First Mining Drc-Zambia July/August 2018

IN THIS ISSUE

EDITOR’S COMMENT Mining sector more open to technology Welcome to the July- Aug edition of 1st Mining DRC-Zambia, one of our most exclusive ever! In its pages, you’ll find information on products, services, equipment and trends in the mining industry.

The mining industry’s openness to new technology is one of the main reasons why it may be able to remain sustainable and productive.

Editor Bertha M. editor@fmdrc-zambia.com Contributing Writer Oscar Nkala Mfuneko Jack Lindani Mkhize Caroline Thomas Sales and Marketing Rossou Biliard sales@fmdrc-zambia.com +27 11 044 8986 Deward Sitali dewards@fmdrc-zambia.com +260 96 187 4888 Victor Ndlovu victorn@fmdrc-zambia.com Cleopas M. cleopasm@fmdrc-zambia.com Mandla M. mandlam@fmdrc-zambia Professor M. professorm@fmdrc-zambia. com Graphic Design and Layout Irene Faith Omudho

In many mines, surveyors risk dangerous conditions to mark ore boundaries, patterns, and special dozer projects. Hexagon has created HxGN MineOperate OP Pro HP a high-precision guidance solution for safer and more productive mines.

Not all mine operators have considered reclaiming material from track lines to be worth the expense, but there are other little-known benefits to regular track surface cleaning that go beyond simple material retrieval. Yard cleaning not only reclaims valuable resources.

Our article on yard cleaning will help you comprehend its benefits more.

Whether your goal is reclamation of material, environmental cleanups, or routine track cleaning, the right equipment can simplify the job.

The Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (“CEC”) has signed a long-term contract to supply up to 78MW of electricity to Metalkol SA (“Metalkol”), major cobalt and copper tailings reprocessing operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Electra Mining is coming up and Becker Mining South Africa is ready to once again highlight the company’s commitment to the highest standards in quality and safety in the mining sector.

Arm yourself with more knowledge and information as you read through our magazine and be able to keep afloat in the ever changing mining environment.

Bertha M.

Art Director Augustine Ombwa Arobia Creative Consultancy austin@arobia.co.ke Published By Mailing Times Media sales@fmdrc-zambia.com www.fmdrc-zambia.com Circulation/Sales info@fmdrc-zambia.com +27 11 044 8986 sales@fmdrc-zambia.com +27 11 044 8986

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Mailing Times Media (Pty) Ltd makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the contents of its publications, but no warranty is made as to such accuracy and no responsibility will be borne by the publisher for the consequences of actions based on information so published. Further, opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by Mailing Times Media (Pty) Ltd

CONTENTS NEWS

CEC SIGNGS POWER SUPPLY

04

FIRST QUANTUM MINING

06 08

FOCUS ON ZAMBIA’S MINING TOWNS

12 Glencore sees an increase in cobalt supply from Congo Mines

06

14 KONKOLA COPPER

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METAL AND PLASTIC CORE TRAYS

FEATURES

16 FEATURES OXYGEN THERMIC LANCE TUBES FOR MINING

DATA CRITICAL IN ACCOMMODATING BILLIONS EXPECTED IN AFRICA BY 2050

BECKER MINING

27 HEXAGON PRECISION FOR SAFER MORE PRODUCTIVE MINES

24 23

Trimble Monitoring Solutions’

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29 RAILWAY SIGNALLING

15 STEM MING PLUGS FOR BETTER BLAST CONTAINMENT

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CEC SIGNS POWER SUPPLY DEAL WITH DRC’S METALKOL

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NEWS

T

he Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (“CEC”) has signed a long-term contract to supply up to 78MW of electricity to Metalkol SA (“Metalkol”), major cobalt and copper tailings reprocessing operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The contract, agreed with Metalkol and DRC’s national electricity company Société National d’Electricité (“SNEL”), secures electricity supply to Meltakol for up to ten years in two phases.

The first phase to deliver a total of 62MW will run until quarter two of 2019; following which power supply will ramp up to 78MW per year during the second phase and for the remainder of the contract.

Managing Director, Owen Silavwe, has described the agreement as a demonstration of CEC’s commitment, agility and promise to meet the specific and unique requirements of customers in Zambia and the DRC market, and a reaffirmation of the Company’s growing partnership with SNEL and the mining community in the DRC. He said, “Supplying secure and reliable power to mining houses is at the core of CEC’s business.

With many years of experience successfully supplying reliable power to mining operations in both Zambia and the DRC, this agreement demonstrates our resourcefulness,

commitment and ability to provide fit-for-purpose power solutions to our customers’ satisfaction.

CEC has put together a robust portfolio of power sources, invested in transmission networks in Zambia, including the interconnection of DRC’s SNEL network to the regional interconnected power system, and is proactively finding solutions to customers’ changing needs. We are excited by the opportunity to extend our services to Metalkol and to provide an effective power solution that will contribute to the success of the Metalkol RTR project.”

Owned by Eurasian Resources Group (“ERG”), a leading diversified natural resources group, Metalkol is also a low-cost hydro-metallurgical facility.

Benedikt Sobotka, CEO of Eurasian Resources Group, commented: “This is an important milestone in the progress of the Metalkol project, a unique development for the global battery industry.

It is an example of sustainable and environmentally conscious treatment of the local environment, and of our wider strategic ambitions in Africa. Together with our partners, who are vital companies in their respective countries, we have found an effective solution to guarantee a reliable electricity supply, which has previously been an issue in the region.”

Jean-Bosco Kayombo Kayan, SNEL Director General, said the trilateral

agreement signed with CEC and Metalkol demonstrates SNEL’s willingness to serve its customers by offering its expertise in the Southern African energy market.

“SNEL has a mission to contribute to the economic development of the DRC by providing as much energy as possible to industrial producers operating in the country. With this aim in mind, SNEL has entered into an agreement with Metalkol in order to respond to its demand for energy in the most efficient way.”

“This is an important milestone in the progress of the Metalkol project, a unique development for the global battery industry.”

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NEWS

FIRST QUANTUM MINING EXTENDS COPPER HEDGE PROGRAMME C

anada-based First Quantum has announced that it will extend its copper sales hedge programme to ensure a “certain level of cash flow” during the commissioning and ramp-up of its large open pit copper mine development in Panama.

This comes as concern about trade wars are hurting copper prices, which have fallen sharply in the past two months, despite no let down in demand for the red metal.

Chairman and CEO Philip Pascall said the copper market had “excess demand” but the company wanted to ensure a certain level of cash flow during Cobre Panama’s commissioning and ramp-up phases.

“While metal prices are being negatively affected by global political concerns, demand for copper remains robust,” he said.

“Nevertheless, in light of current conditions, we think it is prudent to extend our copper sales hedge programme on a limited basis.”

It extended the programme to cover 25,000t of forward sales contracts at an average $3.15/lb with maturity to December 2018, and 98,000t at $3.04-$3.45/lb with maturities to June 2019.

First Quantum said its majorityowned Cobre Panama development project had achieved key milestones during the quarter towards phased commissioning in 2018, including beginning first commissioning activities at the process plant. Cobre Panama is expected to produce 330,0000-350,000t in 2021, its first full year of ramped-up production.

The company announced net earnings attributable to shareholders of $135 million and declared a

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C$0.005 per share interim dividend for the year ending December 31.

It reported record quarterly copper sales of 152,403 tonnes - with a 28% production increase from its Sentinel mine in Zambia and maintenance deferred at Las Cruces in Spain - and an all-in sustaining cost of $1.76 per pound.

First Quantum said it had provided relevant documentation to the Zambia Revenue Authority to rebut an $8 billion tax bill and said it remained engaged with the agency and “committed to ensuring transparency in all discussions between the parties”.

It ended the quarter with $682 million in unrestricted cash and equivalents. Its shares have ranged between C$12.09-$23.05 over the past year and closed 8c higher at $19.13.

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NEWS

Glencore sees an increase in cobalt supply from Congo Mines

G

lencore Plc increased cobalt production by almost a third after restarting output at its Katanga unit in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Swiss commodity giant is seeking to double its production of cobalt in the next two years, tightening its grip on the market for the key battery material in electric vehicles. First-half cobalt output jumped 31 percent to 16,700 tons, the company said in a statement.

While Glencore is cashing in on higher cobalt and copper demand, it also must confront serious

challenges this year. The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a corruption probe into operations in Congo, Nigeria and Venezuela, and it’s facing higher taxes and tougher regulation in Congo.

In its production report today, Glencore maintained most of its fullyear targets, with slight reductions to its coal and lead estimates. Copper output rose 8 percent during the first half and nickel production increased 21 percent.

“African copper saw a faster ramp up at Katanga than we had modeled and stronger performance at

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both Mutanda and Mopani, also translating into the higher cobalt production,” RBC Capital Markets analyst Tyler Broda said in a note.

Katanga boasts one of Congo’s biggest reserves of copper and cobalt but it has underperformed for decades. In 2015, Glencore suspended operations to address the problems and upgrade the facilities.

Production restarted in December and the mine is scheduled to hit 300,000 tons of copper next year, when it will account for about a fifth of Glencore’s global production.

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NEWS

Konkola Copper Mines embraces safety as a priority

V

edanta Africa Base Metals & Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Chief Executive Officer Deshnee Naidoo launched the firstever Safety Stand Down campaign in July, in a bid to raise safety standards and curb mine accidents and fatalities in the company.

The Safety Stand Down campaign, comes in the wake of the recent Safe 400+ tonnes daily production focus, which KCM initiated as a springboard to raise production to 12,500 tonnes per month. It also recognises the

impact of mine accidents in the workplace, to the families of the deceased, the economy, and is a renewal of management and employees’ commitment to safe working practices.

The CEO reiterated that she would rather production is paused if there was a threat to the safety of employees than continue mining in unsafe environments.

Ms Naidoo told over 700 of KCM’s 12,000 employees, who attended

the launch of the Safety Stand Down that, “It is not acceptable to have had multiple fatalities across KCM in the last six years. All fatalities are preventable.”

She added that, “Even when we are pushing to achieve that production target of 400+ tonnes, the first thing on my mind, as a priority for KCM, is safety. It should also be the first thing in your minds. We cannot have production if it does not come safely.

When there is a fatality, it hurts and devastates everyone.”

She outlined some key objectives of the new safety initiative, which include, No more fatalities, No more injuries, No more damage to equipment and property.

Ms Naidoo said leaders of the three unions representing employees at KCM agreed to provide extra oversight on the implementation of the safety campaign.

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NEWS

NEWS

James Mwabu, the Senior Inspector of Machinery at the Mine Safety Department (MSD) read a speech on behalf of the Director Gideon Ndalama, prodding KCM management and employees not to slacken in pursuing the safety objectives.

“It is our concern as government that every miner and other employees go to work and return home safely. The mining sector is such an important industry and we cannot afford to continue losing life in the sector,” he added.

Mr Mwabu said work stoppages caused by accidents in the mines were harmful to the industry and the entire economy.

of Zambia (MUZ) and the United Mineworkers Union of Zambia (UMUZ) pledged the unions’ support to the initiative.

“Sector-wide statistics on safety are alarming. Although measures are being taken to correct this scenario, the government wants the mines to focus entirely on safe production, like you have committed to do here at KCM,” Mr Mwabu said.

“We believe, like everyone else, that life has no substitute, and therefore the safety of a person is our number one priority. Our desire as unions representing workers at KCM is to see to it that this stance is entrenched as a way of life by all of us. It is always saddening to lose life because of the huge implications such as losses to the family, the company and the economy,” Mr Simujika said.

General Treasurer of the National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW), Saul Simujika, who spoke on behalf of the Mineworkers Union

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NEWS

MINING INDABA TAKES HOME 1ST PRIZE FOR ‘BEST LARGE-SCALE EVENT’ AT THE 2018 CONFERENCE AWARDS

O

n 29th June 2018 members of the Mining Indaba team attended the London Conference Awards, which took place at the beautiful venue City Central at the HAC. Chosen by judges from a shortlist of 8 finalists, Investing in African Mining Indaba came away with the prestigious title of ‘Best large-scale event’ and achieved 2nd place in ‘Best overseas conference of the year (over 400 delegates)’.

Judges commented that: “putting the audience and sector’s needs front and centre, the Mining Indaba team completely overhauled a tired looking brand to breathe new life into the event for its 24th edition.”

attendance, most notably with a 47% increase in mining executives.

Despite challenges caused by the water shortage in the Western Cape, the team raised awareness of the issue and worked with local suppliers to minimise the impact of the event on Cape Town’s infrastructure as well as donating to local aid charity Gift of the Givers.

Managing Director of Mining Indaba Alex Grose commented on the win saying: “I am extremely proud of what we achieved this year and for other people in our industry to recognise that too, is the icing on the cake.”

Next year Mining Indaba will be celebrating its 25th anniversary from 4-7 February 2019 in Cape Town.

Registration for the event is currently open, please see the website for more details. www.miningindaba.com For more information contact: E: marketing@miningindaba.com T: +44 207 779 8890 Mining Indaba A division of Euromoney Trading ltd 8 Bouverie Street London EC4Y 8AX

“A well-executed research strategy.

Complete and utter turnaround.

Overcame massive challenges.

Excellent. Impressive delegate growth and the financial results are a well-deserved reflection of a great entry.”

Mining Indaba’s 24th edition, which took place 5-8 February 2018 in Cape Town, saw a fresh revamp of branding and direction, with a bigger focus on facilitating deal-making and on creating a platform for relevant industry discussions around sustainable development, national policy and technological innovations.

This new audience-centric strategy resulted in a 15% increase in

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FEATURE

FOCUS ON ZAMBIA’S MINING TOWNS T he Copperbelt is a province of Zambia that is known for its abundance in mineral deposits.

The main cities of the Copperbelt include Ndola, Kitwe, Chingola ,Mufulira, Luanshya, Kalulushi and Chililabombwe.

Chingola Chingola is a city in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province with a population of 147,448 as of the last census 2000. It is the home of Nchanga Open Pit Mine, the second largest open cast mine in the world. The mine lies in an arc 11 km long around the west and north of the town. In addition to the Nchanga Open Pit, Chingola has an underground mine. A freight-only branch of Zambian Railways services the town from Kitwe.

Kalulushi Kalulushi was established in 1953 as a company town for workers at the nearby Chibuluma copper and cobalt mine.

Kitwe

Kitwe is the third-largest town in Zambia and is in the centre of the Copperbelt. There are two main underground mines in Kitwe, Nkana and Mindolo. These are operated

by Mopani Copper Mines plc. There are also extensive mine tailings around both mines, and two small tailings dams right in the city centre.

The main highway through the Copperbelt runs south-east to northwest through the city, to Ndola as a freeway in the south-east.

central Zambia. It is the northern terminus of the Zambian rail line that serves the copperbelt province.

Chililabombwe’s main copper mine, Bancroft Mine was opened in 1957.

Luanshya Luanshya is a town in Zambia, in the Copperbelt Province near Ndola.

According to the history books this was after a prospector/explorer, William Collier, shot and killed a Roan Antelope on the banks of the Luanshya River and discovering a copper deposit in the process. The mining company eventually formed to exploit Collier’s find was named “Roan Antelope Copper Mines Ltd”.

Ndola Ndola is the industrial, commercial, administrative and distribution hub of the Copperbelt, Zambia’s copper-mining region, and capital of Copperbelt Province. Ndola has no mines. However, the Bwana Mkubwa open-cast mine is only 10 km southeast of the city centre. Furthermore, copper and precious metals are usually brought from across the Copperbelt for processing at the Ndola Copper Refinery and Precious Metals Refinery.

Chililabombwe Formerly known as Bancroft, this mining town is located in north-

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Mufulira Mufulira is 16 km from the border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The town is connected to Kitwe through a tarred highway. A branch of Zambia Railways (freight only) serves the mine.

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FEATURE

Metal and plastic core trays for mining and exploration sector

available across the globe and as a material, it is strong but can be slightly heavier in weight. The downside to timber trays is that it is susceptible to termites and insects.

Thus in many parts of the world, particularly tropical regions, this is not a practical solution. Wherever these are used in the world, these wooden boxes will rot out however, and you will encounter loss of core or sample bias in some form.

Plastic Trays Of course, given technological advancements, it wasn’t too long before plastic trays were developed.

But the initial ones sold on the market were flimsy and would all too often disintegrate in the sun, needing constant replacement.

I

n the core processing and analysis industry, core trays serve a multitude of purposes; they are filled with core at the drill site, are used to safely transport the core from the site to the core shed or lab, assist in recording and sampling procedures, and used as a container to preserve the core.

There are different materials used in making trays: Metal Trays Metal and galvanised trays were introduced into the industry decades ago. Although extremely sturdy, it has its own set of problems. The metal would bend and corrode as sulphide ores reacted with the metal. Metal trays were also heavy to lift, and after a day in the burning sun, became hot to handle, causing calluses and burns. Metal

also stacked unstably on the pallets causing delays in transportation or loss of core from the tray if the stack collapsed due to this instability.

Cardboard Trays It seems odd considering the large scale of mining and exploration operations nowadays, but cardboard trays were also developed to provide a solution to the increasing amount of core tray problems. The idea however was flawed from the beginning. On the one hand, cardboard trays are light and can be used by one person alone. But this is where its practical use ends.

These trays have to be stored inside which only adds to lost productivity and employee frustrations, not to mention its short life span.

Wooden Trays Wooden trays are a popular solution, particular in colder parts of the world. Timber as a resource is readily

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Unique Core Products- safe efficient and cost effective core trays The UCP Africa Core Tray Range offers a unique aspect of efficiency, where core access and visibility have played a key role in the design of the tray itself. This makes the UCP Africa core tray works faster, easier and safer than ever before, all done with cost effectiveness still in mind.

UCP Africa’s dynamic team have designed and patented a new design for storing core samples in a safe, efficient and productive fashion.

These world first Colour coded core trays pick your corporate colours for your core trays, OR pIck a unique colour for your core trays storing reef interactions for ease of identification.

The benefits include:.

• Operates within the Health and Safety standards • Safe handling system-no sharp edges • Easy assembly-patented clip

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mechanism • Increased core visabiltiy • Core accessibility which drive efficiencies • Contamination free • Composite materials provide benefits of both Plastic and Steel • Highly exportable - flat pack • Decreased cost in transport, storage and assembly Costs • Intergrated label and directional system • Will rack with existing racking systems • Stackable system • UV stablised core tray ends • Drainage holes incorporated into the design UCP Africa has recognised the need for a core management system that

will minimise any manual handling of the core tray. This has been done in an effort to minimise any risk of injury while handling the core tray itself.

They have also designed and produced the NEW UCP Africa Core Alignment tool. This makes line extrapolation and alignment of the core within the core tray quick, easy and accurate

inside the core tray. This innovation has potentially decreased the core capacity of core trays in the global market. This new core block will be able to be used inside any core tray, as the block itself is core diameter specific.

The company is currently developing a new style of core block, which will not take up valuable space when placed

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FEATURE

OXYGEN THERMIC LANCE TUBES FOR MINING APPLICATIONS A

n Oxygen Lance tube is a hollow electric resistance welded (ERW) tube manufactured from mild steel. It is available in various sizes and end finishes and is used in the steel making process.

The Lance tube is employed in the smelting industry, specifically in the

mining. This is during the production of ferroalloys, copper, zinc and other ferrous and non ferrous metals industries. The tube is use to burn open large, bottom pouring smelting furnaces such as blast furnaces, basic oxygen furnaces as well as electric and induction furnaces. It is the most cost effective method available for tapping heats.

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Lance tube is also used to remove carbon during the smelting process of various metals. The process involves injecting oxygen into the molten metal causing the impurities to be oxidized. This results in slag that floats to the top of the melt which can then be more easily removed.

Although efforts have been made to replace oxygen lances since they are annoying, dangerous and inefficient, nobody has worked to improve the way the traditional oxygen lances

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thermal radiation and gases, as well as to work overload and physical injuries.

A simple observation makes evident that oxygen lances are inaccurate and dangerous; they also generate massive fumes and create a rain of melted material projected against the operator.

Advanced Thermal Lances TREFIMET’s own manufacturing method allows for the existence of straight lances, free from curves or constrictions, and with several ducts inside. These ducts keep their crosssection through the lance and let the oxygen run freely from one end to the other. Therefore, the oxygen and iron mix efficiently to generate the exothermic reaction of all the iron content in the lance, being available to work 3,228 MJ /Fe kg.

work. Development on drills and robotic arms, have failed to replace oxygen lances, which despite their negative side effects have been used for more than a century.

As such, companies such as TREFIMET are working to give relevance to matters normally disregarded in operations, but unmistakably vital, for example: if a furnace cannot be tapped, the pyro metallurgical process will not be completed, or if a rock can’t be melted, the crusher will stop the ore production process. Besides, if the task is difficult or prolonged, the plant availability will be reduced.

Consequently, there will be a waste of energy and workers will be exposed to dangerous levels of

These chemical reactions take place in the tip of the lance, projecting a flow or energy that always goes forward, and thanks to their unique design, TREFIMET lances can keep that energy focused on a targeted point. This is the great difference and improvement of the TREFIMET advanced thermal lance: it pierces forwards, as a drill would do.

TREFIMET has managed to develop advanced oxygen lance designs that offer the following advantages: • Energy is focused on the attack point, resulting in more accurate cuts or perforations.

• Faster operations result in decreased operator’s exposure time and therefore increased safety.

• Lower oxygen and lance consumptions.

• Full length burning, thanks to its exclusive coupling system.

• Less fumes and sparks are generated, making them easier to operate and your target is more visible.

• Using TREFIMET advanced thermal lances, users will be benefit from improved equipment conditions, longer life cycles, reduced operational

impacts, and increased operator safety.

Oxylance Thermic Torches or Exothermic Cutting equipment is an oxy/fuel cutting system that uses an alloyed steel pipe instead of a fuel gas to perform cutting operations.

The Thermic Torch is consumed during the operation. Thermic Torches are more efficient on many materials because they burn at a tip temperature of 4000 c where an oxy/ fuel gas torch has a tip temperature of 2700 c.

Exothermic cutting systems like the Oxylance Thermic Torches or Sure Cut Cutting Systems will cut virtually any metal, both ferrous and nonferrous. Both the Large Burning Bars and the Sure Cut systems are faster than conventional oxy-acetylene or carbon arc gouging. Exothermic cutting requires no preheating or cleaning the material prior to cutting.

It is easy to use and is cost effective for most applications. Unlike carbon arc gouging the Exothermic Cutting systems leaves no carbon residue on material being gouged. Additionally, the noise level of thermic torches compared to carbon arc gouging is a significant safety factor. The db rating for a Thermic Torch is below 95 decibels.

MINING INDUSTRY The mining industry worldwide uses Exothermic Cutting or Thermic Lances for a wide variety of applications from smelter operations for opening tap holes and cutting slag as well as maintaining mining machinery and heavy equipment.

PIERCING FROZEN PINS The Thermic Lance or Sure Cut system is ideal for removing frozen pins from heavy equipment. By piercing a hole through the center of the pin you heat the pin from the inside and then by removing material from the center of the pin you give it room to shrink for easy removal.

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FEATURE

TIME WORK STUDY Piercing a 32 mm od X 300 mm pin using 6 mm X 600 mm rod. Initial hole through the length of the pin took 16 seconds Removing 100 mm diameter X 600 mm long pin from crane took 3 ea of the 9.5 mm X 900 mm Quick Connect rods. Initial pierce took 20 seconds.

Increasing the hole in the center of the pin took additional 5 minutes.

Cooling time and final removal, 25 minutes for a total of 30 minutes.

Removing a 125 mm X 400 mm pin from a paper mill roller: 6 each 9.5 mm X 1200 mm rods. Initial pierce took 35 seconds. Enlarging the hole enough for the pin to shrink took 15 minutes. Cooling time and removal took 30 minutes.

Cutting steel plate; Operators removing duct work from a coal fired power plant were able to cut up to 3 meters of 6 mm steel plate with one 9.5 mm X 1200 mm Sure Cut rod in 2 minutes. Gouging a 20 mm fillet weld on 450 mm long welded joint took half of a 9.5 mm by 900 mm rod in less than 40 seconds. The 20 mm fillet was gouged to the root and the two pieces of plate were separated with one pass.

2 minutes with one 9.5 mm X 1200 mm rod.

Cutting Stainless Steel Plate; 9.5 mm SS plate 1200 mm long cut in half in

Although efforts to improve cut or perforation operations have

Heat Exchanger; 12 mm od Stainless Steel Tube Bundle 900 mm in diameter. 3 each 9.5 mm X 1200 mm QC rods. One complete cut through the heat exchanger took 6 minutes.

Aluminum Buss Bars; 50 mm thick X 200 mm wide aluminum buss bars cut in half with 1 each 9.5 mm X 600 rod in 45 seconds.

been made by means of expensive mechanic (rotary or percussion) tools, it has not been possible to move away from using oxygen lances.

In contrast, the performance and accuracy of the advanced thermal lances developed by companies such as TREFIMET has allowed the definite replacement of the traditional oxygen lances, thereby delivering the same result as if they have been carried out by a drill tip or a pneumatic hammer.

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FEATURE

BECKER MINING SOUTH AFRICA ELECTRA MINING 2018 PREVIEW

B

ecker Mining South Africa’s stand at Electra Mining will once again highlight the company’s commitment to the highest standards in quality and safety in the mining sector and general industry.

Becker Mining’s extensive product portfolio, which complies with the most stringent government mining regulations and mining house specifications, includes high-performance, fit-for-purpose communication and safety solutions for underground and surface mining installations - Leaky Feeder, Wi-Fi, tagging and tracking, as well as environmental monitoring PDS systems.

systems, using the latest technologies and advanced materials. Mine safety is significantly enhanced by the implementation of one or a combination of Becker’s specialised multi-technological solutions.

On display this year - Hall 6 Stand C18 – will be communication and automation solutions, energy

distribution systems, mechanical, electrical and electronic mining products, as well as transportation and roof support systems.

Of particular interest on the stand this year is the Becker Varis Smartsense® atmospheric and environmental monitoring system,

In addition to communications solutions, Becker also offers intrinsically safe (IS) and flameproof underground electrical reticulation products, as well as fluid transfer, rigging, rope attachment, steel arch tunnel support and underground transportation systems. An important feature of all systems is they are designed to facilitate future upgrades.

Becker Mining’s critical service encompasses the design and manufacture of products and

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FEATURE

which forms an essential part of critical underground and aboveground communications and safety systems.

The high accuracy Becker Varis Smartsense® gas monitoring system has integrated features for the detection of ambient temperature, humidity and barometric pressure.

Apart from the accurate detection and monitoring of ambient temperature, humidity and barometric pressure, every device can monitor up to four gases, including Oxygen (O2), Methane (CH4), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2).

An important advantage of the Becker Varis Smartsense SSFM-100 device over conventional monitoring systems, is all features are integrated into one compact instrument.

There is no need for complex cable connections, troublesome

programming or difficult calibration.

This system - which adheres to stringent local and international quality and safety regulations - is also certified for safe and reliable use in hazardous areas.

The mining sector in Africa benefits from Becker Mining’s ongoing research and development programme, where close international ties guarantee the edge on product design, impeccable manufacturing standards, cost efficiency, safety and reliability of equipment.

Becker offers intrinsically safe (IS) and flameproof underground electrical reticulation products, as well as fluid transfer, rigging, rope attachment, steel arch tunnel support and underground transportation systems.

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On display at Becker Mining South Africa’s stand this year (Hall 6 Stand C18) will be communication and automation solutions, energy distribution systems, mechanical, electrical and electronic mining products, as well as transportation and roof support systems.

Of particular interest is the Becker Varis Smartsense® atmospheric and environmental monitoring system, which forms an essential part of critical underground and aboveground communications and safety systems.

Further information Tania Henderson, Becker Mining South Africa Tel (+011) 617 6300 info@za.becker-mining.com www.za.becker-mining.com

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FEATURE

Trimble Monitoring Solutions’ GNSS Seismic Monitoring Systems for Underground Mining Operations

T

he use of appropriate monitoring technology is essential for safe mining operations. Trimble offers a variety of solutions to meet a wide range of requirements, from periodic deformation measurements to automated real-time monitoring.

As a world leader in providing high precision GNSS technology, Trimble offers dedicated monitoring GNSS receivers and dedicated monitoring software. Trimble GNSS technology can be used to effectively monitor the surface above an underground mine detecting movement, the rate of movement and the rate of increase of the movement in order to identify potential failure modes.

Trimble monitoring solutions provide the information needed to support a safe working environment, and economic and efficient mining operations, while mitigating the associated risk. Specific product offerings from Trimble include:

The Trimble REF TEK 130-SMHR High Resolution Accelerograph monitors seismicity induced by the mining operation, as well as natural seismic activity. It combines a high resolution seismic recorder and high resolution, low noise accelerometer, and can provide a sample rate of up to 200 Hz. The Trimble Kestrel SeismoGeodetic System combines the benefits of a GNSS receiver and a high resolution accelerograph in a single device.

Unique algorithms developed by Trimble process absolute GNSS positions and the acceleration data in a combined approach. As a result, the Trimble Kestrel provides 200 Hz 3D displacement data, which allows the user to monitor sudden movement, as well as the long-term stability of the ground above mining operations.

In the same way as the REF TEK 130SMHR, it also monitors seismicity induced by the mining operation and natural seismic activity.

Trimble 4D Control monitoring software is the perfect tool to manage small, medium and large monitoring projects. This scalable solution processes, visualizes, alarms on and reports on all kinds of monitoring data. It supports a variety of monitoring sensors such as optical total stations, GNSS receivers, vibration sensors, geotechnical sensors and weather stations.

Multi-session automated GNSS post-processing, real-time kinematic processing and Trimble RTX engines ensure reliable GNSS processing in any environment. An automated, real-time network adjustment engine for optical, GNSS and combined data provides most accurate 3D displacement results and statistics for monitoring projects of any size.

Trimble 4D Control also comes with a powerful Web interface which allows the user to easily access all project information from anywhere using a Web browser.

The Trimble NetR9 Ti-M is a monitoring GNSS receiver, which includes 440 channels and supports the GPS, GLONASS, Beidou and Galileo GNSS constellations. It provides 10 Hz of displacement data and features RTX onboard processing, which eliminates the need for a GNSS base station.

The Trimble NetR9 Ti-M monitors 3D displacement of ground above mining operations and provides great value for those looking for a high precision monitoring GNSS receiver.

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FEATURE

DATA CRITICAL IN ACCOMMODATING BILLIONS EXPECTED IN AFRICA BY 2050

By Sabine Dall’Omo, CEO for Siemens Southern and Eastern Africa

B

y 2050, an estimated 1.4 billion people will be living in an African city. In Nigeria alone, 189 million people will have moved to a city, while Johannesburg will be home to 6.5 million inhabitants, and Nairobi 14.2 million. This is more than we could have ever imagined and Africa needs to start making room for them.

Just as Egypt’s remarkable pyramids earned its place in history, so too can smart cities in Africa. At 138 metres high, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the tallest man-made structure ever built, and continues to marvel the world some 4,000 years after construction. One can only imagine the kind of brilliance and innovative thinking behind it. What we do know is that even way back then, the people of Africa had it right.

They collectively immersed themselves in a creative vision, cutting-edge ingenuity, tireless efforts and countless hours of sweat.

Today, the Great Pyramid is regarded as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history, and stands as the sole survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

This is what we want for Africa and our people. Not a pyramid exactly, but a revolutionized smart city that will withstand the test of time.

A city that resolves our lifelong challenges in infrastructure, energy, population, traffic, health, safety and unemployment. This concept, however, requires more than the installation of pipes and drainage. It necessitates quantum-age thinking coupled with detailed information, sustainable plans, and ingenuity in digital transformation.

Much has been said about digital transformation and ambitious ideas often sound great on paper, but can it be accomplished given the continent’s current financial and infrastructural challenges. Many organizations recognize that digital transformation is crucial for future success, but are unsure where to start, what investments to make, and which technologies to implement.

They may also lack capital and the required skills. The pace of change is so fast in the digital age that they need to take action to safeguard their competitiveness, and the best way to do it is to collaborate with partners

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that provide the technical knowhow, particularly as urbanization accelerates at an unprecedented rate in Africa.

Urbanization Most people enter cities for work opportunities as unemployment escalates. However, economies are not adequately equipped to handle the growing demand and are struggling to cope. This has taken a toll on transportation networks, housing, water and electricity supplies.

Knowledge on urbanization, therefore, must go handin-hand with digital transformation. According to an April 2018 report by the Centre for Strategic Insights and International Studies (CSIS), sub-Saharan Africa is undergoing an immense demographical shift and is regarded as the fastest urbanizing region. During this shift, urban centres were expected to play a critical role in sustaining economic growth.

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Data is key The first step in leaping Africa into the future is extracting crucial information about each city, which will not only inform strategies and decisions, but also open a number of doors. This data will give greater insight into what makes each city tick, what works and what doesn’t, and most importantly, it will enable us to determine what is possible in the future. The kind of information needed will be intricate and incorporate all sectors of the city – from water and energy to air quality, lighting, transport, unemployment, security and economic growth. This data will enable smart decision-making, help us connect the dots and ensure that past failures do not repeat itself.

Let’s look at the city of Johannesburg for a second.

We know our infrastructure facilities and energy supplies are inadequate to accommodate our new inhabitants. If we had to take one smart step in the right direction, it would result in a domino effect that gives rise to extraordinary developments while amplifying benefits to residents.

For example, decentralising energy systems and investing in a variety of microgrids that are designed to provide uninterrupted power would ensure a steady

FEATURE

and affordable electricity supply for a growing demand. Technology could then be used to transform waste into energy at landfill sites, and that space in turn could be utilized for urban farming and other developments, while the generated energy could power city infrastructure like buildings and electric cars.

Another thought would be to look at digitizing townships surrounding cities so that people can benefit from new job opportunities. Children would be able to access learning material online, and those finishing school would be able to apply for jobs and tertiary education or explore their entrepreneurship skills through ecommerce, app development and crowd funded activities.

Our peri-urban communities will play a crucial role in growing the country’s economy from the confines of their own home and town. Imagine the possibilities of using blockchain to crowdfund a microgrid that works to literally light-up a township

economy. I’ve always believed that having a reliable and affordable energy supply is a catalyst for socioeconomic growth.

Amazing right, now imagine what we could do if we break down and analyse the considerable amounts of data from each city in Africa.

Understanding it will equate to smarter ways of living in future on a grand scale.

Connecting worlds However, such a transformation can’t be achieved by data and software alone. It requires a combination of digital expertise and domain knowhow, an inherent understanding of hardware – of how things are built, how they work, and the markets they serve – in order to leverage digital technologies and optimize operations.

This is where Siemens comes in. It is uniquely positioned to help society unlock its full potential for digital transformation. It knows how to connect the physical and virtual worlds thanks to its domain intellect,

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broad installed base, digital portfolio and heightened cybersecurity setup. It shapes and accelerates digitalization by mastering disruptive technologies like the digital twin and artificial intelligence.

Digitalization of the industrial world is the single biggest transformation of our time so we can’t afford to mess it up. We need to embrace the right partners, acquire the appropriate skill set and apply data smartly.

The foundation of a uniquely African smart city lies in data, but its backbone will be ingenuity. It will be created by smart people and inspired by local understanding.

Tomorrow’s cities can be healthier, safer and more efficient with Africa’s young tech-savvy minds. And as they make good on our targets and leap Africa into the future one pyramid at a time, let’s remember that beneath the chaotic nature of a present day African city lie incredible data patterns, weaved into the very fabric of our society.

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FEATURE

Hexagon precision for safer, more productive mines

D

igital transformation has helped to increase production and efficiency levels within the global mining industry. The focus on tons mined and trucks running is shifting to the next question: How do we mine safer and more efficiently?

Hexagon’s Mining division is helping mines to address this question with its high-precision guidance solutions.

In many mines, surveyors risk dangerous conditions to mark ore boundaries, patterns, and special dozer projects. Operators must keep daily logs of work completed during their shift, hoping to avoid errors. It can be hard to keep track of assigned tasks with handwritten logs.

As a result, numerous hours of rework are sometimes necessary to ensure level benches. Highgrade material can end up at the

wrong dump location. And poorly constructed roads, dumps, and ramps cause extra wear and tear on haulage equipment.

fragmentation by empowering operators to drill to the right position and elevation the first time, every time.

Hexagon created HxGN MineOperate OP Pro HP to help. MineOperate OP Pro HP is a high-precision guidance solution providing centimeterprecision for drills, dozers, and loading equipment.

A customer in the Dominican Republic used the solution to achieve the following: • Reduced over-drilling time by 4%, • Reduced OPEX-related drilling costs by 28% (over $60 per hour in savings) • Increased drilling time by 18% • Improved fragmentation

OP Pro HP’s drill functionality improves fleet production and efficiency by ensuring data accuracy and continuance by automating the entire drilling process. Through sensors and integrations, OP Pro HP automatically cycles from one action to the next, providing a true account of all drilling activities.

It saves money, increases drilling production, and improves

For dozers, OP Pro HP provides centimetre accuracy for blade, vertical and horizontal cut/fill guides, and support for multiple surfaces. Operators can minimize rework while increasing speed and accuracy. Engineering teams can use the solution to remotely load project files, which provides operators clear

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FEATURE

instructions to get the job done.

Advanced features include on-thefly ramp, benches, and road project creations with the ability to set slope, cross-slope, and/or offset centerlines for guidance.

OP Pro HP is the only solution on the market providing production and construction functionality for shovels. It’s fully integrated with MineOperate’s OP Pro fleet management suite and enables loading equipment to improve bench elevations, reduce dilution, and decrease rework.

Using high-precision guidance, loading equipment operators can detect the material polygon and track elevation without the need of

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survey or a spotter. This increases the productivity of the fleet and the accuracy of the shovel operator.

Operations can report material movement and ensure that the quality of material leaving the mine matches the mine plan.

Besides material recognition and elevation reassurance, OP Pro HP provides the shovel operator with to-the-teeth precision for bucket position. This allows the mine to record actual bucket digging positions and the ability to project high wall toe and crest lines.

Operations can export the dig points and toe/crest lines, so the data is loaded to the mine planning software. Mine planners can

update their day-to-day plans after accounting for what occurred in the pit the day before, thus closing the feedback loop.

OP Pro HP is also integrated with Hexagon’s HxGN MineProtect safety portfolio, providing mine operations with a one-stop shop for all reporting needs. It delivers accuracy and instantaneous feedback, meaning improved loading times across the fleet, less misrouted material, fewer hours of rework on ramps, roads, and benches, and fewer over- and under-drilled holes. It can improve the quality of material produced and enhance fragmentation with precise drillhole placement and depth.

FEATURE

Railway signaling systems for mining operations

F

or large mines, it is economical to build a railway line to transport the material to a plant or a harbor several miles away. In most cases, one or two trains operate daily. This then leaves the railway line empty for the better part of the day.

Recently, RailPro, a Gauteng manufacturer of combined road and rail vehicles developed a bimodal vehicle as a solution not just to the public transport problems experienced by poor people in rural and peri-urban areas in South Africa, but also to utilize the railway track for alternative purposes. The ‘railbus’- so to speak- transports people and goods on road and rail. It has named the vehicle RailBus. According to media reports, the vehicle has a striking similarity to

South African-invented drive systems and is fitted to an ordinary roadgoing, diesel-powered lorry. This powers retractable rail wheels when needed and is typically 8 pounds.

RailPro envisages the deployment of its RailBus on about 4,000km of SA’s 9,000km of largely unused branch lines to service communities that arose along the country’s railways.

The vehicle would also travel on main lines, where necessary.

The company’s CEO Ed Magan said that the RailBus’s fuel consumption can be as low as half that of a similar road vehicle due to the low friction of steel wheels on steel rails.

Rail/Road (RR) vehicles are communally used for the maintenance to the track. Some of these include rail buses and material rail road trucks. Rail-busses can

enter and exit the line at any level crossing. This is a flexible method to transport people on a very cost effective and safe way in rural areas.

Smaller mining operations are unable to afford a railway line built to the mine. As such, material is collected at the mine and transported with a Material RR Truck by road to the nearest railway line. Once on the railway line, the Material RR Truck can transport the material cost effectively to a port or plant.

Many other commodities such as fuel, water and containers can also be effectively transported using the rail infrastructure.

Signaling System Signaling systems for trains allow the trains to transfer from station to station where the train can safely cross with other trains in the

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FEATURE

The system was tested for 6 months in parallel with the IBM system to ensure that the new system is safe.

For the past ten years, the Inteletrack system were used without any problems and is still in operation at BBR. After the software was proven reliable, Zambia Railways requested the system to be installed with the further requirement that the locomotive must be tracked via satellite and displayed on the graphic screen.

opposite direction. Moreover, the introduction of RR vehicles on a railway line calls for the adapting of new requirements for the signaling system. It thus comes as no surprise that the major problems at all the new crossing points are power and communications.

However, research has revealed that this can be solved through the use of a new generation low orbit satellite. This is because it enables both voice and short burst data to be transmitted via satellite to remote control centres.

Furthermore, telecommunication companies such as Iridium offer a Wi-Fi hotspot that is linked to the satellite. This serves to avail all the standard internet functions via satellite and at a very cost-effective platform. A standard smart phone can also be connected to the Wi-Fi hotspot.

Communication to the dispatcher

can be via the standard cell phone communication if a signal is available. Should no signal be available, a digital call can be made via the Iridium hotspot. The data-rate on the cell phone via the Iridium hotspot is limited, but all the basic functions such as email, SMS messaging and even Twitter are available.

The engine of the RR vehicle will also be monitored for oil pressure, water temperature, fuel level and engine revolutions. This information will be send via Bluetooth to the mobile phone and the dispatcher.

Companies such as Inteletrack specialize in railway signaling systems. During 2006, the Beitbridge- Bulawayo Railways (BBR) decided to replace the old IBM Track with a PC base graphic system. Inteletrack was contracted for purposes of developing the new system based on the rulebook of Transnet Freight Rail (TFR).

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This was successfully implemented and seamlessly operated for the next 8 years.

Unfortunately the system was halted after the rail concession was terminated. The system was recommissioned during March 2018.

The company also deals with track warrant traffic control systems.

There is also the rail-car and locomotive tracking and rail buses.

It should thus go without saying that the introduction of the rail/ road vehicles and satellite signaling will revolutionize the way railroad in rural areas will operate in the future.

TETRA: Voice, operational data and signaling over a single infrastructure Natural resources can be transformed in prosperity and sustainable development in many regions but, to make it possible, is completely necessary to have an efficient transportation system that allow to move the mine production towards the ports.

In this sense, Teltronic, with a huge experience developing the safest radio communication system

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worldwide and a leading position in transport sector, has some significant references which have contributed to create radio solutions that ease freight transport. The main objective is to provide systems that enable to increase both speed and security and reduce operation costs.

presents high maintenance costs in this kind of environments. At that point, TETRA technology allows voice communications and data transmission, and its efficiency has been already proven, not only with PTC, but also with ETCS and CBTC protocols.

Talking about signaling applications, the most frequent in freight transportation is PTC, Positive Train Control. The system was developed in USA and mining lines usually employ it.

Teltronic was responsible for providing a TETRA communication system and its integration with PTC signalling in the Nacala railway corridor, that offers a logistic solution for the transportation of coal from the Moatize Mine, in Mozambique, to the maritime terminal in Nacala, on the Indian Ocean, through a new 912 km-long railway corridor which pass through Mozambican jungle and Malawi.

The difference with other system such as ETCS (European standard) or CBTC (used in trams and metros) is that in this case the intelligence resides in the train because, as the environments are normally inhospitable, with long distances through jungles or deserts, it’s more difficult to install equipment on land.

Thus, this kind of systems gives the train more autonomy to work with a data reading obtained at a certain point of the line.

This railway control system requires the support of robust and reliable communications, which shall be based on radio technology in order to reduce the wayside equipment, that is difficult to deploy and

The communications solution proposed by Teltronic allows VALE (Brazilian mining company exploiting the mine) to get the maximum performance of the system.

By means of a single and unified communications infrastructure, service is provided to all applications and railway systems such as signalling applications, wheel bearing temperature supervision system, derailment system and voice services to provide communications

between drivers and other groups of users. That is, with just one digital network it is possible to manage voice and data simultaneously.

In addition, Teltronic is able to offer a complete solution. In Nacala corridor, the deployment is based on the NEBULA TETRA infrastructure, that thanks to a 100% Ethernet IP architecture provides high flexibility in the solution design; on-board equipment has been designed following the recommendations of several signaling systems manufacturers and it presents an Ethernet link to be connected to the vital on-board computer and, finally, the control center is based on Teltronic’s CeCo-TRANS system, which allows interaction with the trains by means of a synoptic line display that shows fleet positions in real-time.

With Nacala Corridor project, but also with others such as the one developed for FENOCO, in Colombia, Teltronic has proven TETRA technical viability to offer safe and efficient communications in the railway environment, providing voice, operational data (location, alarm and event management) and PTC signaling data over a single infrastructure.

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FEATURE

RAIL TRACK

MAINTENANCE SYSTEMS K

eeping your railroad track clean and well maintained can be a challenge. Whether your goal is reclamation of material, environmental cleanups, or routine track cleaning, the right equipment can simplify the job.

Railroad operators have not always seen “yard cleaning”, or track surface cleaning, as an economical operation because of the perceived equipment and labor expenses involved in the process. Many railroaders may not even be familiar with the term “yard cleaning”, or the benefits that can be attained by incorporating the process into a regular track maintenance routine.

In the mining industry, the most commonly known objective for track surface cleaning is to reclaim materials lost in transport from a mine such as coal, coke, iron ore, iron ore pellets and taconite.

Not all mine operators have considered reclaiming material from track lines to be worth the expense, but there are other little-known benefits to regular track surface cleaning that go beyond simple material retrieval. Yard cleaning not only reclaims valuable resources which can be used to offset the operational expense, but it also improves the overall condition of the track.

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The process known as “yard cleaning” in the railroad industry consists of three basic operations: scarifying or breaking up the compacted surface of the track down to the surface of the sleeper, plowing or gathering (pulling in) the accumulated debris from the shoulders, and brooming, or collecting and removing all unnecessary material from the track. This process not only reclaims potentially valuable materials, but also creates a fresh, unsullied track, ready for inspection and maintenance.

Regular track surface cleaning provides a safe and efficient inspection area by suppressing

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vegetation, preventing pest infestation caused by plant growth and fallen grain/produce, and maintaining a clear, uniform view of structural components for inspectors and workmen.

When the time comes for track maintenance, such as sleeper replacement or ballast tamping and redistribution, the cleaned track will make the maintenance process more efficient in a number of ways, from improving the on-track safety conditions for workers to eliminating the additional step of digging out sleepers and anchors from accumulated debris.

from the shoulders. It clears track and shoulders as well as the space between the track on multitrack lines, including points and crossings.

There are a variety of machines on the market that can perform one or more of the surface cleaning steps mentioned above, however, there are not many that are specifically designed as an all-in-one yard cleaner that operates exclusively on the rail.

Material is swept from the track into buckets and then deposited onto the conveyor which can either unload the material into a car coupled to the machine or to either side of the track for deposit into an awaiting truck.

The Knox Kershaw Yard Cleaner is designed to clean track areas from the top of the tie (or rail sleeper) across the entire length of the sleeper, as well as pull in material

The major components of the machine are the ballast broom, bucket elevator system, scarifer, side plows, and conveyor. The hydraulically lowered scarifier beam with adjustable scarifier teeth is designed to break up cemented material to facilitate brooming.

Hydraulically controlled side plows extend the reach of the machine several feet to either side for a total cleaning path of nearly 15 feet.

When following best practices, the machine is capable of sweeping and loading up to 2.66 cubic yards of waste material per minute. After a single pass, the track, including fasteners, is completely cleared of any unwanted material.

The dust and potentially hazardous debris polluting the air as a result of the cleaning process can be contained using the machine’s dust suppression system, which can be installed as an option.

The system mists water onto the work area to effectively suppress material that could potentially pollute the work environment.

For easy transport from one site to the next, the machine can be transported on the highway by folding the waste conveyor and lowering its self-contained road wheel assembly. The front jacking system raises the machine for connection to a standard road tractor.

The Knox Kershaw Yard Cleaner can be outfitted per customer specifications, including gage width and certain clearance requirements.

The ability to load any type of material from spilled grains to heavy iron ore make it a versatile cleaning machine in many environments.

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FEATURE

KEEPING YOUR RAILROAD TRACK CLEAN AND WELL MAINTAINED CAN BE A CHALLENGE. Whether your goal is reclamation of material, environmental cleanups, or routine track cleaning, the right equipment can simplify the job.

R

ailroad operators have not always seen “yard cleaning”, or track surface cleaning, as an economical operation because of the perceived equipment and labor expenses involved in the process. Many railroaders may not even be familiar with the term “yard cleaning”, or the benefits that can be attained by incorporating the process into a regular track maintenance routine.

In the mining industry, the most commonly known objective for track surface cleaning is to reclaim materials lost in transport from a mine such as coal, coke, iron ore, iron ore pellets and taconite. Not all mine operators have considered reclaiming material from track lines to be worth the expense, but there are other little-known benefits to regular track surface cleaning that go beyond simple material retrieval. Yard cleaning not only reclaims valuable resources which can be used to offset the operational expense, but it also improves the overall condition of the track.

The process known as “yard cleaning” in the railroad industry consists of three basic operations: scarifying or breaking up the

compacted surface of the track down to the surface of the sleeper, plowing or gathering (pulling in) the accumulated debris from the shoulders, and brooming, or collecting and removing all unnecessary material from the track. This process not only reclaims potentially valuable materials, but also creates a fresh, unsullied track, ready for inspection and maintenance.

Yard cleaning not only reclaims valuable resources which can be used to offset the operational expense, but it also improves the overall condition of the track

34

Regular track surface cleaning provides a safe and efficient inspection area by suppressing vegetation, preventing pest infestation caused by plant growth and fallen grain/produce, and maintaining a clear, uniform view of structural components for inspectors and workmen.

When the time comes for track maintenance, such as sleeper replacement or ballast tamping and redistribution, the cleaned track will make the maintenance process more efficient in a number of ways, from improving the ontrack safety conditions for workers to eliminating the additional step of digging out sleepers and anchors from accumulated debris.

There are a variety of machines on the market that can perform one or more of the surface cleaning steps mentioned above, however, there are not many that are specifically designed as an all-in-one yard cleaner that operates exclusively on the rail.

The Knox Kershaw Yard Cleaner is designed to clean track areas from the top of the tie (or rail sleeper) across the entire length of the sleeper, as well as pull in material from the shoulders. It clears track

www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

FEATURE

and shoulders as well as the space between the track on multitrack lines, including points and crossings.

The major components of the machine are the ballast broom, bucket elevator system, scarifer, side plows, and conveyor. The hydraulically lowered scarifier beam with adjustable scarifier teeth is designed to break up cemented material to facilitate brooming.

Hydraulically controlled side plows extend the reach of the machine several feet to either side for a total cleaning path of nearly 15 feet.

Material is swept from the track into buckets and then deposited onto the conveyor which can either unload the material into a car coupled to

the machine or to either side of the track for deposit into an awaiting truck. When following best practices, the machine is capable of sweeping and loading up to 2.66 cubic yards of waste material per minute. After a single pass, the track, including fasteners, is completely cleared of any unwanted material.

The dust and potentially hazardous debris polluting the air as a result of the cleaning process can be contained using the machine’s dust suppression system, which can be installed as an option. The system mists water onto the work area to effectivelly suppress material that could potentially pollute the work environment.

For easy transport from one site to the next, the machine can be transported on the highway by folding the waste conveyor and lowering its self-contained road wheel assembly. The front jacking system raises the machine for connection to a standard road tractor.

The Knox Kershaw Yard Cleaner can be outfitted per customer specifications, including gage width and certain clearance requirements.

The ability to load any type of material from spilled grains to heavy iron ore make it a versatile cleaning machine in many environments.

Top quality reagents are worth their weight in gold in the value chain

info@axishouse.co.za

+27 11 463 4888

FEATURE

POWER TRANSMISSION COMPONENTS AND MOTION CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR

P

MINING

ower sustains our modern day livelihood. It’s practically impossible to imagine even the simplest aspects of life without the boons of power transmission and distribution.

In today’s world of power shortages, increasing demand and the energy efficiency debate, how the electricity network is run right through from the power station to switch on the wall is becoming ever more important.

Electric power transmission line

systems are of great importance as structures. Transmission line systems relay the power from production sites to the users.

Failure of these structures can lead to power cuts and therefore disrupt the day-to-day life of people as well as the industries dependent on electricity. A better understanding of structural response of these systems under different loading is essential to avoid such cuts.

Continuous efforts are being made by leading power transmission companies to make technology a game changer in this industry.

Sustainable development and commendable global practices are the mottos. Economical and ecofriendly initiatives are being taken to make the best of both worlds.

Power companies are starting to pay more attention to potential changes that will drive efficiencies to these once neglected parts of

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FEATURE

power distribution: isolating faults, updating switchgear, monitoring and controlling substations and using automation, all while maintaining a strong level of security and safety.

Mesh Gear to invest in five-axis capabilities “The modern flexible machine tool provides a machining operation with the ability to exceed customer expectations on quality, part accuracy and lead times.

In a niche market like gear manufacturing, the space that we operate in, the advantage goes to the company that seizes each opportunity when it comes to new technology and then takes the decision to implement it into their production process,” said Trevor Clayton, a director and one of two brothers that have joined the family business started by dad Mike in 1976.

Mesh Gear specialises in the manufacture of gears, associated

components and an array of other industrial consumables on a production basis for the local as well as international heavy equipment industry such as the mining, construction, agricultural, railway, military and industrial sectors.

“The manufacture of industrial power drive componentry which can be used in the world market requires machinery and proven processes which can achieve and maintain these world standards on a consistent basis.

This, along with the ability to control the complete manufacturing process from start to finish at your own premises under one roof, is what allows Mesh Gear to achieve and maintain these high standards. Having total control over all heat treatment processes from normalising, annealing, conditioning, stress relieving, carburising, nitriding, tempering and press quenching is what sets Mesh Gear apart.”

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“This along with our own metallurgical laboratory and metallurgist, allows us to continuously monitor and verify that we are achieving our customers heat treatment and metallurgical requirements.”

“Since the economic downturn in 2009, Mesh Gear has been on a drive to increase and diversify our customer and product base. At the same time we have been introducing new machinery, to improve the quality and productive efficiency to our then current customer base.”

“With this expansion and consolidation comes the inevitable need to invest in your manufacturing processes.”

Gear grinding “Mesh Gear had to ensure that we improved on our gear grinding abilities. Gear grinding is usually employed as the final machining process when manufacturing a highprecision gear. We had to ensure that we catered for both high volume gear grinding for the automotive and heavy equipment industries, as well as the smaller volume larger gear

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grinding requirements for the mining, rail and industrial client base.”

“In order to address our high volume gear grinding demands, we imported two new gear grinding machines with the latest technology from Germany.”

“The new machines are equipped with the latest CNC controls, a dialog-driven user interface, digital drives and a newly developed profiling unit. The new machines are universal machines for grinding gears and pinion shafts and are used by manufacturers from the automotive, agricultural, construction, machine tools, mining, aircraft, textile as well as a variety of other industries.

They can be used for individual production, small-scale production as well as for mass production.”

In order to cater for the larger sized gear grinding requirements, two Hofler gear grinders were also imported. These are capable of grinding up to 1000mm in diameter and also allow for gear tooth profile correction if required by the customer. We are also capable of running all four of these gear tooth grinders on two shifts, which allows for additional capacity if required by our customers when demand goes up.”

“Over the years we have been continuously increasing the number of machines in the CNC turning and machining department. We feel this is the engine room of the business as it feeds through to all the other departments. The latest to arrive, installed earlier this year, is a Victor V-Turn 26 CNC lathe. Another Victor CNC lathe is on order and will be installed in early 2018. This now takes it to over 20 machines in this department.”

“But our biggest and most significant investments were still to come.”

5-axis move “The 5-axis CNC machine tool is the mainstay on many machining shop floors internationally but not so in South Africa. Local companies prefer 3-axis CNC machines, but this is changing. While these 5-axis systems were once reserved for undertaking complicated and specialised applications, large and small manufacturers now realise the value in using a 5-axis machine for a variety of projects. Many of them have been able to minimise lead times, bolster accuracy and efficiency, and improve profitability as a result.”

“12 years ago we started manufacturing bevel gears (crown wheel and pinions). We eventually ended up with seven bevel gear generators. However, even with controlling the distortion in heat treatment through a lengthy heat treatment process and press quenching we were still getting up to 0,10 – 0,20mm distortion.

This may seem like very little, but when the bevel wheel and pinion were put back on the roll tester and blued, the change in contact pattern was noticeable and limited the interchangeability. This forced us to rethink our strategy on how we manufacture the bevel gears and the 5-axis route was certainly the one to take.”

“Although they remain costly in terms of capital investment, 5-axis machine tools offer the opportunity to save on setup and production time and costs. These factors influence your decision and make a difference to the speed of the return on investment.”

“18 months ago our first 5-axis machine was installed. We chose a 5-axis machining center that has XYZ travels of 950 x 850 x 650mm, can

“These gear tooth grinders are also verified continuously to ensure they are achieving the required AGMA standards. These include involute and parallelism profile checks as well as 100% checks on the surface finish of the teeth. All components are thoroughly checked by our quality team before being dispatched to our customers.”

“We also invested in a worm/thread grinding machine, which removes the distortion in the worm shaft after heat treatment and due to the far smoother finish, allows for a far longer life in the worm drive unit.”

CNC turning and milling www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

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FEATURE

take a table load of 1 000 kilograms and has a 20kW motor.”

“The machine has been used for the final machining of gears in a soft state as well as in a hardened state if required after heat treatment.”

“We have achieved dramatic time saving on real time machining of spiral and straight bevel gears so we have invested in another 5-axis machine but this time a universal machining center, which was installed in November 2017.”

“Again the machine is alleviating bottlenecks for the milling of spiral and straight bevel gears. An added advantage is that we can now offer 5-axis milling for other components that our clients require.”

“Highlights of this new machine is that it has a XYZ axis work area of 650 x 520 x 475mm, XYZ rapid traverses of 42m/min, a table work surface of 630 x 500mm and take a load of up to 300 kilograms.”

“It must however be remembered that the 5-axis machine is not the complete answer to your straight and spiral bevel gear (crown wheel and pinion) problems. There are up to 10 important processes to be considered when making these parts, with heat

treatment and distortion control still being the most important, however, 5-axis machining has definitely helped in improving the end product and allows for the interchangeability that the customers require.”

Eliminating distortion in gear manufacture “There is a long list of factors to consider when heat treating gears.

High performance steel components are usually heat treated at the end of the production process in order to obtain an optimal functional performance. However, in nearly all cases, this final heat treatment also leads to distortion, which means a change in dimensions and shape of the part. If the deviations exceed the permissible tolerances, the components have to be reworked.

Since these corrective measures have to be taken in the hardened state, high additional costs occur.”

“Over the years we have invested substantially in our quenching and heat treatment processes and are unique in that we are one of the few gear manufacturers that have these facilities and processes on site.”

“Our in-house heat treatment facility consists of two gas carburising furnaces and one gas nitriding

furnace, all of which are fully automated and programmable. A number of other furnaces and a quenching press are also required and are in place for heat-treating bevel gears. The above is well backed up by our heat treatment laboratory (metallurgical, case depth and hardness testing) and a qualified metallurgist.”

“This allows us to cover the following heat treatment processes in-house: annealing, normalising, conditioning, stress relieving, gas carburising, gas nitriding, tempering and press quenching.”

“Distortion in gear manufacture is universally a huge headache and if you do not control the processes inhouse, it is going to be inconsistent and costly.

“Our investment in new equipment is already paying dividends. Not only with the resultant process time saving and quality improvements, but also with the additional interest from new clients as word gets out about what Mesh Gear is able to offer the mining, construction, agricultural, railway, military and industrial sectors.”

MADE IN AFRICA

Suppliers of:

• Precision Ground Gears • Ground Spiral Bevel Gears (Crown wheel and pinion) • Straight Bevel Gears • Sprockets • Worm Gears • Spline Shafts • Drive Shafts • Torque Shafts • Stub Axles T: 031 461 1121 • Couplings steven@meshgear.co.za I 083 459 8252 • Yokes • Tophammer Drilling IShank trevor@meshgear.co.za 082 Adaptors 304 5781 • Roofwww.meshgear.co.za Bolting Shank Adaptors 88 Bluff Road, Jacobs, Durban, South Africa T: +27 (0)31 461 1121 I 88 Bluff Road, Jacobs, Durban, South Africa I www.meshgear.co.za Steven: steven@meshgear.co.za +27 (0)83 459 8252 I Trevor: trevor@meshgear.co.za +27 (0)82 304 5781

40

www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

FEATURE

STEMMING PLUGS FOR BETTER BLAST CONTAINMENT

FEATURE

F

ollowing initial blast fracturing, the VARISTEM working with standard stemming materials, contains expanding gasses to greatly improve blast fragmentation, providing major downstream savings.

It is important to remember that blast containment is the key to mine savings, including crusher time, truck movement, ANFO or gas emulsions, and labor.

The “University of Mines & Technology Ghana”, as well as the “Department of Mining Prince of Songkla University of Thailand: have independently studied fragmentation improvements using the VARISTEM STEMMING PLUGS, showing primary crusher output improved. In Thailand as the Mae Moh lignite mine, blasting vibration, shovel and crusher performance were specifically studied.

The truck loading rates shovel was found to increase by 22.6%.

Overburden crushing rate was increased by 37%, even though not run at full load. And vibration was reduced 37% to 63%, all confirming better blast containment. The complete studies can be read at www.varistem.com.

In studies, comparing standard rock stemming to stemming using the VARISTEM, it has been shown that following the blast, the time of stemming movement with standard stemming was 2.3 milliseconds, while the VARISTEM held for

5.3 milliseconds. And, with the movement, the stemming velocity of basic stemming was 481 meters per second, while the VARISTEM slowed the velocity to 280 meters per second.

This confirms that the VARISTEM held the expanding gases, allowing the gas to move into the blast fractures and not up the drill hole.

Most mines find an average reduction of 27% in fragmentation size. This containment also means that one can shorten heights, allowing for better cap rock breakage.

One limestone operation in Canada found that using the VARISTEM in air decking they could reduce noise/ vibration levels, and also achieve a reduction in explosive costs of approximately 12%. This is achieved using the VARISTEM in air decking, allowing shorter stemming heights, plus a reduction in explosives.

Field studies confirm that air decking of 20% is possible without noticeable loss if blast fragmentation. And, if gas emulsions are used, the air decking allows inconsistent gas emulsion heights, while still achieving consistent stemming heights.

The VARISTEM gear design allows for compression in varied drill holes, while also preventing any damage to the detonating chord. The durability of the VARISTEM resists the blast force/heat sufficiently long enough to accomplish its job of containment.

While mainly destroyed during the

42

blasting, its low cost allows single use blasting.

The full website, showing all studies and videos, can be found at www. varistem.com/ the company will gladly work with any mine, providing sufficient samples to confirm their claims.

They do ask that in evaluation of the product that a full study be made, as simply as looking at a muck pile is not reliable. When studying crusher output, the proof of its value will be confirmed. There are distributors in various savings at the quarry will easily offset the low cost of this product. The supplier is searching for a working distributor to cover Africa.

Note, this firm also supplies a selffusing silicone tape used extensively in underground mining to keep electrical and communication connections free of dust and water.

This pure silicone tape will stretch around any connection, bonding to only itself.

So, if one wants to remove the tape, it is easily done without leaving any messy adhesive. Samples of this product can also be provided. The web site is www.xtremetape.com.

Joseph T. Miller www.varistem.com jtmiller@mocap.com www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

Packaged Water Treatment Systems

M

unicipalities today are faced with growing populations, a decrease in available fresh water supplies, and more stringent regulations. Cities worldwide are turning to the drinking water treatment solutions to help balance the resources and provide pure water to their residents. This scenario is driving the market for such treatment systems worldwide.

Growing awareness about environmental safety has led to the governments to set strict regulations for wastewater disposal which is promoting the use of small-scale Packaged Water Treatment plants.

The need for systems which are highly portable and reduces the processing time is driving the demand for these systems. These can be easily transported to small and remote locations, enabling the small industries and residences take advantage of it.

Furthermore these systems reduce the civil works, labor work and heavy installation works. The global packaged water treatment system market size was valued at around USD 11.8 Billion in 2015 and is expected to cross USD 22.3 Billionat CAGR of 11% by 2022.

Life Water IQ Packaged water treatment plants have become increasingly more popular over the years as they offer the same treatment capabilities as conventional plants, but in a smaller, more modular and portable format.

Life Water IQ has been involved in numerous turnkey projects in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Zambia and the Democratic republic of Congo to provide clean drinking water and sewage solutions.

With water becoming an increasingly valuable resource, packaged water treatment plants provide clean water on site from almost any source available. Due to the portable nature of the packaged plants, they are quickly and easily established on site with very little installation required.

They have very few moving parts so maintenance, supervision and operational costs are reduced compared to conventional treatment plants. These packaged water treatment plants are available as ultrafiltration or reverse osmosis systems with capacity of up to 400 000L per unit per day. The modular nature of the system offers quick and easy scaling should there be a need for more water.

Packaged treatment plants are fully automated which reduces labour and the potential for human error, as these may become risk factors.

This water may be used for drinking, sanitation and mining operations.

All units have separate distribution boards, energy efficient LED

lighting, and prefiltration systems.

Optional extras include over the air alerts to mobile devices ensuring uninterrupted uptime.

Packaged sewage treatment plants provide a safe and convenient way to dispose of sewage on site without the need for septic tanks or french drains. These packaged plants range in size from 1000L per day up to 100 000L per day and can be established within a week once the basic on site civils have been completed. The plant requires minimal supervision and maintenance as the system is fully automated. An optional extra includes alerts to mobile devices should the system need maintenance or suffers from a breakdown.

All units are assembled by Life Water IQ in South Africa using ISO standard containers ranging in size from 10ft to 40ft. All consumables are stocked to ensure quick turnaround time and delivery throughout Africa.

Maintenance plans and service kits are available on request.

For more information visit www. mmgwater.co.za

Life Water IQ, an associate company of the Life Green Group provides packaged water and wastewater plants for the mining industry across Africa. Filtration technology improvements has allowed packaged treatment plants to provide maximum output with the least amount of waste. www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

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ADVERTISER’S INDEX

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FMDZ is a bi-monthly magazine for mining industry incorporating, exploration, oil, power, drilling and other large scale extraction, storage, transport, Market and utilisation of Africa’s Copper Belt wealth and resources.

First Ming DRC-ZAMBIA is published 6 times per annum: Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug Sept/Oct and Nov/Dec.

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RAM 1500 I RAM HEAVY DUTY 2500/3500

* RAM 2500 shown here

SALES ENQUIRIES

Thinus:+27 82 921 4773 Office: +27 35 789 7014 sales@ustrucks.co.za www.ustrucks.co.za

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