows & special software
feeling? What is your current activity? Which shovel are you working from?”
packages – highest field efficiency
From the driver’s response iVOICE may say “John, you sound very tired. You
may not have received sufficient rest to drive this truck tonight. The shift
» rugged design, fast set-up, user-friendly touch screen –
easy to operate even in harsh environments
supervisor will call you over the radio in a few moments to discuss.”
The technology has been tested by fatigue management company » fully compatible with the
WOMBATT with mining haul truck drivers at a mine in Peru to demonstrate RIEGL VMZ Hybrid Mobile Mapping System –
that the system can work in a haul truck cabin as well as it can aboard a for both static and mobile data acquisition
spaceship. WOMBATT are commercialising the technology in partnership
with University College London - Centre for Space Medicine and Datasat
Communications Ltd.
“With fatigue implicated in up to 65% of all fatalities in the mining
industry, and with rapidly increasing regulatory oversight of this problem,
we expect that within a very short time, all mining trucks will be fitted with www.riegl.com
iVOICE low cost, fully unobtrusive fatigue prediction and detection as
RIEGL LMS GmbH, Austria RIEGL USA Inc. RIEGL Japan Ltd. RIEGL China Ltd.
standard equipment. Indeed, when fitted to VHF radios and mobile phones,

JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 43

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FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Paul Moore spoke to Brad Dalton, Business Development Manager at SITECH (WA), who
was the developer and architect of its innovative SiTRACK collision avoidance solution,
based on Trimble GNSS technology
Q Collision avoidance is more commonly known
for mobile truck fleets, was there a request from
customers for CAS on dozers and fixed
installations such as conveyors and reclaimers?
Yes, in the case of SiTRACK it was developed for
Roy Hill specifically on the basis of a need to
prevent collisions between two Cat D11T dozers
and the overhead conveyor. Both dozers were
equipped with our project partner RCT’s
ControlMaster® Teleremote solution which
removed the operator from the machine and
relocated them to an operator station, equipped
with vision package from the area; allowing
them to control all machine functions from an
ergonomic, safe environment. Both the conveyors
and dozers are tracked using high precision
Trimble GNSS equipment that allow us to model
the movement of all assets in near real time and in
absolute space. The result of this is that by
tracking the assets quickly and accurately its very
easy, computer wise, to calculate critical distances
on the fly thus providing near real time alerts for
the moving and stationary equipment. Our system
is entirely capable of tracking dozens of moving
vehicles and a similar number of fixed assets in
both the horizontal and vertical dimensions;
typical accuracies are around ±50 mm for XYZ
position and heading and roughly one second for
reaction time to full stop from red (about to collide
with a critical geofence boundary) alert.
every person in the mine working in safety-
critical jobs could be monitored for dangerous
levels of tiredness.”
GE rolls out CAS at Lihir
Moving on to Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS),
GE is working with Newcrest’s Lihir gold mine.
“Mining fleet interactions, whether that’s
vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-personnel are
definitely one of the highest safety risks for us,”
says Tony Sprague, Group Manager of Mining
Technology for Newcrest Mining Ltd. “We have
many vehicles in operation and with heavy
vehicles, ancillary vehicles and light vehicles
operating together, it doesn’t take much to have
a critical event or a significant potential incident
(SPI).”
“On all our sites we’ve continued to have these
significant potential incident events, year on year,
and we decided we want to be proactive and use
technology to help us help ourselves,” says
Sprague. “Every individual is important to us,” he
emphasises, referring to Newcrest’s safety ethos
which works towards “zero injury” and promotes
44 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
Q With dozers had the OEMs not focussed on
collision avoidance as they didn’t see that niche
as top priority?
The dozer OEMs have a solution but it is a very
complex and costly solution using multiple
sensors and highly complex statistical path
analysis to predict future performance (albeit it
is done very quickly and for relatively small
distances in front of a moving asset). Ours is
significantly less so and doesn’t rely on crystal
ball predictions which is typical of most OEM
collision avoidance solutions
Q With SiTRACK is the focus just as much on
asset protection as it is on operator safety? Is
any laser or radar technology used?
Absolutely. Operating a moving vehicle where
the focus has to be on the blade means that the
operators’ ability to predict where the drop off
for the batter top is of a draw down vault whilst
still being aware of a moving stacker conveyor
boom (that weighs as much as the dozer and is
moving just as fast) is always going to be a
risky exercise. SiTRACK allows the operator to
first be removed from the vehicle and second
have someone (our system) looking after
his/her back. Practically this means that if the
system detects a possible collision in any one of
its 10 monitored zones that it is active around,
the belief that “all injuries are preventable”.
In the first rollout of advanced safety
technology on a Papua New Guinean mine site,
Australian-developed GE CAS equipment started
arriving at Lihir in October 2017. The GPS-based,
camera-enabled and detection-proximity system
selected by Newcrest will tag all personnel active
in the mine’s production area and alert them and
the operators of heavy mobile equipment with
two-way alarms when they’re in dangerous
proximity to one another. Around 1,500
employees and contractors across all shifts at
Lihir will be protected.
The GE CAS system has been developed over
almost two decades by engineers in New South
Wales, Australia. Among its features: it ensures
high integrity by deploying multiple proximity-
detection technologies including GPS, cameras
and radio frequency according to site
requirements; it is self-testing, automatically
reporting in real time any failure within the
system; it is equipment agnostic, meaning it can
be applied to any make of mining equipment;
and it provides sophisticated monitoring and
above and below the dozer then the computer
can take action well before the operator can. We
don’t use lasers or radar as they only cause
issues when it gets foggy or there are
occlusions like dirt piles in the way. On a
stockpile as opposed to the relatively flat
ground that you would find across much of the
mine, one big dozer is fairly easy to hide from
another really big dozer with one bigger pile of
ore. This means that by the time radar or LiDAR
have worked out what’s nearby the two dozers
have already run into each other. Mobile fleets
are for the most part working on a dinner plate
while we cover a globe, you could say there is as
much difference between them as Galileo and
the Church in the 1600s!
Q How has SiTRACK been received in the market
can you provide a case story or any customer
comments?
Reception has been outstanding with requests
from all over the globe to provide info and
quotes, the system has only been live since this
time last year so the number of clients at this
point is low but the potential is huge. Here is
the reaction from one company who we are
dealing with and the way they see our system:
“Brad I have to say I think it is the most
excellent collision protection system I have seen
so far in over 30 years in this business…”
back-to-base reporting which, in addition to
facilitating safer mining operations, may be
analysed for productivity gains and improved
maintenance.
“At the moment it’s an operational-awareness
system,” says Sprague, referring to the fact that
the Lihir system will flag with both the operators
of vehicles and with people on foot, that they are
in potentially dangerous proximity to each other.
On driver-operated heavy equipment, a proximity
alarm will immediately activate a camera
covering the area of proximity, and give that view
on a touchscreen in the cab, so that the driver
can clearly see and respond to the risk. Each
heavy vehicle will have cameras positioned to
give operators 360 degree vision of their
surroundings as needed.
One of the reasons Newcrest chose GE’s Digital
Mine technology is that “it’s not far away that the
system will provide real collision-avoidance
capabilities where the vehicle itself will respond
in certain situations,” says Sprague. Evasive
action might then include system takeover of the
vehicle, applying the brakes and potentially
FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE_proof 20/12/2017 12:50 Page 6
FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE
steering around an incident.
Craig Hoffman, Product Manager of GE
Collision Avoidance and Geospatial Systems, who
has worked in R&D and marketing of the system
since 2000, says GE has a clear roadmap to
evolve to Level 9 Intervention Controls — an
industry goal, and an international standard
tabled by the Earth Moving Equipment Safety
Round Table (EMESRT), of which Newcrest is a
member. The system being installed at Lihir is
currently rated Level 7 Situational Awareness,
and already incorporates some Level 8 Advisory
Controls capabilities.
Says Sprague, “When we were doing our
review process for different solutions, we didn’t
just land on GE. We started with a group of nine
credible solutions and we narrowed the field
down. GE’s roadmap to take us to Level 9 is well
defined.”
And Newcrest already had runs on the board
with GE CAS. Last year, the miner began
installation of GE CAS at its Telfer mine site,
which extracts copper and gold in the East
Pilbara region of Western Australia. Newcrest
intended, once it had verified the benefits of the
system in this smaller deployment (140 vehicles),
at a more accessible operation, to continue the
technology rollout to Lihir (250 vehicles).
But before the Telfer installation was fully
bedded down, Newcrest decided, “We were
comfortable to the point where we wanted to
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move on Lihir even earlier than we’d initially
planned,” says Sprague. “We’re delving into the
reporting data and observing definite safety
improvements. Our senior management team has
seen that and has sought to accelerate the
deployment to our other sites.”
Before the company began implementing CAS
at Telfer, Sprague says, “We got on the front foot
in terms of communications rollout and
socialisation.” The company focused not only on
the safety benefits of the system, but also the
benefits of increased situational awareness to
assist heavy-vehicle drivers.
“Unlike most new cars today, haul trucks
generally don’t have reversing cameras,”
explains Sprague, “so drivers have to back up
relying on their mirrors and their experience.”
Having greater visibility provided by four robust,
wide-view cameras — front, back, left and right
— that they can toggle on and off as needed, has
been appreciated by heavy-vehicle drivers at
Telfer.
GE is working in partnership with Newcrest,
and with other technology suppliers to enable
collaborative solutions. For example, says
Sprague, “We’re already taking some of our
shovels and dozers and putting in tele-remote
capabilities, so the operators will be sitting in a
cabin a couple of kilometres away. We can use GE
proximity detection to help facilitate safe
operation of those vehicles — even though
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there’s not a person in them we don’t want those
pieces of equipment bumping into each other.”
Moduar’s latest CAS generation and
DENSO
Modular Mining Systems, a global leader in real-
time mine management solutions, has
announced this year its fourth-generation CAS is
to feature key technologies from DENSO. The
system combines DENSO’s industry-leading,
standards-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V)
connected vehicle technologies with Modular’s
own software and hardware, enabling the CAS to
help increase situational awareness and mitigate
collision risk in a mine.
Established in 1949, DENSO is recognised as
one of the world’s largest Tier 1 suppliers of
advanced automotive technology, systems, and
components. The CAS leverages DENSO’s proven
technologies to provide 360 degree situational
awareness. Audible and visual alerts warn
operators of potential collisions with other CAS-
enabled equipment, while complex algorithms
perform real-time risk assessment calculations to
minimise nuisance alarms.
As part of the collaboration, Modular is able to
leverage DENSO’s many years of automotive
safety and connected vehicle technology R&D,
extensive automotive industry expertise, and
rigorous governmental safety testing and
qualifications. The system works in several
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FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE_proof 21/12/2017 11:20 Page 7

FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE

standard license-free frequencies, as well as in of the DSRC (Direct Short-Range

the licensed 5.9 GHz dedicated short-range Communications) standard for vehicle-to-vehicle
communications (DSRC) frequency spectrum, communications is a game changer, as it allows
which prioritises safety over non-safety for the interoperability between systems that
applications, and is designed to perform in mines are looking for. In addition to our collision
extreme weather conditions including rain, fog, awareness system, Modular has also been
snow, and heat. Modular and its customers will working closely with Komatsu on an active
also benefit from DENSO’s future product control solution.”
enhancements and innovations as safety
technologies evolve. Safety innovation from Hexagon
“Combining Modular’s leading solutions with
Truck-based safety systems, such as radars, warn
DENSO’s V2V technology, including dedicated
drivers of potential collisions, but they do not
short range communications (DSRC), will put the
acknowledge or alert people on the ground.
latest advances from global intelligent Personal Alert from Hexagon Mining the company
transportation systems into mines,” said Roger
says bridges this gap and adds an important
Berg, Vice President, North America Research and
layer of safety to traditional safety suites.
Development at DENSO. “The applications for
Personal Alert will be released in early 2018. It is
Hexagon Mining’s Personal Alert
V2V technology extend far beyond automotive,
a small accident-avoidance device worn by field
and we are confident our collaboration with
personnel. Using Time of Flight technology in the greater insight into how operator behaviour,
Modular will improve the mining environment
Ultra-Wide Band frequency, Personal Alert environmental conditions, and road conditions
and contribute to safety in mines.” communicates with a system of detectors affect mine safety and productivity.
DENSO, headquartered in Kariya, Japan, is a
anchored to vehicles equipped with Hexagon The integration means an improved user
leading global automotive supplier of advanced
Mining’s Collision Avoidance System (CAS). experience, greater oversight for dispatchers, and
technology, systems and components in theAnyone working around heavy machinery will quicker communication of vital safety and
areas of thermal, powertrain control, electronics
now be visible using Personal Alert. Operators operations data. Client demand for data about
and information and safety. will “see” anyone within 50 m of their vehicle, safety incidents and their effect on productivity,
On current progress, Modular told IM: “We
thus eliminating blind spots. prompted the release of a consolidated system.
have had much success and interest from CAS Similarly, in the busy, noisy environment Besides anti-collision alerts, for which CAS is
after showcasing it at Mining Indonesia, synonymous with mining equipment, personnel used in more than 25,000 mine vehicles
Exposibram and Expomineria, and have a number
wearing a Personal Alert tag will be alerted to worldwide, the latest version also alerts for
of deployments worldwide. We believe that use
vehicles close by. Faced with imminent danger, rollovers, potential obstacles, and over-speeding.
pedestrians are now CAS symbols are integrated into the Jigsaw

HOW CAN YOU AVOID

empowered to act,
regardless of the vehicle
operator.
WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE? Hexagon Mining has
also integrated fleet
management and
with
collision avoidance in
the latest release of its
Jigsaw FMS. Operators
and dispatchers are now
connected in real-time
A DYNAMIC, REAL-TIME COLLISION DETECTION SYSTEM
by using one interface
for two real-time
DYNAMIC
EXCLUSION ZONES systems. Safety and
productivity are
OUTER BOUNDARY
WARNING improved because heavy
and light vehicles are
PEER TO PEER
DETECTION now seen and heard, no
FIXED
matter their location in
INFRASTRUCTURE the mine.
WARNING
Jigsaw users can
USE ON ANY ASSET
(MACHINE, PERSON,
expect an improved user
OBJECT) experience, greater
oversight for
dispatchers, and quicker
communication of vital
SmartTech Australia
safety and operations
P +61 7 3216 0366
E sales@smarttechaustralia.com data. Users can make
W SmartTechAustralia.com sense of that data for
platform so that users of both systems require
minimal training during the transition.
IM has already reported in some detail
previously on HxGN Mine VIS from Hexagon, a
new vehicle intervention system that detects and
prevents collisions by automatically slowing
down or even stopping a haul truck if an
imminent collision is detected. HxGN Mine VIS is
now being installed at Kumba Iron Ore, well in
advance of RSA government regulations that will
mandate mine operators to install vehicle
intervention technology by June 2019.
Wenco and V2X
The V2X collision avoidance system is being
supplied by Wenco but its development has been
a collaboration between Wenco and Yokohama
Research Labs, which is a division of Hitachi Ltd.
It’s actually based on the vehicle-to-vehicle
system for automobiles they developed, so
Wenco started working with them.
Wenco also added asset tracking to the V2X
platform. So, vehicles that are not running
Wencolite or Wencomine FMS already can add a
box to any other equipment they want to track.
They can use it for asset tracking only or they can
combine it with V2X. It turns the box into a low-
cost solution to track any vehicle on site and
provide collision avoidance as well. Any

46 International Mining | JANUARY 2018

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FATIGUE MONITORING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE

equipment with asset tracking will show up in targets for automated movements
MineVision; the real-time map application of and collision avoidance.”
Wencomine. Any vehicle without a Wenco In the current technology, there
system can plug in a low-cost display too that are three solid state inclinometers
will warn them about collisions. So, there’s one mounted on the inner boom
small box that can give that additional layer of (hoist), outer boom (dipper),
safety — with or without other Wenco hammer (tilt), and an encoder
applications. mounted on the boom swing
In terms of how V2X works, Wenco states: “In motor. Based on the boom
its simplest terms, two vehicles drive toward position feedback from these
each other and they’re going a certain speed. We sensors, the oil flow (boom
predict when and if those vehicles are going to speed)/pressure (boom dorce) can be adjusted BTI is advancing automation for fixed
collide. Now, a lot of proximity detection to suit through the program to match boom underground breakers
systems use overlapping zones — if you’re requirements. “At this stage the predetermined
inside that zone, you get a warning. We’re not site information is programmed to limit the determined by the surface mapping sensors and
doing that; we’re trying to be a little bit smarter. boom movements, speed and forces. At the the output from these sensors will be interacting
We take all our information into account — autonomous stage, the site information will be with the boom operational software. IM
distance, time to collision, EMESRT collision
scenarios, the road network from our fleet
management system, equipment elevation. So,
you’re only going to see a warning if you’re X
number of seconds away from that vehicle and
there’s potential for a crash.”
Wenco’s V2X project has had a successful
proof-of-concept (POC) in Australia recently and
is currently engaged in a POC in Canada. Geoff
Gauthier, Wenco Marketing Supervisor told IM:
“Additionally, we have expanded resources to the
Cradle to cradle
V2X team to ensure maximum performance out of
the project and we now have dedicated staff from
Wenco HQ in Vancouver and development
members from our Australian office in Brisbane
on the project. The expected commercial release
of V2X is Q2 of 2018.”

Rock breaker collision avoidance

Breaker Technology Inc (BTI), has developed an
automation system for stationary rockbreakers,
used in most underground mines to break large
blocks at primary crushers, ore passes and
grizzlies. It helps the teleremote operators avoid
objects, wall and other equipment around its
perimeter and is programmed specifically to work Exploration, feasibility, due diligence, engineering
within the confines of an underground mine site. and operations through to mine closure.
BTI told IM: “Full breaker automation is the
fourth stage of the project where we are
Our global experience gives you expert, integrated
implementing surface mapping technology to solutions on every phase of your mining project.
identify objects that are not part of the program Same team — start to finish.
where we have inputted the predetermined
objects. The first stage is to identify the boom
location through its position feedback sensors.
The second is to program the boom's position, its
speed and the forces in predetermined locations.
This stage also includes the basic perimeter .com
control and simple park and deploy option. This
where we are at now. Stage three would be to >1,400 professionals • > 45 offices • > 20 countries • 6 continents
have a perimeter control and automated
movements for a complex predetermined
envelope. The fourth and last stage is the
autonomous rockbreaker where a surface
mapping sensor will be implemented to  find

JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 47

SOUTH AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY_proof 17/12/2017 11:21 Page 1
SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPLIERS
RSA mining in crisis?
South African suppliers will be exhibiting at the Mining
Indaba in Cape Town, looking to sell equipment and
services into the great marketplace of African mining,
John Chadwick looks at some current developments
he political environment in Africa has
T stabilised meaning sovereign risk linked to
mining investment in the continent has
reduced. That is the view of PwC Partner, Ben
Gargett, speaking at the Paydirt 2017 Africa Down
Under mining conference in Perth. Gargett said the
timing of this improvement was ideal – coinciding
with the resurgence of the mining sector, which
has been a key driver of economic growth on the
continent.
“Africa is changing. The political environment
has stabilised,” he said. “Despite the challenges
the mining industry has faced in recent years,
increasing commodity prices, the levels of global
investment pouring back into resource projects,
and the market rebound for mining services
companies, shows positivity has clearly returned
to the sector. Against this increasingly positive
backdrop, opportunities abound for African
countries to capitalise on this market environment
and attract the capital to develop the resources of
their continent. However, we are seeing African
governments increasingly looking for larger
returns from mining operations in their country
through increased taxes, royalties and/or
increased free-carry stakes in the mines
themselves. Whilst African governments are
grappling with the challenges of a lagging fiscal
return to current positive market conditions, are
they really taking ‘two steps forward and one step
back’?”
Gargett used the conference to unveil PwC’s
latest report, Two steps forward, one step back –
the African tax landscape – an economic analysis
of a standard gold mine operating under the same
conditions, with the same assumed capital and
operating costs, across four different African
countries – Tanzania, Namibia, Ghana and Egypt.
He said the question remained – how do African
countries capitalise on the positive market
48 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
conditions to strike the right balance between tax
and revenue measures, while still allowing
sufficient return on the capital invested by miners
to allow these investments to occur in the first
place?
He said analysis by PwC shows that Namibia
continues to be the only country which generates
a sufficient Internal Rate of Return (IRR) to allow a
clear decision for the mine to go ahead. The same
analysis shows no mining project would be viable
in Tanzania given its recent changes to its tax laws.
“The current fiscal regime makes the project
marginal in Ghana where the IRR threshold is just
below the target threshold of 25%,” he said.
“Whereas significant changes to the tax regime in
Tanzania have resulted in Tanzania having an IRR
of just 18.3% – which would mean there would be
no viable project in Tanzania. “Egypt (on the face
of it) also has an IRR below the required
investment threshold of 25%. Namibia has
maintained its status as the most attractive
destination of our sample countries for foreign
mining investment capital,” he said. “For Namibia,
this means the generation of government
revenues of $435 million over the life of the mine
and foreign direct investment of $200 million
spent constructing the mine. Over the life of its
operations expenditure of $1.1 billion and
sustaining capital of $150 million are spent in
country. The mine has ongoing employment of
1,100 people.”
Gargett pointed out that while the mineral
resources in the ground are not mobile, the capital
that funds the development of those resources is.
“So the race is on between nations to attract the
investment dollar.”
However, South Africa Minister for Mineral
Resources, the Hon Mosebenzi Zwane, also spoke
at the conference in Perth. He appears to live in
cloud cuckoo land. The country’s new Mining
SGS Bateman‘s Modular Plants division
continues to be a leading supplier of cost
effective, robust, easy to erect plants for the
gold and diamond industries
Charter has been heavily criticised and is
considered bad for the industry, but his main
points were:
n “South Africa remains a stable, vibrant
democracy, reinforced by prudent monetary
and fiscal policy, and respect for the rule of
law. However, vast economic imbalances
remain a challenge, and are characteried by
inequality, poverty and unemployment. If these
are left unattended to, they have the potential
to place this stability at risk
n “In the mining sector, this has been especially
pronounced
n “The majority of South Africans are yet to
realise meaningful participation in the industry
n “The 2017 Mining Charter is law, and all right-
holders in South Africa are expected to
implement it
n “The Charter is clear in terms of objectives and
targets and stipulates the timeframes for the
achievement of these targets
n “We are confident that with this regulatory
tool in place, and the monitoring thereof by
Government, we are in a much better position
to accelerate progress towards our stated
objectives
n “South Africa is part of the global economy
and is therefore not immune to challenges
currently seen across most economies, both
developed and developing.”
In complete contrast, Chamber of Mines of
South Africa Chief Executive Officer, Roger Baxter,
said business confidence in South Africa was at its
lowest levels in more than three decades. “The
South African mining sector is renowned for its
long cold winters and short hot summers,” he
said. “There are a number of critical factors
impacting South Africa’s investment
attractiveness…including the fact the mining
industry has lost confidence in the DMR Minister,”
he said.
“Key governance and policy challenges in South
Africa have eroded business and investor
confidence, undermining investment. Policy and
regulatory uncertainty have ‘frozen’ new
investment in the sector. Real mining GDP in 2016
(ZAR226 billion) is smaller than it was in 1994
(ZAR242 billion). Real mining fixed investment has
shrunk over the past two years. The industry made
an accumulated loss of over ZAR30 billion in 2015.
In 2017, 65% of RSA platinum mining is loss-
making. The DMR has provided no assistance to
help the industry through the crisis. The economic
opportunity cost of the failure to get the policy,
legislative, administrative and operating
environment right to promote investment, growth,
transformation and job creation in RSA mining is
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SOUTH AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY_proof 17/12/2017 11:22 Page 2
SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPLIERS
material,” he concluded. The Chamber has
brought review proceedings to set aside the
charter.
In December, the Deputy President of the
country, Cyril Ramaphosa, said South Africa must
urgently break the ongoing deadlock on the
regulation and transformation of the mining sector
to ensure the proper use of its world class mineral
resources.
BME and the electronic detonation
transition
The revolutionary transition from non-electric to
electronic delay detonators (EDDs) in the field of
blasting has brought many benefits to mining
productivity, but there are still plenty of
advantages to be gained by blast pioneers who are
prepared to think ‘outside the box’. This is the
message from BME Technical Director Tony Rorke,
who highlighted the focus in recent years on the
flexibility in blast timing that EDDs allow – and
more specifically on the value of longer timing
delays.
“When we were first exploring the capability of
EDDs, we were impressed by the accuracy that
blasting with this technology allowed us,” he said.
“This accuracy and reliability was a huge step
forward, ensuring that there were no out-of-
sequence blasts.”
When using non-electric initiation systems,
there were certain traditional timing conventions
that were employed. These were based on the fact
that accuracy decreased significantly as the length
of the pyrotechnic delay elements increased and
that the downlines may be severed (cut-offs)
during a blast before the firing signal reaches the
detonators thus leading to dangerous misfires.
“To get the detonators to fire in some
acceptable sequence, therefore, delay periods
were in the past kept as short as possible,” he
said. “The longer down-hole delay has the
dominant impact of firing time accuracy, so the risk
of out-of-sequence initiation is a function of the in-
hole detonator. Keeping this as short as possible
led to delay periods of between 350 milliseconds
and 550 milliseconds becoming standard for in-
hole delays in surface blasting.”
The result of these in-hole delays was that
surface delays had to be notably shorter, to ensure
an adequate ‘burning front’ – so standard delays
most commonly used today for surface
connections are 17, 25, 42 and 67 milliseconds.
These delay periods are generally suitable for hard
rock, but the shorter periods (17 and 25
milliseconds) increase the risk of out-of-sequence
firing or blast choking, due to the inaccuracy of the
longer in-hole periods.  However, if the surface
delay periods are increased to try and prevent non-
sequential firing, there is a greater risk of cable
cut-offs caused by short burning fronts.
“None of these problems exist with EDDs,”
50 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
emphasised Rorke. “Their accuracy allows for
short delays with little risk of non-sequential
firing. Furthermore, each detonator counts down
independently – irrespective of whether the cable
attached to it is cut; this means that blast planners
can programme long delays without worrying
about misfires caused by downline cut-offs.”
This improves the flexibility in timing designs
enormously, allowing for complex and effective
timing designs – which of course is possible today
with powerful software like BME’s BlastMapIII; the
result is a range of blast outcomes that can
effectively change the mining method and
significantly reduce costs.
According to Rorke, rock takes around 30
milliseconds to react to the energy of an explosion,
depending on geology. This response time has led
blasters to lengthen the timing delays in search of
better results – and they have been rewarded.
Blasting results have improved as the timing
delays increase – delivering improvements in a
number of areas including ore dilution control,
through-seam blasting, underground blasting,
trim blasting and drill pattern variation within a
blast. The problem, however, is that the adoption
of EDDs is not always followed by any innovation
in blasting practice.
“My experience is that – when operations
convert from non-electric initiation systems to
electronic detonators – there is a reluctance to
give up the familiar 17 x 42 millisecond or 42 x 67
millisecond combinations, and miners impose
these delay periods on EDDs,” he said. “This
restricts the benefits of electronics to only the
accuracy component and ignores the much more
powerful flexibility component.”
To achieve less ore dilution, for example, the
advanced programming capability of EDDs needs
to be harnessed. Using BME’s BlastMapIII design
software with AXXIS electronic detonators, it is
easy to transfer a complex timing design from a
computer straight to the detonators.
“The advantages with this type of timing is that
it provides strong visual cues for the loading
teams,” he said. “It also makes sure that
displacement across ore and waste boundaries is
limited, thus preventing dilution.”
Blasting and explosives leader BME has broken
the world record for the most electronic
detonators fired in a single blast – this time in
conjunction with its client Kansanshi Mining PLC
at its Kansanshi operation north-western Zambia,
80% owned by First Quantum Minerals Ltd in . The
blast was conducted on 29 September 2017 in the
main pit of Kansanshi mine, which is the largest
copper mine in Africa by copper production, and
involved 6,690 electronic delay detonators (EDDs)
– successfully initiated using BME’s AXXIS digital
initiation system
Through-seam blasting is another valuable
innovation, not yet used much in South Africa, but
successfully employed in the US and Australia.
The principle is to separate the charge in the reef
and the charge in the overlying waste with an
aggregate ‘waste deck’. The charges in the
overlying waste are fired first, followed by the
charges in the reef zone a few seconds later. This
can only be achieved using EDDs, as the firing of
the top layer cuts off the downlines to the
detonators in the layer below.
“A time lag of a few seconds allows the waste to
settle back on top of the reef,” he says, “so that
when the reef charges fires, the overlying waste
effectively blankets and confines the reef portion
of the blast and thus prevents heave and dilution.”
Rorke urged mines to actively explore the power
of EDDs to achieve timing designs and results that
are simply not possible with non-electric initiation
systems.
Strong engineering heritage
Engineering firms are continuously being
challenged to think further out of the box to meet
tighter deadlines and cut down on costs in what
has become a very competitive construction and
mining environment.
When multi-disciplinary global engineering
group DRA was awarded the Whabouchi mine
project, it was asked to have a building shell for
the on-site concentrator in place within six
months. Whabouchi is located in the Eeyou
Istchee James Bay Region of Quebec and Nemaska
Lithium owns 100% of the claims. Whabouchi
encompasses a combined open pit lithium mine
and concentrator.
“We had to be innovative right from the start,”
AXXIS_BME_January18 PROOF_Layout 1 13/11/2017 14:22 Page 1

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Manufactured By
SOUTH AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY_proof 17/12/2017 11:22 Page 3
SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPLIERS
says André Boilard, Senior Project
Manager at DRA. “At the time, the
flow sheet had not been finalised
and of course the layout had not
been optimised and no one could
confirm the final size of the
building. Site mobilisation had to
commence almost immediately,
and getting everything in place was
not an easy task, as absolutely
nothing was prepared in advance.”
DRA decided to proceed on
multiple fronts to try to save time,
and simultaneously, narrow focus
on fewer, yet value-adding potential
partnerships.
“Collaboration and the sharing of information
between the parties made it possible to design and
fabricate the necessary pieces that would become
the concentrator in record time,” Boilard adds.
Firstly, DRA only approached five suppliers to bid
for the structural steel supply and erection contract
for the building, based on the existing feasibility
study layout already completed by Toronto-listed
Nemaska Lithium. After a rigorous analysis,
Constructions Proco, with great expertise in steel
construction and metal work and situated close by,
was selected.
Secondly, DRA had to navigate the supply
constraints of the local concrete preparation plants.
Plants in the area were located too far from the site
to supply the concrete to cast the foundations
required for the project on such short notice. The
company collaborated with pre-cast concrete firm
Béton Préfabriqué du Québec to find a solution that
would fit within DRA’s time frame and meet the
required standards of the client. This decision to
manufacture prefabricated concrete foundations
saved on time and money avoiding the below
freezing temperature constraints of the area and
reducing the on-site labour force.
At the same time, the DRA team was reviewing
and optimising preliminary layouts incorporating
changes made since the Nemaska Lithium
feasibility study was completed. Geotechnical
reports, site surveys and clearing and grubbing
were done and temporary access roads to the site
were built.
Although infrastructure was put in place quickly
to receive the future concentrator, it was not
without challenges posed by the various ecological
and regulatory hurdles associated with doing
business in remote northern Canada. “We had to
work in very difficult conditions with temperatures
down to -35° C,” explains Boilard.
“Furthermore, we encountered numerous
unknown underground water sources, had to
excavate more rock than originally estimated,
persistently had to follow up on permit requests
and had to take the hunting season into account as
well.”
52 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
In October, Nemaska Lithium announced it had has
started processing spodumene concentrate from
the DRA-built plant at its Whabouchi mine through
the thermal roasting section (calcination and acid
baking) of the Phase 1 Plant. It was expected to
take about three to four weeks to build an inventory
of lithium sulphate to begin processing into battery
grade lithium hydroxide. Processing will follow
once there is a sufficient working inventory
However, despite the countless hindrances that
DRA came across in managing the undertaking, the
team was able to install the first column foundation
four months into the project, and the last piece of
wall siding was put in place nine days ahead of
schedule, just before the Christmas break last year.
“In engineering project terms, that has to be a
record,” concludes Boilard.
Collaborations and acquisitions
Mintek has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Nigeria’s Raw Materials
Research and Development Council (RMRDC) to
collaborate in technical research in the field of
mineral processing and beneficiation to boost
capacity in Nigeria and South Africa.
The MoU commits the two institutions to identify
areas of research, and collaborate in projects
through knowledge sharing and expertise in
mineral processing for the furtherance of their
respective activities and capacity building in the
mineral sector.
The collaboration forms part of a MoU signed in
2013 by the South African government and the
Nigerian government. The MoU outlines a
partnership between South Africa and Nigeria in
the field of mining, geology, metallurgy and
minerals processing.
Mintek Acting CEO, David Msiza said: “Mintek is
well vested to play a collaborative role on the
African continent and for the furtherance of mineral
processing and beneficiation programmes in the
Nigerian mining sector.”
RMRDC Director General/CEO, Dr Hussaini Doko
Ibrahim, said, “We are delighted to partner with
Mintek, this collaboration will help our country with
mineral processing, latest technologies, research
and innovation. This partnership will also help with
commercialisation and diversification of the
Nigerian economy.”
Elsewhere, in April 2016, SGS announced
the completion of the acquisition of certain
Bateman Projects assets, based in South
Africa. Now known as SGS Bateman, is a
total integrated solutions provider to the
global mining, bulk materials handling and
minerals beneficiation and processing
sectors, “offering innovative technological
solutions and full process and commodity
knowledge across the mining and minerals
industry value chain. SGS Bateman
manages the complete project lifecycle from
concept to commissioning, maximising the
success and profitability of a project through state-
of-the-art process engineering and design, and
leading-edge project execution systems.
Comprehensive services for new process plants and
brownfield upgrades cover a wide range of
commodities and are tailored to both large and
small projects. SGS Bateman’s engineering,
procurement and construction management
(EPCM) skills have been proven on some of the
most exacting mineral resource projects, in the
most difficult of terrains. SGS Bateman‘s Modular
Plants division continues to be the leading supplier
of cost effective, robust, easy to erect plants for the
gold and diamond industries.”
In addition, SGS Bateman’s range of project
services has now been expanded to include:
n Testwork at any of SGS‘ 11 metallurgical
facilities and five mineralogy facilities.
n Full NI 43-101 studies inclusive of the Mining,
Resource and Reserve and Environmental
studies.
n Conceptual, prefeasibility and definitive
feasibility studies.
n Due-diligence studies and audits through SGS
Mine and Plant Services (MPS).
n Design and detail engineering.
n Project and construction management.
n Modular plants for gold, diamonds and many
other commodities.
n Flexible contracting arrangements covering
price, Project Management Consulting (PMC) or
Owner’s Representative, and Joint Venture (JV).
Mine safety
There remains an ongoing need to inform and
educate the mining industry as a whole in terms of
compliance to the legislated requirements as well
as the correct application of Proximity Detection
System (PDS) technology. This is according to
Graeme Jardine, General Manager Field Services at
Booyco Electronics, who says the company was
recently afforded the opportunity to do this by the
South African Colliery Engineers Association
(SACEA).
In presenting Booyco Electronics’ PDS offering,
the company’s Managing Director Anton Lourens
SOUTH AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY_proof 17/12/2017 11:22 Page 4

SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPLIERS

Demonstrating Booyco Electronics’ PDS system
on a Fermel LHD
discussed the differentiators the Booyco PDS offers
users of trackless underground equipment in
hazardous and fiery environments.
“The presentation was followed by a practical
demonstration and although this could not be
conducted underground and was done on surface,
the advantages of the Booyco PDS were evident to
all that attended,” Jardine says.
Included in the demonstration was the
operational functionality of the Booyco PDS as well
as its full intervention capability. Jardine explains
that notably should the operator fail to stop of his
own accord it is possible for the vehicle to be
stopped when using the Booyco PDS and
interfacing with the OEM.
The practical demonstration was conducted
using a Fermel LHD equipped with the Booyco PDS
and this highlighted this locally manufactured
product’s capability on the newest equipment
available. In addition a simulation was done using
an older model diesel engine that was trailer
mounted and supplied by ECS. This showed that
the Booyco PDS works equally as effectively and
with the same level of compliance on previous
generation equipment.
“Contrary to misinformation that had been
circulating in the industry, being able to
demonstrate the intervention capability on a
much older diesel engine not only proved that this
is possible but has rubbished the idea that it is not
possible to use the PDS on diesel driven
equipment,” Jardine says.
The Booyco PDS transfers information between
users via Booyco Electronics’ Human Machine
Interface (HMI) and system communication is
exchanged with operators using icons, making it
easy to understand.
Last year Reutech Mining added sensemetrics
Inc as a distributor for its full product portfolio,
which includes the class leading Movement and
Surveying (MSR) range of products in the North
American region. “We welcome sensemetrics to the
Reutech Mining family, and will through our ever
growing list of industry partners continue to focus
on driving future product development and
maintaining high levels of customer service for
current products,” says Alex Pienaar, Regional
Marketing and Sales Manager at Reutech Mining.
Based in San Diego, California, sensemetrics
develops cloud-based enterprise-level sensor
management and data analytics solutions for
mining and other industries. The
sensemetrics integration platform
reduces the cost of sensor
management and powers
Reutech Mining’s MSR
Series is a state of the
art strategic monitoring
radar and a cutting edge
tactical monitoring radar
smarter decision-making through cutting edge
technology that makes configuring, managing and
monitoring a variety of industrial sensors simple.
“This new alliance forms an integral part of an
overall strategy that will align Reutech’s products
and services with the requirements of the mining
environment of the future,” Pienaar said.
Experts in communication systems for
underground coal and hard rock mines, Ya Batho’s
locally developed and manufactured
communication products offer both a high level of
functionality and an affordable cost of ownership,
the company says. Active in the market since 2010,
Ya Batho grew quickly from its focus on fibre optics
installation and has become a provider of direct
contracting services to major players in the mining
industry.
Through its commitment to reliable and quality
workmanship, it has grown its business to
encompass turnkey solutions in the layout and
design of communication systems. Ya Batho also
supplies fibre optic infrastructure, leaky feeder
communication systems, medium frequency
radios and Wi-Fi infrastructure and accessories. It
also maintains and services the equipment it
supplies.
The operation specialises in installing and
splicing new fibre optic cables and repairing
existing cables, testing their splicing integrity
and issuing certificates verifying this splicing
integrity, whether on surface or underground.
It offers the Trinity range of leaky feeder
products, designed to improve the quality and
functionality of underground communications. For
all medium frequency communication
requirements, Ya Batho has the Kutta range of
products from Arizona. These medium frequency
radios work with existing mine infrastructure (such
as power cables, wire core lifelines, phone lines and
conveyor structures) to transmit voice and tracking
data to surface.

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JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 53

SOUTH AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY_proof 17/12/2017 11:22 Page 5
SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPLIERS
To meet mines’ WiFi requirements, the company
uses the MCOTECH range of products underground
and on surface, including wireless access point
networks, intrinsically safe Android tablets for use in
fiery mines and VoIP wireless handsets. It also offers
various fit-for-purpose fire suppression products to
address fire hazards that could jeopardise the
functionality of the communication system.
Underground mechanisation
The NEWGEN Mini UV, is Fermel's latest evolution
of the extremely popular Mini UV (an underground
utility vehicle), originally launched in 1999. The
latest machine is a completely new product
development that shares little with the previous
model. The glass fibre moulded panels that made
up the body have been replaced with steel, in a four
part structure: chassis, front grill and mudguards,
cockpit and load-body.
The first vehicle was purchased by Styldrift mine
where it is used for supervisory personnel and
general transportation.
Special attention was given to safety,
ergonomics and importantly the inclusion of
Fermel’s latest CAN technology, for an avant-garde
offering that meets the demands of current mining
operations.
It has a FOPS/ROPS, enclosed cockpit, with a
30% increase in volumetric displacement to
improve comfort and ease of ingress into and
disembarking from the vehicle, while noise
exposure within the cabin has been reduced to < 85
db.
Fermel’s latest hydraulic circuit is embedded in a
single manifold, resulting in a reduction of up 80%
of the original hydraulic connections, while the
cabin is now an oil-less enclosure, providing an
additional safety feature.
Improved ride comfort has been achieved with
an upgrade to the suspension, by adjusting its
geometry.
The machine includes the latest MI controller
backbone with features such as collision
avoidance, automatic speed control, brake
performance diagnostics, access control, electronic
pre-start check listing and Wi-Fi connectivity for a
modern platform suited to current requirements.
Fermel describes its 18 Man E-Shuttle as “a first
of its kind – a true zero-emission vehicle: a battery
powered variant of the diesel LP shuttle.” This is a
sustainable and competitive offering addressing
total cost of ownership, diesel particulate matter
emission, noise emissions, ventilation and heat
requirements. The vehicle has a tested 30 km
range, measured operating at GVM on repetitive
ramps of 10°.
Surface mine specialists
Gary Bell, Group Chief Executive of Bell Equipment
reports “our E-series generation of articulated
dumps trucks (ADTs), and in particular the new
54 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
“Bell prides itself on the philosophy
of providing the lowest cost per tonne
equipment solutions, and after the
first two months of use Schiewe
Steinbruchbetriebe reported an
average fuel consumption of just
under 20 litres/h for a calculated
payload of about 275 t/h with its
B60E”
concept B60E and the B20E LGP units,
continue to garner positive reviews
from users around the globe and build
on the Bell brand and reputation for
‘strong reliable machines’.”
Bell reports that the first B60E to
go into operation in Europe is proving
that bigger is better by delivering
great flexibility and high cost
efficiencies in Germany for Schiewe
Steinbruchbetriebe, which is using the truck to
extract shell limestone at Lemgo/Kirchheide.
Before the arrival of the two-axle B60E, the
operation made use of 40-t ADTs to move large
volumes of overburden and material. However, after
three passes of the 7.7 m³ bottom dump shovel the
smaller trucks were only averaging payloads of 35 t
of material, even with raised sides. In addition, the
three axles gave the trucks limited manoeuvrability
on the 30 m wide berms and necessitated cost-
intensive maintenance of the narrow bends on the
haul route due to the curve characteristics of rear
double axles that also resulted in increased tyre
wear.
These issues have been successfully negated by
introducing the B60E, which takes only four passes
with the same shovel to achieve an average payload
of 54 t thanks to the traditional flat bottom dumper
shape. This allows for a much better filling level for
the coarse material without the need for time-
intensive manoeuvring. The operation also makes
use of the automatic tailgate to avoid losses on
slopes. This has been found to increase the dumper
capacity by 2 m³, so when loading the free-flowing
overburden the standard on-board weighing
system is particularly useful.
Bell further reports that “during operation the
B60E delivers high standards in performance,
driver comfort, safety and fuel economy. The truck,
with its active front chassis, is powered by the
EU4/Tier 4 Final certified 430 kW Mercedes-
Benz/MTU inline six-cylinder engine combined with
Allison’s seven-speed transmission.
“Braking and retardation of the 42.5-/97.5-t 4x4
is assured by wet brakes on all wheels in
combination with powerful Jacobs Vehicle
Systems® engine braking while the suspension-
strut supported 70-t rear axle, with 24.00 R35 twin
tyres, delivers a nominal payload rated at 55.0 t.
“Supporting the driver and promoting safe
driving practices is Hill Hold, Safe Tip, downhill
speed control and auto 4x4 traction control. Other
standard features include auto grease systems,
rear-view camera, on-board diagnostics, and Bell
Equipment’s Fleetm@tic® telematics with full
production data reporting.”
Versatile bushings
Hydraulics solutions provider Rite Hydraulics
advises heavy equipment users to plug up their
easing points and switch to Vesconite bushings on
the pins on hydraulic cylinder rod clevises. The rod
and base clevises are the mounting sections of the
hydraulic cylinder. They yoke to the piece of
machinery that is required to be moved by hydraulic
means and, as such, the good working order of the
pins and associated bushings is necessary for the
hydraulic movement.
However, hydraulic solutions are often employed
in conditions where dust and grit are common,
including on wheel loaders and haul trucks used in
mines and, where these applications use bronze
bushings and grease, a grinding paste is formed
that wears down bronze bushings.
“It is better to use Vesconite without lubrication
so that the bushings last much longer,” reports MD
Andre Jacobs.
Rite Hydraulics has been replacing hard
bushings with Vesconite bushings since 2009, and
says that clients report extended life with the
Vesconite bushings.
An order for a Spillminator with Vesconite
bushings at the pivot points was dispatched by Lani
Service Centre to a South African gold mining
company in September. A Spillminator is a piece of
equipment that lies within a standard bulkhead
installation and attaches to the hanging wall
overpass chute opening to control the flow of ore
onto hoppers or conveyors in underground mines. It
comprises two doors, including a primary and a
secondary back-up door, which are pneumatically
driven and manually operated.
The primary door allows the required ore to pass
through the chute, while the secondary door
ensures that the chute remains closed in the case of
a mud rush. In the case of a door jam, the secondary
door serves as a backup to avoid any ore or mud
SOUTH AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY_proof 17/12/2017 11:22 Page 6

SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPLIERS

passing through and compromising worker safety.
Lani Service Centre Workshop Manager Jonathan
van Biljon says Vesconite bushings are installed at
the pivot points around which the two doors, which
lie at either side of the chute, rotate. The bushings
are desired because they are self lubricating, can
withstand the high pressures involved in the
application, and are able to cope with a dirty wet
mining environment, he says.
He also informs that the company, which repairs
and manufactures many engineered products out of
steel, produced eight doors (or four set ups) last
year and has produced two doors (or one set up)
this year, following a successful tender. He notes
that many mines use Spillminators of different sizes.
This specialised application is being introduced
widely since it ensures the efficient flow of ore,
without spillage. It also ensures that staff and
machinery are protected from mud rushes that have
historically claimed lives as well as resulted in
equipment damage in South Africa’s mining sector.
Process plant support
Multotec has a well established network in Africa.
For instance, it is locally registered in Mozambique
and well-staffed with 26 highly trained and
qualified Mozambican nationals. Multotec Services
Mozambique has secured supply contracts for
processing equipment with some of the country’s
major role players. This is typical of its African
presence. The company’s global strategy is to be
located close to customers, not just in-country but
as near to operational sites as possible.
“We were the first mineral processing company to
establish a facility in Tete province – back in 2011,”
says Thinus Kruger, Multotec’s Regional Manager
for East Africa. “We now have a solid presence with
our full range of mineral processing solutions, as
well as maintenance and fabrication services.
“Our branch is situated within 20 to 100 km of all
our major customers, making for fast response
times in terms of maintenance and support services
and for the delivery of emergency spares.”
Multotec Services Mozambique’s customer base
now includes four major coal players, a graphite
mine and a heavy minerals mine, as well as mineral
separation plants and harbours. So well equipped is
the branch that it is also used as a base for servicing
customers in Zimbabwe and Madagascar. Among
the full fleet of vehicles to enhance customer service
is an 8-t crane truck for collection and deliveries, a
personnel transporter, double-cab vehicles for
service support, two forklifts, an equipped standby
trailer, and a rugged HDPE welding trailer for
overland installations of HDPE pipes.
Situated just off the main road between Tete and
Moatize, the Multotec facility is just 10 km from the
airport and 15 km from customs, and boasts a 1,000
m2 fabrication workshop with a bending break,
guillotine, pedestal drill, power saw and a variety of
welding machines.
“Leveraging the local team’s combined 60 years
of experience in mineral processing, our company
in Mozambique offers long term maintenance
contracts, supply contracts and fixed price
agreements to suit customer requirements,” says
Kruger. “We also conduct small to medium-scale
steel fabrication and specialise in the
manufacturing of steel chutes, launders, steel
pipes and general fabrication work, including
carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminium and
welding and installation of HDPE pipes.”
Multotec says its quality of services is ensured by
ongoing investment in local employees through
training on-site and advanced training in its South
Africa-based training centre, which hones employees’
skills in installing and maintaining Multotec products,
as well as in the ceramic lining of equipment.
This focus on skills has allowed the company in
Mozambique to develop a depth of expertise that –
in addition to a commercial manager, accountant
and human resources officer – also includes a
metallurgical process specialist, an engineering
and fabrication specialist, ten artisans or
technicians, four HDP pipe welders and nine artisan
assistants and installers. The company’s capacity is
enhanced by technical support from the Multotec
head office in South Africa.
“We regularly fly our Multotec equipment
specialists to Mozambique to assist with on-site
training for our customers, as well as to conduct audits
on their installed Multotec equipment,” says Kruger.
He expects that employment numbers in the

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SOUTH AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY_proof 17/12/2017 11:23 Page 7
SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPLIERS
company are likely to rise over the coming year as
business grows, and a full bursary is being provided
for a local university student in the field of teaching
education.
The largest AC electric motor operating in
Zimbabwe drives a reduction mill, and this
synchronous motor was recently refurbished by
leading rotating machinery repairer, Marthinusen &
Coutts, a division of ACTOM.
Estimated to be around 30 years old, the 2,150
kW synchronous mill motor, which was in operation
at Freda Rebecca gold mine, suffered a catastrophic
failure caused by its age and metal fatigue. The main
hub of the electrical rotor component had sheared
off. Following preliminary repair work undertaken by
the mine, Marthinusen & Coutts was called to site
by the mine to investigate further and to provide a
long term world class solution. A full assessment
undertaken by the team resulted in the motor being
brought back to the division’s facility in South Africa.
It was decided, following negotiations with the
mine, to do a design modification instead of
replacing the hub. Richard Botton, Divisional CEO of
Marthinusen & Coutts, explains that this option
was chosen as it would save costs and reduce the
lead time without sacrificing the performance of the
refurbished motor.
“Our team’s extensive experience and
understanding of large rotating machinery enabled
us to offer an alternative to the mine that would
ensure optimum reliability going forward. One of
the solutions was to use the existing rotor
superstructure with a bolt-on hub on the motor,”
Botton says.
In addition, 18 main pole coils were replaced;
these were manufactured by the company at its ISO
9001 accredited facility in Cleveland, Gauteng.
A complete rewind of the stator was necessary
due to the extensive damage caused during the
failure at the mine. Fortunately, the mine store had
a spare set of coils, manufactured 20 years ago, and
these were rewound at Marthinusen & Coutts in
South Africa. A compete upgrade and modification
to the sleeve bearings also brought these back to
OEM specifications.
“The ability to implement enhancements during
Freda Rebecca’s 2,150 kW synchronous mill motor
which was refurbished by Marthinusen & Coutts
56 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
the repair of critical electrical rotating
machinery such as this motor is a major
advantage to the mine as it allows for the
latest technology and enhancements to
be included in the final product
solution,” Botton says.
The scope of work included the on-site
commissioning of the motor which was
facilitated by the Marthinusen & Coutts
Zimbabwe operation with technical
support from the division’s centre of
excellence in Johannesburg.
Simulators and training
The Canadian Collège Communautaire du Nouveau-
Brunswick (CCNB) has a new Mine Training Centre
and has chosen South Africa’s ThoroughTec
Simulation to equip it with the latest high-fidelity
operator training simulators. The college will be
receiving six CYBERMINE simulators to facilitate
the training of both surface and underground heavy
equipment operators.
“The CCNB is a francophone, modern, globally
focused college, centred on its student population
that provides high quality educational services and
training programmes to meet the needs of an
emerging economy. CCNB values the importance of
developing a skilled, well-trained workforce to meet
the demands of the labour market including
customised training programmes in French and
English, tailored to meet the specific needs of
industry,” says Liane Roy, CEO. “On our five
campuses, the CCNB contributes to the
development of the New Brunswick communities
with more than 85 regular programs in technical and
professional training. As an entrepreneurial and
innovative college, the CCNB adapts to the rapidly
changing economy, supports applied research
activities and encourages innovation,” adds Roy.
The centre, which will be located at CCNB’s
Bathurst Campus, will service the rapidly
expanding mining industry in the region. “The
facility will offer training in different aspects of the
industry, including equipment operator training,”
says Alain Gauvin, Head of Development at CCNB’s
Bathurst Campus. “We currently have another
program where we use simulators
as part of training and we are
convinced that it’s a must in
training students coming through
the mining programme.” Gauvin
goes on to say that CCNB is also
interested in conducting on-site
training with the CYBERMINE
simulators in addition to the
training offered at Bathurst.
Simulator training will be offered
in both French and English and so
the CYBERMINE system was
designed from the outset to support training in
both French and English.
CYBERMINE simulator
for CAT AD55
underground mining
truck operators
“We love working with training institutions and
are delighted to be adding CCNB to our family of
CYBERMINE clients in North America,” says Adam
Smallman, VP of Sales for the region at
ThoroughTec. “This project stands as testimony to
the strength of our simulator portfolio, really
highlighting our ability to deliver a large number of
simulators, across a wide range of equipment
classes, in an incredibly short timeframe. We are
proud to lead the market in this respect and work
hard to maintain that position.” Over the last two
decades ThoroughTec has developed the widest
range of surface and underground heavy
equipment training simulators in the industry.
The simulator cabs that CCNB will be receiving
shall cater for the training of trainee operators of
Komatsu 930E haul trucks and PC5500 shovels;
Caterpillar 992G wheel loaders, DT10 dozers,
R2900G LHDs and AD55 ADTs.
“We see these simulators and the Mine Training
Centre playing an important role in New
Brunswick’s mining industry,” says Gauvin. He
estimates that around 50 students will go through
the program in the first year. 
“We’re confident that these military-grade
simulators will provide years and years of reliable
service and assist in the training of safe and productive
operators in the region,” concludes Smallman.
In more CYBERMINE news and a first for
Madagascar, Sherritt International’s Ambatovy
operation has recently commissioned its
CYBERMINE heavy equipment, operator training
simulators. Ambatovy is a world class nickel and
cobalt mine situated 80 km from the country’s
capital, Antananarivo. The surface operation
represents the biggest ever foreign investment in
Madagascar and ranks as one of the largest nickel
mines in the world.
“Most worl dclass mines globally have added
simulators to their training and development
programs and we can now add ourselves to that
list,” says Mason Blum, Mine Training
Superintendent at Ambatovy. “Investing in this
technology will reduce the cost of training over
time, especially when it comes to the fuel cost when
training operators on the actual equipment.” Blum
also believes these simulators will entrench safety
procedures. IM
 International Convention,
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March 4–7
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MAINTENANCE_proof 17/12/2017 14:14 Page 1
MAINTENANCE
Planning ahead
From electric vehicle maintenance strategies, to
conveyors and crushers, Paul Moore takes a look at
equipment servicing across the board in mining
he rise of battery electric technology in
T underground mining, being rolled out at
mines such as Goldcorp Borden and
Kirkland Lake Gold, has been well documented
in IM. And maintenance is key to the potential
success of electric mining vehicles using
batteries. MacLean Engineering is continuing to
build the business case for its fleet of battery-
electric mining equipment. Now, with over a year
of battery-electric equipment operation in
multiple underground hard-rock mines, the
company is using its EV experience to refine the
maintenance guidelines around its electric
equipment.
The main benefit of MacLean’s battery-electric
equipment, in terms of maintenance, comes
from replacing the diesel engine with a high-
performance electric motor. The elimination of
diesel engine maintenance means that the
company’s EV fleet will require regular planned
maintenance half as often, and at one quarter
the cost, compared to a diesel machine.
“Reduced maintenance costs are one of the
main benefits of our EV Series of underground
mining equipment,” said Anthony Griffiths,
Battery Electrification Product Manager at
MacLean Engineering. “Maintenance costs
associated with such a new technology can be
difficult to quantify at first, but now that we
have over a year of experience with battery-
electric units in operation, we are starting to see
the significance of reduced maintenance costs
for our EV machines, and the effect that has on
the business case for EVs from a mine’s
perspective.”
The company recently developed a series of
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) models that
demonstrate the value that electric vehicles can
bring to mining operations. By combining the
58 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
hourly costs of ownership (depreciation and
interest), maintenance (regular planned
maintenance plus component replacements)
and consumables (fuel or electricity, tyres,
batteries), a total hourly cost of ownership was
estimated for both diesel and electric
configurations of MacLean utility vehicles.
The numbers for electric equipment are
promising, particularly for high-tramming units
that would require significant diesel engine
maintenance throughout their lifetime –
maintenance which is eliminated in EV
equipment and leads to a lower TCO compared
to diesel. MacLean’s high-quality componentry
and long-life cycle batteries are another factor.
The batteries the company uses are long lasting
and maintenance free, which has a positive
effect on the overall cost of operating the
machine throughout its life.
The MacLean 975 Omnia Battery Powered Bolter has a battery pack which can be scaled to fit the
needs of specific customer applications
Metric Automotive Engineering says many
mining engines do not get the right level of
service workmanship or the best quality parts
at the latter stages of their lives
As compelling as they are, MacLean’s
maintenance and TCO data are only part of the
puzzle. Their TCO models are focused on the
machine itself, and don’t include the larger
benefits that electric vehicles allow mines to
capture. Griffiths notes: “Once you add in what
is typically the biggest economic benefit of EVs
– reduced ventilation requirements – as well as
the health benefits to workers, then you start to
realise why the EV revolution is beginning to
really take off.”
A centralised reporting platform
Digital technology presents mines with an
opportunity to reduce production costs and
compete in today’s challenging economic
conditions. Monitoring solutions can help mines
achieve significant cost savings by improving
productivity, increasing efficiency, and
mitigating downtime and accidents, but these
benefits are difficult to realise without a
centralised reporting platform. The amount of
information generated by modern monitoring
solutions can be overwhelming if not managed
properly. MetricsManager™ Pro from Motion
Metrics it says “is a powerful and easy-to-use
centralised platform that transforms discrete
equipment data into actionable insights.”
Motion Metrics offers three main products:
ShovelMetrics™ is a complete monitoring
solution for shovels and excavators,
LoaderMetrics™ is a missing tooth detection
system for loaders, and PortaMetrics™ is an
accurate and affordable handheld fragmentation
analysis device. “Accessing the data stored on
individual pieces of mining equipment is often
difficult and inconvenient, but
MAINTENANCE_proof 18/12/2017 11:58 Page 2

MAINTENANCE

MetricsManager™ Pro enables mine management and maintenance

teams to consolidate equipment data for the entire fleet

MetricsManager™ Pro enables mine management and maintenance teams

to consolidate equipment data for the entire fleet. Utilising existing mine
network infrastructure, the platform collects data in real-time from all three
Motion Metrics systems.”
MetricsManager™ Pro provides live data analysis and long-term
trending and analysis to help mine personnel both respond quickly to
critical events and offer predictive maintenance solutions over routine-
based or preventative maintenance. “For example, mining personnel using
the platform alongside ShovelMetrics™ are immediately notified of
missing tooth incidents in the short term and, in the long term, can review
wear monitoring logs to ensure teeth are replaced before they are too worn
and negatively impact shovel efficiency.” The centralised portal is
accessible from any internet-enabled device (laptops, tablets,
smartphones) so mining personnel can access critical information from
anywhere and easily incorporate the platform into daily workflows.
Raw data collected from digital monitoring solutions must be converted
to useful information to add value to mine operations. MetricsManager™
Pro provides a mix of summary dashboards and drill-down reporting tools
to quickly sift through large data sets and generate actionable insights.
Mine personnel can configure customised alerts to notify appropriate
decision-markers when incidents occur or productivity benchmarks are not
met. Daily production reports provide summary information (eg tonnage,

BATTERY POWER
loading cycle statistics, etc.) for each shovel each day. 

Barrick’s Asset Health tool

Jami Dwyer is Barrick’s Product Owner for the Asset Health tool, which will ENGINEERED FOR LIFE UNDERGROUND.
allow maintenance teams to digitally monitor the condition of equipment,
such as haul trucks and their components. This will enable maintenance
teams to work proactively, saving time and money.
Everyday maintenance goes beyond changing the oil and a few filters.
Dwyer states: “These are multi-million dollar machines with very complex
electrical systems that require dedicated and well-trained technicians to Full-fleet electrification that connects
keep them running. I’ve been lucky to have many different roles and feel
very lucky that I am now a part of the digital effort to transform the way we
the mining cycle to the battery cycle.
do maintenance. The goal of the digital projects is to make life easier for
the people that I have worked with in the past. The Asset Health tool we’re
The MacLean EV Series integrates best-in-class
developing is going to benefit the mechanics and the shop supervisors.
battery, electric drivetrain, onboard charging and
Instead of firefighting one breakdown after another, they will be able to vehicle monitoring technology to deliver a safe,
focus on planned jobs making their days a lot less hectic and much more high-performing, low-maintenance, and data-
prioritised. Rather than running around trying to collect and verify data rich alternative to diesel engine propulsion in
needed for maintenance work, data will all be available to our maintenance underground mining.
teams through the suite of Barrick Digital Maintenance products and
software that are currently being developed.”
These digital maintenance tools will also save planners and reliability JOIN THE BUZZ at the 2018 MINING INDABA!
engineers hours per week, so that instead of spending time gathering data, February 5 – 8, Cape Town, South Africa
they will be able to spend more time analysing data, prioritising planned work Visit us at the Canadian Pavilion - Booth #1
and making better and faster decisions. “The time saved and the monitoring of
asset conditions will help maintenance teams do their repair work proactively
GROUND SUPPORT • ORE FLOW • UTILITY VEHICLES
by catching failures before they occur and will allow us to extend component
CANADA | MEXICO | PERU | SOUTH AFRICA | AUSTRALIA
life while ensuring the equipment is still in good operating condition.”
The approach will decrease unplanned breakdowns and prevent
macleanengineering.com
collateral damage from failed systems – ultimately leading to improved
availability and lower maintenance costs.

JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 59

MAINTENANCE_proof 17/12/2017 14:14 Page 3
MAINTENANCE
Barrick’s Asset Health tool will allow
maintenance teams to digitally monitor the
condition of equipment, such as haul trucks and
their components
Late last year, the Cortez open pit mine
experienced a planned to unplanned work ratio
of about 50/50 (ie about half of the work rolling
into the shop was an unplanned breakdown).
With this tool, along with the accompanying
software, Barrick hopes to dramatically decrease
this ratio, improving the overall availability of
mine equipment. If the pilot project proves
successful, other Barrick sites and other
equipment types will be added to the system.
Lubricants and oils
Oil analysis is a condition monitoring tool that
involves taking approximately 100 millilitres of oil
taken from an oil wetted compartment while it is
in use and subjecting it to a variety of chemical
and physical tests. In the case of used oil, these
tests provide a snap shot as to the current health
of the asset, the general health of the oil and any
contamination issues that may exist. The practice
has proven to be a very successful and cost-
effective condition monitoring technique for
companies that operate large intensive capital
equipment such as mining. Total states: “Oil
analysis as a conditioning monitoring tool has
one foot each in predictive and proactive
maintenance strategies. The results from the oil
analysis can be used as a predictive tool for
identifying adverse wear trends and their likely
causes such as coolant leaks, fuel dilution or
environmental dust entry issues etc. The
information from the oil analysis results can then
be used to aid in planning and performing
appropriate maintenance activities that will
reduce the total operating costs arising from
premature equipment failures, as well as to
optimise oil usage through oil drain extension
60 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
programs. In addition oil analysis
can assist in identifying whether
proactive strategies such as
improvements in filtration have
achieved the cleanliness (ISO code)
target. It can also be used to
establish if changes in the
maintenance activities have had the
overall desired effect of generating
equipment improvements over past
performance.”
The company adds: “To get the
best information from ones oil
analysis program, one must take oil
samples in the same manner and at
the same identified scheduled
intervals, continuously over an
extended period. The ideal oil
sampling period will vary depending
on the identified criticality of
equipment. If the maintenance strategy has been
identified as predictive or proactive, then the
associated oil analysis sampling regime
established may be to sample the
equipment/compartment every 250 or 500
hours.” The cited benefits of regular oil sampling
and analysis thereof to mining operators for the
purposes of predictive and proactive
maintenance include:
n Monitoring wear (iron, chromium, copper etc)
trend deviations
n Identifying any contamination issues early
(dirt, moisture)
n Confirming health of the lubricant (extend or
drain the oil)
n Evaluating effectiveness of filtration upgrades
or changes in maintenance activities
“With this information one is able to monitor
the equipment condition over a regular and
prolonged period which helps identify potential
ExxonMobil has helped an open pit mine in the US save more than $2.1 million annually by switching
to its high performance synthetic gear and bearing oil
failures before they occur."
Total has recently been awarded a three-year
lubricant contract with contract mining major
Thiess Pty Ltd with an option to extend the
contract for up to seven years. Over the next few
years, Total will be supplying over 100 million
litres of lubricants to Thiess operations in five
countries, namely Australia, Indonesia, Mongolia,
Chile and Canada. Dirk de Bruyn, Total’s General
Manager for Global Industry, believes that “Total
was selected as the preferred supplier due to
Total’s ability to supply products and services
that met the requirements across all sites. It was
our experience in transitioning complex sites that
was the deciding factor. In addition, Total was
also able to offer supply terms and conditions
that are consistent across all five countries. This
coupled with a robust contract management
system will allow both parties to focus on
improving operational performance.”
Vice President, Specialties at Total Marketing
& Services Asia Pacific and Middle East,
Stephane Lagrue, stated: “The contract has
definitely marked a great start for Total to be
working with the world’s largest mining services
provider. This helps to foster a new partnership
between Thiess and Total, as well as reinforcing
Total’s presence in the global mining industry,
especially in Asia. With this contract, Total
Australia is committed to strengthen its supply
chain by investing in three additional bulk
storage sites to accompany its growth ambition
on the Australian mining market.”
ExxonMobil has helped an open pit mine in the
US save more than $2.1 million annually by
switching to its high performance synthetic gear
and bearing oil, Mobil SHC™ 630. The lubricant
helped optimise the performance of almost 50
Cat 793 haul trucks, leading to fuel economy,
productivity and safety gains. ExxonMobil field
MAINTENANCE_proof 17/12/2017 14:14 Page 4

MAINTENANCE

engineers partnered with the mine in Minnesota

to identify a lubricant solution that would help
optimise the performance of the differentials and
final drives in the drivetrains of the 226 t payload
trucks, particularly in cold temperatures.
The mine site in Minnesota previously
lubricated these components with a conventional
mineral oil. But, as the fleet evolved to include
newer, more advanced Cat haul trucks, the
increased horsepower and load of these vehicles
caused extra stress on the drivetrain. This meant
the lubricant could not protect the equipment as
effectively, leading to premature wear and
elevated drivetrain temperatures reaching as
high as 88°C. The team recommended
conducting a fuel economy test using Mobil
SHC™ 630 in the differential and final drive
compartment. The advanced lubricant is specially
formulated to provide excellent high temperature Stenkoll talked to Sandvik, which since 2010 As an example of component standardisation,
thermal/oxidation resistance and low has offered permanent offline filters as an conveyors at Loy Yang mine in Victoria,
Australia have one drive pulley design and one
temperature performance, as well as outstanding optional extra for its cone crushers, and is driven pulley design in use throughout their
equipment protection and trouble-free planning to introduce the solution as standard. 2,000 mm wide movable conveyors
operation. “Currently, the filter is available as an optional
The operator reported that Mobil SHC™ 630 extra and as a 'retro-fit kit' for our crushers,” advantages of this type of filtration, including:
helped reduce drivetrain operating temperatures says Sandvik’s Andreas Christoffersson, “The n Less wear on crusher and tank components
and improve fuel economy by 5.5%. The reason we started offering this was because of an n Lower oil costs
enhanced protection also helped reduce increased focus on reliability, environment and n Less handling of oil, which brings both
maintenance, reduce costs and enhance safety health. In addition, it brings down operating environmental and health benefits
by reducing human-machine interaction by 326 costs.” NCC’s Ramnaslätt plant near Borås is one of
hours. These improvements helped generate a He explains that although the crushers have the extractors that use the system. In summer
company estimated saving of more than $2.1 an internal overpressure system, it is difficult to 2016 they installed an offline filter on the
million. avoid dust getting in,

Offline oil filtration for crushers

Sandvik and NCC’s Ramnaslätt in Sweden
particularly in such a
susceptible environment
as the extraction
R E S I S T O RS
ARE WHAT GRIDCOM DOES BEST!
recently described their experiences industry. Worn‐out dust
implementing CJC™ Offline Oil Filters on their and sluice seals, and
crushers in the Swedish Aggregates Producers manual handling of oil
Association publication, Stenkoll. Clean oil in the changes, for example,
system reduces wear and tear on machines and let undesirable particles
Gridcom
Gridcom Enterprises
EnterprisesLtd.Ltd.
increases reliability of service, not to speak of the in. The oil flows at high concentrates on building
concentrates on building the
the
environmental and financial benefits. Normally, speed through the most completerange
most complete range of
of braking
oil is filtered inside machines, regardless of machine’s internal filter; braking
resistorsresistors for off-road
for off-road diesel
diesel electric mining trucks
whether crushers or other mining equipment. The the entire volume of the electric mining trucks and
and LeTourneau electric
LeTourneau electric loaders.
flow is constantly high and, because of this, tank flows through in loaders. Completed braking
Completed
resistors arebraking
always resistors
in stock:
filtration is not always as efficient as desired. And many cases in a matter aremodel,
alwaysBin model
stock: D(Poly-Zi),
model, B
D
despite different kinds of seals, it is essentially of minutes. model
H model,(Poly-Zi),
33D-KHmodel modelandand
impossible to stop dust from entering systems. An offline filter is not the newest
the newestJ model.
33D-K Besides
model.
Besides new units
manufacturing newweunits
can also
we
One solution is to connect an offline oil filter, placed in the main flow,
can
repairalso
mostrepair most
of failed types of
resistors.
which, due to its significantly slower flow, is very but normally processes failed
Gridcom resistors.
also provides
effective at cleaning the oil. This kind of oil filter the machine’s oil in a Gridcom
individual also provides parts
after-market
individual
(e.g. plates,after-market parts
barriers, hardware)
works as a separate 'kidney' which, in peace and couple of hours. The
(e.g.
for allplates,
makes barriers,
of off-road diesel
quiet, ensures the best possible quality of the filtration is finer and the hardware) for trucks,
electric mining all makes of
including
vital oil. There are many different filter solutions result is a significantly off-road
Euclid, diesel
Komatsu electric mining
(Wabco,
trucks, including Euclid,
Dresser), Unit Rig and others.
on the market: both temporary extra filters, cleaner oil. “When it
Visit us at Komatsu, Unit Rig and others.
We will always provide effective
where you connect a removable offline filter comes to cone crushers, Booth # 2-C92 We will always provide
solutions fitting your specific
which purifies the oil tank during a specific time we recommend at Expomin 2018 effective solutions fitting your
needs. needs.
specific
period – most commonly 24 hours – and continuous filtration,”
permanently connected filters which says Christoffersson. Unit B4 - 19323 - 94 Ave., Surrey, B.C. Canada V4N 4E6
Bus: (604) 888-1532 • Fax: (604) 888-6066
continuously purify the oil in a machine with a According to Sandvik,
www.gridcom-mining.com • sales@gridcom-mining.com
heavy load. there are several

JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 61

MAINTENANCE_proof 17/12/2017 14:14 Page 5
MAINTENANCE
company’s H6000 tertiary cone crusher for tests.
“Just looking at it, we can see a significant
difference in the oil,” says Product Manager
Magnus Andersson. “We haven't yet had the
results from the oil test we submitted, but we're
convinced they are going to show what we
already think we know.”  He says that opening
the crusher is enough to notice the benefits. “It's
much cleaner than before, with less dirt that
wears down the machine. The oil temperature is
also lower and more even, because the coolers
are not clogged with dirt. In the long term, the
operating costs are going to fall significantly.”
The result meant that Ramnaslätt installed the
filter on two more crushers. The benefits are
being seen at Skanska too, in Önnestad near
Kristianstad, where five years ago a filter was
installed on a Sandvik CH440 with 400 litres of
oil in the tank. “We haven't changed the oil since
then,” says Richard Svensson, “And we haven't
changed the filter inside the machine either.
Changing the offline filter every year has been
sufficient.” He also confirms that the crusher is
cleaner inside since the installation. “The
lubrication oil doesn't get as warm as it used to,
and there's no water in the oil, which can cause
problems with condensation when it's cold
outside.” Svensson continues: “The investment
cost has definitely been covered. And I'm
convinced that the wear and tear on the machine
has fallen significantly.”
“At Sandvik, we've chosen to invest in a
solution that is well-established in the offshore
and wind industries,” concludes Andreas
Christoffersson, “It's an extremely fine filtering
technology that filters out water and oxidation
residues as well as particles. There are, of
course, many offline solutions on the market, but
I recommend everyone, whatever brand you use,
to take a closer look at this technology.”
Conveyor maintenance
REMA TIP TOP, the globally operating system
provider of services and products in the field of
conveying and treatment technology as well as
tyre repair, this year acquired Norte Sul Serviços
de Vulcanização, a conveyor maintenance
provider in Brazil. Through the acquisition, REMA
TIP TOP increased its global footprint and is now
present in Brazil with a wholly-owned subsidiary.
“The acquisition complements our service
focus very well”, says Thorsten Wach, CEO of
REMA TIP TOP. “The takeover strengthens our
position as a full solutions provider. It extends
our global service team, while it also marks an
important step in our expansion strategy in
growth markets. It ensures a nation-wide
coverage in Brazil with service and stocking
locations in Sao Paulo, Canaã dos Carajás, Nova
Lima, Vitoria and Belo Horizonte.”
REMA TIP TOP is an established global system
62 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
provider with an integrated and closely
interlocked services and product portfolio. The
company continuously expands its network
through acquisitions, further strengthening its
global service offering. In 2016, these included
the French COBRA, the German Gulich, the
Australian ConvaTech and the Norwegian Flexpro.
“With a strong team of service technicians,
engineers and specialists around the world,
REMA TIP TOP offers customer oriented services
on six continents. The service teams focus on
improving system availability by increasing
operational readiness and prolonged system life-
time. These goals are ideally aligned with those
of Norte Sul Serviços as a sophisticated conveyor
maintenance business in Brazil. The joint
organisation will be particularly well positioned
to meet the rising expectations of its customers.
REMA TIP TOP will provide the new Brazilian
subsidiary with financial, project management,
engineering, product and service resources. The
local project team will be supported by the REMA
TIP TOP global response team of experienced
engineers from the service competence centres in
Germany, the rest of Europe, South Africa,
Australia, Chile and Brazil. Via Norte Sul Serviços,
REMA TIP TOP will also introduce its service
processes and technologies to the Brazilian
market, including the innovative REMA M³ remote
monitoring system.
Rafael Mashiba, Managing Director of Norte
Sul Serviços, says: “The new partnership offers
Norte Sul Serviços access to a broad network of
experts as well as global resources, technologies
and financial strength of the REMA TIP TOP
group, allowing us to provide our customers in
Brazil with even better and more professional
services.” Norte Sul Serviços employs
approximately 220 people, comprising a service
force with 180 technicians, 20 engineers and 20
administrative employees.
Conveyors are the arteries of a bulk material
handling facility. High levels of availability are a
prerequisite for the smooth running of an
operation, while downtime will have a
disproportionally disruptive effect. Gary Ryan,
Design Engineer at BMT WBM, a subsidiary of
BMT Group, states: “Ideally, a conveyor should
be designed so that it does not require
maintenance. However, in practice, for conveyors
built to a price, regular maintenance is required
while in service. The challenge for a conveyor
designer is to minimise the total life cycle cost of
the conveyor, balancing capital and all
maintenance costs. A conveyor designed to
operate with minimal planned maintenance will
have greater availability – ensuring that the
physical design allows the maintenance to be
undertaken quickly and easily – so will increase
availability further still. Furthermore, ensuring
that the design allows easy access for
maintenance will also increase the chances of the
work being done at the correct intervals making
the conveyor more reliable. Every conveyor
designer also needs to understand the priorities
and the operating and maintenance practices of
the site where a conveyor is to be used, so that
their design is appropriate to the site.”
He argues that one way to reduce conveyor
maintenance costs is to keep the design as
simple as possible with additional components
only added if there is justification. The simplest
conveyor design would therefore have just two
pulleys and a single drive. “If the belt strength
and cost becomes a concern, then multiple drives
can be justified. If a shuttle head is required then
more pulleys are justified. The BMT WBM team
often examine conveyors where excessive
numbers of pulleys have been used without any
rational justification. Additional components that
do not add to the conveyors operational
capability are simply mechanisms waiting to fail
and cause unnecessary downtime.”   
Conveyors can also be made complicated with
items that are secondary to the basic conveyor
function. For example, BMT reports that the three
Latrobe Valley mines in Victoria, Australia have
gradually been eliminating turnovers and spill
belts installed in existing conveyors. The
justification is that the turnovers and spill belts
require skilled maintenance in the mine, and
increase the maintenance time for the whole
conveyor. By comparison a piece of mobile plant
used for clean-up is maintained off site and is
readily replaceable.
On sites with multiple conveyors, further
maintenance savings can be achieved by
ensuring the conveyor designs maximise the
standardisation of components and work
procedures. As an example of component
standardisation, conveyors at Loy Yang mine in
Victoria, Australia have one drive pulley design
and one driven pulley design in use throughout
their 2,000 mm wide movable conveyors. The
manufacturing details of the pulley shells have
changed over the years, but the respective
pulleys shells, shafts and bearings all remain
interchangeable. The benefits of standardisation
of components include the reduced spares costs
and greater flexibility in allocating the available
spares.
As bulk handling equipment suppliers
continue to make use of new and evolving
technologies to develop “smarter” conveyor
systems, Martin Engineering has introduced data
tracking with QR codes on its belt cleaners and
other components. Customers benefit from
regularly-scheduled inspections by factory-
trained and MSHA-certified technicians, providing
operators with easy access to a wealth of data on
the application, operating environment, service
life and condition of conveyor components,
MAINTENANCE_proof 17/12/2017 14:14 Page 6
Martin Engineering has introduced data
tracking and analysis codes on conveyor belt
cleaners
updated on every belt cleaner maintenance visit.
By avoiding the common “run it until it breaks”
approach to conveyor maintenance, the Martin
Engineering proprietary smart phone app gives
technicians and customers a tool that helps
maximise performance and service life -- while
minimising carryback and spillage – to improve
safety and reduce unscheduled downtime.  inspection a technician makes will be logged in,
Currently being implemented in select markets
around the world, the new tracking program
captures a wide array of information to create a
detailed record on all components. Date codes
are imprinted on the blades during manufacture –
very important for urethane because it has a
limited shelf life – and technicians also affix tags
on existing equipment to begin monitoring
condition and recording observations.
Conceived as part of Martin Engineering’s
factory-direct ‘Mr Blade’ program, technicians
perform regularly-scheduled inspections and
adjustments, with an 18-point operational
assessment from head pulley to tail pulley and a
report for each visit. The visual inspections
include the condition of pulleys, belts and idlers,
as well as belt tracking, sealing, support and
containment. This constant vigilance contributes
to greater safety, efficiency and dependability of
the conveyor systems, minimising hazards and
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unplanned outages.
“Periodic reviews
often reveal developing
problems before they
become a failure, such
as worn idlers, leaking
seals or excessive
spillage,” explained
Chris Schmelzer, Director
of the Wear Components
Business Group for
Martin Engineering.
“The data tracking
program will help us
work with our customers
to make better-informed
decisions about what equipment to use in
specific applications, more accurately predicting
the expected wear life,” said Schmelzer. “The
goal is to help ensure that all components are
properly serviced and replaced during scheduled
outages, before a major breakdown occurs and
stops production.”
With the new tagging and capture ability,
component data can be recorded and analysed in
much greater detail than ever before.  Every
along with operational factors such as the
material being handled, conveyor speed and
remaining wear life, as well as visual
observations and other info. The overall goal is to
deliver more effective control of bulk material,
improving predictive maintenance scheduling and
contributing to a lower total cost of ownership.
The tagging program allows the company to
maintain detailed information about the
product’s date of manufacture, installation and
service history, giving customers access to the
data through a smart phone or other device.
“Eventually we will have enough data points to
make more accurate predictions about the
performance and wear life of individual blade
designs and materials of construction under
specific operating conditions,” Schmelzer said.
“Defining average wear life is extremely difficult
because of the number of variables, but having
this information will allow us to compare blade
www.webachutes.com
MAINTENANCE
performance in similar applications and come up
with a range and standard deviation.”
Engine maintenance
Users of mining equipment driven by diesel
engines can look forward to many more years of
economical operation if they understand that
these modern engines are designed for two,
three or more ‘new lives’ between overhauls; but
proper maintenance goes hand-in-hand with
quality remanufacturing to make this possible.
“Beyond their first overhaul at about 15,000
hours, most diesel engines are designed to be
overhauled several times,” says Andrew Yorke,
Operations Director of South African specialist
diesel engine component remanufacturer Metric
Automotive Engineering. “However, many users
will try to cut corners on the maintenance side,
especially under the current tough economic
conditions – quickly putting pay to this valuable
benefit.”
The end result of poor maintenance practices
is that machine ownership ends up costing more,
and the potential value of a longer working life
for the unit is lost. “Sadly, the situation leads to a
sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, where the
purchasers of used equipment are even less
likely to maintain it properly – arguing that it is
not worth the expense,” says Yorke. “They buy
used plant because they can’t afford new, but
then further undermine its value by wanting to
spend less on servicing too.”
The fact is, he says, that many mining engines
do not get the right level of service workmanship
or the best quality parts at the latter stages of
their lives – so their possible longevity is cut
short. “By viewing the equipment and its engine
as a pure cost, the asset value and reliability is
not fully realised, and the second and third lives
of those engines are severely compromised as a
result,” he says.
Several original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs) contract Metric Automotive Engineering
to remanufacture customers’ engines that are
still under a maintenance plan – as a positive way
of protecting their warranties. “From an
engineering point of view, we can see the
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JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 63
MAINTENANCE_proof 17/12/2017 14:25 Page 7
MAINTENANCE
difference between those engines that have been
correctly and timeously maintained, and those
that have not,” says Yorke. “The condition that
these units are in varies dramatically.”
He adds that the component repair costs of a
well-maintained engine are also significantly
lower, so any savings that an end-user thought
they were going to make – by reducing
maintenance or by stretching service intervals –
is completely nullified by the cost they pay to
repair the engine components during the mid-life
overhaul.
“Equipment users should also consider the
‘complete picture’ rather than just viewing an
engine overhaul in isolation,” he says. “The
condition of each component has a knock-on
effect on the others, so they need to consider the
transmission, the cooling system, the air
filtration and other elements.” If these
components are not in good condition, they will
in turn compromise the engine; indeed, an
overhauled engine could even introduce power
levels to the other components that they are no
longer in a position to deal with sustainably.
Yorke emphasises that for owners of poorly
maintained mining engines, the extra costs
incurred during the remanufacturing process
might still be the least of their worries. “There
are plenty of worst case scenarios for an
unmaintained engine,” he says. “For instance,
lack of maintenance could lead to premature
failure, where the equipment has to be
withdrawn unexpectedly from service with all the
related costs due to project disruption.”
Even worse than that, the customer could
experience a catastrophic engine failure, where
there are components damaged to the point that
they cannot be salvaged or remanufactured.
Among the benefits of quality remanufacturing is
the dynamometer testing that follows a
complete engine overhaul. While poorly
remanufactured engines usually fail within the
first 500 hours of life, they are unlikely to endure
even an hour on Metric Automotive Engineering’s
specialised workshop ‘dyno’ – giving the
customer peace of mind that the unit is fit to
return to service.
Infinite maintenance flexibility
To allow each mining customer to choose the
most effective maintenance strategy for its
particular conditions, Weir Minerals says it is
offering ‘infinite flexibility’ in its range of
solutions to keep its equipment operating at the
lowest cost per tonne over its full life cycle.
According to Kobus Fourie, Global Services
Manager for Weir Minerals, there is a refocus in
the world of maintenance, as the mining industry
gains a better understanding of the value of total
asset management carried out by the original
equipment manufacturer (OEM).
64 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
“The involvement of the OEM in ongoing plant
maintenance can really make a difference to
reliability while reducing maintenance costs in
the long term,” says Fourie. “So, to ensure that
every customer can take advantage of these
benefits, Weir Minerals is extremely flexible in
how we structure our support to suit any
environment.”
These maintenance arrangements include a
cost-per-tonne model, which allows mines to
budget a set premium for a pre-determined
production rate. Another option is the repair-and-
exchange model, where the OEM keeps key stock
related to the specific customer’s requirements,
so it can supply what would normally be long
lead time items in just a few hours.
He highlights that the OEM supplier is in the
best position to understand and support their
products optimally, and this is recognised by
most mining companies, who will closely link
their own maintenance programmes to the
aftermarket services that the OEM can provide.
“Through our service capacity, OEMs are
playing an increasingly important role in mining,”
he says. “We can do this because our knowledge
base – earned through extensive and ongoing
investment in research and development – is well
established.”
The OEM’s focus is on the capabilities and life
cycle of their products, and the customer can use
this focus to their advantage. “The benefits of
having an OEM maintain their own equipment far
outweighs the costs, especially if you take into
account the indirect cost of downtime due to the
more frequent breakdowns often resulting from
the use of a non-OEM part, for example,” he
says.
He also emphasises the safety aspect of good
maintenance strategies, reiterating the
importance – for both the OEM and the customer
The Weir Minerals repair and exchange model
offers customers key stock availability in just a
few hours
– of a safe working environment in the plant. “If
you start to alter a product with non-OEM
replacement parts, it can not only put the
reliability and integrity of the equipment at risk,
but also the safety of the people that work
around the equipment,” he says.
Fourie acknowledges that applying a long term
approach to maintenance is not always easy in
the mining sector, as volatility in commodity
prices creates uncertainty around the life-of-mine
expectations at many operations.
“A more stable outlook allows mines to make
better decisions about investing in the longevity
of their critical-path plant and equipment,” he
says. “Nonetheless, the key differentiator among
mining competitors is a systematic approach to
maintenance that can be applied irrespective of
the prevailing economic climate.”
Weir Minerals says it pushes the envelope with
maintenance options, to place the focus on total
solutions. This, in his opinion, is what the mining
industry needs; mines should be allowed to focus
on their core business, which is to process
minerals, while OEMs should support that
objective by maintaining and operating their
equipment to ensure lowest cost production.
“We have also joined forces with industry
leading innovators Dell and Microsoft to develop
cutting edge condition monitoring as part of our
maintenance offering, so that we can take
preventative maintenance to the next level,” says
Fourie. “In time, we will be able to predict
equipment failure, and apply interventions before
such failure occurs; this will provide further
savings to customers by avoiding lost production
due to unscheduled downtime.” IM
China Gold Congress_January18 PROOF_Layout 1 11/12/2017 11:26 Page 1

China Gold Congress and Expo

July 24-26, 2018

en.china-gold.org
PROCESS DESIGN_proof 18/12/2017 13:35 Page 1
PROCESS DESIGN
Processing performance
Paul Moore looks at some mineral processing developments,
designs and initiatives with a focus on innovation
ack in October 2015, the inauguration
B celebration for a pilot plant for a dry iron
ore concentration process, developed by
New Steel of Brazil, took place in Ouro Preto,
Minais Gerais, Brazil. New Steel has developed a
revolutionary new process called Fines Dry
Magnetic Separation (FDMS) for iron ore
concentration that utilises Loesche grinding
technology and is considered 100% sustainable
and New Steel believes it to be unprecedented
in the world.
The New Steel FDMS pilot plant uses a mobile
ore grinding plant (OGPmobile) which consists
of three 40 ft ocean containers. The machinery
for grinding, classifying, product separation and
material transport is installed in two of the
containers. The third container contains the
process control system and the central control
room. This container can also be used as a
laboratory and for spare parts and equipment
storage. The concept behind the OGPmobile
also enables it to be used in hostile geographic
The Loesche OGPmobile at New Steel's pilot
66 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
at and climatic conditions, and allows the
individual containers to be assembled and
dismantled easily. A power supply and a good
foundation is all that is required for operation.
For New Steel, the OGPmobile allows it to
produce up to 300 t of grinding product for
direct treatment in subsequent processing
stages. Grinding tests are performed to
determine the specific grindability factor and
the optimum process parameters, such as
grinding pressure, grinding energy, wear values
and flow rate of process gas. These provide the
basis for scale-up in industrial grinding plants.
The OGPmobile provides the user with a means
of calculating the effect of Loesche grinding
technology on the overall material flow in their
processing plant and is a convincing way to
demonstrate its benefits.
Things are now moving rapidly with New
Steel’s FDMS. It uses a mechanical dryer,
powered by environmentally friendly natural gas
or biomass, to reduce the ore’s moisture
content; the product is
then classified into
various fractions and
separated
magnetically. It
bypasses the
traditional wet
method of steel
processing, which
uses at least 1,000
litres of water in the
separation of each
tonne of ore. Dry
processing enables
higher mass and
metallic recovery, and
allows access to
smaller iron ore deposits without losses due to
The FLSmidth RC™ technology is based on
dense-media separation and is combined with a
lamella plate design, which is unique to the
RC™ and, therefore, allows for the recovery of
the valuable material in the processing plant
water dislodging. New Steel told S&P Global
Platts in September 2017 that it was imminently
expecting a permit to build its first commercial
size FDMS plant, with Loesche grinding
technology, to be located in Minas Gerais state
in southeast Brazil, and which will reprocess
tailings produced by Vale. The plant is expected
to start operations in 2019 and New Steel says
that interest in the dry processing has grown
both in Brazil and elsewhere, following the
Samarco tailings dam failure. Aside from Brazil,
New Steel has patented the FDMS process in
Australia, Mexico, Argentina, Ukraine,
Kazakhstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, the USA, Russia,
Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Mongolia.
Orway helps optimise grinding at
Kevitsa
The Kevitsa open-pit mine in Finland is located
approximately 142 km north-northeast of
Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland. The
mine hosts significant quantities of nickel-
copper-cobalt-PGE (platinum group elements)
ore and is one of the largest ever mineral
discoveries in Finland. The operation was
commissioned in 2012, and consists of a partial
secondary crushing circuit followed by an AG-
pebble grinding circuit with two partially closed-
circuit AG mills and a single closed-circuit
pebble mill. The ore is variable and can range
from average competency to extreme. As a result,
the circuit can swing from being AG limited to
pebble mill limited. When processing extremely
competent ore, the circuit becomes AG mill limited,
restricting throughput. This prompted the staff at
Kevitsa to approach Orway Mineral Consultants
(OMC) to model the circuit and conduct
simulations to confirm optimisation strategies to
maximise throughput during these periods and to
provide new insights and suggestions.
Prior to optimisation, the primary crushed
product was partially secondary crushed, with
the -100 mm/+25 mm secondary crushed prior
to feeding the AG mill. The +100 mm lump
material and -25 mm fines reported directly to
the AG mill feed. The proportion of +100 mm
material in the primary crushed product was
very high, at approximately 40% of the total
primary crusher product. This material was
building up in the AG mills, limiting throughput.
The classification efficiency for the AG mill
cyclones was also observed to be very poor.
These cyclones were operating at very high
circulating loads in an attempt to improve the
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PROCESS DESIGN_proof 20/12/2017 12:41 Page 2
PROCESS DESIGN
pebble extraction rate through the AG mill grates.
However, this resulted in more than half of the
product size material in the cyclone feed being
recycled back to the AG mills. This consumed
power and contributed to over-grinding.
Having the AG mills in partial closed circuit
provided circuit flexibility to manage the split
between the AG mills and the pebble mill, fully
utilising available power. This strategy worked
well on less competent ores when the circuit
was pebble mill limited but not as well for
extremely competent ore with the recycle
further restricting AG mill capacity. In this case it
was difficult to maintain sufficient flow to
operate the AG mill cyclones efficiently and
maintain sufficient flow to the pebble mill to
prevent over-grinding.
Overall, during very competent ore
campaigns, the circuit was found to be utilising
approximately 10% more power than
theoretically required based on the measured
ore properties. Given the issues identified, a
two-pronged approach to optimisation was
developed. This involved reducing the amount of
lump in the AG mill feed, and reducing the
amount of over-grinding due to inefficient
operation of the AG mill cyclones.
As part of the optimisation strategy, OMC
modelled the impact of crushing a larger
proportion of the lump material. This was
achieved by increasing the aperture of the
primary screen top-deck from 100 mm to 150
mm. This reduced the proportion of lump in the
feed from 40% to approximately 25%. OMC also
recommended larger vortex finders and the use
of less AG mill cyclones to reduce the circulating
load and improve performance of the AG mill.
Progressively higher throughputs have been
achieved at Kevitsa over time, even on hard ore
types. “Significant credit must be attributed to
the staff at Kevitsa for their commitment to
continual improvement, identifying issues,
carrying out extensive testing (including four
surveys) and implementation of optimisation
strategies in the plant.”
By increasing the top deck aperture on the
primary screen, better control over the
proportion of lump material reporting to the AG
mills has been achieved. This has alleviated the
AG mill limitation when treating extremely
competent ore, increasing throughput rates.
A concerted effort by site to improve the
classification efficiency of the AG mil cyclones
has resulted in a reduction in the circulating
load by approximately half and the proportion of
product size material reporting to underflow has
reduced from 60% to 25%. Both the proportion
of lump in the feed and improvements in the
classification efficiency has contributed to
significantly better breakage within the AG mills.
This has resulted in higher scatting rates and a
68 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
coarser AG mill discharge PSD. As a
result, more of the AG mill discharge
has been transferred to the pebble mill,
reducing over-grinding and enabling a
higher overall utilisation of power,
maximising throughput.
The contribution of better breakage
and more efficient classification has
also improved the circuit efficiency. The
circuit specific power consumption is
now in line with theoretical predictions,
a reduction in specific energy of
approximately 10%.
Upgrading VPA filters at
Collahuasi
Faced with increased production
demands, Compañía Minera Doña Inés
de Collahuasi had the goal of
increasing both the availability and
performance of its vertical plate
pressure filters (VPA) in Puerto Patache.
In collaboration with Metso, Collahuasi
developed an upgrade plan aimed at improving
the performance of the equipment, as it was
beginning to be outdated after more than 20
years of operation. With an upgrade plan based
on using state-of-the-art technology, the desired
objectives were met and resulted in a 15%
increase in filter availability.
Thanks to the collaborative relationship
between Collahuasi and Metso, a joint
diagnostic meeting was held to review the main
needs and potential improvement to the filtrate-
concentrate level, which was related to the
requirements of its VPA vertical filters to
increase their production capacity while also
increasing the overall reliability of the system.
Due to the high productivity requirements and
over 20 years of use since its installation, the
filters were showing a high degree of wear and
misalignment, which reduced their availability
due to the extra maintenance required by the
filters and considerable unplanned downtime.
During the review stage of the overhaul, a
joint decision was made to make improvements
and upgrade the control systems, lubrication
and structure of the equipment in order to
achieve higher levels of availability. The
challenge for Metso resulted in upgrading the
control systems to the latest technology,
achieving values of over 92% availability and
100% of design capability. This involved
reinstalling and upgrading equipment in less
than 20 days in order to minimise lost
production. The engineering coordination, parts
procurement and planning activities began six
months earlier, in order to ensure the complete
compatibility and successful outcome of this
upgrade.
The extensive upgrade of the equipment
Changing the plates of the filter at Collahuasi
involved multiple steps. The Metso team first
proposed improving the original design capacity
by updating components and systems to
produce some important benefits. For this,
Metso focused on the main problems that were
causing the structural misalignment of the
filters. In order to solve the structural problems,
the filter was completely disassembled and over
80% of its parts were replaced with new parts
using a nanocoating technology for corrosive
environments. Using this approach would
double the lifespan of the key parts and
components and reduce potential downtime.
In order to achieve the optimal selection of
fabric, a pilot filter was implemented at the
worksite to take samples of concentrate. The
samples were then used to help define the
proper fabric for the filtering process given the
specific mineral conditions that Collahuasi was
processing. In many situations, these types of
tests involve using Metso laboratories located in
Brazil and Finland. However, with the pilot filter
on site, it was possible to perform all the tests
in situ with the client, improving the selection
and making it easier and quicker to get the
results.
Another technological improvement
introduced was the implementation of OCS-4D,
(an advanced process control solution). The
solution assisted in determining the optimal
control modes through analysing the interplay
between the selection of fabrics and
maintenance events.
Finally, the chute was also examined for
possible improvement opportunities. As the VPA
filters discharge the filtered material (cake) into
PROCESS DESIGN_proof 20/12/2017 12:41 Page 3

PROCESS DESIGN

PARIS
23 - 28 APRIL 2018
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION
FOR CONSTRUCTION
AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Cobalt bloom visible in first level adit of CSR’s Castle mine near
Gowganda, Ontario. Work on lithium, cobalt and graphite processes is a
major part of the activity currently at SGS Lakefield in Canada

the chute, it was subjected to high rates of wear, causing a reduction in

performance. Various designs and options were examined to improve ease
of maintenance and thus reduce downtime.
“Searching for a design that improved maintainability, we implemented
new, modular design upgrades to the chute, so that it could receive
maintenance section by section. Thus, when a specific part shows signs of
wear, we can disassemble that part and change it quickly. This is also an
improvement that was tailored for the client, given that with the original
design we had to disassemble the entire equipment to be able to change

BUILDING
some parts,” says Alejandro Bravo, Metso Manager of Minerals Process
Equipment.
Given the success of the project, Minera Doña Inés de Collahuasi SCM is
TOMORROW,
TODAY
evaluating the implementation of the same upgrade concept in other VPA
filters as part of its asset management plan. “With this solution, we have
been able to meet some of the availability goals we set for 2017. The filter
today works according to the plans drawn up with Metso, which helps us to
continue operating efficiently,” says Cristián Barros, Senior Engineer for
Symptomatic Process at Collahuasi.

SGS busy with battery minerals at Lakefield

Castle Silver Resources Inc recently announced that ongoing underground
sampling has returned high-grade cobalt from additional areas on the first
level of the Castle mine near Gowganda, Ontario. Areas prospective for
cobalt mineralisation were recently highlighted through XRF analysis of the
extensive first level workings at Castle. Current sampling is designed to gain
a better understanding of the grade intensity and distribution in order to
prioritise underground drill targets.
Frank Basa, CSR President and CEO, stated: “The cobalt grades we’re YOUR FREE BADGE
encountering underground are extremely encouraging and supports our
AT PARIS.INTERMATCONSTRUCTION.COM CODE:
original thesis that past operators may have left much behind at Castle in PROMOMING
their strict focus on mining high-grade silver. At a time when Cobalt prices BLOG
#intermatparis
are at new decade highs, CSR’s access to extensive underground workings
at the Castle mine puts the company in a unique position in the northern
Ontario cobalt region.” CO-LOCATED WITH
Bulk samples were obtained by removing muck rock from the floor of the
drift and chipping out vein material over two lengths of 10 m, each filling a 5
gallon pail with approximately 20 kg of material. A single composite sample
was taken by randomly selecting approximately 2 kg from each of the bulk
samples. Samples were transported by truck to Swastika Laboratories, an
PROMOSALONS UNITED KINGDOM
accredited lab, in Swastika, Ontario for assay with analysis by aqua regia Amélie GALATRY
digestion and atomic absorption finish. The remainder of that material will 2nd Floor Northside House, Mount Pleasant -
Cockfosters EN4 9EB
02082163109 - amelie@promosalons.co.uk
PROCESS DESIGN_proof 20/12/2017 12:41 Page 4
PROCESS DESIGN
be submitted to SGS Laboratories in Lakefield,
Ontario to use the Re-20X process to develop
samples for evaluation for the Asian battery
market. This is a proprietary hydrometallurgical
process to create high-purity cobalt powders.
Elsewhere, Sayona Mining recently reported
the third phase of metallurgical testing results for
the Authier lithium project. The new results have
continued to demonstrate the ability to achieve
6% Li2O lithium concentrate grades at 80%
metallurgical recoveries or better. In addition,
two of the tests were conducted using
unprocessed water collected at the Authier site
with similar results to tap water. The
metallurgical testing program was undertaken
with a new representative sample from the
Authier deposit. The new sample represents both
the expected feed grade and expected
mineralogy of the deposit over the life-of-mine.
The new results will be incorporated into the
Definitive Feasibility Study. A new diamond
drilling program is underway and will provide
approximately 5 t of drill core to be used on a
pilot scale metallurgical testing program.
The objective of the Phase 3 metallurgical
testing was to assess flotation performance with
Authier project site water. The testing program
was completed at SGS Lakefield. The two most
recent phases of metallurgical testing have
included variations in the grind size, flotation
residence times, reagent dosages, adjustments
to magnetic intensity, using unprocessed Authier
site water, and assessing the impact of waste
dilution on metallurgical outcomes. The objective
of the programs is to improve on the February
2017 Pre-Feasibility Study assumptions of a
5.75% concentrate at 80% metallurgical recovery.
The new metallurgical testing program was
undertaken with a new representative sample of
the Authier deposit from drill core from the
Company’s Phase 1 and 2 diamond drilling
programs. The new sample represents the
average grade and expected mineralogy of the
deposit over the life-of-mine. The sample was
collected from three diamond drill cores and
totalled approximately 63 kg.
AMIRA updates on PQ9
The current iteration of the AMIRA International
P9 program, called P9Q, is making a change to
the way its research products are delivered to the
sponsors. The P9 program (Optimisation of
Mineral Processes by Modelling and Simulation)
has been running since 1962. In its more recent
iterations it has made significant progress in
enhancing the equipment models to improve
their usability, in particular in how they respond
to multi-component feed.
These models have been developed by the
global network of researchers assembled by
AMIRA and managed by the Julius Kruttschnitt
70 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) in the
Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) of the
University of Queensland in Australia. The full
network is made up of Hacettepe University in
Turkey, the University of Cape Town in South
Africa, Chalmers University in Sweden, the
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and
of course the JKMRC itself. P9Q is focused on
building on previous research by verifying and
validating the models in as many multi-
component situations as possible so that they can
be applied with confidence across the industry.
“It is not surprising that both mining and
equipment manufacturing sponsors are very keen
to apply the new models as soon as they become
available. To ensure this, the sponsors asked for
the models to be made available in a suitable
cloud simulation platform. In previous project
iterations, the models developed during the
project were added to JKTech’s software after the
project ended. In the current project it was
agreed that the researchers would deliver the
models in 6-monthly ‘project delivery cycles’ in
CRC ORE’s Integrated Extraction Simulator (IES)
and that they would be released immediately to
sponsors.”
CRC ORE’s IES platform is unique in the
metallurgical simulation field because it is
deployed in the cloud. When updated models are
installed into IES, the sponsors can immediately
apply them to their particular problem by
accessing them through the internet. There is
nothing to download or update because a special
private environment of IES was created for P9Q
and made available exclusively to P9Q sponsors
and researchers. Because IES is being developed
as the successor technology to the JKTech’s very
popular SimMet/SimFloat products it is very easy
for users to transition flowsheets into IES in
order to use the new models and leverage the
enhanced features.
The first Sponsor’ Review Meeting (SRM) of
AMIRA International’s P9Q was held on 22-23
August 2017 in Brisbane at The University of
Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute
(SMI). Representatives from all 11 sponsors were
present at this important meeting. The project is
being sponsored by: Anglo American, AngloGold
Ashanti, Barrick, Newmont, South32, Vale,
BGRIMM, JKTech, Magotteaux, Metso, and Weir
Minerals. The project started on 8 February 2017.
At this first SRM, researchers from The University
of Queensland, Chalmers University, Hacettepe
University, University of Cape Town and Federal
University of Rio de Janeiro in collaboration with
the IES development team from CRCORE
delivered models for SAG mill, cone crusher, dry
coarse screen, HPGR, hydrocyclone and jig which
are being implemented in the IES platform for P9Q.
“The IES development team and in particular
Robert Watkins and Greg Shapland have made a
significant effort in implementation of process
models in IES. On the first day of SRM, technical
aspects of each process model including the
capabilities and limitations of each model have
been reviewed.” On the second day of SRM,
features of the IES were presented by the
development team from CRC ORE and
participants learned to use the IES through
creating few test simulation in practice. In
addition, practical training using examples was
delivered by researchers on the application of
each process model. Participants used each of
the process models in IES to create their own
simulation and use process models in practice.
It is planned to add a simple help document
and video instruction for using each process
model in the IES environment for each of the
AMIRA P9Q process models. On the next SRM in
South Africa in February 2018, the first
implementation of four new process models
including dense medium cyclone model,
mechanistic mill model, Weir Minerals specific
HPGR and cyclone models and second
implementation of four existing process models
including HPGR, dry screen, jig model, and SAG
VR2 model is planned for delivery.
Gekko helping rebirth at Radio Hill
Artemis Resources has announced that engineers
have now turned the lights back on at the
company’s fully permitted Radio Hill treatment
plant at the Radio Hill nickel/copper/cobalt mine,
and have commenced refurbishment and upgrade
works in earnest. The mine and plant were shut
down in 2008 as a result of the slump of base
metals prices and have since been kept on active
care and maintenance.
The company and its contractors are working
towards having the plant fully operational as a
multi-metals processing facility by end of June
2018. In addition, a new +A$3 million Gekko gold
recovery plant has been ordered and will also be
installed prior to the end of June 2018. Gekko
Systems Pty Ltd have been asked to provide a
comprehensive two stage gravity gold plant with
a nominal capacity of 70-100 t per hour. These
stages are specifically designed to target all
available gravity gold from very fine gold (30 -50
micron) all the way up to coarse nuggets of plus
4 mm in size (up to 20 mm). The circuit is to be
integrated with the existing crushing and
grinding areas.
The Radio Hill mine and processing plant and
infrastructure was purchased by Artemis in April
2017 with the aim of providing Artemis with
regional processing capability, that can be used
to process a range of ores from the company’s
own projects in the West Pilbara region. The
existing Radio Hill plant, which has a nominal
capacity of around 500,000 t/y was historically
used to processing nickel/copper/cobalt ores
PROCESS DESIGN_proof 20/12/2017 12:41 Page 5
For Radio Hill, Gekko Systems Pty Ltd have
been asked to provide a comprehensive two
stage gravity gold plant with a nominal
capacity of 70-100 t per hour
from the Radio Hill decline, and has been well
maintained since it was put on care and
maintenance nine years ago.
It consists of a two-stage crushing plant,
primary grinding mills, two discrete multi-stage
flotation circuits, separate concentrate filtration
plants and a tailings thickener. A plant laboratory
and fully equipped workshops have been
maintained on-site. The Radio Hill complex offers
several key advantages for getting Artemis into
gold and base metals production earlier and
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PROCESS DESIGN
more cost effectively than would otherwise be
possible, as;
n The Radio Hill site is fully permitted for
operations;
n There are permitted tailings storage facilities
on site;
n Existing infrastructure for mains power supply
has been well maintained;
n Strong water supply from an existing bore
field with proved capacity and quality;
n Radio Hill is only 35 km from Karratha so
there is no need to establish expensive
camps and associated infrastructure for the
work force
Artemis has also started relocating its 100 t
| 500 Exhibitors
per hour gravity plant from its Nickol River
operations near Karratha to the Radio Hill site,
where it will be installed in readiness to process
sizeable bulk samples of gold bearing
conglomerates, in conjunction with a multi-stage
contract crushing plant, when required.
Outotec on ore sorting
Sensor-based ore particle sorting offers a
powerful method for pre-concentration or waste
rejection early in the comminution process. The
technology analyses each and every rock particle
on-line for unique physical and chemical
properties and separates the particles by high
pressure air jets. This maximises recovery or
upgrade and is suitable for various minerals and
applications. Successful implementation relies on
ore heterogeneity, differential sensor response
and suitable feed preparation. Sensor-based
sorting has been around since the 1970s. In the
early days mainly radiometric and photometric
sensors were used to distinguish characteristics
of materials. As it is common with new
technology it was very expensive, and computing
performance was highly limited making it often
not economic viable. The information revolution
at the turn of the millennium boosted computing
power, making it cheap and available. Today data
reconciliation, validation and analysing does not
limit the sorting process any more. The focus on
| Free Entry
#Hillhead18
PROCESS DESIGN_proof 20/12/2017 12:41 Page 6
PROCESS DESIGN
research and development is now on new
sensors and sensor accuracy with the aim of
improving detection accuracy.
Outotec provides pneumatic sensor-based
sorting machines for pre-concentration in the
mining and minerals processing industry, via its
partnership agreement with Tomra Mining.
Different sensor and machine types cover a vast
selection of ore and mineral types. “All machines
are built with the same three principles: material
presentation, data collection by sensors, and
separation. Material is presented to the sensors
as a monolayer of liberated particles. Different
sensor types analyse every single particle, and
the decision of accepting or rejecting is made
within 30 milliseconds. Physical separation of
particles is achieved by altering the particle
trajectory with precise air jets into the product or
waste chutes.”
Sorting enables the removal of sub-economic
waste material in a very early process stage.
When sorting is situated in the crushing circuit,
the removed waste does not have to be milled
further down and processed in the beneficiating
plant. The removed material allows for more
throughput of valuables in the downstream
process, or major capital investment savings by
decreasing plant size. This decreases the use of
consumables such as water or electricity per unit
of metal produced. A sorting machine can also be
placed in the pebble circuit of an AG or SAG mill.
Removing waste from the milling circuit can de-
bottleneck many processes.
With the addition of sorting to the processing
plant, significant economic opportunity exists in
optimising mining with reference to pre-
concentration. The resource size can be increased
by considering a lower cutoff grade and less
selective mining techniques that offer a lower
operating cost per tonne. The additional waste
material mined due to less selective mining is
removed by sorting and the feed grade to the
plant remains high. In addition, flotation and
leaching recoveries are generally increased due
to the higher head grade.
Many mining operations accumulate stockpiles
of material below the economic cut-off grade
threshold. Numerous successful test work and
installations have been done on reclaiming waste
dumps by upgrading the low-grade material.
Applying sorting to such material has low
operating costs because the material has already
been blasted and mined. Every material is
unique. The sortability of any given deposit is
dependent on the heterogeneity of the ore. Any
successful sorting operation requires differences
in some material properties. “These properties
may be colour, density or electro-magnetic.
Different mineralisations can also be
distinguished based on near infrared spectra or
differences in the crystalline structure. In some
72 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
cases, the disseminated hints of metal are not
visible to any sensor and sorting relies on tracer
properties or mineral associations. This is
especially true for gold deposits, where gold
particles within the rock are almost always below
the resolution of the machine (<1 mm pixels). To
verify the correlation of tracer properties and the
metal grades test work has to be done for every
sorting application prior to implementation.”
Sorting test work starts on the desktop with a
sorting amenability evaluation. Experts validate
all data available and provided by the customer.
Based on expertise and prior test results a first
gate decision is made to continue or not.
Next is the first stage of hands on sensor test
work on the material. Outotec asks for 10-20
carefully selected samples of each rock type
representing the whole ore body for a first
inspection test. These rock types may consist of:
ore, marginal ore, waste, intermediate waste or
SAG pebbles. Testing can be completed at the
Tomra Mining test centres in Hamburg, Germany
and Sydney, Australia. Responses from different
sensors to the material is tested to determine
differences between rock types. The aim of this
test work stage is to provide sufficient
information for initial sensor selection.
After a successful first inspection a
performance test is carried out on industrial scale
machines. Test sample sizes are typically 1-4 t of
material for each sample. The sample should be
as representative as possible of the expected
feed including a mix of all rock types.
After assaying the results this test provides all
necessary information for proof of sortability and
expected performance. During the performance
test the sensor system is adjusted and calibrated
according to the requirements of the orebody.
This provides crucial information such as grades,
recovery and capacities. More complicated flow
sheets including scavenger sorters or cleaner
sorters or combining different sensor types can
be tested as well.
“A successful performance test campaign
provides all relevant information for process
design and implementation of a sorting solution.
Test work is completed using industrial sized
machines, so therefore no scale-up factor has to
be applied and piloting is generally not required.
The main focus of process design is the
pretreatment of the sorter feed. The key to
successful operation is sufficient fines removal
and a narrow particle size distribution. To
maximise the benefit of sorting, the circuit
should be designed to deliver the maximum
amount of material in the size range for sorting.
The optimal location for a sorting solution is
within the secondary crushing stage where a
minimum amount of material bypasses sorting
through under- or over-size streams.”
Capacities for individual machines varies
based on the rock type and can be up to 400 t/h
for certain applications. By combining various
machines in different particle size ranges plants
have been implemented with a maximum
capacity of 2,000 t/h total plant feed. “Outotec’s
expertise in crushing, grinding, materials
handling, flotation, leaching and dewatering
ensures smooth incorporation of sorting in any
given process. Our offering includes everything
from sorting equipment packages including
auxiliaries to full turnkey solutions.”
Sensor-based ore particle sorting can be used
to pre-concentrate ROM ore feed, SAG mill scats
and low grade or waste stockpiles. Plant
throughput increase, reduced operating costs
and mine optimisation should be considered in
evaluating sorting as well as increased recovery
in flotation and leach circuits. The economic
benefit to the operation can be very powerful and
also typically reduces sensitivity to metal prices.
A recently published example is Minsur’s San
Rafael mine in Peru, showing a pay-back period
of only four months after the start-up of the
stockpile sorting plant. “The machines have
proven to be very efficient,” said Pedro Condori,
Process Operation Manager for Minsur.
Eriez and HydroFloat
The copper sulphide processing flowsheet has
remained virtually untouched for decades and
follows a logical progression – crush, grind, float,
regrind and refloat to produce a final copper
concentrate. This well-defined and proven
method of copper sulphide processing has
served the industry well for over a century and is
based on the particle size range for which
conventional flotation is most effective. Work by
numerous experts has shown that mechanical
flotation works well for a limited size range, from
approximately 15 to 150 microns. Particles
outside this critical size range are typically lost
in industrial operations and rejected to tailings
due to inherent constraints associated with the
physical interactions that occur in the pulp and
froth phases of conventional flotation equipment.
Theoretical and experimental studies
conducted by researchers working in the Eriez
Flotation Division indicate the inherent limitations
of conventional flotation can be overcome through
the utilisation of a fluidised-bed flotation machine
specifically engineered for the selective recovery
of feeds containing very coarse particles. The
HydroFloat™ separator, was specifically designed
in the early 2000s to address the limitations of
traditional flotation systems. By using a
quiescent, aerated fluidised bed, the turbulence
commonly found in a mixed-tank contacting
environment is greatly minimised. As a result,
delicate bubble-particle aggregates are more
likely to report to the concentrate without
disruption. Furthermore, the absence of a
PROCESS DESIGN_proof 20/12/2017 12:41 Page 7
continuous froth phase minimises drop back that
can occur at the pulp/froth interface.
The device consists of a circular tank subdivided
into an upper freeboard compartment, a middle
separation chamber and a lower dewatering cone.
Similar to a typical hindered-bed separator, feed
solids are introduced just above the middle
separation chamber and are permitted to settle
against an upward rising current of water or other
fluidising medium. The upward flow creates a
fluidised “teeter bed” of suspended particles with
high interstitial liquid velocities that resist the
penetration of slow settling particles. Gas is then
introduced and dispersed along with frother into the
fluidisation network through an externally located
high-shear sparging system. As the air bubbles rise
through the teeter bed, they become attached to
hydrophobic particles, thereby reducing their effective
density and simultaneously increasing their buoyancy.
The particles may be naturally hydrophobic or made
hydrophobic through the addition of flotation
collectors. The lighter bubble-particle aggregates rise
to the top of the denser teeter bed where they
accumulate due to their lower density.
Particles having minimal exposure of
hydrophobic surface with bubble attachment are
very effectively prevented from being lost to
tailings by the action of the teeter bed. The
accumulated aggregates lift off the teeter-bed
interface and are carried upward through the
freeboard compartment due to increased
buoyancy created by the initial and, potentially,
subsequent bubble attachment. The bubble-
particle aggregates are then rapidly carried by
the rising flow of fluidisation water upward
through the freeboard compartment where they
overflow into a collection launder. Due to the
constant overflow of fluidisation water, only a
thin froth layer forms at the top of the flotation
pulp. Hydrophilic particles that do not attach to
the air bubbles (rock) continue to move down
through the teeter bed, settle into the dewatering
cone, and are discharged through the underflow
nozzle. The flow through the underflow nozzle is
automatically controlled based on readings from
an electronic level indicator.
More than 40 full-scale HydroFloat units have
been successfully installed within the industrial
minerals market. Due to that success, test work
continues to be carried out for metalliferous ores.
The results from multiple on-going, site-based test
campaigns and laboratory-based investigations
indicate that the particle size range for successful
flotation can be increased dramatically using this
technology – even with a minimal exposure of
hydrophobic grain surfaces. Data continue to show
that fluidised-bed flotation can increase coarse
particle recovery and improve process economics
by capturing particles that would require
significantly more grinding or otherwise be lost
when using traditional flotation methods.
PROCESS DESIGN
Most recently, potential applications of this
innovative technology in the sulphide minerals
industry have been considered. This was
demonstrated through multiple test programs on
both copper and gold which clearly show a high
degree of recovery can be obtained for particles
up to 0.850 mm. These data also indicate that
significant savings can be realised through the
rejection of well-liberated siliceous gangue that
would otherwise consume capacity in the
grinding circuit.
A demonstration pilot plant was commissioned
to treat tailings from a copper concentrator. The
coarse values recovered using this innovative
technology were captured from a stream just
prior to discharge into an impoundment. These
values, some with minimal exposed sulphide
surface expression, were predominantly coarse,
low-grade sulphides that had not been recovered
using the conventional cell technology installed
in the main concentrator. Data show that
substantial gains can be achieved using this
novel approach to recover values previously
discarded to a typical sulphide tailings stream.  RC™ so that it operates to specification.
The data generated from these laboratory and
pilot testing efforts have been used to model and
simulate innovative flotation circuits which have
been designed to take advantage of the benefits
afforded by fluidised-bed flotation technology.
Process economics can be vastly improved by
capturing particles that would either require
significantly more grinding or be lost when using
traditional flotation methods. In fact, one study
indicated that the capacity of a primary grinding
circuit can be increased by 20-25% for a
hypothetical concentrator treating a typical
porphyry copper ore.
As this technology progresses, it provides
process engineers with another tool for circuit
optimisation where the engineered solution
includes less grinding, increased capacity, higher
recovery and, most importantly, reduced costs. It
is becoming increasingly more important to
demonstrate payback as the traditional approach
of simply adding additional capacity is not as
clear cut when determining payback with respect
to complete utilisation of the resource.
FLSmidth launches Reflux Classifier
plant
FLSmidth has officially launched its modular
Reflux™ Classifier plant for fines gravity
separation applications. The integrated
engineered modular solution is based on its well-
proven RC™ technology, which improves the
performance of gravity separation circuits, when
compared to spirals and hydrosizers.
The RC™ comprises the lamella settler,
autogenous dense-medium separation, and
fluidised bed separator. “The RC™ technology is
based on dense-media separation and is
combined with a lamella plate design, which is
unique to the RC™ and, therefore, allows for the
recovery of the valuable material in the
processing plant,” FLSmidth Country Head and
Minerals sub-Saharan Africa VP Deon de Kock
stated to Mining Weekly at the launch of the 100
t/h modular plant at the FLSmidth Supercenter in
Delmas, Gauteng, recently.
The key plant component are tanks, FLSmidth
Krebs pumps, cyclones, Krebs Tech-Taylor valves,
Technegate valves, the FLSmidth Ludowici
vibrating screen, the Reflux™ Classifier, and
dewatering equipment, as well as the Meshcape®
Screen Media that comprises the polyurethane
screen panels. The plant is also fitted with a
lightning protection system for optimum safety.
The RC™ plant is also automated, using
advanced instrumentation and control, and
includes the FLSmidth automation control system
control centre. The FLSmidth equipment
technologies also interface optimally with the
RC™, which ensures that the feed material is
correctly prepared prior to its reporting to the
The modular solution is targeted at various
applications, including chromite, chromite from
UG2 platinum-group metal circuit applications,
iron ore, metallurgical and thermal coal, mineral
sands, spodumene, cassiterite and other heavy
mineral applications.
The company says that in terms of recovery
efficiency, this plant will allow for some UG2
chrome recovery operations to more than double
their current output, as it can, for example,
produce between 10,000 t and 13,000 t of chrome
concentrate. It can achieve anything from 15% to
22% of additional yield on this spiral tail that
currently goes to waste.
Additionally, the modular RC™ plant can be
integrated into a brownfield plant and retrofitted
to replace less efficient technology. Users can
leverage the flexibility of the plant’s modularity,
as each section is contained within the
dimensions of a 20 ft shipping container. The
combination of these sections or containers
allows for the plant to be configured according to
various and specific process requirements.
The configuration is easily adjustable to
accommodate the changing process or ore
conditions within given parameters, and this
offers enhanced flexibility. The dimensions of the
unit and modularity of the plant allow for easy
relocations where needed, while rapid on-site
installation is possible, as the frames of each
modular section are easily assembled and locked
together.
To provide customers easy access to the
solution and enhance productivity partnerships
with the mining industry, FLSmidth will offer the
plant on a build, own, operate and maintain model
or a build, own, operate and transfer model. IM
JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 73
HIGH PROFILE- KAL TIRE_proof 17/12/2017 11:08 Page 1
HIGH PROFILE
Mining tyre traction
Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group has been hot on the
acquisition trail in the last three years. Paul Moore caught
up with Dan Allan, Senior VP, to get some insights
Q Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group has made three
interesting acquisitions in the mining tyre sphere
in recent years, notably Tredcor Zambia (2015);
Klinge Tyre Services (2016) and Tyre Corp South
Africa (2017). As bolt ons rather than organic
growth can you summarise the drivers in each case?
Each region requires a unique approach at the
time. In Zambia, we had been there since 2009,
primarily in mining as a distributor of Michelin
tyres. However, it was and is a tough market, with
a lot of Asian influence, so it is difficult to get
miners there to buy into the benefits of premium
tyres in terms of cost allied to performance.
Tredcor Zambia was attractive to us as it would
allow us to consolidate our position in the country
as well as build on our relationship with
Goodyear, for whom they were a major distributor.
We have always prided ourselves in mining with
74 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
the ability to offer customers a range of tyre
options.
In Australia, we had been there since 2008 but
with localised business in the western part of the
country, and aspired to become a national tyre
management service provider in mining. This was
hard in a country where it takes a long time to
build up market recognition, which we did not
have for the Kal Tire brand at the time – some
people even thought the Kal meant we were
based in Kalgoorlie…plus there was confusion in
our use of the American tire spelling. It was also a
vicious circle, as potential mining customers
wanted examples of our work in Australia not
elsewhere. The Klinge opportunity came up in
In South Africa, as elsewhere, acquired businesses and new customers are benefitting from the
unique Kal Tire approach to technical and staff training, as well its unrivalled safety standards
In Australia, Kal Tire is successfully building its
brand recognition nationwide having kept all
the Klinge contracts as well as creating new
business
2016. In fact Tom Foord and Tom Klinge had known
each other for years, having met at tyre related
conferences such as the TIA OTR event and had
always mentioned that the two companies aligned
well. So when the opportunity arose to bring the
two companies together, it made perfect sense.
Klinge retained its core tyre management software
business, Total Tyre Control but were happy to
divest their national service capability to us, so it
was a win win.
Finally, in South Africa, Tyre Corp was a tough
competitor, no doubt about it, we lost several
deals to them. Plus the market in South Africa has
been challenging for us and others, with the
mining downturn combined with the impacts of
the Mining Charter, socio-economic issues and the
BBBEE transition at many companies. We needed
a stronger business in South Africa to establish a
firm base to allow us to expand into other key
mining countries in the region like Mozambique.
This acquisition is enabling Kal Tire to entrench
itself with some substance in the South African
market, including the underground mines, and
really enhances the growth we have had in places
like Tanzania and Botswana.
Q How have things panned out in each case so far
in terms of market development – starting with
Zambia, then Australia and South Africa?
In all three cases, it goes without saying that all
the acquired businesses and new customers are
benefitting from the unique Kal Tire approach to
technical and staff training, as well our unrivalled
safety standards.
HIGH PROFILE- KAL TIRE_proof 17/12/2017 11:08 Page 2
But in detail by country, Zambia has gone well
for us. As I said it gave us access to a successful
Goodyear distribution business in mining,
including underground. But we were also able to
bring other brands to offer miners the best value
proposition; and the customers appreciate this.
Our increased presence in Zambia is also boosting
our market development in DRC in terms of repair
and site work. And we now have a great
relationship with the larger open pit mines, which
continues. The country is challenging with
different mine owners having different ideas about
what they want from their mine service provider.
And there is a real mix of surface and
underground. But we have consolidated our
position well.
Kal Tire now supplies tyre
management services
throughout Australia
In Australia, through the Klinge deal and our
presence at shows like AIMEX as well as Diggers
& Dealers, we are aiming to build our brand
across the entire country, though there is still
work to do. Klinge were really well respected and
known which has done a lot for us, as well as
bringing Kal Tire some very good people. The
service business is going well, and we continue to
work at bringing more of the product offering to
these customers. While we took on the Klinge
contracts, and have maintained all of them, we
have also created new business. Plus Klinge had
some site tyre management consultancy and site
audit business outside Australia, which we also
picked up, which has led to new opportunities for
us.
HIGH PROFILE
In South Africa, we had cut our teeth on the
large haul truck premium tyre value proposition,
but this market has a finite size. Tyre Corp has
allowed us access to the competitive underground
market in SA, as 80% of their business was
underground, and those customers realise that
there is room for a different offering and
approach. We now offer both surface and
underground customers a mix of options,
including Continental, Bridgestone and Michelin
on the product side. Continental as IM well knows
is a new player in mining tyres, but their OTR
products for smaller haul trucks have been well
received.
For us we can apply the underground learnings
in South Africa and Zambia to the rest of our
mining tyre business globally. While we are just at
the point of integrating a lot of things, a good
example of progress was at our global team
meeting in Vernon, western Canada, in September,
with a major topic being how to build our internal
networks between the underground teams in
Africa and those elsewhere.
To conclude, every market has legacy issues
that need to be worked out, plus there is always a
lot of work to be done between the inking of a
deal and the “end state.” But in all three cases a
lot of progress has been made, and we have
learned a lot. There is still a lot to be done, but Kal
Tire’s Mining Tire Group is gaining valuable
experience on a daily basis. IM
JANUARY 2018 | International Mining 75
AD INDEX_proof 20/12/2017 13:28 Page 1
ADVERTISER INDEX
Alimak Hek
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AXXIS/BME – A membåer of
the Omnia Group
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Becker Varis
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Booyco Electronics
www.booyco-electronics.co.za
Bruker Elemental
www.bruker.com/mining-hhxrf
Brunner & Lay, Inc.
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BTi – Breaker Technology Inc.
www.rockbreaker.com
China Gold Congress
http://en.china-gold.org/
CIM 2018
https://convention.cim.org/
Comminution 2018
www.min-eng.com/conferences/
DSI Underground
www.dsiunderground.com
Epiroc
www.epiroc.com
ERIEZ
www.EriezFlotation.com
Flowrox
www.flowrox.com
FLSmidth
www.flsmidth.com/
tailingsmanagement
Gilkes Turbo
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Gridcom Enterprises Ltd
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HARD-LINE
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Hillhead 2018
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InfoMine
predictyourprofits.com
Intermat 2018
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IPCC 2018 Conference
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Komatsu Mining Corp.
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L&M Powertrain Parts
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Loesche
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Lubrication Engineers
South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
www.lelubricants.com
MacLean Engineering
www.macleanengineering.com
ME Elecmetal
www.me-elecmetal.com
Mining Today 2018 Conference -
Mining Engineers’ Association
of India (MEAI)
www.meaiminingtoday.com
Metso
http://www.metso.com/products/
screens/ultra-fine-screens/
NLMK Plate Sales S.A.
www.quard.me
PDAC
www.pdac.ca/convention
Pix4D
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Rajant
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76 International Mining | JANUARY 2018
is a media sponsor for
these forthcoming events
in 2018
25 Redpath 19
www.redpathmining.com 5-8 February 2018:
Richwood Industries Inc. 35 Mining Indaba, Cape Town,
51 www.richwood.com South Africa
Riegl Laser Measurement Systems 43 www.miningindaba.com
49 www.riegl.com
Sandvik 11
53 www.rocktechnology.sandvik 25-28 February 2018:
Smart Tech Australia 46 SME Annual Conference & Expo
42 www.SmartTechAustralia.com 2018, Minneapolis, MN, USA
SME 2018 18 www.smeannualconference.com
28 www.smenet.org
SRK Consulting 47, IBC
21 www.srk.com 4-7 March 2018:
Total Mining Solutions 17 PDAC 2018 Convention,
65 http://www.miningsolutions. total.com Toronto, Canada
Volvo Penta 13
24 www.volvopenta.com
www.pdac.ca/convention
Weba Chute Systems 63
32 www.webachutes.com 11-13 April 2018:
Wenco International Mining Systems 41 PASTE 2018 , Perth, Western
37 www.wencomine.com/system6/ Australia
ZEISS 2
5 www.zeiss.com/mining www.paste2018.com
Zest WEG Group 27
29 www.zestweg.com
45
67 FORTHCOMING EVENTS
January 2018 22-25: AME Roundup 2018, Vancouver,
30 Canada. www.amebc.ca
17-18: TD Securities 2018 Mining
61 Conference, Toronto, Canada. 23-25: Canadian Mineral Processors Annual
www.tdsecurities.com Conference, Ottawa, Canada. www.cmpsoc.ca
15
21-22: Vancouver Resource Investment 28-31: ISEE Annual Conference on
71 Conference, Vancouver, Canada. Explosives and Blasting Technique, San
www.cambridgehouse.com Antonio, Texas. www.isee.org
75
69 ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES
UK, Europe (exc. Italy) & CIS, South Africa, South America
8-9 US East Coast & Canada Contact: Ricardo Cortés
Contact: Phil Playle Editec S.A.
Lansdowne Media Services Ltd Tel: +56 2 2757 4210 or +56 2 2757 4200
IFC Tel: +44 (0)1442 877 777 rcortes@editec.cl
Fax: +44 (0)1442 870 617
33 phil@im-mining.com Japan Contact: Akiyoshi Ojima
Japan Advertising Communications, Inc
FC Western USA Tel: 81(0)45 319 4742 Fax: 81(0)45 319 4743
Contact: Bob Warren ojima@media-jac.co.jp
Lansdowne Media Services Ltd
55 Tel: +44 (0)1442 877 777 China Contact: Huang Shusheng(黄术升)
Fax: +44 (0)1442 870 617 Tel: +86 10 13901065576
59 bob@im-mining.com Fax: +86 10 81573510
huang_shusheng@hotmail.com
US Mid-West, Cent & Mt
31
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J.P. Media Inc Block 10/502 Heritage Estate, Dodaballapur Road
Tel: +1 (630) 420 9752 Fax: +1 (630) 420 9763 Yelahanka, Bangalore - 560064
lapham@jpmediainc.com Tel:  +91 74064 64314
39 devksingh2005@gmail.com
Brazil
OBC Contact: Joseph Young Italy
Minérios & Minerales Magazine Contact: Claudio Sanfilippo
Tel: +55 11 3895 8590 or Andrea Rancati
34 josephyoung@terra.com.br Rancati Advertising
Tel: +39 02 70300088 Fax: +39 02 70300074
Australia and New Zealand csanfilippo@rancatinet.it
57
Contact: David Lansdowne or Marika Cooper or arancati@rancatinet.it 
Lansdowne Media Services Ltd
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CLASSIFIED JAN 18_Layout 1 20/12/2017 13:27 Page 1

FORTHCOMING EVENTS CLASSIFIED

February 2018
emma@im-mining.com
emma@im-mining.com
1: Beyond Digital Transformation, Sudbury,
Canada. www.yourpace.ca
World Leading
1-2: 18th Coaltrans USA, Miami, USA.
www.coaltrans.com/usa Cradle to cradle Locomotives
& Haulage
Solutions …
5-8: Investing in African Mining Indaba, Consultingassistance
Consulting
Cape Town, South Africa. assistance
for for
mining clients
www.miningindaba.com …for Mining,
from grass
mining roots from
clients Tunnelling
7-9: Geostatistical Mineral Resource exploration & Surface
Estimation and Meeting the New
grass rootsthrough
Transport
Regulatory Environment, Montreal, to mine closure.
exploration through
Canada. www.cosmo.mcgill.ca srk.com
to mine closure.
Clayton Equipment Ltd
www.claytonequipment.com
12-14: 17th Coaltrans India, Goa, India. Tel +44 (0) 870 112 9191
www.coaltrans.com/india

15-16: Mining Investment South America,

>1,400 professionals U• > 50
>1,500 45 offices U• > 20 countries U• 6 continents
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
www.spire-events.com
Mining business in
the Philippines?
25-28: SME 2018 Annual Conference

IPCC
& Expo, Minneapolis, USA.
www.smeannualconference.com

March 2018

1-3: Understanding the Mining Industry

From A to Z, Toronto, Canada.
www.mineafrica.com 2018
4-7: PDAC 2018 International Convention,
Trade Show & Investors Exchange, Toronto,
Canada. www.pdac.ca/convention
In-Pit Crushing
12-13: Society of Mining Professors 6th
Regional Conference 2018, Johannesburg,
South Africa. www.saimm.co.za
and26-27
Conveying
April 2018
13-16: Bauma Conexpo Africa 2018 – 3rd DoubleTree by Hilton
Anniversary, Johannesburg, South Africa.
www.messe-muenchen.de
Santiago – Vitacura, Chile

International Mining Mining Editor Paul Moore and

Publisher John Chadwick go the extra mile to report
on real mines and mining projects globally and in
person, unlike competitor titles. So far in 2015 to
2017 alone, visits have included the following:
COUNTRY OPERATIONS REPORTED ON
INDONESIA Kaltim Prima Coal (coal)
USA KUC Bingham Canyon (copper)
PERU Cerro Verde (copper)
SOUTH AFRICA Goldplat Recovery (gold, PGMs)
SWEDEN Boliden Garpenberg (polymetallic)
TURKEY Aldridge Yenipazar (polymetallic)
RUSSIA Eurochem Kovdorskiy (phosphate)
AUSTRALIA Rio Tinto Tom Price/Marandoo (iron ore)
FINLAND Outokumpu Kemi (chromite)
UK Compass Minerals Winsford (salt)
BRAZIL Anglo American Minas Rio (iron ore)
COLOMBIA Drummond Pribbenow/El Descanso (coal)
BELARUS Belaruskali (potash)
UZBEKISTAN Muruntau (gold)
KAZAKHSTAN Kounrad (copper)
 Ad-Ultrafine-screen-Metso.pdf 1 2017-12-05 09:56:09

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