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INTERNATIONAL

MARCH/APRIL 2021

| Vol.9 ISSUE No.2 | www.AggBusiness.com

On to another washing winner

PONSI BLY

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F OO T P R

ON RB

INTERVIEW PPC’s Mokate Ramafoko on how the SA giant is ﬁnding solace in its international business p08

MARKET REPORT South Korea’s major road and residential building fuelling aggregates demand p14

CRUSHER LINERS How signiﬁcant are crusher liners in the overall cost equation of running a crusher? p45

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RES

I N T E D & PO S

Tunisian quarry firm SOMEVAM acquires second CDE plant p28

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COMMENT

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EDITOR

Africa’s aggregates ascendancy

frican building material suppliers and global construction and quarrying equipment manufacturers will be buoyed by a new forecast that demand for construction aggregates across Africa is expected to remain strong, with a volume CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 5.4% over the 2019-2029 period. The prediction in a new report titled Construction Aggregates Market: Africa Industry Analysis 2014-2018 and Forecast 2019-2029 from Persistence Market Research (PMR), a leading global business market intelligence firm, is based on several key factors, with the rapid pace of urbanisation the key demand driver. PMR cites World Bank figures for 2016 showing that urban population growth in Angola (+3.52%), Ethiopia (+2.85%), Nigeria (+2.43%), and South Africa (+2.1%) was above the African average of 2.09%. PMR states that such steady growth in these developing economies is expected to drive an increase in infrastructure development activities. Governments across these emerging countries are investing huge amounts in large-scale construction projects to strengthen commercial infrastructure and transport in their respective economies. This is expected to, in turn, create significant opportunities for public-private partnership construction projects in the region. Furthermore, countries such as Ethiopia, Tanzania, and South Africa are said by PMR to be gradually shifting their focus towards developing themselves into service-driven economies. This shift in focus is expected to promote commercial construction activities in the region, creating opportunities for infrastructure-related investments. I was also interested to read in the PMR report that the growing demand for leisure activities, amusement parks, and other luxury sports venues in Africa is driving the market growth of gravel throughout the region. This is expected by PMR to create opportunities for market players in the construction aggregates

market to enhance their product portfolios, offering a much-needed boost to their revenues. The PMR report references some of Africa’s and the wider world’s biggest building materials companies, including LafargeHolcim, CEMEX, CRH, PPC, HeidelbergCement, AfriSam, Afrimat, Harsco Corporation, Votorantim Cimentos, and African Conmat Industries. Remaining with Africa, I was also highly interested to read a new report by GlobalData, another major business market intelligence company, on the construction market in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and home to its largest economy. According to Construction in Nigeria – Key Trends and Opportunities to 2025 (Q1 2021) Nigeria’s construction industry is set to return to growth in 2021, reaching US$48.2bn by 2025. This year’s post COVID-19 pandemic recovery will, predicts GlobalData, be driven by a sharp recovery in construction output levels compared to periods when works were not permitted or were severely restricted in 2020. As such, the Nigerian construction industry is set to grow by 4% in 2021 and grow at an annual average rate of 2.8% thereafter, to reach $48.2bn in 2025, measured at constant 2017 US dollar exchange rates. This is great news for Nigerian and wider African and multinational building material suppliers and construction and quarrying equipment makers. The GlobalData report notes that the energyutilities sector offers enormous potential for the Nigerian construction industry as well as the overall economy. According to GlobalData’s projects pipeline, the sector has a total pipeline value of $190bn as of January 2021. Nigeria’s ongoing megaprojects include the up to US$30bn Lagos Light Rail – the first light rail system of its type in Africa; $11bn LagosCalabar Railway; $11bn Eko Atlantic megacity; the $5.8bn Mambilla hydroelectric power project; Abuja Gateway Airport; the $1.2bn Lekki Free Trade Zone; and the US$1bn World Trade Centre. GW

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CONTENTS

CRUSHER LINERS

“Cost base is a major factor in managing a successful crushing business, and wear costs associated with crushing can be a major cost item” p45

INTERNATIONAL

MARCH/APRIL 2021

| Vol.9 ISSUE No.2 | www.AggBusiness.com

Vol.9 ISSUE No.2 March/April 2021

UAE quarrying & mining sector’s US$1.2bn credit facilities in 2020; Holcim Philippines gets new president and CEO

RES

PONSI BLY

•

INTERVIEW PPC’s Mokate Ramafoko on how the SA giant is ﬁnding solace in its international business p08

MARKET REPORT South Korea’s major road and residential building fuelling aggregates demand p14

Tunisian quarry firm SOMEVAM acquires second CDE plant p28

F OO T P R

I N T E D & PO S

06 NEWS

Mokate Ramafoko, managing director of PPC International, on why South Africa’s building materials giant is ﬁnding solace in its international business

Africa’s aggregates ascendancy

On to another washing winner

08 INTERVIEW 1

•

03 COMMENT

Specials

Regulars

DUCE OU

CRUSHER LINERS How signiﬁcant are crusher liners in the overall cost equation of running a crusher? p45

11 INTERVIEW 2 48 EQUIPMENT UPDATE Global OEMs’ new equipment launches & applications

50 EVENTS All the key events in the quarrying & aggregates world

Features 19 CRUSHING & SCREENING Getting more out of your crusher

21 LOADING New tech driving improved loading performance

25 HAULING Two major hauler manufacturers discuss their autonomous hauling initiatives

28 WASHING – PART 1 Premium washing solution manufacturers are focused on producing cutting-edge bespoke plants

34 SCREENING MEDIA Just why is high-quality screening media so vitally important to operational efficiency?

37 SURFACE DRILL RIGS & BREAKERS Automated systems changing the face of surface drill & blast

AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL March/April 2021

Aamal CEO and managing director Sheikh Mohammed Bin Faisal Al Thani talks about the impressive growth of the Qatari company’s Aamal Readymix business

COVER STORY: Habib Sebri (left), owner and chairman of Sebri Group, and CDE senior project manager Bassem Idriss inspect sand product at SOMEVAM’s Oueslatia quarry

14 MARKET REPORT South Korea has drawn worldwide acclaim for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The country’s building materials and construction equipment markets also remain in good health

17 QUARRY PROFILE A South African quarry operator has increased its production by nearly a third with the help of a state-of-the-art CDE plant solution

41 RWANDAN AGGREGATES

Rwandan and wider East African region aggregates-product suppliers are excited about the country’s growing construction sector and healthy economy

45 CRUSHER LINERS An African perspective on getting the best out of your crusher liners

25 www.AggBusiness.com

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NEWS

HIMA CEMENT LAUNCHES LOW CO2 PRODUCT IN UGANDA Hima Cement has launched the new Fundi Masonry Cement product on the market in Uganda, a specially formulated reduced CO2 cement for plastering, brick laying and mortar works. Fundi is a masonry cement that is designed for the demands of bricklaying, plasterwork and screeds, both for large construction projects and individual home builders. Hima Cement country CEO Jean-Michel Pons said that Fundi provides a reduced carbon footprint, with 54% less CO2 emissions in comparison to ordinary Portland cement. “Fundi is an applicationbased cement that is formulated with enhanced capabilities for masonry and plaster works,” Pons added. “The customer is guaranteed improved workability, affordability and beautiful ﬁnishes.” Fundi Cement is the latest addition to LafargeHolcim subsidiary Hima Cement’s range of cement solutions including Multipurpose, Rapidset, PowerCrete, PowerMax, PowerPlus, RoadCem, Minecem and Supaset.

Rising African aggregates demand A new forecast will buoy African building material and aggregates suppliers. Demand for construction aggregates across the continent is expected to remain strong, with a volume CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 5.4% over the 2019-2029 period. The prediction in a new report titled Construction Aggregates Market: Africa Industry Analysis 2014-2018 and Forecast 2019-2029 from Persistence Market Research (PMR), a leading global business market intelligence firm, is based on several key factors, with the rapid pace of urbanisation the key demand driver. PMR cites World Bank figures for 2016 showing that urban population growth in Angola (+3.52%), Ethiopia (+2.85%), Nigeria (+2.43%), and South Africa (+2.1%) was above the African average of 2.09%. PMR states that such steady growth in these developing

A South African surface mine with stockpiled material. Image: ASPASA economies is expected to increase infrastructure development activities. Governments across these emerging countries are investing huge amounts in large-scale construction projects to strengthen commercial infrastructure and transport in their respective economies. This is expected to, in turn, create significant opportunities for public-private partnership

Mitsubishi net-zero initiative partners with O.C.O

Fundi Cement is claimed to offer 54% less CO2 emissions than ordinary Portland cement. Image: Hima Cement

O.C.O Technology’s Leeds facility A new Green Concrete Consortium launched by Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation has picked O.C.O Technology (O.C.O) as one of only four global companies to deliver its goal of transforming CO2 into carbon-negative concrete and aggregates. Work has already begun on a Japanese project assessing the potential for carbonating new waste materials, including slag waste from steel processing plants. In a second significant move O.C.O

construction projects in the region. Furthermore, countries such as Ethiopia, Tanzania, and South Africa are said by PMR to be gradually shifting their focus towards developing themselves into service-driven economies. This shift in focus is expected to promote commercial construction activities in the region, creating opportunities for infrastructurerelated investments.

has also applied to be part of a new voluntary carbon-credit-offset programme being spearheaded by Microsoft and other industry leaders. Stephen Roscoe, O.C.O’s technical director, said: “Using carbon dioxide to transform unwanted waste materials into new carbonnegative products is a perfect example of the circular economy in action. It reduces the need for natural aggregates, and above all, it enables significant volumes of

CO2 to be taken out of the atmosphere – something we all need to work towards to improve the future sustainability of our planet.” O.C.O, which has England-based operations in Leeds, Avonmouth and Suffolk, was the first company in the world to successfully commercialise the Accelerated Carbonation Technology (ACT) process, enabling the permanent capture of significant amounts of carbon dioxide. So far, it has used the technology to treat Air Pollution Control residues (APCr) from the Energy from Waste sector, using CO2 to create artificial limestone aggregates which have already been used in around 21 million building blocks – equivalent to nearly 8,000 three-bedroom houses. Joining forces with Mitsubishi Corporation’s Green Concrete Consortium, billed as a combination of carbon-capture and utilisation (CCU) mineralisation projects, enables the O.C.O team to ramp up development of its technology.

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NEWS

Rocks of Rub’ al Khali, UAE

UAE quarries & mines secure US$1.2bn credit in 2020 Quarrying and mining operators in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) received credit facilities worth AED4.3 billion (US$1.2bn) in 2020, thus bringing to AED14.94bn (US$4.06bn) the cumulative balance of loans obtained by the industry by 31 December last year. The ﬁgures were revealed by the Central Bank of UAE (CBUAE) and reported on by the Trade Arabia News Service. As a CBUAE report accompanying the ﬁgures notes, the mining industry has for centuries been a driving force behind economic growth, a principle the validity

of which extends to the UAE. However, the region’s economy is mostly dependent on the hydrocarbon industry. This is translated by the increased credit facilities provided to this highly profitable contributor to the country’s GDP, states the CBUAE report. According to the CBUAE figures, the cumulative balance of loans provided to the mining activities surged to AED11.8bn in the first quarter of 2020, before steadying at AED11.44bn in Q2. They rebounded to AED12.72bn during the third quarter before surging to AED14.94bn by 31 December 2020.

Hyundai expands East Africa presence H yundai Construction Equipment (HCE) is expanding its footprint in the East African market through a new distributorship agreement with Ethiopia-based NEFC. The Korean manufacturer says the agreement covers NEFC’s dealer network in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Somaliland and South Sudan. Through the agreement, HCE intends to supply excavators, wheeled loaders, backhoe loaders, motor graders and forklifts. The company says it will focus on meeting local customer needs and provide diverse solutions and educational sessions to teams in charge of sales, services and parts. HCE says it has already established solid footholds in Sudan and Algeria and through the new agreement expects to make more aggressive forays in other countries in East Africa, which is a prosperous market for construction projects such as dams, highways, commercial/residential buildings, harbours, railroads and mines. NEFC is owned by Mohammed

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Hussain Al-Amoudi of NEFC (left) and Hyundai CE’s Moon Jae-young at the online signing ceremony Hussein Al Amoudi, reported to be one of the richest businessmen in the world. As such, Hyundai says that NEFC is considered the most influential construction equipment dealer in East Africa. It has been involved in the construction equipment, vehicles, and agricultural machinery businesses for 156 years and has established a total-solution infrastructurehandling parts and after-sales service. “We expect to increase our market share in East Africa considerably by teaming up with

NEFC, which is exerting a great influence there, “ said Hyundai CE’s chief sales officer Moon Jae-young. “We hope that teaming up with an influential business there, along with the expansion of customized service, will incessantly develop the East Africa market.” The two businesses agreed to sign what they say is an unprecedented online agreement to overcome the difficult situation caused by COVID-19. Moon Jae-young signed the agreement in Korea, and Hussain Al-Amoudi signed it in Ethiopia. Each then showed the document that they had signed to the other, and the image of Hussain Al-Amoudi was included in the background of the photo taken of Moon using a special technology. Hussain Al-Amoudi of NEFC expressed gratitude to HCE for coming up with the idea of signing the agreement online. “HCE is a reliable business, and I trust that our partnership will contribute to the modernisation of East Africa and expansion of NEFC’s business,” he added.

HOLCIM PHILIPPINES GETS NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO Horia Adrian has been appointed as the new president and CEO of Holcim Philippines. He was formerly the CEO of Romania and market head emerging Europe at building materials group LafargeHolcim. He joined LafargeHolcim in 2000 and has successfully held various management roles, including CEO roles for Russia, Eastern Europe & CIS and Middle East. He also managed the LafargeHolcim Group’s business transformation. He succeeds John Stull who, following what the company says is “a remarkable performance” as the CEO of Holcim Philippines for three years, will be pursuing another role within the LafargeHolcim Group. Adrian commented on his appointment: “The business in the Philippines is a signiﬁcant contributor to the LafargeHolcim Group and it is truly exciting to continue the remarkable work done under John’s leadership.” Stull said: “It has been a privilege to have worked with the men and women of Holcim Philippines that showed resilience and dedication to grow the company amid the challenges. I am truly grateful for the support given. The focus on health, cash and cost strengthens the company’s position to ensure a strong comeback and capture the growth and opportunities ahead.” Horia Adrian

MOKATE RAMAFOKO

INTERVIEW

PPC ﬁnds solace in its international business For PPC Ltd, South Africa’s largest cement producer, the decision to invest in capacity building projects in Zimbabwe, the DRC, Ethiopia and Rwanda in recent years is proving to be worthwhile. The company’s international business, says Mokate Ramafoko, MD – PPC International, is providing a portfolio effect that is offsetting a weaker performance in the domestic South African market. By Munesu Shoko.

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INTERVIEW

t the start of the decade, PPC Ltd embarked on an African expansion programme with the aim of generating a big chunk of its turnover elsewhere on the continent. In fact, the company had a target to grow revenues outside its home market of South Africa from 23% in 2015 to 40% by 2017, a feat well accomplished. The strategic aspiration, however, has always been to become a major African cement producer. Having commissioned capacity building projects in strategic markets of Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) some years ago, PPC today is basking in the glory of its forwardthinking investments as these markets have become an integral part of the company’s overall business. Judging by PPC’s financial results for the year ended 31 March 2020, the tough operating conditions experienced in the home market were offset by resilient performances in markets outside South Africa. The cement industry in South Africa has been in dire straits in recent years, largely due to unprecedentedly low levels of demand as a result of slow economic growth, which has forced producers to halve their capacities in some instances. The situation has been exacerbated by the influx of cheap, substandard cement imports, as well as thirdparty cement blenders thriving on deliberately flouting standards to undercut prices. Amid these tough trading conditions, the COVID19 pandemic struck during the last month of PPC’s financial year in March, with dire consequences.

To provide context, PPC Cement South Africa and Botswana saw a decline in revenue of 11% to R4.8 billion, delivering 36% lower EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation). Cement volumes were 15% to 20% lower in a market predicted to have contracted by around 7% to 10%. Imports and blender activity further impacted the competitive landscape, with cement imports increasing by 36% to 1.3 million tonnes for the period. Overall, group revenue for FY20 was slightly lower at R10.2 billion, largely due to a reduced contribution from the South African cement business. In an environment where the South African business struggled, the international operations had to come in and support the group, says Mokate Ramafoko, MD – PPC International. To provide context, he says the bulk of the R1.6 billion total group EBITDA was generated from markets outside South Africa. “If you look at the segmental analysis of our results for FY20, you will see that out of the R1.6 billion total EBITDA, approximately R1 billion was generated from our international markets. The bulk of it actually came from our Zimbabwe business, followed by Rwanda and the DRC,” explains Ramafoko. While PPC’s cement volumes in Zimbabwe declined by 15% to 20% in a market that contracted by a similar margin, revenue increased 29% to R1.9 billion, while EBITDA grew by 53% to R707 million, contributing almost 70% of group EBITDA. Commenting on why Zimbabwe is seemingly resilient in the face of tough

economic conditions prevailing in the country, Ramafoko says the revenue increase was buoyed by stable realised prices and cost reduction. “One of the key factors driving our international business is stable pricing in some of these markets. Apart from Ethiopia, which is very similar to South Africa in terms of cement pricing, the other three countries – Zimbabwe, Rwanda and the DRC – are boosted by good cement prices, although we have much lower utilisation,” explains Ramafoko. Apart from pricing, Ramafoko says these businesses are in developing markets. For example, while trading conditions in Zimbabwe continue to be impacted by the hyperinflationary environment, unstable power supply and shortage of foreign currency, PPC continues to secure large infrastructure projects in hard currency. In terms of projects, PPC Zimbabwe is supplying almost 80% of the government projects underway in the country. For example, the company supplied the GwaiShangani dam project, where at least US$122 million has already been spent under the Public Sector Investment Programme to address perennial water challenges in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city. The project was initially scheduled to be completed in December 2021, but has been stalled by the outbreak of COVID-19. Elsewhere, PPC is also supplying the Zimbabwe government’s 600MW Hwange Power Station expansion project. The US$1.5 billion project, being carried out by Chinese firm Sinohydro, entails the addition of two power generating units, units 7 and 8, to the

The modernised 600,000 tonne per year CIMERWA plant is strategically located, positioning the company at the centre of Rwanda’s inland growth

“Out of the R1.6 billion total EBITDA, approximately R1 billion was generated from our international markets”

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INTERVIEW

Zimbabwean growth is supported by PPC’s recent investment into its US$85 million, 700,000 tonne per year mill in Harare

“It has always been our focus to grow the bulk sector, which bodes well for our growth”

existing six units that were commissioned between 1983 and 1987. PPC, adds Ramafoko, is also supplying the Beit Bridge-Harare-Chirundu road project. The 971km project involves the dualisation, upgrading and tolling of the country’s major highway. The estimated completion date is 2022 and the projected total cost is US$2.7 billion. “One of our key strengths is that we are competitive in the specialised cement and application space in Zimbabwe. We have seen strong growth from our bulk sector, where we are involved with sectors such as tile making and brick manufacturing. It has always been our focus to grow the bulk sector, which bodes well for our growth. We have also built key relationships with construction and mining companies. Mining is a new market developing for us in Zimbabwe, given the amount of investment going into this sector in the country,” says Ramafoko. The Zimbabwean growth is supported by PPC’s recent investment in its US$85 million, 700,000 tonne per year mill in Harare. Commissioned at the end of 2016, the Harare plant was by far the biggest capital project in the history of PPC Zimbabwe, representing PPC Ltd’s vote of confidence in the future of the country. Elsewhere in the DRC, PPC Barnet achieved revenue growth of 5% to R607 million on the back of higher pricing and translation gains, and generated EBITDA of R94 million in a market that is projected to have seen an overall increase in demand of 4% to 8%. Commenting on the state of the market, Ramafoko says despite the current challenges around continued cement imports, the country offers a lot of opportunity. To make the most of the prospects, PPC Barnet commissioned its US$280 million, 1 million tonne per year plant at the end of 2016. “The DRC used to operate with only one cement plant, despite the vastness of the country, with a population of approximately

90 million people. The DRC has traditionally had a short supply of cement, relying on imports. In the south, for example, the bulk of the cement was imported from Zambia,” he says. The DRC is vast and blessed with natural resources, which can be a driver for much needed economic growth. Ramafoko believes the infrastructural gap in the country will drive cement demand. “The DRC, under the new administration of President Félix Tshisekedi, is prioritising infrastructure development to ease the movement of people and goods in the country. To give an idea, travelling between the capital Kinshasa and Lubumbashi or Goma by road is a mission impossible. The only way to connect these three major cities is by air,” he says. “Upgrading infrastructure will play a critical role in the DRC’s quest to diversify its economy and reduce poverty. It will also be an important source of growth on its own.” In Rwanda, where PPC achieved revenue growth of 6% to R936 million, Ramafoko says robust cement demand was driven by large infrastructure projects, growth in the retail market and export demand from the eastern DRC. “A key driver of the cement market in Rwanda is a deliberate move by the government to roll out infrastructure projects. Rwanda understands the importance of infrastructure in the development of a competitive private sector. To this end the government continues to invest heavily in infrastructure,” he says. Pre-COVID-19, Rwanda and Ethiopia were among the fastest growing countries in the world. Ramafoko says the two countries have been the “shining armours” of Africa in terms of economic growth. As a country, Rwanda also understands the importance of the ease of doing business. “There is a push to drive ease of doing business, which has made the country attractive to foreign investment,” he says. PPC commissioned its CIMERWA plant

in August 2015, the only integrated cement producer in the country. The modernised 600,000 tonne per year CIMERWA plant is strategically located, positioning the company at the centre of Rwanda’s inland growth. Elsewhere in Ethiopia – where PPC commissioned its 1.4 million tonne per year plant at a capital cost of US$180 million in 2017 – the government has announced a massive infrastructure drive to the tune of US$2 billion, says Ramafoko. The construction industry in the country, he says, is growing and offering better prospects for the cement market through the various ongoing megaprojects. Ethiopia is driving to become self-sufficient when it comes to power generation. The country has done quite a lot in terms of hydropower development, says Ramafoko. A case in point is the GERD project, which has been under construction since 2011. Located in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia, about 15km east of the border with Sudan, the 6,450MW dam will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa when completed, as well as the seventh-largest in the world. Another project of note currently underway in the country is the 752.7 km Ethiopia-Djibouti railway modernisation project, also known as the Addis AbabaDjibouti Railway, the first modern electrified railway line in East Africa. It is jointly owned by the governments of Ethiopia and Djibouti. Apart from these megaprojects, Ramafoko says there is generally a lot of infrastructure development activity in the capital, Addis Ababa, with the renewal of the inner city and several housing projects in response to urbanisation. “Ethiopia is also generally less industrialised than most of its peers, and the government has been calling for industrial partners to invest in the country to increase local manufacturing in order to reduce imports. Together, these factors have been contributing to cement demand in the country,” concludes Ramafoko. AB

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INTERVIEW

SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN FAISAL AL THANI New technology is Aamal’s growth driver

The ready-mixed concrete sector in Qatar and the wider GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region is developing rapidly, both in terms of product quality and durability, as regional producers adopt the latest technologies to meet growing local demand. One such leading producer in this market is Aamal Company (Aamal). V L Srinivasan spoke to Aamal’s chief executive officer and managing director, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Faisal Al Thani, about the ﬁrm’s strategic growth in the last few decades, how it is successfully overcoming the impact of COVID-19, and its switch to more sustainable green concrete for increasingly environmentally minded customers www.AggBusiness.com

INTERVIEW

he demand for aggregates and construction material witnessed a steep increase after Qatar was chosen to host the FIFA football World Cup in 2022. Aamal Readymix, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Doha-based Aamal, is among a handful of ready-mixed producers supplying construction firms who are working flat out to complete infrastructure projects in time for the global showpiece event being staged from 21 November to 18 December 2022. Though the company was founded as Gettco Readymix in 1994, it was transferred to Aamal and became known as Aamal Readymix in 2005. Along with Aamal Readymix, Aamal has other businesses: Aamal Cement Industries, Gulf Rocks, Doha Cables, Advanced Pipes & Casts Company, and Aamal Maritime Transportation Services. All these companies are established as leading suppliers to Qatar’s construction industry. According to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Faisal Al Thani, Aamal’s CEO and MD, Aamal Readymix is considered one of the largest producers of quality ready-mixed concrete in Qatar. The company owns production facilities near major national construction activity hubs. Aamal Readymix is also regarded by various business contractors involved in large, medium and smaller-sized public and private sector projects as the preferred source of quality ready-mixed concrete. “The current products of Aamal Readymix are high-strength concrete, high-performance concrete, shotcrete, lightweight concrete and sustainable green concrete,” says Al Thani. While focusing on Qatar’s highly demanding construction market, Al Thani says Aamal Readymix has expanded its operations at a remarkable rate while embracing advanced global technology.

The company has been awarded the Qatar Sustainability Award for introducing a special type of ‘green’ concrete with a reduced carbon footprint. Aamal Readymix is an approved supplier for state-owned corporations such as Ashghal (which undertakes construction of roads and buildings), Kahramaa (which takes care of water and power supply as well as its distribution in Qatar) and other wellestablished government projects. Aamal Readymix has developed its expertise and is renowned for delivering successful government infrastructure projects, school projects, stadiums, high-rise towers, and other developments. COVID-19 challenges Al Thani says that the impact of COVID-19 has focused ready-mixed concrete producers on tighter cost and liquidity management, while governments across the GCC were pitching in to support the private sector. “The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on global commerce and financial markets, and Aamal Readymix has been able to capitalise on opportunities to streamline costs, increase efficiency and minimise supply chain disruption to enhance our competitiveness.”

“We are always on the lookout for strategic growth opportunities as they arise, supported by our leading market position in the segments we operate in”

While the pandemic had the potential to disrupt its supply chains and operations, Al Thani says Aamal Readymix has been continuously monitoring market developments, assessing the implications on its operations, and adjusting where necessary. In Qatar, while the market has been intensely competitive, the need to complete all the 2022 FIFA World Cup-related projects in time is expected by Al Thani to deliver a construction boom that should drive shortterm growth in ready-mixed demand and the broader construction sector. Aamal’s diverse business model with operations across a range of key sectors ensured the resilience of all its subsidiaries. They are essential in achieving long-term sustainable growth while benefitting from the flexibility to adapt and overcome any emerging crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, did not deter the company from exploring potential investment opportunities in other GCC region countries. “We have conducted a feasibility study to import gabbro from Oman, and the initial findings were encouraging,” says Al Thani. “We believe it is currently more efficient for Aamal to continue importing gabbro from Oman to cater to the needs of the local market. We will continue to explore and assess other opportunities where they make financial and strategic sense.” Despite the pandemic, Aamal’s Industrial Manufacturing segment recorded a growth of 23.8% year-on-year in Q3 2020, driven by new contract wins. However, pricing and margins remained under pressure due to continuing acute competition. “We are continuing to focus on improving operational efficiency, optimising our production base and improving efficiency at Aamal Readymix through implementing several operational improvements, including a review of sales and pricing policies to drive competitiveness,” Al Thani explains.

LEFT: An Aamal Readymix plant in an industrial area BELOW: Aamal Readymix supplying ready-mixed concrete to Qatar University

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INTERVIEW

A Gulf Rocks building materials storage site. Picture: Gulf Rocks Aamal Readymix made its employees’ safety and well-being the top priority, applying the highest safety and security measures in the workplace via social distancing, providing personal protective equipment, and healthawareness sessions. Market leaders Al Thani stresses that both Aamal Readymix and Gulf Rocks are among the leading Qatari construction material suppliers, with Aamal Readymix producing 600,000m³ of quality ready-mixed concrete annually. Gulf Rocks is a leading importer and provider of highquality gabbro aggregates widely used in concrete products. Aamal Readymix and Gulf Rocks are key subsidiaries in Aamal’s Industrial Manufacturing division, improving synergies in Aamal’s business operations in keeping with its diversified strategy. “Building a strong industrial base has been one of Aamal’s key goals since our foundation, and we are proud to have been one of the first Qatari private-sector companies to start building an industrial manufacturing business to support the government’s efforts to drive economic development in sectors that are not dependent on hydrocarbons,” says Al Thani. “In addition, as environmental considerations are increasingly important in construction design, Aamal Readymix is seeing growing demand for its top-performing green sustainable concrete which is based on recycled cementitious materials that offer extremely high strength and durability.” Meeting the demand Focusing again on 2022 FIFA World Cup projects, Al Thani says that in line with the Qatari government’s efforts to create greater economic diversification and secure a range of income streams for the country, there has been a marked increase in major project activity linked to transport, tourism, real estate, education, and infrastructure. Al Thani believes these projects’ requirements are underpinning national demand for construction material. “In order to fulfil the large production and supply requirements for these projects, Aamal

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ABOVE: Sheikh Mohamed Bin Faisal Al Thani with his father and chairman of Aamal and Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani (centre) and other officials touring one of the industrial plants. Readymix is in the process of expanding its production assets. Gulf Rocks is currently in the process of signing short- to mediumterm agreements with potential sources of gabbro aggregates in Oman to ensure smooth supplies to the local market,” explains Al Thani. Aamal Readymix currently owns four concrete batching plants, 69 vehicles, 14 mobile concrete pumps, and six stationary pumps which can pump concrete up to 600 metres vertically. Significant milestone A source of pride for Aamal Readymix stemmed from Aamal’s October 2020 inclusion in the Qatar Exchange (QE) Index. The index comprises the 20 most liquid and largest listed companies on the Qatar Stock Exchange by free-float market capitalisation. Al Thani says that inclusion in the index is a significant milestone for Aamal, heightening its profile and visibility in the investment community. Al Thani adds: “We are always on the lookout for strategic growth opportunities as they arise, supported by our leading market position in the segments we operate in and our wide range of offerings of high-quality, innovative products. Over the longer term, we intend to continue to capitalise on the opportunities generated by the Qatar National Vision 2030,” he said.

Eco-friendly products Aware of its responsibility in sustaining the environment, Aamal Readymix and Gulf Rocks produce high-quality, high-performing, environmentally friendly green concrete based on recycled cementitious materials that have extremely high strength and durability. Also, Aamal Readymix has won several certifications and awards based on its quality of production, delivery, and management systems. “We strictly implement a recycling policy for the waste generated in our factories. The activities include recycling wastewater and re-using it for washing mixer vehicles, segregating solid concrete waste into its ingredients, and re-using them and using oil and filters sent to recycling factories,” explains Al Thani. For all these efforts, Aamal Readymix has been re-certified for achieving ISO 9001 (Quality Management System), 14001 (Environmental Management System), and 18001 (Health and Safety Management Systems) standards after a successful audit. Other awards and certificates that Aamal Readymix has won include ‘Certificate of Conformance for Concrete Production Facilities’ from the National Ready-Mixed Concrete Association for Bu-Qalila Plant 1, Salwa Industrial Area Plant 1, Bu-Qalila Plant 2, and Salwa Industrial Area Plant 2. Aamal Readymix has also secured QHSE certificates such as ISO (9001: 2015), (14001: 2015), and (45001: 2018), in addition to Conformity Certificates from Qatar General Organisation for Standardisation. Strong industrial base Al Thai says that Aamal is among Qatari companies within the national industrial manufacturing segment contributing most to private-sector efforts to realise Qatar’s National Vision. As Aamal has been adopting a business model based on synergy and diversity, it is evident how different units complement each other’s operations. Al Thani gives an example: “Aamal Maritime Transportation Services ships aggregates from different regional suppliers, which are essential for the operations of Aamal Cement industries and Aamal Readymix. This synergy significantly helps reduce the operational costs and creates an added value to our companies’ operations.” Aamal’s Industrial and Manufacturing segment is well placed to benefit from the government’s 2021 budget allocation of QAR 20.4 billion (US$5.549bn) for highways, internal road networks and drainage systems. Looking further ahead, more than 150 largescale projects are expected to be undertaken over the coming years, primarily focused on roads, hospitals and schools. Major projects such as the North Gas Field expansion, the multi-phased expansion of Hamad International Airport, and the expansion of Hamad Sea Port will help drive the demand for the segment’s core concrete, pipes, cement blocks and power-cable businesses. AB © AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL March/April 2021

MARKET REPORT

South Korean quarry operators are exhibiting a trend towards larger machines such as Volvo CE’s 55-tonne EC550E excavator

Road and residential building to drive increase in aggregates demand South Korea has emerged relatively unscathed from the economic effects of COVID-19 with the government initiating a number of major infrastructure projects (The Great Train Express, repairing the road network and a third satellite city near Seoul) that are likely to generate healthy future aggregates demand. Liam McLoughlin reports

outh Korea’s successful containment of the COVID-19 pandemic, without the need for nationwide lockdowns, has meant that construction activity in the country was not as severely affected as in many other nations. According to the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS), the construction industry’s valueadd declined by 1.9% year on year (YoY) in real terms in the third quarter of 2020, following a decline of 0.2% in Q2 and growth of 3% in Q1 2020. In research published in February 2021, market analyst Global Data says it expects the South Korean construction sector to recover this year, growing by 2.9% in real terms, compared to a contraction of 1.1% in 2020. The industry is then expected to expand at an annual average rate of 3.9% between 2022-2025. The construction industry’s output will be supported by improving investor confidence and the government’s focus on green infrastructure. In July 2020, the government announced a plan to invest KRW160 trillion (US$133.5bn) between 2020 and 2025 under the ‘Korean New Deal’ programme announced in July last year, which includes investments in the areas of renewable energy, electric vehicles, 5G infrastructure, big data and artificial intelligence. The industry will also be supported by the government’s focus

on curbing rising property prices to cool an overheated property market, coupled with investments in residential buildings to address the housing shortage. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), South Korea is expected to see a total of KRW262 trillion (US$230bn) invested in construction in 2021 - a 3.6% increase from KRW253 trillion (US$226.50bn) in 2020. Aggregate demand is estimated to reach 243 million m3 - a 3.4 % increase from 235 million m3 in 2020. The main drivers for this demand are road repairs and the residential building industry, according to Kyounghun ‘KH’ Lee, key account manager for the Asia region at Volvo Construction Equipment (CE), a major quarrying and construction machinery supplier in the country. “In terms of the aggregate type, we expect to see an even split between sand and gravel,” Lee says. “The majority of these aggregates will be sourced from recycling (45.3%), quarries (41.3%), the sea (6.9%), land (4.6%) and rivers (1.9%), according to MOLIT’s year 2021 demand plan.” Lee says the effects on the Korean quarrying and aggregates sector due to COVID-19 have been minimal, with the government taking swift action to protect citizens and enable businesses to continue operating.

“The government has taken appropriate and prompt action to support the economy by using IT 3T (Test, Trace and Treat) without any business having to close,” he adds. “South Korea recorded a 1% decline in GDP last year, which is the smallest decline of any OECD country.” To overcome any further effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has this year set up the fourth revised supplementary budget and announced an emergency support plan for disaster relief funds, small companies and damaged industries. COVID19 vaccinations started from February 2021 and the government is aiming to complete national immunisation in this year. Lee highlights two major infrastructure projects that will be significant in driving Korean aggregates demand - the GTX (Great Train Express) and the third satellite new city development around Seoul. GTX, planned for completion in 2025, is a high-speed underground commuter rail network covering the Seoul area, consisting of three separate lines named GTX A, GTX B and GTX C, where trains will operate at up to 180kmph. The project was first envisioned in the late 2000s. Construction of GTX Line A began in 2019 and the entire project is scheduled for completion in 2025. The third new satellite city development surrounding Seoul is a public housing district

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MARKET REPORT

designed to stabilise the housing market in the metropolitan area. The main city centre will be reachable in 30 minutes via a variety of transport options such as GTX. In addition, everywhere in the new city will be connected to public transportation within a 10-minute window. In February the government announced that it would initiate a major nationwide increase in house construction over the coming years to contain over-heated property prices. Reuters reported the government as saying it will add 830,000 new homes by 2025 across the country, 320,000 of which will be in Seoul – an increase of 10% in the capital’s dwellings. Half of the total waste generated in South Korea comes from construction sites and the government wishes to recycle as many aggregates as possible from construction waste to help protect the environment. As of September 2017, all public sector construction projects are legally required to draw at least 40% of their required aggregates from recycled sources. Furthermore, demand for recycled aggregates is increasing in metropolitan areas with large construction projects. Lee says such new projects will drive demand in the aggregates sector, and adds: “We also expect customers to opt for larger machines as they aim to boost productivity. A focus on sustainability may also see investment in new electromobility technologies.” Another government policy that could impact the aggregates sector is a new labour law being considered which would restrict

“South Korea recorded a 1% decline in GDP last year, which is the smallest decline of any OECD country” Kyounghun ‘KH’ Lee

the working week to no more than 52 hours. Lee says this could lead to quarrying and building materials companies investing more in large machines to improve productivity and achieve more within less time. In terms of the type of equipment that Korean aggregates and quarry operators are particularly looking for, Lee says the most popular machines are excavators above the 30-tonne class such as the Volvo CE EC300E, and wheeled loaders with a bucket capacity above 4m3 like Volvo CE’s L150H. He adds that excavators above the 30-tonne class account for 60% of machines sold in the aggregates segment, while wheeled loaders with a bucket capacity above 4m3 account for 90% of machines sold in the quarry segment. “However, the trend is moving towards larger machines,” Lee says. “Hence, excavators above the 55-tonne class like our EC550E and L260H wheeled loader with a 7.3m3 [bucket capacity] are becoming more popular. Low fuel consumption, high productivity and high profitability are all important to quarry operators.” He adds that Volvo CE plans to increase its South Korean market share of 30-tonne excavators and 4m3 bucket capacity wheeled loaders from 25% to 30% in three years through enhancing its sales and service network, along with its extended warranty programme. “We will also be focusing on electromobility, automation and connected machines to improve sustainability, productivity and cost of ownership and operation,” says Lee.

A major development in the South Korean and wider global equipment quarrying and construction manufacturing sector took place in February this year with Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) announcing its takeover of Doosan Infracore for KRW850bn (US$760m). According to Business Korea, Doosan Infracore holds a 3.7% share of the global construction equipment market, making it the ninth largest. HHI subsidiary Hyundai Construction Equipment holds a 1.5% share as the 20th largest. The combined market share of the two Korean manufacturers is similar to that of the world’s fourth-biggest construction equipment maker, Volvo CE (5.2%). South Korea’s large cement production sector is central to government efforts to cut nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in the country. In June 2020, The Korea Times reported that South Korea’s nine cement producers had agreed with the Ministry of Environment to work together to lower NOx emissions, the industry’s main air pollutant. The producers - Asia Cement, Halla Cement, Hanil Cement Manufacturing, Hyundai Cement, Korea Cement, Sampyo Cement, Ssangyong Cement Industrial, SungShin Cement and Union Corporation - will invest in upgrades to filters or new high-efficiency filters and process improvements. The Korea Times stated that cement production generates Korea’s second-highest nitrogen oxide emissions at 62,546 tonnes (32% of the overall NOx produced in 2019) which contribute to air pollution particulate matter of 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5). Figures released by the Ministry of Environment in May 2020 showed that local power plants generated the most (68,324 tonnes), followed by cement and then steelmakers (31,434 tonnes) and petrochemical manufacturers (19,569 tonnes). Cement companies have been cutting NOx emissions by installing filtering devices to their furnaces, but their efficiency is low and producers said they could not upgrade the filters because of space limitations and high maintenance fees.

Wheeled loaders with a bucket capacity above 4m3 - such as the Volvo L260H - account for 90% of loaders sold to South Korean quarries

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MARKET REPORT

Doosan Infracore is being taken over by fellow Korean equipment manufacturer Hyundai

Producers are also using alternative fuels in an effort to reduce their environmental footprint, in addition to increasing production efficiency. In one example, Sanyong Cement has deployed two custom-built HOTDISC combustion systems from FLSmidth to increase the use of alternative fuels at its Donghae and Yeongwol cement plants. The Donghae Plant is claimed to be the world’s largest cement plant with an annual clinker production capacity of 11.5 million tonnes. Located on a 2,780-acre site, including the quarry, the plant has had the quality of its product accredited by many expert institutions both in and outside of the country. Ssanyong Cement wanted to use a HOTDISC reactor to substitute calciner fuel with alternative fuel (AF) at the two plants. However, the standard HOTDISC is designed for an inline calciner (ILC) layout and did not fit within its existing separate line calciner (SLC) systems. A conversion to an ILC to increase AF firing was not economically or technically feasible, so Ssanyong therefore asked Denmark-based FLSmidth to redesign the HOTDISC reactor to suit an SLC system. Both Ssangyong Cement’s Donghae and Yeongwol plants operate older style non-FLSmidth pyro systems. Each plant has several kiln lines situated very close together. These were originally built without calciners, but SLCs have since been added as part of a preheater tower installed in front of the kiln. HOTDISC has been on the market for nearly 20 years, and FLSmidth says it has gained significant success as cement companies worldwide look to increase AF firing as an environmental and financial benefit to their process. It relies heavily on

the positioning of the HOTDISC reactor alongside the bottom part of the ILC, above the kiln riser. The challenge for FLSmidth’s engineers working on the Ssanyong Cement installation was to produce a redesigned HOTDISC-S reactor that performs in the same way – maintaining those same efficiencies – but which is positioned beneath the SLC calciner. “It was a complex project. It’s not a totally new idea; we had thought of creating a version of the HOTDISC reactor for the SLC before – but the question was always ‘how do we get the non-combustible particles into the kiln?’,” said Steven Miller, global process

BELOW: Ssanyong’s Donghae facility, claimed to be the world’s largest cement plant, has deployed a new FLSmIdth system to boost alternative fuel use. Image: Ssanyong Cement

line manager at FLSmidth. “Gases can be encouraged to move in one direction or another, but heavier materials only want to fall down. And at that temperature they are difficult to transport.” Using CFD modelling, the FLSmidth design team was able to work out the optimum layout to ensure the lighter particles could be lifted into the calciner and successfully burned, and to avoid the occurrence of hot spots in the chamber. The answer to handling the heavy materials came from FLSmidth’s experiences elsewhere in the process. “We realised that the ABC Inlet design that is usually used in a clinker cooler would actually be the perfect way to cool those reject particles, so that they can be transported,” said Miller. “It takes up a relatively small area, but it works very effectively to cool material quickly.” The HOTDISC systems operating at the two plants can handle a wide range of alternative fuels, including refuse-derived fuel (produced from municipal garbage), tyres (whole, shredded or cut into pieces), paper sludge, lime-stabilised oil sludge (from tanker cleaning), old car fragments (including upholstery and dashboards), and dried sewage sludge. The Ssangyong Cement plants are utilising Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF), which has been pre-sorted prior to receipt at the plant, ensuring they get good quality fuels with very low moisture content. FLSmidth says the actual results of the installations have surpassed expectations. The guarantee of 85% waste fuel replacement in the calciner with SRF was exceeded at both Yeongwol and Donghae following commissioning in August 2020 and October 2020, respectively. “We had seen what the HOTDISC could do, in terms of increasing alternative fuel capacity,” said Soo-Hyoung Lee, process engineer at Ssangyong Cement, PI Construction Office. “We were willing to support FLSmidth to redesign the system to try to make it work for us. They took on the challenge – and as a result we have been able to significantly increase our alternative fuels utilisation.” AB

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QUARRY PROFILE

Danoher’s new 60 tonnes per hour, cyclone technology-inclusive EvoWash 102 plant is said to be behind a 30% production boost at Bloemspruit Quarry

PRODUCTION UP 30% WITH CYCLONE TECHNOLOGY A South African quarry operator has increased its production by nearly a third with the help of a state-of-the-art CDE plant solution. Guy Woodford reports

ohannesburg-headquartered materials processor Danoher has reported a 30% increase in production at its flagship commercial site with the support of the latest CDE wet processing technology. Bloemspruit Quarry supplies Bloemfontein and the surrounding areas with high-quality construction aggregates. Before installing its CDE plant, Danoher, which offers, among other services crushing and screening solutions, was operating traditional bucket wheel technology at Bloemspruit. Once widely adopted in the materials processing industry, when sand resources were abundant, and construction materials commanded a high price tag, bucket wheel technology is now being replaced by more advanced and efficient technological solutions. “This technology is increasingly under the spotlight for many materials processors who are seeking to address inefficiencies in their operations,” says Ruchin Garg, regional manager for MEA (Middle East & Africa) at CDE.

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The solution, Garg says, is cyclone-based technology. “High and variable moisture content, the loss of quality fines to settling ponds, inaccurate material classification. These are some of the many shortcomings stemming from bucket wheels that are addressed by CDE cyclone technology.” Cyclone technology, Garg explains, involves the use of centrifugal force to classify materials instead of bucket wheels that rely on gravity as the means of separation. Commenting on the then-existing plant set-up at Danoher’s Bloemspruit Quarry, Garg says the outdated technology had further limitations impacting the business and restricting its growth potential. “This is a very competitive market,” Garg explains. “The demand for high quality washed sand and aggregates is high. To fulfil that increasing demand and grow your business, materials processors need to ensure they’re extracting every valuable grain of sand from their feed material. To achieve that, an efficient plant is a must. “Not only was Danoher losing valuable

fines to its settling ponds, but the gearbox in the unreliable bucket wheel was prone to failure leading to significant downtime and putting the business at a competitive disadvantage.” To overcome these challenges, CDE recently commissioned a 60 tonnes per hour EvoWash 102 at the Bloemspruit Quarry. Danoher business manager Johann van Niekerk says that as an industry leader, the company uses the most advanced equipment technology and was exploring various solutions to replace the dated bucket wheel. “We evaluated the CDE wet processing technology at one of our customer’s sites where the company’s EvoWash sand washing plant was in operation. It was a major asset to them, and we saw an opportunity to integrate similar technology at Bloemspruit.” Van Niekerk says they also sought to differentiate Danoher from other materials processors in the market. “We needed something that was more suited to our requirements, a solution that offered us greater product flexibility. We wanted to stand out. To grow the business, we needed to differentiate ourselves from the © AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL March/April 2021

QUARRY PROFILE

competition while simultaneously producing a superior product for our customers.” CDE’s Evowash, Van Niekerk says, compared to its previous bucket wheel, offers Danoher greater versatility. “Demand in our local market is driven by washed sands. With our new EvoWash we’re producing more sand than ever before.” Van Niekerk continues: “More control over our cut point means we’re also better equipped to be more responsive to the needs of our customers as we can produce sand fractions in line with their requirements or downstream processes.” With the support of CDE cyclone technology, Danoher is now producing two grades of sand – fine (0 – 1.5mm) and coarse (0 – 5mm) – compared to only the one grade of sand its bucket wheel was capable of producing. “Our production is up by 30% and water usage down by 15%,” says Van Niekerk. “This has opened up a new revenue stream for us, and the superior products are attracting new customers, too.” He says the quality of the sand produced by the EvoWash is equal to that of natural sand. “We recently secured an order for 600 tons a month of washed super sand from one customer whose sand was previously dredged from riverbeds,” says Van Niekerk. “This is testament to the quality of the sand being produced by the EvoWash.” According to another of Danoher’s largest customers, its sand product is now the “most consistent washed crusher sand in the market” in Bloemfontein. AB

The cyclones on Danoher’s CDE EvoWash 102 plant

Sandpiles at Danoher’s Bloemspruit Quarry

The CDE EvoWash 102 plant has replaced Bloemspruit Quarry’s traditional bucket wheel technology

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CRUSHING & SCREENING

RUBBLE MASTER’s new RM Active Grid is available for its RM 100GO! and RM 120X crushers

Getting more out of your crusher The use of a pre-screen grid can increase crusher output by preventing unnecessary ﬁne material from passing through the crushing process, it is being claimed. Liam McLoughlin reports

rushers can be used to crush a huge selection of materials thanks to their wide range of applications, from recycling to crushing natural stone. Often the crusher is fed with a high proportion of fine material, which needlessly passes through the crushing process, increasing wear and energy consumption while reducing throughput. As a remedy, a bar mesh is normally used for pre-screening. However, if the fine material is damp and cohesive, it can quickly clog up the mesh screen and ends up passing through the crusher anyway. Austria-based RUBBLE MASTER (RM) says this is the reason it has launched the patented RM Active Grid, a new pre-screen that is claimed to increase material throughput by up to 30% and reduce wear. Construction and demolition (C&D) waste, concrete rubble, asphalt, wall gravel and river gravel are just a few examples where a high proportion of fine particles can be found in the feed material. If a pre-screening system is not used, all the material ends up in the crusher, irrespective of particle size, often passing through the whole crushing process. RM says that, unfortunately, the fine material causes unnecessary wear to the hammers, impact plates and wear plates in the crushing box, as well as higher energy consumption in the form of diesel or electricity because the rotor is subjected to higher stress. The result is higher running costs because the hammers and wear plates need to be replaced more frequently, and maintenance cycles are shorter. This not only reduces the efficiency of the crusher, but also

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reduces profit, because material throughput is lower, but running costs are higher. For this reason, in many cases a bar mesh is used for pre-screening the fine material and small particles. So far so good, says RM, except that the bar mesh has the disadvantage that due to its rigid construction it clogs up over time, especially with damp, sticky or loamy, cohesive material, reducing its pre-screening efficiency. Even with dry material, the screening rate is often not ideal. This again causes most of the material to enter the crushing box, or block the inlet to the crushing box, slowing down the flow of material. This has the effect of reducing the crusher throughput, increasing wear and requiring the crusher to stop so that the bar mesh can be cleaned. RUBBLE MASTER says it developed the RM Active Grid to solve these problems. It consists of rigid and movable sections of bar mesh that feature a special configuration. The vibration of the vibro-channel causes the Active Grid to oscillate, so it does not need its own drive system. The active vibration of one section of the bar mesh significantly increases the screening performance and, depending on the material and the type of job, increases the total material throughput by up to 30%. Efficiency is also increased thanks to the self-cleaning effect of the Active Grid, ensuring consistent screening performance. The fine material can then bypass the crushing box onto the main discharge belt, or be discharged on a side discharge belt. The result is claimed to be more material throughput, less wear, lower costs and longer

maintenance intervals, which ultimately adds up to more productivity and profitability. If pre-screening is not required because the crusher is being used for a different application, the RM Active Grid can also be fitted with a subfloor, which is quickly installed. The RM Active Grid is available for RM 100GO! and RM 120X crushers. Because processing requirements vary greatly from one job to another, RUBBLE MASTER naturally offers a range of solutions for pre-screening. In addition to the RM Active Grid and a standard bar mesh, a 2-deck pre-screen integrated into the feed belt is also offered for defined feed material particle sizes. RM also offers the HS series of mobile pre-screens, which is available in a range of sizes. Terex Finlay has launched the LJ-130 hybrid jaw crusher, the largest mobile jaw crusher in its range which has been developed for large-scale quarry and mining operations. The machine can operate as a standalone primary crusher or integrated into a mobile or static crushing and screening plant. The machine incorporates a Terex 1300 x 1000mm (51” x 39”) high-performance electrically driven single toggle jaw chamber. The large chamber inlet opening has been engineered to accept the coarsest feed, including large boulders in the feed material, and the chamber cavity depth of 2.3m (7’ 5”) provides high reduction ratios and maintains an efficient material flow through the plant. For ease of transportation the machine has been engineered with a compact © AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2021

CRUSHING & SCREENING

operational footprint and can be split down into two transportable components without the need for heavy crane assistance on site for setting up, tearing down and transporting between locations. The machine features a 13.5m³ (17.64yd³) hopper with an integrated pan feeder and heavy-duty VGF feeder, with automatic power monitoring to regulate and automatically increase or decrease material flow to prevent overload and ensure continuous choke feeding of the jaw chamber for optimum and uninterrupted productivity. The machine can be powered either by the integrated 500kVA genset powerpack configuration or connected to an external power source. Both power options provide operators with significant power, servicing and maintenance cost savings in direct comparison to a diesel/hydraulic-powered plant. “The LJ-130 hybrid jaw crusher has been developed to provide a robust and powerful mobile solution for operators seeking a highly productive machine for the most demanding and coarsest hard rock and ore applications,” said Alan Witherow, Terex Finlay product manager. “The Terex 5139 crusher is the largest jaw chamber we put on our tracked plants in terms of depth, width and length. The large cavity volume enables more material to be processed along the full length of the chamber, maximising productivity even with the coarsest unprepared material at the primary crushing stage. The LJ-130 jaw crusher is perfectly complemented by our existing C-1554 cone crusher and large capacity screens such as our 984 horizontal and 696 inclined screeners models for operators looking for large capacity mobile crushing and screening train solutions.” Key features of the LJ-130, including the plant’s electrically driven power systems,

Kleemann has launched the MOBISCREEN MS 1202 for screening large volumes provide significant cost advantages and environmental efficiencies. The large feed width and gape enables the crusher to accept larger and coarser material reducing the need for hammering of oversized product in the virgin feed material. Automatic variable speed VGF ensures continuous choke feeding of the crushing chamber for optimal productivity. High-powered electric drive ensures precise chamber controls and reverse functionality for clearing blockages and assisting in construction demolition, asphalt and recycling applications. For ease of commissioning and transportation the machine can be dismantled into two separate components without the need for cranes. T-Link telematics hardware and software along with free seven-year data subscription are fitted and installed as standard.

Germany-based Kleemann is offering two new mobile classifying screens with a feed capacity of up to 750 t/h that the Wirtgenowned company says guarantee effective screening of large volumes. The MOBISCREEN MS 1202 and MS 1203 are available with two or three screen decks and have screening surface areas of 12m² in the upper and middle deck and 11m² in the lower deck. They thus make hourly outputs of up to 750 tonnes possible. Aiko Fischer, product manager for screening plants at Kleemann, said: “To achieve these high outputs, the material flow must be well designed. Kleemann has thus generously dimensioned the feed hopper with a holding volume of 10m³. This makes feeding both with a crushing plant as well as with a large wheel loader possible. Despite discontinuous feeding by the wheeled loader, the large hopper volume ensures continuous material supply to the screen. Correspondingly wide feeding and discharge conveyors guarantee an unobstructed material flow over the screen. The hightorque diesel engine also ensures that the plant does not ‘run out of steam’.” Both screens can be combined with both the crushing plants from the Kleemann EVO series and the PRO series. AB

The new LJ-130 is Terex Finlay’s largest hybrid jaw crusher

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New tech drives improved loading performance

Cutting-edge technologies are helping quarry operators to increase the productivity, fuel efficiency and safety of their loading equipment. Liam McLoughlin reports

arble quarrying company Alba Ventura has bought a Hyundai Construction Equipment (HCE) HX520L excavator from Toscomeccanica, the HCE dealer for the Italian region of Tuscany. The 52-tonne excavator replaces a model of the same capacity and is working flat out at Colonnata quarry in the iconic marble quarrying area of Carrara, where high-quality marble such as White Cattani Marble is extracted. The HX520L excavator is powered by the Scania DC13 084A 6-cylinder, 12.7-litre, Stage IV engine, which delivers an output of 316 kW, providing energy efficiency combined with high-level performance. Alba Ventura owner Roberto Vernazza said the HX520L excavator has demonstrated standout attributes such as high power, a high degree of stability and maximum efficiency. “From the first days of operation in our marble quarry, the Hyundai excavator showed what it was made of – a powerful machine, but also sensitive and precise in its movements; a true champion born to dominate the terrain, whatever the type,” he added. To optimise performance in the toughest operating conditions, HCE has equipped the excavator with cutting-edge technologies: the Eco Indicator, a system that can give immediate feedback on fuel efficiency while the machine is operating; IPC (Intelligent Power Control), a function that regulates the hydraulic pumps based on the work environment and selects speed mode,

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balance mode or higher efficiency to adapt machine performance. In addition, the new variable power control is designed to increase performance, whatever the operating environment. “In our quarry, we needed a new machine to replace an old model of the same capacity,” said Vernazza. “So, we contacted the dealer in Massarosa, Toscomeccanica, who has provided us with assistance service for years in a professional and timely manner. In this case, too, they supported us by immediately identifying a model which would meet our expectations.” The HX520L excavator is designed to provide durability and strength. HCE says the solid structure of the model’s upper and lower frame, able to withstand external impact and work with large loads and the performance accessories verified by rigorous testing, are standout advantages of the HX Series. The manufacturer adds that this is evident in

A Hyundai HX520L excavator working at the Colonnata marble quarry in Tuscany challenging operating environments such as quarries, guaranteeing better productivity. Reduced noise, low vibration and an ergonomic design are intended to make the cabin space more comfortable and pleasant. The HX520L’s comfort features include a spacious cabin, clear controls, excellent visibility, and high-performance air conditioning. The standard suspension seat, adjustable for height and weight, has a headrest and an armrest, also adjustable. There is an emergency engine stop at the base of the seat. With its focus on operator safety and comfort, the HX520L excavator is designed to allow quick, safe inspection of the instruments, providing its operators with an optimal work environment.

The Hitachi ZW220-7 has a camera system giving operators a bird’s-eye view of jobsites

“In addition to being a robust, powerful machine, the Hyundai HX520L excavator offers longer maintenance intervals and greater ease of maintenance, reducing workshop time to a minimum,” said Toscomeccanica owner Claudio Bacci. “Also, the maintenance areas are easy to access, and the grease points are centralised. Not to mention that the high-performance oil filter extends the change interval to 500 hours. These are surely the key aspects for our customers, who need to keep machine downtime to an absolute minimum.” Japanese original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Hitachi has introduced the ZW2207, which the company says is its first Stage V-compliant wheeled loader and the first model from its next generation. The OEM adds that the ZW220-7 has been designed to put operators in control of their workspace, with new safety features and increased comfort in the cab. The loader features the Aerial Angle camera system, giving operators a 270-degree bird’s-eye view of the jobsite, while the rear obstacle detection and warning system alerts them immediately if anything is close to the rear of the machine. Hitachi says the ZW220-7 is especially easy to use due to features such as the improved seat with mounted electric pilot control leavers, new monitor controller and convenient side switch panel. The company adds that owners will be able to increase their profits due to the fuel economy and efficiency of the ZW220-7, in addition to faster and more efficient short loading operations due to the approach speed control feature. The new ZW-7 model is also designed to load trucks more accurately using the payload monitoring system. In addition, operators can monitor the fuel consumption with the new ECO gauge and performance can be improved with several adjustable functions. To support owners and operators throughout the life cycle of the new ZW-7 wheeled loaders, Hitachi provides a wide

The new Volvo CE EC300E heavy-duty excavator

Doosan Infracore Europe’s ‘transparent bucket’ system aims to eliminate loader driver blind spots range of after-sales services, and access to vital data and tools so they can manage their machine effectively. These include remote monitoring systems, Owner’s Site and ConSite (part of Global e-Service), and the ConSite Pocket app, which help to monitor performance, track location and plan maintenance. “Many years of extensive research have contributed to the development of the ZW-7 range to ensure that it meets the specific demands of European customers, from small business owners to large fleet contractors,” said Bill Drougkas, wheeled loader product manager of Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe). “As a result, we believe it offers a superior experience in the cab and exceeds expectations in terms of efficiency and performance.” Doosan Infracore Europe has launched a ‘transparent bucket’ system for wheeled loaders that is designed to allow the loader driver to see blind spots in front of the bucket on the machine via the cab monitor.

The system records images in front of the wheeled loader with top and bottom frontloaded cameras and shows combined images on the monitor in real time using a curved projection method. Owing to blind spots caused by the buckets on wheeled loaders, the area in front of the machines has been considered an area of major concern in terms of safety. Doosan says that with its new transparent bucket function the driver can now easily check the blind spots in front of the bucket via the cab monitor, to increase safety and prevent accidents. Another claimed advantage of the transparent bucket system is that it can significantly improve work efficiency by providing a forward-view perspective for the driver during loading/unloading or when carrying materials such as aggregates, sand and soil. Doosan Infracore says it is the first company in the world to develop and apply a front projection function with the transparent bucket for construction machines and has applied for patents in Korea, North America, Europe and China. The manufacturer has also developed further sophisticated safety systems for its machinery range, such as the around view monitor (AVM) system, that can observe the machines’ surroundings, and a rear warning system using ultrasonic sensors, which it says have both received very favourable responses from customers. A Doosan Infracore spokesperson commented: “As machinery and site safety standards continue to be significantly raised around the world, advanced safety systems have become a key factor in selecting equipment. We plan to continue developing safety features that can protect drivers and other workers on site, and we aim to be at the forefront in creating construction sites that are safer and accident-free.” Volvo Construction Equipment (CE) has launched updated versions of its EC250E and

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EXPERTS SAY YOU CAN ONLY FOCUS ON ONE THING AT A TIME. We chose articulated dump trucks

EC300E excavators, which are claimed to offer improved fuel efficiency of up to 10%. The updated heavy-duty machines weigh 26-31.5 tonnes and 30.2-36.8 tonnes for the EC250E and EC300E respectively. They can also come with purpose-built attachments including buckets and breakers - which Volvo CE says will help operators move more, for less. The manufacturer says the updated models deliver up to 10% improvements in fuel efficiency, due to a combination of features that includes more intelligent electro-hydraulics, the classic ECO mode and selectable work modes, and finally the new D8M Volvo engine. This upgraded engine reduces rpm from 1,800 down to 1,600, while delivering a 5% increase in power. The EC300E also has a 700kg heavier counterweight – providing greater stability and a 5% increase in across lifting capacity. Volvo CE says that operators will benefit from improved response times – thanks to the electric control joystick and full electric travel pedals – and are helped in their task by the optional Dig Assist apps which are powered by the 10-inch (25.4cm) Volvo Co-Pilot in-cab tablet. These include 2D, In-Field Design, 3D software packages and On-Board Weighing. In addition, the Volvo Active Control feature boosts digging accuracy and allows jobs to be completed up to 45% faster, thanks to automated boom and bucket movements. Operators can also set swing fence, height limit, and depth limit to avoid contact with side obstacles, overhead obstacles such as power lines, and underground hazards such as pipes and cables. For operator comfort, Volvo CE says the excavators include new boom and arm bounce reduction technology – which reduces machine shock – and Comfort Drive Control to help reduce fatigue by enabling operators to steer the machine using the joystick rollers instead of the pedals. Aggregates-processing solutions company DUO Operations has supplied a fleet of Doosan machines, including two wheeled loaders and a pair of excavators, that is proving central to the smooth running of Carnsew Quarry in Cornwall, south-west England. Carnsew Quarry is one of two

locations in the Colas Cornwall Quarries division, along with the West of England Quarry. Both are hard rock quarries, providing a wide range of quarry products and asphalt to the local market by road, and further afield by road and sea. Carnsew Quarry is the largest inland quarry in Cornwall and is located in the centre of the developing area lying between the county towns of Redruth, Falmouth and Truro. The quarry produces quality coarse-grained silver-grey granite, meeting demands in different sectors of the construction industry. The Doosan products at Carnsew Quarry have been supplied to Colas under a longterm hire agreement with DUO Operations to assist in the operation of Carnsew Quarry and to ensure the quarry runs smoothly. The Doosan equipment supplied by DUO Operations includes two DA40-5 articulated dump trucks (ADTs), which support the haulage between the primary and secondary crushing operations. Working alongside are Doosan DL450-5 and DL550-5 wheeled loaders used to stockpile quarry products, plus load the ADTs and road trucks delivering to sites around the area. The Doosan fleet from DUO is completed by a pair of Doosan DX380LC-5 crawler excavators that load the secondary crusher and assist with breaking. All the Doosan equipment supplied by DUO Operations comes standard with DoosanCONNECT advanced telematics. Using the data provided by DoosanCONNECT, DUO Operations reports directly to Colas on a monthly basis. This supplies Colas with information on fuel efficiencies, fuel levels, fault codes, warnings and for the ADTs, it shows load counts. This information enables Colas to plan and maximise the profitability at Carnsew Quarry, and also provides the company with a good indication of the cost per tonne. DUO Operations also provides Colas with details on any operator faults and offers advice and feedback to prevent any future maintenance issues.

Liebherr has added two new functions to its active personnel detection assistance system for wheeled loaders. The brake assistant and incident map functions have been added to active personnel detection in the system which is used in the Liebherr L 526 to L 586 XPower range of wheeled loaders. The brake assistant automatically slows the speed of the loader to a standstill the moment the active personnel detection issues a warning signal. The incident map displays potential risk zones on the site using GPS data in LiDAT - Liebherr’s in-house transfer and location system. The manufacturer says that, statistically, accidents with wheeled loaders occur most frequently when the machine operator reverses after a loading process. This reverse travel is particularly risky if people are located in the wheeled loader’s operating area. In these situations, Liebherr says there is a huge responsibility on the machine operator, adding that this is why it is continuing to develop its assistance systems. Active personnel detection visually alerts the machine operator via the display screen and sounds acoustic signals if there is danger in the wheeled loader’s rear area. Besides the brake assistant, a second new function for the active personnel detection at the rear is the incident map. Each time the assistance system detects a danger and a warning signal is issued, the system transmits a GPS signal to LiDAT, Liebherr’s in-house transfer and location system. On the basis of this signal, and for each operator of a wheeled loader with active personnel detection, Liebherr provides a Google map in LiDAT showing these GPS points. The result is an incident map displaying the risk zones and potential sources of danger on the site. The operator can use this to take measures to prevent accidents and therefore increase safety. For example, the operator might reroute footpaths, cordon off areas and alter dangerous work sequences. The head of operations can use the incident map to train employees and make them aware of risky situations. AB

A DL550 wheeled loader and DA40-5 ADT among the Doosan vehicles boosting operations at Carnsew Quarry, UK

The new Liebherr incident map lets loader operators implement measures to avoid on-site accidents

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HAULING

The intended use of the Volvo TA15 autonomous hauler is to transport material in repetitive ﬂows in quarries and other conﬁned off-road environments

Advancing automated hauling Autonomous hauling is an eye-catching topic within the modern quarrying sector. Here, experts from two major global off-highway haul truck makers give the lowdown on their companies’ latest work in this area

he Volvo Group has been busy developing its TA15 autonomous hauler concept as it looks to rethink how quarries currently operate. Uwe Müller started his career with Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) in 2006, where he led several research projects developing new technologies, concept machines and site systems, including the breakthrough study Electric Site. He currently serves as the head of sales and marketing for off-road solutions at Volvo Automated Solutions, specialising in automation and the electrification of construction equipment. “The TA15 is the result of continuous development of previous concept models. The machine is now part of the TARA autonomous transport solution, which consists of several components — the base vehicles (multiple TA15s), plus required infrastructure such as charging stations, a control tower, connected cloud solutions designed to meet customer operation requirements, maintenance and repair support, and the practical operations set-up which varies site to site,” Müller explains. “The intended use of the TA15 is to transport material in repetitive flows in confined off-road environments like quarries. The number of machines and respective charging stations will depend heavily on the target production/transport volumes as

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well as the haul cycle. It can start as a small fleet of three to four machines and go up to bigger fleets of 15-20 machines running in a coordinated effort on a site. The fleet of TA15 machines will interact closely with the respective loading equipment at the site (e.g. wheeled loaders or excavators) and be supervised and controlled from a central, onsite control room.” Müller notes that the TA15 machines are designed for high-power opportunity charging which is a natural part of the haul cycle. This means the machines can, in principle, be charged every cycle with the amount of energy they need to run the next cycle. The charging process is fully autonomous, using a 150kW high-power charger that connects via a pantograph on the ground to a pick-up on the bottom side of the TA15. The charge time will vary from approximately one minute up to three minutes depending on the amount of energy needed. In his recently published blog on the TA15 concept’s progress, Müller says: “What are the benefits of an autonomous transport solution? The primary benefits customers will experience include increased energy efficiency due to the electric drivetrain and innovative design of the base machine; lower emissions (zero local emissions) due to the battery-powered driveline; increased safety; and an overall increase in process

productivity due to the combination of automation, electrification and connectivity.” Müller highlights that the TA15 concept has performed very well as a prototype during the Electric Site project, clearly validating its benefits and potential. “Our next steps are to improve the stability, uptime and overall performance of the system to reach the needed levels to move the concept from a prototype to a commercially viable solution,” he adds. “Safety, which is and has always been one of Volvo’s core values, is at the forefront of the TARA solution as well. It starts with having a fenced/confined area for the autonomous operation. There’s also a redundant emergency stop system that can secure a safe stop of the complete system at all times, plus a traffic management system that continuously tracks the position of all machines to secure the right traffic flow. Finally, an obstacle detection system on the TA15 machines consists of a combination of LIDAR and RADAR sensors that helps the machine detect obstacles in the intended drive path.” Müller states that the biggest change going from conventional transport solutions to the TARA system is the system-thinking approach. “This is not about just exchanging today’s equipment with something new — it’s about changing the way sites work to fully leverage the advantages you can get from © AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2021

HAULING

electrification, automation and connectivity. “We see the TARA solution as an extension of today’s Volvo Group transport solutions offering. It will help transform the transport industry toward more sustainable solutions. The system, however, might not fit into every environment and customer process, so we’ll also see diesel or renewable fuel-powered trucks in parallel for quite some time.” Müller says the Volvo Group also foresees some changes in the way quarry sites and other customer applications will be operated in the future. This will require different jobs and new competencies going forward, with the group having to work closely with its customers and partners to help make these changes happen. “In the meantime, our focus and top priorities are to finalise our development, verification and validation process to secure a successful market introduction of the TARA solution for selected customers,” explains Müller. “This will start in the latter part of 2021, with strong ambitions to scale the solution in the coming years. As we work to bring this solution to market, we’ll continue working on many other exciting autonomous solutions that will help make future sites more productive, efficient and safe. Stay tuned — the future promises to be very exciting!” A focus on improving ease of operation to provide more efficient and safer articulated dump trucks (ADTs) has consistently kept Bell Equipment at the forefront of innovation. The global ADT specialist is now achieving success with autonomous vehicle operation where its forward-thinking approach is enabling interoperability between different control systems and the trucks it produces. An autonomous operation has three elements: machines that can be operated remotely, external sensors that become the eyes and ears of the machine, and sophisticated site control software that manages the operation based on communication with the other two elements. According to Bell Equipment ADT product

The TA15 autonomous hauler concept is an example of how the Volvo Group is looking to rethink how quarries currently operate marketing manager, Nick Kyriacos, “providing autonomous-ready machines will be a part of our core business in the future but in terms of sensing and guidance systems it makes sense to partner with market leaders and innovators, as we do with drivetrain, hydraulics and electronics technologies in our trucks.” At the same time, Bell Equipment (Bell) wants to provide a vehicle that can be fitted and controlled with a guidance system from any number of manufacturers with the easiest integration. “Autonomous applications are industry specific and require surveying and guidance by an industry expert. We want our customers to be able to choose a guidance solution that they are most comfortable with and that can be

fitted to all the machines in the work cycle. Keeping the guidance system independent of the OEM gives customers the flexibility to run a mixed fleet and benefit from the efficiency and productivity that provides,” says Kyriacos. Adding to the flexibility, Bell provides a standard cab with no extra hardware taking up space to create an environment where manual, remote, or autonomous operation is interchangeable. Kyriacos continues: “This would be useful for mining contractors, for example. Once their ADTs have finished a contract on an autonomous site, the sensory and control system could easily be removed and the truck either fitted with a new system for another site or be used in a manual operation.”

“Support vehicles, such as service vehicles and water bowsers, may also form part of autonomous operations” Nick Kyriacos

A Bell B30E ADT running in a fully autonomous site in Austria with partners indurad and voestalpine. Image: indurad/voestalpine

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HAULING

Bell Equipment’s Eben Lemmer

As economies of scale and technology become more affordable and reliable in the future, Bell expects to see smaller and smaller sites embracing autonomous operations. Kyriacos summarises: “Support vehicles, such as service vehicles and water bowsers, may also form part of autonomous operations. This would make it even more important that every machine on site, regardless of the OEM, is able to use and respond to the same software. We envisage that there could also be sites where the main earthmoving operations are fully autonomous, but support vehicles that perform a wide variety of functions are remotely operated from a central area. This would allow the site to have no people whatsoever which improves safety.” Achieving an autonomous-ready platform was a natural progression from the Bell Mark 3 ADT upgrade at the end of 2019 when trucks were made ready to integrate with pedestrian detection systems (PDS) and collision avoidance systems (CAS).

A Bell B30E loading material into a jaw crusher at the autonomous site run by Bell Equipment, induard and voestalpine. Image: indurad/voestalpine

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“We’re always looking to add value and stay ahead of the curve,” says Bell’s manager: electrical and software, Eben Lemmer. “We were first to develop our own telematics solution, Fleetm@tic®, and to introduce onboard weighing, which is standard on our ADTs. When we introduced an inclinometer to improve our onboard weighing accuracy, we saw an opportunity to improve the safety of our trucks with our Hill Start and Tip Safe features that prevent rollback on slopes and rollovers due to tipping at unsafe angles. Similarly, by adding further layers on top of the existing PDS ISO standards we have created an autonomous-ready platform that uses an open communication protocol principle to integrate easily with third-party suppliers.” Bell’s focus is on the execution of instructions from third-party suppliers. Lemmer explains: “In the work environment the guidance software processes all the sensory input, plots a path and sends instructions to the Bell drive-by-wire

interface, which electronically controls the acceleration, braking and steering of the truck. Our communication simulator provides the ability to collaborate with service providers by allowing them to test communication and response in the desktop environment prior to going live in-field. This makes it easier to develop and test new software for controlling the Bell ADT.” Bell first demonstrated that cost-effective remote control is achievable with the right building blocks when it successfully operated a B45E with a video game controller. Since early 2020 the company has been working with indurad and voestalpine on a lime quarry site in the Alps where the industrial radar specialist has fitted its iTruck autonomous haulage system (AHS) on Bell B30E ADTs with excellent results. “Autonomous control in this application is advancing all the time as technology pushes the boundaries and improves the efficiency of the operation. The project is ongoing, and we are now growing our number of collaborations both locally and abroad. “Autonomous vehicle operation is an exciting space to be working. Not only is it aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s objective of achieving higher levels of automation for greater process efficiencies and cost reduction, but we believe it will deliver safer vehicle behaviour by reducing the instances of human error and negate the impact of whole-body vibration on operators in the workplace,” says Lemmer. In most cases an autonomous operation will also need the end customer to set up their site to work differently; there may be special traffic control measures, berms or even different roads needed. At this point in time Bell has an autonomous-ready solution available for customers that are interested in doing proof of concept work in their application. “During this phase we are still learning along with our customers, but we expect our offering to stabilise soon. From there, should anyone express a wish for a full-scale commercial solution, we are confident of being able to deliver within a timescale that is consistent with their expectations,” concludes Lemmer. AB

WASHING – PART 1

Bespoke washing wins Premium washing solution manufacturers are focused on producing cutting-edge plants that meet more tailored customer needs. Guy Woodford reports

unisian quarry operator SOMEVAM has announced plans for its second wet processing solution from Northern Ireland-based CDE. The new plant will produce highspecification silica sand products. SOMEVAM is a subsidiary of the Tunisian Sebri Group, which has interests in quarrying, agriculture, and food processing. Sebri Group will work with its wet processing partner CDE to design and engineer the new plant at one of SOMEVAM’s quarries in Oueslatia. The sand and aggregate materials from Sebri Group’s Oueslatia sand quarries have been supplied to the national construction market for the past two decades. Its management team identified an opportunity to further diversify the business by expanding into the glass sands market to strengthen its commercial proposition in the region, and in 2019 commissioned its first CDE solution at the site. The state-of-the-art silica sand wash plant can treat up to 200 tonnes per hour of sand, producing 100 tonnes per hour of silica glass sand for the glass industry, as well as a range of secondary products including fine silica sand for silica flour production, foundry sand, concrete sand and road base. Investment in a second silica sand wash plant comes as SOMEVAM says it is recording significant interest in its future

production output. The plant will produce silica sand, which has applications in paints, coatings and inks, adhesives and sealants, pharmaceuticals, lighting and more, and silica for flat glass applications such as windows, mirrors and flat glazing. The glass industry accounts for more than a third of the total market for silica sand based on end use. The market analysis projects a growth rate of 7.12% in the silica market over the forecast period 2019–2026, reaching US$3bn by 2026. While North America has the largest market share, the Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to display the highest growth rate, according to a report from Bizwit Research & Intelligence. Commenting on the announcement, CDE’s senior project manager Bassem Idriss said: “We’re very pleased to once again partner with Sebri Group on this exciting project announcement that will significantly expand SOMEVAM’s silica sand processing and production capacity. Its previous investment in CDE technology exemplifies our commitment to engineering excellence and is one of the most advanced plants of its kind.” Ruchin Garg, CDE regional manager, MEA (Middle East & Africa), added: “At CDE, every customer is a customer for life. SOMEVAM’s existing silica sand plant, which was commissioned in 2019, receives expert proactive and preventative maintenance and support. It’s this commitment to our

customers, one that ensures their CDE solution is running at optimum efficiency to maximise product throughput, yield and profitability while minimising their environmental footprint, that has formed the foundation from which we can continue to build upon our positive relationship with Sebri Group through this latest announcement.” Habib Sebri, owner and chairman of Sebri Group, said: “Following a hugely successful venture into the glass sand industry with our first CDE plant, we sought an additional plant to meet the growing demand for our products. We are excited to partner with CDE once again on this new project to maintain the quality and consistency of our offering, and we thank all of those partners who helped secure funding and provided their expertise and resources to help make this ambitious project a reality.” CDE and Sebri Group said they would share more details about developing the new SOMEVAM silica sand wet processing solution in the Oueslatia region over the coming months. With authorisation from the Central Bank of Tunisia, funding for the new investment was secured with the support of UK Export Finance, AF Capital, Apple Bank, and supported by the British Embassy Tunis. Tri-Parish Sand and Gravel is a dry mining operation located in Walker, Louisiana, USA.

SOMEVAM has announced plans to install a second CDE wet processing solution at one of its quarries in Oueslatia, Tunisia. Pictured is its existing CDE plant installation

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UNRIVALLED SINCE 1960

W E H A V E C O M E A L O N G W A Y, W E H A V E M O R E T O D O.

AGGREGATES

RECYCLING

INDUSTRIAL SANDS

MINING

WATER MANAGEMENT

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WASHING – PART 1

Sand being conveyed on SOMEVAM’s CDE washing plant at its Oueslatia sand quarry

Habib Sebri (left), owner and chairman of Sebri Group, and CDE senior project manager Bassem Idriss inspect sand product at SOMEVAM’s Oueslatia quarry The company produces C-33 concrete sand, pea gravel and #57 concrete gravel for use in their ready-mixed concrete operation, Parish Ready Mix. James Nolan, who owns Tri-Parish Sand and Gravel with his wife, Gail, has always been concerned about the cleanliness of the products they use in their ready-mixed facility. They strive to deliver quality products on the concrete side of their business, which starts with the material used to make those products. To better control the quality of their concrete products as well as lower their production costs so they could pass those savings onto their customers, the Nolans

The UltraWASH 6206 unit features a McLanahan inclined vibratory screen for sizing up to three aggregate products

purchased land for dry mining their own sand and gravel. They looked at a few wash plants in different parts of the country for processing the feed and separating it into the various products needed at their readymixed facility. In 2020, Tri-Parish purchased the McLanahan UltraWASH 6206 modular wash plant that debuted at CONEXPO/ CON-AGG 2020 in Las Vegas. Availability was a key factor in the purchasing decision. Tri-Parish needed a wash plant quickly, and the McLanahan UltraWASH offered an entire wet processing plant in one compact, modular unit that was ready to run. “We bought the plant, and we’re very,

very pleased with it,” said James Nolan. “It definitely does way more than they said it would do.” The UltraWASH features a McLanahan inclined vibratory screen for sizing up to three aggregate products (the oversize, the pea gravel and the #57 gravel in Tri-Parish’s operation). It also features a sump, two McLanahan Pumps, two McLanahan Hydrocyclones and a McLanahan Dewatering Screen for washing, classifying and drying the sand product. This particular UltraWASH model is a double wash system, which processes the sand twice before discharge for a cleaner end product. A modular plant, the UltraWASH arrived at Tri-Parish in several partially pre-assembled and pre-wired pieces. “It went together very easily,” said operations manager Danny Graham. “You could almost do it by pictures alone.” Graham added that the modularity of the UltraWASH would be beneficial if they need to move the plant closer to the area in which they are mining in the future. “It could be somewhat portable. You can take it and move it in a matter of a day or two,” he said.

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WASHING – PART 1

TWS’s Greenline Engineered Recycling Solutions deliver an out-of-the-box approach to processing up to 300 tonnes per hour of diverse materials Besides availability, one of the aspects that attracted the Nolans to the UltraWASH was the rated tonnage of the machine, but this exceeded their expectations in the field. “It’s delivering way more than we’ve ever dreamed, so I’m really happy with it,” James Nolan said. “We’re actually outrunning our guys who are stockpiling raw material,” Graham added. “Production-wise, it’s better than expected. We’re keeping up very easily with this product; it hasn’t been a problem. The UltraWASH is doing a great job.” Since they started operating the plant, James Nolan said the biggest benefit of the UltraWASH is how quiet it is. The Tri-Parish property borders a housing development, and the neighbours can’t hear the plant when it is running. Graham likes that the UltraWASH is easy to operate. “I really like that it’s one central unit,” Graham explained. “Everything’s maintained in one electrical panel. It’s easy to work with; the PLC and everything make it very userfriendly. It’s automated stop/start, so there’s no guesswork and there’s no manually starting different components. You start it, it runs; you stop it, it stops. You can’t beat that.” In addition to the UltraWASH’s performance, James Nolan is also pleased with the cleanliness of the product coming off the end of the machine.

“I guess I’m bragging on it, but it needs to be bragged on. It turns out a real good material. It’s clean. I’m proud of it,” James Nolan said. “Even the guys at the plant, they realize the change in the material because we have started running out of here now and it’s a whole lot different. We don’t have to be looking for mud balls and sticks and stuff like that because we send out a good product. We’re not going to send it out dirty, but this plant definitely helps us with a lot.” The UltraWASH allows Tri-Parish to supply the concrete side of their business with a clean, high-quality product. “Our goal and business is quality, and we’ve achieved it at this point,” James Nolan said. The Tri-Parish team was also pleased with the support it received from everyone at McLanahan, from sales to project management to field service. “My experience with McLanahan has been wonderful,” Graham said. “They were all great in helping us facilitate getting the plant off the ground,” Gail Nolan shared. “They never left us behind. Any time we called them, they were always there and giving us an answer in a timely manner.”

“The machine is a good machine, but without service, it’s nothing,” James Nolan said. “The McLanahan team helped us out a lot. Without them, we couldn’t have made it.” With more than half a century of washing experience already under its belt and a proactive research and development team (R&D) that never stands still, Terex Washing Systems (TWS) has a proud and rich history. A division of Terex, TWS was established in 2012, and in this time, it has continued to commit time and resource in developing and investing in R&D and the latest technologies and systems in the wet processing world. TWS’s product portfolio now offers ‘end to end’ washing solutions, including the more recently introduced AquaClear Water Management Solutions and GreenLine Engineered Recycling Solutions. However, all these solutions’ beginnings can be traced right back to before 1960 within the Finlay and Powerscreen product lines. The mid-1960s saw the development of the very first washing plants, and the following decade saw the launch of the MK1 and MK11 Rinser range. It wasn’t long before Powerscreen and Finlay realised the crucial need and potential opening in the

A Baioni washing plant in Cuba

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WASHING – PART 1

market. They knew that the natural sand and gravel supply would soon be exhausted and foresaw stricter building and construction specifications being written for aggregates usage. As technology started to advance in the late 1970s, the Sand Saver Dewaterers were soon phased out. They were replaced by the more sophisticated and modernised Screw Recovery Dewaterers, later to be called the Trident range. The 1990s saw the establishment of a dedicated washing department, set up by Finlay and Powerscreen. By the 2000s the demand for washing was expansive, so TWS was established in 2012 as the sole provider of washing solutions within Terex. While its roots are firmly established locally in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, TWS now enjoys a global reach. The business is supported by an over 70-strong global dealer network. While TWS continues to navigate through these unprecedented times, now more than ever, this global dealer network has been fundamental in providing local and regional on-the-ground support to customers worldwide. Furthermore, the business has significant support from local Terex footprints globally, such as Jacques in Melbourne, Australia, and Louisville in Kentucky, USA. The local support backbone has become increasingly important in allowing TWS customers to continue their operations. It has also allowed

the continuation of plant installations, startups, and commissioning. While also being supported remotely from TWS’s County Tyrone HQ via digital technology, local support is something that TWS says sets them apart from many of its competitors. To go further, TWS has spent many years developing its portfolio of accompanying AquaClear water management solutions and products. The business has always had a relentless goal to be a single-source partner for complete solutions, perfectly balanced to match the needs of front-end equipment globally. TWS’s recent launch of GreenLine Engineered Recycling Solutions (Greenline) puts together many years of expertise in easy-to-understand, tailored, packaged solutions designed to deal with varied recycling segment materials, muck-away, trommel fines, and C&D waste across differing capacity levels and at different levels of investment. Greenline couples TWS’s front-end processing products with the business’s backend AquaClear Water Management Solutions. Several new TWS-patented specialist units will further enhance the Greenline offer, delivering an easily adaptable and potentially bespoke out-of-the-box approach to processing diverse material at a rate of 60-300 tonnes per hour. Italian washing plant specialist Baioni has a new four-business division set-up

as part of a major strategy and rebranding process, focusing on design, people, and the environment. The new business divisions – Baioni Crushing, Baioni Environment, Baioni Equipment and Baioni Service – have their own goals and features. Baioni Crushing focuses on Baioni’s ability to design and build large-sized processing plants. Baioni Equipment incorporates the Italian firm’s comprehensive range of equipment for processing aggregates. Baioni Service handles increasingly important aftersales business, and Baioni Environment is responsible for designing and producing plants to treat contaminated soils and sediments. The business division also offers plants for the treatment of road-sweeping waste and incineration slag. A Baioni spokesperson said: “In the last few years, the requirement to wash mineral, aggregate and soil has become more frequent as operators tackle more difficult materials. With this upward trend set to continue, Baioni have an important part to play in developing products and solutions that can meet the evolving demands. “For 2021, our approach in response to the coronavirus challenges is to offer equipment when there is clay or contaminated particles present in the material or high levels of -63 micron material that can ensure production of the highest quality washed sand and aggregates.” AB

A LONG WAY

TOGETHER

For info: europe@bkt-tires.com

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SCREENING MEDIA

A screening media premium High-quality screening media is vitally important to operational efficiency at any aggregates-processing site. Guy Woodford looks at some of the latest solutions and learns how a partnership approach can be the key to success in this area of the equipment market

etso Outotec’s high-resilience Trellex 300TS rubber screening media is helping Votorantim Cimentos to nearly eliminate contamination and fines and increase operational efficiency (OEE) by 11% at the group’s Santa Isabel quarry in Brazil. Located in Mogi das Cruzes, in Greater São Paulo, the Santa Isabel site has been in operation since 1959 and serves customers in the metropolitan region of Brazil’s largest city. The quarry provides aggregates for civil construction, major works, and cement block producers. Despite the quarry’s current success, it was a different story in 2018. At that time, Santa Isabel faced two major challenges. In addition to reduced civil construction works, the plant was having problems due to aggregate contamination and an aboveaverage presence of fines. Both hurt buyers’ perception of the final quality and Santa Isabel’s sales. In the sand and gravel market buyers prefer materials with controlled levels of contaminants and dust. In other words, ‘cleaner’ aggregates. With the arrival of the new regional manager, Carlos José Barbosa Silva, Santa Isabel began to implement operational changes, including training employees and addressing the main technical problem: the aggregate screening process’s improvements. Specialists from Metso Outotec were invited to assess the operational efficiency of the screens. “We had already faced a similar problem at our Araçariguama site and achieved good results with the solution presented. The screens were retrofitted and the wire media replaced with Metso Outotec’s Trellex 300TS screening media with

TOP: Metso Outotec’s Trellex 300TS screening media is proving a big hit for Votorantim Cimentos ABOVE: Votorantim Cimentos’s Santa Isabel quarry in Mogi das Cruzes, Greater São Paulo, Brazil high-resilience self-cleaning panels,” explains Carlos Barbosa, Votorantim’s regional manager. At Santa Isabel, Metso Outotec replicated the tests conducted at Araçariguama.”In Araçariguama, the tests involved the simultaneous operation of two screens: one with wire media and one with rubber media. When the media change-out was made, an analysis was performed in the site laboratory. We discovered that rubber screening media nearly eliminated the final product contamination and reduced the presence of fines. Even with a smaller open area, the high-resilience Trellex 300TS rubber media is much more efficient than the wire media,” says Metso Outotec’s screening specialist André Rosa. The tests played a decisive role in selecting Metso Outotec as a partner for Araçariguama and, later, for Santa Isabel. While the screens alone were not the reason for the improved operational performance, the screen adjustments and

the use of Trellex 300TS rubber media were key factors in the increased production quality. An analysis of the end-user feedback supports this: the quarry index of one complaint about every 37,000 tonnes produced (2018) changed to one complaint about every 700,000 tonnes produced, an improvement of 20 times and ten times better than planned. The current assessment parameter is ten times higher than the specified target of one complaint per 67,000 tonnes. “It was a fantastic leap that surprised everyone. We didn’t miscalculate our goal. The results of the changes were significant,” adds Barbosa. The challenge of the above-average presence of fines was addressed by optimising the screening solution. Furthermore, the main action to address the internal contamination, i.e. the unwanted mixture of different products, was training. Internal contamination was reduced by correcting the loader operators’ improper procedures when moving products in both operating shifts. Mistakes made by thirdparty drivers transporting products from the quarry to customers were also identified and corrected through appropriate guidance. However, the best indicator of success is pricing. In July 2019, for example, the price of stone powder had been increased seven times in a row. The recovery of the price negotiated between local customers and increased production was complemented by bold screening changes that created an intermediary product between fine and medium gravel. This has improved the quality of concrete block production with lower cement consumption and higher mechanical strength and visual quality.

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SCREENING MEDIA

“There is pent-up demand already being seen, but our production should be able to keep up by making screening adjustments,” says Barbosa. He notes that Santa Isabel has a lean operating approach, increasing productivity by 4,000 tonnes per employee since 2018. “Some of the buyers of our sand and fine gravel are concrete block producers who have automated machines and demand a high homogeneity standard. They were the first to observe the change in the quality and appearance of our final product,” summarises Barbosa. Speaking to Aggregates Business, CDE’s Thomas Patterson, senior technical engineer, and Mark Ballantine, senior product development engineer, highlighted that the Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Irelandheadquartered washing plant manufacturer had in recent years seen a big increase in demand for plant set-ups focused on C&D (construction & demolition) waste recycling applications. “We had a more simplistic approach to the recycling market four to five years ago as the needs of the market were very different,” explains Patterson. “Then, our customer was just looking to divert products from landfill, make them saleable, get them out of the door and get a quick return on investment on it. “Now, it’s gone from one sand and one aggregate to two in-spec sands and four aggregates, which are CE certified. That is a drastic change in the range and quality of the final product, which is supported by the level of investment that a customer wishes to make in the complexity and capability of their recycling plant.” The screening element of the plant set-up for recycling and other customers in the quarrying, mining and construction industries includes screen media based on a

Mark Ballantine, CDE senior product development engineer longstanding partnership between CDE and screen media specialist, TEMA Isenmann, the UK-based subsidiary of German company Isenmann Siebe, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of screen media and ancillary products. “We have a very close relationship with TEMA Isenmann,” says Ballantine. “If there are any problems that arise in the field or anything in our screen media that we think we can improve, be it cut-point efficiency, throughput capacity, or dewatering capacity, we know we can find the right mat for the optimised solution. It’s a continuous feedback loop involving our sales and technical engineer teams and the customer. “With recycling projects, you may at one stage have loads of fine materials that need to be screened and dewatered, which will

Thomas Patterson, CDE senior technical engineer affect your dewatering capacity or fines management. Then next week, you want to get rid of larger sized particles.” CDE has a range of 15 Infinity-branded screens for dewatering and product-sizing classification. “There’s a lot of novel features across that range, like Trilogy side walls and bolted construction, and we’re working on two more screens to add to it,” explains Ballantine. “There is modularity in the Infinity screens design and adaptability, allowing them to accommodate different screen media. The wide breadth of our screens means you need a wide arsenal of screen media to go with them, which we can get through our partnership with TEMA Isenmann.” Patterson notes that CDE uses its Infinity range of screens on its plants for customers across both material handling divisions, natural processing and waste recycling. “CDE incorporates three main principles of good screening media, that is, plant performance, maximising tonnes per hour; durability, so you have good plant protection and

A CDE Inﬁnity H2-60 screen

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SCREENING MEDIA

minimum downtime; and ability to achieve tight product specifications. “In each material processing solution from CDE, the screening media is tailored to every application. For example working with a crushed manufactured sand is different to working with an alluvial natural occurring sand where the shape and texture of the two particles appear different, and aperture size and shape are very important to retain maximum screen efficiency. “With a crushed rock application, given crushed rock is very sharp and angular, a slotted mat may be more suitable to gain more screening efficiency. Whereas a naturally occurring product [glass sand] that is rounder and alluvial is going to be more easily screened with a square aperture. Top-cut-point protection and low-cutpoint protection is also much more easily achieved.” Patterson says around 55% of CDE plant orders in 2020 were repeat customers. “I think the growing relationship we have with these repeat customers helps make each project a success, and that includes the screen media that we supply to them.” Ballantine highlights how CDE has invested heavily in improving its testing capabilities, especially when dealing with specialist sand applications. “For those kinds of customers, we get a large volume of samples and test them on our screens in our dedicated test rig. You have all the theory and the calculations but being able to thoroughly test out a tailored plant set-up gives us peace of mind that the set-up will be fit for the task in the field. We want to be clear with our performance commitments to every project, and we want to be accountable for the solutions we provide, so it’s important that we get technical certainty around what we’re supplying.” As well as being the year when CDE opened its new eye-catching, state-of-theart global HQ in Cookstown, 2019 also saw the company move into its first in-house manufacturing facility in Monkstown, County Antrim. “Prior to that, all our manufacturing was sub-contracted out. Moving forward, we envisage a shared approach between in-house and partner suppliers,” says Ballantine. “That brings greater flexibility in how we work while also speeding up product development and ensuring better quality control. It’s been a very positive development.” Patterson adds: “The big thing for me is the collaboration that the new HQ and manufacturing facility has given us. The new

The screening media on CDE’s Inﬁnity branded screens is based on a longstanding partnership between CDE and TEMA Isenmann HQ building also gives us a great opportunity to invite our customers in and complete a technical design workshop where we can transform our customer’s vision or idea into a world-class solution that can be visualised on the same day.” MAJOR says it has seen encouraging demand for three products launched at the CONEXPO/CON-AGG exhibition in Las Vegas, USA, in March 2020. The product trio is said to maximise the productivity and efficiency of MAJOR’s popular FLEX-MAT range. The FLEX-MAT ID-Enabled system has been designed to track and store screenmedia data such as panel dimensions and customer-defined details to offer users information at their fingertips for simple reorders. The FLEX-MAT Sensor is a valuable and easy-to-operate vibration data-measurement tool to review results and fine-tune screen machines without shutting down the equipment. Meanwhile, MAJOR’s smartphone app gives customers up-to-date information and access to advanced digital tools. The MAJOR App is available for aggregates and mining producers, and MAJOR dealers, with customisations for each. It integrates with the latest MAJOR technologies, including

BELOW: MAJOR says its CONEXPO/CON-AGG 2020 launched FLEX-MAT Sensor has been well received by customers

the company’s FLEX-MAT ID-Enabled and the FLEX-MAT Sensor. Lars Bräunling, MAJOR director of product technology, said: “2020 wasn’t the launch year we — or anyone — was expecting, but even so, the FLEX-MAT Sensor, MAJOR App and FLEXMAT ID-Enabled have all been well received with varying levels of feedback and utilisation. “Our dealers say the FLEX-MAT Sensor — our screen box vibration data measurement tool — is an absolute game-changer. Almost every MAJOR dealer now owns the tool, which has made it easier to complete professional assessments and check-ups of customer equipment since it doesn’t require the screen box to shut down to be measured. It’s been eye-opening for quite a few of our customers, especially a couple of operations for whom dealers using the Sensor were able to prevent bearing failures by noticing discrepancies in vibration data and prompting further investigation. The regular use of the Sensor has allowed for tracking of machine development as well as more informed preventative maintenance. Moving forward, we’re continually looking at ways we can expand the information the Sensor collects as well as figure out new and innovative ways to use it as actionable data. “The MAJOR App is rolled out and is being used by our dealers and customers not only to use the FLEX-MAT Sensor and ID-Enabled but as a resource for newsletters, product details and other MAJOR information. We are continuing to develop the app and its features. “Our FLEX-MAT ID-Enabled Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology will be included on all new FLEX-MAT screens this year. The microchip tracks and stores screen media data such as panel dimensions and customer-defined details to offer users information at their fingertips. It’s a comfort feature available if our customers want to use it, and we expect more and more will realise the benefits of simplified screen media ordering and inventory management.” AB

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SURFACE DRILL RIGS & BREAKERS

LEFT: Office TeleREMOTE consists of a suitable work desk with adjustable height and ergonomically designed operator controls mounted on it BELOW: A major beneﬁt of automated drilling is that the operator can run the rig without taking any risks thanks to multiple on-board systems.

Automated systems changing the face of surface drill & blast Some of the leading manufacturers of surface drilling rigs have in recent years invested in and developed automated drilling systems to drill more rapidly, and effectively, whilst at the same time improving operational safety. These developments are highly signiﬁcant in quarries and surface mines, as automated drilling can deliver signiﬁcant performance improvements to the drill and blast excavation process. Here, Roger Murrow looks at some of the developments and how they are revolutionising global mineral excavations

ncreasingly, the challenge for quarries, surface mines and aggregate excavations is gaining access to the rock to produce materials as quickly, accurately and cost-effectively as possible. It is essential that returns are maximised and the reserve deposits are utilised as efficiently as possible. Through automating the drill and blast process, companies are able to significantly reduce costs by improving performance and increasing consistency while simultaneously enhancing rig (and therefore operator) safety. Autonomous drilling technology thus enables operations to be more efficient, achieving the goals of operational cost reduction, improved productivity and zero harm. Developed systems are customerconfigurable, enabling the drill rig’s surface equipment to be controlled in response to data which is prioritised and distributed to appropriate applications as it enters the rig control system. Automation and remote working enable drillers to remove people from the blasting

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and drilling locale, maximising operational safety as well as protecting operators from sound and airborne emissions. Furthermore, efficiency and productivity are enhanced as there is no need to stop drilling for breaks and shift changes. Without having operators on board, the drilling solution can operate through shift changes, lunch breaks and some blasts which increases drill rig utilisation providing greater consistency and accuracy over a long shift.

Operational benefits By using digital drill plans and navigation, manual drill-hole marking is eliminated which results in improved accuracy and time savings, with the data collected during drilling being used to monitor system behaviour in various rock conditions and to evaluate plan execution. In the long term, autonomous drilling also delivers reduced downtime and increased rig availability due to less damage to the drill and the tooling used. The automated software ensures that the rig is used within its designed operating

parameters which minimises stresses on equipment, with reduced wear and tear on equipment through automated functionality resulting in lower maintenance costs. As autonomous drill rigs work within the standards established by the manufacturer, longer consumable life is ensured whilst at the same time delivering less unplanned maintenance. As a result, operations can progress more rapidly and improve fragmentation when coupled with an effective blasting programme, delivering lower component costs from reduced machine maintenance repairs. The benefits translate across the entire mineral excavation value chain with the enhanced blasting and improved fragmentation from autonomous drilling causing less damage on load and haul equipment, which saves maintenance costs for the entire operations fleet. There are also benefits for operations using crushers due to the better fragmentation, a faster feed of the crusher and less energy required to process the material. This latter point highlights that autonomous drilling © AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2021

SURFACE DRILL RIGS & BREAKERS

also has a positive environmental impact through ensuring that the equipment is consistently operated within specifications, resulting in the amount of energy and fuel burned being reduced, producing a more efficient drilling operation. Operational benefits often extend to the workforce, as a single worker can operate multiple drill rigs, providing better organisational utilisation of skilled operators. Autonomous drilling reduces the operator to machine contact, making operations safer, with staff (and their expertise) being used more in maintenance of the technical and mechanical systems, solution monitoring and change and process management.

Appropriate system Generally, drilling automation and the use of drilling IT systems are ideal for almost all quarrying and aggregate-excavation processes that rely on drill and blast in some form. Different levels of autonomy and integration can be achieved depending on requirements, type of application and the IT strategy of the company. However, some operations face many challenges when attempting to progress towards full drilling-fleet automation. One of the biggest is the operation’s readiness for autonomous because this isn’t a feature that comes with a ‘flip of a switch’. Change management processes must be considered and implemented to assist in transitioning

The Cat MD6200 drill comes standard with Drill Assist and is shipped Cat Terrain ready for easy technology installation

an operation from a manual operation to a fully autonomous operation, with the most important information being that which the drill rig collects about the holes drilled. In effect, a challenging factor for adopting automated drilling is the ability to manage change. The resulting process changes, with the additional layers of safety that come through the use of automated technology, necessitate a cultural transition with the operator working outside the cab rather than inside, which requires additional personnel training as well as a cultural shift. This means that when it comes to choosing the right automated drilling system, it is important to choose the system that best suits the requirements of the organisation itself. Fortunately, there are now many systems available designed to cater to the requirements of companies large and small, with some of the latest developments set to further aid automated drill and blast.

Caterpillar Cat has placed increasing emphasis on developing systems for delivering accurate drilling and blasting to ensure a safer and more productive work environment, whilst aiming to reduce even minor deviations from the drilling pattern for more efficient and productive drilling. The company states that with higher precision and more accurate depth tracking, autonomous drills can work far more accurately to plan. That means more accurate blasting and less time

spent removing overburden, resulting in higher productivity. The newest generation of Cat drills offers all of the benefits of autonomy, starting with the release of the MD6250 and now continued with the MD6200. These come with a number of standard automated functions that help an operator drill more accurately, with simple controls and touchscreen monitors that allow for easy operation. With the addition of Cat Command for drilling, the drill rigs are capable of drilling in autonomous mode with the operator seated at a remote station designed to mimic the drill’s cab. From here, the operator is able to control up to three drills at the same time, programming them to drill single rows autonomously. Cat Command for drilling ensures that every hole is accurately placed, drilled to the proper depth and angle, and able to stand up until blasting, with a range of capabilities that enables the operator to configure and automate the drilling system based on budget and needs. Semi-autonomous single row drilling automates the entire drilling cycle for one row, including autonomous tramming. Autonomous pattern drilling automates drill cycles and tramming for the entire blast pattern and allows one operator to manage drill operations across the site from a remote operator station.

Epiroc Epiroc’s recently launched TeleREMOTE system is designed to control its SmartROC DTH drill rigs, MK I (based on RCS 4 platform) from a remote location. It enables the operator to access and run multiple rigs from a control centre located away from the blasting area by connecting it to a WLAN network. One of the biggest benefits of the system is its ability to effectively increase the number of productive hours in a day, reducing operator transports and idle time due to shift changes. Remote drilling, together with Epiroc’s AutoDrill and AutoRod Handling System features, boosts productivity as the drill rigs can work almost

Automation allows drilling to be completed without endangering the rig operator

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SURFACE DRILL RIGS & BREAKERS Complemented with the TIM3D drill navigation system and automatic feed alignment option, the Ranger DXi series rigs can perform autonomous movements and position automatically

continuously without breaks. The safety aspect is also a major benefit as the operator can run the rig remotely due to its on-board systems. The operator uses the Hole Navigation System for accurate positioning and a geofence function ensures that the rig stays within the predefined area. The remote rigs are also fitted with multiple cameras which provide the operator with a 360° view all around the machine. Office TeleREMOTE also includes a server rack with Automation Common Machine Server (ACMS), a video system and a safety system capable of handling one remote drill rig, with an option to be extended up to nine drill rigs, in increments of one, if required. Features such as automatic levelling and drill-stop protection are also integrated to maintain precision and safety. Connectivity and automation have been developed by Epiroc to increase equipment productivity as well as deliver operator benefits through the integration of smart connected machines, programmed to complete a precise drilling sequence. Machine sensors alert the control room if there is an obstacle or the intervention of an operator is required. Without the normal constraints of staff schedules, this allows for extended machine uptime, reducing the wear and tear associated with a manual operation.

Komatsu Komatsu’s drill automation technology is made up of several key building blocks: an automation controller; situational awareness technologies (cameras, LiDAR and radar); and a GPS receiver. Algorithms convert the

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information from the hardware to identify the machine state and execute the appropriate autonomous task. The company offers several levels of drill automation, with the most basic being passive automation which provides on-board blast-hole pattern mapping, additional camera views and uses LiDAR and radar to notify the operator of objects around the drill. The operator-assist level of automation is effectively an autopilot function. The system executes drilling, levelling and tramming tasks, while the on-board operator manages any exceptions that may occur. The full autonomous level removes the operator from the machine and from most machine operations, only stepping in to remotely manage exceptions. Furthermore, the same information required to autonomously operate a drill can also be leveraged to identify strata to better optimise hole loading and pattern design.

Sandvik In efforts to continuously improve and automatise its drilling equipment, Sandvik has developed what it terms as ‘full-cycle one-hole drilling automatics’. This enables the drilling of one hole automatically Sandivik’s latest app to a specified

further improves the connectivity of surface drill rigs by allowing mobile devices to be used for data transfer

depth without having to manually interfere in the process. After positioning the feed to the desired hole location and inclination, the operator can select automatic drilling simply by pressing a button on top of the drilling joystick. The rig will drill and add rods/pipes automatically until the selected hole depth is reached. Automatic drilling ensures continuous high productivity, with less room for human error in the process, with the operator being able to perform other tasks or have a short break when using automatic drilling. Complemented with Sandvik’s TIM3D drill navigation system and automatic feed alignment option, this enables Ranger DXi series rigs to perform autonomous movements for the superstructure and position automatically with only a push of another button. Fullcycle automatic drilling options are available for Sandvik’s Pantera DPi and Ranger DXi series of top hammer drills rigs as well as the Leopard DI650i down-the-hole rig. Further boosting Sandvik’s offering in automation is its free app, SanRemo Mobile, which makes it easier to connect to a drill rig for transferring drill plans, reports and other fleet management and drilling data in a timely and cost-effective manner. SanRemo Mobile further improves the connectivity of surface drill rigs by allowing mobile devices to be used for data transfer. This eliminates the dependence on USB drives or network coverage at worksites. Reports and MWD (measurement while drilling) data from the Sandvik TIM3D drill navigation system can be uploaded via the SanRemo Mobile app for sharing or storing. The data can be examined using, for example, Sandvik Driller’s Office or other compatible design software. Additionally, production reports from the drill rig are automatically uploaded into the My Sandvik fleet management portal. AB

SURFACE DRILL RIGS & BREAKERS

PORTUGUESE QUARRY OPTS FOR RAMMER R45P HAMMER A quarry in Portugal has recently invested in a new R45P Performance Line hammer. The Rammer is used to break granite before it is crushed and screened into construction aggregate and decorative stone products. The R45P was chosen due to its high productivity, reliability, and durability, all based around features synonymous with the renowned Rammer name. Portuguese quarrying and aggregates company Britafiel S.A. (Britafiel) is based in Penafiel, a city located in the hills of the north of the country, some 35km from the Atlantic coast. Established in 2006, the company’s quarrying business is focused on the production of aggregates, ornamental blocks and decorative stone products extracted from the granite mineral deposits found in the region. Based around the Pedreira de Vilar and located in Duas Igrejas parish, the granite deposits found in Penafiel have a reputation for being of excellent quality, ideal for the construction and decorative stone products industries. Using the local mineral deposits to their full potential, it is Britafiel’s intention to be recognised in Portugal and internationally as a major supplier of high-quality aggregates and ornamental decorative stone products. To this end, the company now supplies (following extracting and processing) a wide range of aggregates, sand and gravel, railway ballast and other construction industry products. Also, the

The Rammer R45P hammer was chosen by Britaﬁel for its high productivity, reliability, and durability quarry supplies yellow and blue granite blocks and decorative stone for landscaping, including its own granite-based products using ‘STOCONatural Creative Granite Technology’. To maximise the opportunities provided by the granite deposits found at the quarry and to satisfy ever-growing customer requirements, Britaﬁel has invested heavily in modern equipment solutions. “All production

equipment must be able to deliver high levels of productivity, even in the most demanding situations, with proven reliability and durability, technologically modern and adapted to the highest quality standards and the requirements of current European legislation,” explained Britafiel’s general manager, Eng. Francisco Guimarães. “Britafiel has the most modern crushing equipment, enabling products with high-quality indexes to be obtained, which is one of the areas with major importance in this type of industry and fundamental to the success of any organisation.” Before crushing and screening, however, much work has to be done to extract the granite. Hence Britafiel underwent an intensive process in acquiring a new hydraulic excavatormounted hammer. This led to the company choosing a Rammer Performance Line R45P hammer with RD3. “We have used other hammer brands, which were also competing for the supply of a new unit, but we chose the Rammer R45P due to Rammer’s reputation in quarrying and its RD3 monitoring system,” explained Guimarães. “Because of this system, the customer can see online information about the hammer, such as location, working hours, maintenance intervals, and periods of use.” Francisco further noted that working from his office, he can view the performance of the R45P hammer operating on one of the quarry benches without having to leave his office.

SOME THINK THAT RAW MATERIALS EXTRACTION MEANS TRUCK TRANSPORT. WE THINK DIFFERENT. beumer.com

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RWANDAN AGGREGATES

The modernisation process of CIMERWA’s Rwandan plant started in early 2013 after PPC purchased a 51% stake

Rwandan aggregates ascension A growing construction sector and healthy economy is an attractive mix for Rwandan and the wider East African region aggregates-product suppliers. Shem Oirere reports

wanda’s economy grew by 8.7% in 2019, becoming one of the fastest-growing economies in East Africa, supported mainly by a vibrant infrastructure development programme focused on housing and road construction. Increased investment in Rwanda’s housing and transportation infrastructure has seen a rise in demand for construction materials such as cement, sand and other aggregates. “The construction sector is set to register a good performance in 2019 and 2020 with 10.5% and 12.2% respectively, explained by the construction of Bugesera Airport, industrial parks in secondary cities and roads as well as other construction projects from the private sector,” says Uzziel Ndagijimana, Rwanda’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning. More infrastructure projects are underway or approved for implementation, further increasing Rwandan aggregates consumption. The projects include the expansion of Sonatube-Gahanga and Karumuna-Bugesera International Airport roads, the widening of the 53km Huye-Kitabi Road, and the rehabilitation of 208km of highways, including the Kagitumba – Gabiro, Gabiro – Kayonza and Kayonza – Rusumo routes. Furthermore, the government is upgrading 132.55km of roads, including the HuyeKibeho-Ngoma/Munini and Ngoma-Nyanza

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highways, while developing maritime transport infrastructures, the Nkombo boat and three ports at Kivu Lake. Other aggregate- and cement-consuming projects ongoing or approved include phase one of Bugesera International Airport, construction of a perimeter fence for Rubavu Airport, completion of the road connecting the south apron to the main apron at Kigali International Airport, completion of Kigali International Airport runway strip grading, rehabilitation of Pindura-Bweyeye-Nyungwe belt roads and the maintenance of 827km of national paved and unpaved roads. Demand for construction aggregate, mainly sand, gravel, crushed stone and slag, is further expected to rise as Rwanda continues to implement its ambitious real estate and education-infrastructure programme. In fact, due to COVID-19, which came with the ‘new normal’ in social distancing, Rwanda launched mass construction of nearly 22,505 new classrooms nationwide to address overcrowding at primary and secondary schools. “It will reduce overcrowding in classrooms, hence facilitating teachers to manage classrooms with a reasonable number of students, and it will also reduce the long distance travelled by students to and from school”, said Rwanda’s Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente. During the construction of the classrooms, one of Rwanda’s leading cement and

construction material manufacturers, PPC Cimerwa Rwanda Ltd, supplied an estimated 800,000 tonnes of cement last year. In what would create more aggregate consumption channels, Dr Ngirente says the Rwandan government has approved or is in the process of constructing 81 vocational and technical education schools over the next seven years. Rwanda’s aggregates market has been chiefly supported by the booming real estate sector, which, according to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), remains “a crucial sector and a potential driver of future economic growth.” The Board says the real estate sector contributed US$535 million to Rwanda’s gross domestic product in 2019. Rwanda’s GDP was by then valued at US$10.12 billion. The sector grew 4% from 2018 on the back of “sustained expansion in private constructions and public works.” And in what promises to increase aggregate consumption levels in Rwanda, the government is proceeding with implementing the Kigali City Master plan, a catalyst for real estate and construction-sector growth. The plan outlines how between now and 2050, Rwanda intends to use land sustainability in Kigali city, expand infrastructure, respond to emerging environmental concerns for the benefit of the population, and support economic growth. Under its current plan, the RDB has earmarked for expansion at least six © AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL March/April 2021

RWANDAN AGGREGATES

secondary cities - Rusizi, Rubavu, Musanze, Huye, Muhanga, Nyagatare - by supporting, in partnership with the private sector, their growth and economic development. “The secondary cities present enormous opportunities, especially in real estate and infrastructure development, manufacturing and agro-processing,” says RDB. This annual increase of the housing units targets not only the number of structures built but will also make it possible for developers and buyers to access housing mortgages. Furthermore, RDB says the government targets the innovation of “new local construction materials and housing typologies as the backbone for the roll-out of affordable and decent housing countrywide.” Overall, Rwanda needs an estimated 150,000 housing units every year to cater for the 22 million the country would need by 2050. According to RDB, the plan is to “start by replacing and upgrading existing informal settlements and densifying existing cities and centres before using the new land.” Despite the inherent aggregateconsumption potential in Rwanda’s building sector, other reports say local cement and clay brick production does not match current market demand, especially for large housing projects. For example, Rwanda Mines, Petroleum & Gas Board (RMB) says, “exploitation and processing of industrial minerals to meet the demand for construction materials is still low, especially the production of tiles, slab sculptures, paints, bricks and concrete aggregates.

Hence, developers have to “use a combination of local (cement and clay brick) and imported materials” for their project, according to a report by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Cement is one of the materials with a high-cost premium to which the addition of import taxes adds to the final price, hence increasing the cost of construction costs. IFC says Rwanda’s top 10 building materials imports accounted for more than 5.7% of total imports in the country in 2018 with estimated tariff rates of 15.4%. “Transport costs are also reported by construction material companies to drive up the cost of locally sourced, as well as imported, materials,” IFC adds. It is estimated transport costs account for 40% of the value of Rwanda-bound imports compared with 12% in Kenya and 36% in Uganda According to RMB, Rwanda’s need for importing construction material is due to the low production and aggregate-extraction and -processing levels. “Currently, Rwanda’s mining sector is mostly artisanal and modern technology is needed to upgrade the sector to a semimechanised and later at industrial level to increase production, which is low compared to the proven potential,” RMB adds. The RMB Board observes that mining/ quarry equipment, including “drillers, bulldozers, and gravity table shakers are needed to upgrade the sector.” Although Rwanda possesses various mineable commodities such as limestone, clays, pozzolana and silica sand, the Board notes that “exploitation and processing of

industrial minerals to meet the demand for construction materials is still low especially the production of tiles, slab sculptures, paints, bricks and concrete aggregates.” RDB says at least 415,000 houses will need to be built by 2032, and an estimated 70% is for low- and middle-income communities. To achieve this goal, the government has rolled out several incentives to entice the participation of private sector and foreign direct investments with the local sourcing and supply of aggregates projected to grow exponentially over the next 10 to 11 years. For example, an investor who is registered in Rwanda is entitled to a flat accelerated depreciation rate of 50% for the first year for new or used assets if he/she invests in business assets worth at least US$50,000 each, according to the RDB. The investor can also qualify for flat accelerated depreciation if the construction projects involved are worth at least US$1.8 million. Furthermore, RDB states that such an investor is exempt from capital gains tax payment although “income derived from the sale of commercial immovable property shall be included in the taxable income of such investor.” The importation of machinery and construction raw materials is now duty-free as stipulated in the East African Community Customs Management Act Regulation that is also applicable to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan. Moreover, investors targeting the real estate sector are issued with a Withholding

PPC commissioned its CIMERWA plant in August 2015

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RWANDAN AGGREGATES

A US$170mn investment saw the CIMERWA Rwanda plant increasing its capacity by 500,000tonnes to 600,000tonnes/year

“The Authority estimates that quarry products contribute 11% of the internally generated revenues, up from 3.5% in the 1990s”

Tax Certificate “to avoid double taxation upon presentation of Investment Certificate provided by RDB.” Foreign real estate developers investing an equivalent of at least US$250,000 have also been allowed to recruit at least three foreign employees, “without necessarily demonstrating that their skills are lacking or insufficient on the labour market in Rwanda.” With the consumption of construction materials such as sand and stones for aggregate production likely to keep increasing, Rwanda is concerned about the sustainability of current extraction levels and how to tackle adverse effects, especially the environmental degradation associated with sand mining and quarrying. According to Rwanda’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), “quarrying has of recent expanded to include other materials such as sand and stones to meet the growing demands of the booming construction industry as well as road construction.” The Authority estimates that quarry products contribute 11% of the internally generated revenues, up from 3.5% in the 1990s. Nearly two years after Rwanda gazetted its mining and quarry operations law, the government is fast-tracking its implementation and compliance, with the cabinet approving the new quarry investment guidelines in the last quarter of 2019. The new law paves the way for restructuring quarry operations in Rwanda to

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woo more local and international investors and has provisions for clear catetgorization of quarries, applying permits to open the various categorised quarries and procedures associated with the approval of the applications. The regulations also stipulate fees payable for a new permit for each category of quarry, renewal, and business transfer to another investor. The fast-tracking of the new quarry regulations comes at a time when NEMA is worried about how “quarries and the exploitation of river sand are damaging the landscape and affecting the water quality.” Rwanda has now categorised quarry operations into industrial, commercial small-scale, and non-commercial categories. Quarrying permits are issued after completing and submitting an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) to NEMA. A quarry can be categorised as an industrial operation if it uses modern and efficient equipment and technologies to process and transform extracted quarries and carry out operations in an area of more than one hectare but not exceeding 15 hectares. An industrial quarry’s permit should be of 15 years maximum which may be renewed and is dependent on enlisting qualified staff such as a quarry manager and professionals in charge of quarrying engineering, processing, environmental conservation, health and safety, and community relations. Either local or foreign citizens can own an industrial quarry.

On the other hand, commercial smallscale quarries require modern and efficient equipment and technologies. They also must enlist qualified staff such as a quarry manager, professionals in charge of quarrying engineering, environmental management, health and safety and community relations. According to official guidelines, the size of a commercial small-scale quarry in Rwanda must be at least 1000m² but not one hectare or above. These quarries can be issued with a five-year licence with an option for renewing the licence. The sites will also be 100% owned by Rwandese citizens. The new regulations also determined the amount payable under these categories, with investors in industrial quarry operations required to pay a US$4,525 licence fee. The permit can be renewed at a cost of US$9,050 and attracts a US$1,810 annual fee. Should an industrial quarry operator in Rwanda opt to transfer the operations to a second party, the new law requires payment of US$4,525. Furthermore, a commercial small-scale quarry licence fee is now costing US$453. Permit renewals cost US$905 and can be transferred to another party after payment of US$453 to the government. At least 30 companies have since been issued with permits to invest in mining and quarry projects in Rwanda, including 13 firms investing in industrial and commercial small-scale quarrying operations. In contrast, the remainder gained approval to proceed with mineral exploration, mining and beneficiation. Prime Cement, which recently commissioned a new 0.6 million tonnes per year grinding plant in the Musanze district of Rwanda at an estimated cost of US$65 million, is one of those firms whose application to open up an industrial limestone quarry was approved. The © AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL March/April 2021

RWANDAN AGGREGATES

CIMERWA CEO Albert Sigei

company had previously enlisted German cement industry solutions provider Loesche to install its Loesche Jumbo CCG (Compact Cement Grinding plant) with mill type LM 30.2. Plans to increase production to 1.2 million tons per year by mid-2022 could increase demand for limestone, opening more quarry locations in Rwanda. Ruliba Clays, which supplies the Rwandan market with quality construction materials such as partitioning blocks, bricks and paving blocks, among others, is the other firm that was licensed to open quarry operations in Rwanda. RMB has listed several other companies active in Rwanda’s

quarry space such as Eastinco Ltd, FABS Ltd, Milliahills Geo-Mines Consultancy Ltd, Mining Access Rwanda Ltd, MMSR Ltd, Africa Drilling & Exploration, Geomining Ltd, Limm Mining & Geological Services Ltd and PEWISCO Ltd. Other big cement manufacturers in Rwanda, including PPC Cimerwa have their industrial quarries to extract feedstock for their cement-processing plants. Some of the biggest quarries are located in the Kamonyi, Rwamagana, Nyakinama , Butaro, Rusumo and Nyamata districts and are operated by NPD LTD, one of Rwanda’s biggest aggregate producers.

Demand for the opening up of more quarries is expected to come from the fast-increasing consumption of cement and construction aggregates in Rwanda. Currently, PPC Cimerwa Cement says the cement sector in Rwanda “has a supply gap, an enviable position in EAC, with a demand of about 0.7Mtpa against domestic supply of 0.42 million tonnes per annum.” “Demand is projected to keep rising with population and urbanisation growth, in addition to demand from key projects such as the Bugesera International Airport, Model Villages and transport projects,” a brief by the company adds. In a recent media interview, company CEO Albert Sigei said Rwanda’s cement market demand will soon rise to 900,000 tonnes, supported by a strong pipeline of infrastructure projects. The company’s sales rose 1% year-onyear in the 2020 financial year, despite the COVID-19 challenges and 40-day closure of operations in the first quarter of the year due to the pandemic. With the many building and construction projects approved in Rwanda and several others at various phases of completion, this country, also referred to as land of a thousand hills, could be the next aggregate-consuming leader in Eastern Africa. Now that Rwanda has a legal framework to govern the quarry business, investments in new quarries and associated machinery and equipment are likely. AB

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14/04/2021 17:11:29

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CRUSHER LINERS

The selection of crusher liners is important and is dependent on the material to be crushed

Getting the best out of your crusher liners In the current economic climate cost base is a major factor in managing a successful crushing business, and wear costs associated with crushing can be a major cost item. How signiﬁcant are crusher liners in the overall cost equation of running a crusher and how can quarries reduce costs related to this component? By Munesu Shoko.

rusher liners are wear items exposed to the material entering the crusher chamber during crushing. As such, says Tyron Ravenscroft, Finlay product manager at Bell Equipment – Terex Finlay’s dealer in southern Africa – they need replacement once completely worn. Should they not be replaced, he says, extensive damage can be transferred to the crusher itself. Such damage can be in the form of premature bearing failures, cracking of the crusher chamber castings and signs of wear on the crusher chamber casting itself. Juha-Pekka Vilpas, parts product manager at McCloskey, says that as crushing is an abrasive process, the crusher liners protect crusher structures and components by being the main crushing contact surface. Crusher liners’ shape, he adds, can also have a big effect on the crushing result in terms of particle shape and gradation. According to Jorge Abelho, director technical support at Pilot Crushtec International, a liner is a sacrificial part designed to protect and prolong the life of the very expensive machine by isolating the machine’s structural components from material being processed. The machine’s structural components are designed for

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strength and durability whereas the liners have different qualities designed for abrasion resistance, toughness and impact resistance. “The industry term, ‘crusher liners’, refers to a specialised set of sacrificial liners within a jaw or cone crusher. These special liners are subjected to the full compressive forces inside a crushing chamber and absorb large amounts of energy. They are not your typical liners you would find in other materials handling machines,” he says. Crusher liners serve several very important purposes inside a crusher. The first and most important task is to protect the crusher from expensive or irreparable damage. The liner material is ductile and can endure plastic deformation without fracturing. By having the correct chemical composition, with a special manufacturing process, these liners protect the machine’s frame and guarantee that the crusher will have many years of service.

The second vital aspect of crusher liners, explains Abelho, is that they can have complex and intricate profiles. The liner profiles may look simple but they create specific and complex force vectors inside the crushing chamber. The liner profiles also determine material flow paths between them, crushing efficiency, crusher throughput, as well as influencing wear patterns and the physical product characteristics such as size and shape. Abelho says that crushers are designed to maintain the ideal crushing chamber profile while enduring high crushing forces and abrasion from the processed material. “The liner profile is a feature that often does not get enough attention from the machine operator. A change to the liner profile can

One of the most important purposes of crusher liners is to protect the crusher from expensive or irreparable damage

CRUSHER LINERS

give significant improvements in crusher throughput and product quality – a benefit that has a bigger impact to the plant’s bottom line than the wear resistance characteristics that operators tend to focus on,” he says. Another vital function of crusher liners, adds Abelho, probably the most spoken about, is to resist wear from the crushing process. This characteristic is probably the one that customers tend to focus on the most, sometimes to the detriment of the other vital liner qualities. “Crusher liners have unique material properties which allow them to work harder when subjected to high compressive forces. This work-hardening feature resists the gouging and grinding wear from the material being processed inside the crushing chamber,” explains Abelho. “The chemical composition as well as heat treatment play a significant role in determining the wear life of the liners. One element critical in the crusher liner manufacturing process is manganese (MN). This has resulted in crusher liners often being referred to as crusher manganese or manganese liners. Manganese is however only one element of several others in the chemical mix of a crusher liner.” A sizeable chunk of the overall crushing costs can be attributed to crusher liners. Eamon McGirr, product manager at Terex Finlay and Powerscreen, says crusher liners and blowbars are indeed a constant cost when operating jaw, cone or impactor crushers. In terms of the cost, he reasons that some applications will be more demanding than others, and putting a specific percentage figure can be a challenge and also varies from one location to the other. “Overall, it is important to optimise the chamber operation and control the materials to ensure your wear liners and blowbars provide a positive return on investment,” says McGirr, maintaining the case for using genuine OEM (original equipment manufacturer) wear parts to get the most out of your liners. According to Ravenscroft, there are many factors that play a part in the life of liners and the rate at which they wear. Such factors, he says, include type of material, bulk density, moisture content, comprehensive strength and hardness index, abrasiveness index and material characteristics. “With these factors taken into account, the percentage of a crusher’s cost related

It is important to optimise the chamber operation and control the materials to ensure wear liners and blowbars provide a positive return on investment to crusher liners can vary drastically. There have been many cases where the material characteristics change as the mine develops, resulting in a change in the liner wear rate at the same operation,” explains Ravenscroft. The same view is shared by McCloskey’s Vilpas, who says that crusher liners’ share of the overall plant costs depends a lot on the application and how well the crusher is being maintained. “On total crushing costs, liners can be even +30% in a typical hard rock application. When feed material is not that abrasive, percentage is less,” he says. According to Abelho, crusher liners are expensive items, but their cost in terms of overall plant running costs is relatively low. Diesel costs, electrical power costs, salaries and wages, he says, are generally higher than the cost of the crusher liners. “As an OEM, we prioritise getting the maximum volume of in-spec material through the plant per hour of operation. The overheads are normally a fixed cost so any additional sellable product reduces the rand per ton cost of the plant. We recommend that liners be replaced as soon as plant production reduces by 10%, irrespective of the life left in the liner. The impact of a 10% reduction in production has a major effect on plant profitability. Often keeping the liners in

Liners can account for +30% of crushing costs in a typical hard rock application

the machine until there is no life left in them comes at the expense of production rates,” says Abelho. With that in mind, focus has in recent years been placed on reducing crusher liner wear to manage running costs. Commenting on some key developments in that regard, Ravenscroft says reducing the percentage of fine material (material already crushed to the desired size specification) entering the crusher chamber helps increase the life of crusher liners. “Many crusher manufacturers have incorporated independent pre-screens on their mobile crushing units. This allows material already in size to bypass the crusher chamber, increasing the life of the liner,” says Ravenscroft. Good practice crushing techniques, adds Ravenscroft, play a major factor in the life of crusher lines. Examples include a consistent feed of material to the crusher – not having material purging into the crusher chamber; staying within the specified crushing ratio designed for the crusher; and maintaining the maximum allowed feed size for the specific crusher. Vilpas says there is a continued focus on development of more abrasion-resistant liner materials, proper application and setup, and using crush material to interact with crush material – essentially a layer of crush material to work like a liner. Reducing crusher liner wear is a good initiative as long as it doesn’t compromise the quality or throughput of the crusher, says Abelho. Often there is a misconception, he says, that a thicker or heavier liner lasts longer than a thinner liner and is therefore better. But if the crusher dynamics and cavity profile are negatively affected, then the crusher could draw more power and produce less in-spec product, both of which increase plant costs. It is more important to measure tonnes produced by a liner set, rather than life of the liner. “As a starting point, Metso uses a computer simulation software known as Bruno that assists in plant design and optimisation. The calculations are based on years of testing and experience gathered by Metso. Bear in mind that the simulations are only as accurate as the information inputted and if not all the information is available, assumptions have to

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CRUSHER LINERS

Metso has for several years offered a service for liner cavity proﬁle analysis

be made. The Bruno will recommend liner profiles to start with,” explains Abelho. “Then to optimise the crushing process and maximise productivity, we need to study the real conditions on site. Metso has for several years offered a service for liner cavity profile analysis. This is a site- and crusher-specific study which is a scientific way of determining the optimal crusher liner for a particular application by analysing a worn crusher liner, understanding the feed material characteristics as well as the required product quality, then, with computer modelling suggest the best available liner setup. Where the ideal cavity profile does not exist, this may require a special design from the Metso engineering team,” says Abelho. Another exciting development in the crusher lining area is the Metso MX Liner range, adds Abelho. These liners are specially designed for abrasive applications. The material is a hybrid design, using the ductile, hard manganese steel as the base with very hard wear-resistant material inserts. The matrix design can double or even triple liner life in some applications. This reduces the frequency of liner changes. Very new to market and with big potential is the Metso VisioRock particle size analyser, says Abelho. This instrument gives real-time production information on particle sizing and distribution. The information can be fed back into the crusher control system to optimise the crusher production. “This gives the production team live information and ensures that they are producing the right products. The perfect crusher to make use of this real-time technology is the latest generation MultiAction cone crushers from Metso. The MX cone crusher allows for dynamic setting adjustment and automatic wear compensation without stopping or interrupting the crushing process,” adds Abelho. Selection of an ideal crusher liner for the task at hand is also a significant parameter and depends upon many factors. According to Vilpas, hardness of material, presence of tramp iron, size of feed material and CSS (closed side setting) are all factors that affect liner choice with respect to liner contour and composition.

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“Choosing correct crusher liners has a direct impact on maintenance and energy costs which play a major part in total crushing costs. At the end, cost per ton is all that matters,” says Vilpas. McGirr says different applications and conditions demand different approaches. Whether that be a hard granite or soft limestone operation, there are some key factors to consider such as the material composition, feed size, shape and type, hardness, abrasiveness, type of wear, abrasion and fatigue. “There are also environmental factors such as temperature and moisture to consider, and of course machine settings and operation. A key element is the type of liner design or blowbar to use and its metallurgy. Using the correct proven high-quality Terex wear part for the application will ensure good results but also the support from the dealer and factory teams ensures that you are able to maximise the returns in your application,” explains McGirr. The selection of crusher liners, adds Ravenscroft, is important and is dependent on the material to be crushed – type of material, moisture content, compressive strength, hardness index, abrasiveness index and material characteristics. “Choosing the correct liner pattern is important as different liner patterns grip material differently and subsequently crush material differently. Different liners have different feed size restrictions and these need to be considered for the application as well,” says Ravenscroft. The same view is shared by Abelho, who says that the material feed size and gradation, as well as desired product qualities are important in determining the liner profiles. Material properties such as strength and chemical composition affect the liner material selection. “There are several tests that can be performed on the material to be crushed, such as particle size distribution, abrasion index (estimates how abrasive the material is), bond work index (estimates energy required to crush the material), material density and moisture content. All of these factors influence the liner profile selection. Tools like the Metso simulation software,

Bruno, help to quickly identify which designs are most suited to each application,” says Abelho. Commenting on how operations can further reduce liner wear, Abelho says understanding the factors that affect wear can empower the equipment owners to get the most value out of their crushers. These factors include ensuring that the feed is evenly distributed within the crushing chamber, limiting feed material drop height, avoiding segregated feed material, removing as much fines before the crusher as possible, ensuring the crusher is choke fed at the optimal level and always ensuring that the correct closed side setting is constantly maintained. These are all basic checks, and the challenge for the equipment owner is to find a way to implement and manage the variables efficiently. Ravenscroft says using the machine within the parameters of the crushing unit is important for liner wear. This will reduce uneven wear on liners and the need to scrap liners before they are completely worn out. “Preparation of material is also very important – to have the material sized correctly and all oversize removed from the stockpile to be processed for crushing. This includes removing unwanted material such as rebar and other steel items,” says Ravenscroft. McGirr says reducing liner wear will always be a constant and Terex is continually evolving with regards to the materials and processes used to develop crusher liners. “For example, provision of telemetry solutions has complemented liner development at Terex. Incorporating the Pulse or T-Link system with the OMNI system allows owners to see, discuss and innovate new approaches to maximise returns using data analysis,” he says. In conclusion, Abelho says Pilot Crushtec always advises its clients to use genuine OEM liners. “We find that in some instances clients resort to pirate liners without considering the actual implications and far too often the decision on liner suppliers is made by procurement departments whose interest predominantly lies in monthly expenses as opposed to a ‘rand per ton’ achieved from the production team,” he says. “Pirate liners can certainly save a small percentage of the upfront cost but we often find that clients have problems fitting the liners correctly or there is inconsistency in the end-product. We have also experienced critical failures in crushers as a result of using pirate liners. OEM products are consistent, proven, reliable and tailored to the crushers to ensure a well-balanced machine at all times,” concludes Abelho. AB © AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL March/April 2021

EQUIPMENT UPDATE

Doosan Infracore has surpassed the 200,000-mark in the cumulative production of excavators in China, a first among all foreign companies operating in China. The South Korean manufacturer has announced that its Chinese subsidiary, DICC (Doosan Infracore China Corporation Co., Ltd.), located in Yantai, China, had produced its 200,000th excavator. The company set this record some 26 years after establishing its presence in China back in October 1994. To mark its momentous achievement, Doosan Infracore China invited employees, dealers and customers to its Yantai plant and held a ceremony to celebrate its 200,000th excavator production in China. The event, broadcast live online, featured the handover ceremony of the 200,000th excavator to its customer. Doosan Infracore completed its plant in Yantai, China, in 1996, and passed the 5000 mark in cumulative production in 2001 on the back of the Chinese excavator market’s rapid growth. Doosan Infracore emerged as the market leader in 2001, beating the leading Japanese manufacturers of construction equipment dominating the Chinese market. Doosan reached the 10,000unit record in the middle of the

Doosan exceeds 200,000 excavators produced in China 2000s, while its annual output exceeded 20,000 units in 2010. Doosan Infracore is the first MNC (multinational corporation) operating in China to achieve the impressive cumulative production figure of 200,000 units. The company has steadily strengthened its market position in the Chinese market for MNC excavators, increasing its market share from 12.9% in 2015 to 22.8% in the third quarter of 2020. The Chinese MNC excavator market has positioned itself as a market with many profitable equipment sales to higher-tier customers. The Chinese excavator market recorded its largest-ever

Volvo CE extends mid-size excavator range Volvo CE has launched the all-new EC350E excavator, which the manufacturer says has been designed to bridge the performance proﬁle of its existing EC300E and EC380E excavators. The 35-tonne EC350E has a total height of under four

metres when loaded on a trailer, and can be transported without dismantling. Operators can select several functions depending on the task at hand and their preferences. This includes boom/swing and boom/travel priority, enabling

annual figure of 200,000 units in 2019. However, it contracted for about two months in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis at the beginning of 2020 but has recorded rapid recovery since March. The market is estimated to have achieved another record in 2020 by growing to 275,000 units per year. In 2019, Doosan Infracore sold more than 15,000 units in the Chinese excavator market, while its total sales up until the end of the third quarter of last year amounted to 14,348 units, up 21% from the same period in 2019. Also, it posted sales revenue of KRW 308.9 billion during the

The 35-tonne EC350E features boom-and-arm bounce-reduction technology to lessen machine shocks

one function to take the lead over another. The boom-down speed can also be adjusted, giving added control for tasks that require extra precision. A range of matched Volvo attachments is designed to maximise productivity, efficiency and performance.

third quarter of 2020, representing an increase of 55% over the same period the previous year. In line with the growth of the Chinese excavator market, Doosan Infracore continues to release new products and special equipment customised to Chinese clients’ requirements. For instance, the company launched a new 6-ton wheeled excavator in July 2020 and an enhanced equipment inspection service campaign to maximise satisfaction among its customer base. It has also conducted online service training for 7300 agents based at its dealerships across the country.

www.doosaninfracore.com

To increase driver comfort during long stints the excavator features boom-and-arm bouncereduction technology to lessen machine shocks. The Comfort Drive Control option helps reduce fatigue by enabling operators to steer the machine using the joystick rollers instead of the pedals. Operators are further assisted by the optional Dig Assist apps that are powered by the 10-inch Volvo Co-Pilot tablet. These include 2D, In-Field Design, 3D software packages and On-Board Weighing – in addition to Volvo Active Control, which automates boom and bucket movements, which Volvo says makes digging twice as fast. The Active Control feature lets operators set swing fence, height limit, and depth limit. This helps to avoid contact with side obstacles, overhead obstacles such as power lines, and underground hazards such as pipes and cables.

www.volvoce.com

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EQUIPMENT UPDATE

Komatsu and Proterra work on e-excavator prototype Komatsu will develop a prototype using a Proterra Powered system

Image: Proterra/Komatsu

Proterra, a supplier of commercial vehicle electrification technology, and Komatsu will work on the equipment maker’s first battery-electric middleweight excavator. The collaboration represents Proterra’s entry into the off-road vehicle market and the company’s first Proterra Powered battery-electric construction equipment, according to California, US-based Proterra. “Komatsu will use Proterra’s highperformance battery systems for the development of a proof-of-concept electric excavator in 2021 before expected commercial production in 2023 to 2024,” Proterra commented in a press statement. “The Proterra battery system powering the electric excavator will feature high energy density and fast charging technology.” Proterra battery packs, made

in the US, are already fitted within a variety of vehicles, including school buses, coach buses, delivery vans and lowfloor cutaway shuttle buses. “The packaging flexibility of Proterra’s battery platform will further enable the optimal placement of the batteries within the middle-class excavator and replace the need for a normal counterweight used to balance the excavator’s hydraulic arm

movements,” Proterra stated. “Proterra’s best-in-class battery technology has been proven in 16 million miles driven by our fleet of transit vehicles,” said Jack Allen, chief executive of Proterra. “What’s working in our battery-electric transit vehicles on roads across North America can work off-road, too.”

www.proterra.com https://home. komatsu/en/

Haver & Boecker offers service programmes for vibrating screens Haver & Boecker Niagara is supporting its Niagara Exciter brand of vibrating screen exciters with service and refurbishment programmes to provide an added level of reliability. The exciters are offered in four models, each of which is adjustable to provide eight weight conﬁgurations, which the company claims deliver the largest static moment range on the market. Niagara Exciters come as standard on all Haver & Boecker Niagara exciter-driven XLClass and L-Class vibrating screens, and are also available as aftermarket parts for any brand of exciter-driven machine. Exciter-driven vibrating screens are suitable for high-tonnage applications and

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heavy-duty environments, such as dewatering or SAG (semiautogenous) mill screening, due to the equipment’s strength and advanced sealing system. “We understand that many of our customers are operating under high production demands, so offering efficient equipment to support those requirements, coupled with unrivalled service,

Exciter-driven vibrating screens are suitable for high-tonnage applications

is a priority for us,” said Jorge Elorza, Haver & Boecker Niagara sales engineer. Niagara Exciters are engineered by Haver & Boecker Niagara to set the required stroke, frequency and exact static moment for each application, resulting in improved screening performance. The Exciters are designed to provide producers with reliable, consistent performance and require less downtime, resulting in more productivity and proﬁts. The average lifespan of a Niagara Exciter is 15,000 hours, with some XL-Class exciter-driven vibrating screens currently operating at more than 40,000 hours. The exciters are fully supported by Haver & Boecker Niagara’s service and refurbishment programmes.

BKT rolls out EARTHMAX SR 412 tyre for ADTs and loaders BKT is expanding its range of offthe-road (OTR) tyres with the launch of the EARTHMAX SR 412, designed to equip articulated dump trucks, loaders and dozers. The India-based manufacturer says the new tyre’s main distinguishing qualities are excellent stability and resistance to damaging attacks. The robust casing and the All Steel belts are designed to enable the EARTHMAX SR 412 to transport heavy loads while avoiding tears and punctures. BKT adds that the tread has a unique design with an E-4 depth, guaranteeing exceptional traction and high heat resistance, while the square shoulder ensures EARTHMAX SR 412 has a solid grip on the ground, which gives the vehicle greater control and manoeuvrability. EARTHMAX SR 412 is available in the 29.5 R 25 and 750/65 R 25 sizes. The new product joins the EARTHMAX range of OTR radial tyres designed to operate in the most extreme and adverse situations. Speciﬁcally designed for dump trucks, wheeled loaders, dozers and graders, the tyres in this range are designed for tough operations and to guarantee these vehicles better load distribution on the ground and ensure comfort, safety and stability for end users. Originally launched in 2008, EARTHMAX now numbers over twenty different product lines with numerous models and sizes. BKT says the ‘all steel’ structure which characterises all the tyres in this range makes the different EARTHMAX models especially suitable for operations on large worksites, in quarries and in mines, resisting puncture, penetration by foreign bodies and other damage to the casing. The launch of the new product follows on just a few months after the announcement of the prototype of the gigantic EARTHMAX SR 468, the biggest tyre ever made by BKT. www.bkt-tires.com

EVENTS | FOR A FULL LIST OF EVENTS VISIT WWW.AGGBUSINESS.COM/DIARY

2021

2022

MAY 25-28: bauma CTT Russia Moscow, Russia Organiser: Messe Muenchen Rus Tel: +49 (0) 89 949 20251 Email: info@bauma-ctt.ru www.bauma-ctt.ru

15-18: Geoﬂuid 2021 Piacenza, Italy Organiser: Piacenza Expo Tel: +39 (0) 523 602711 Email: alessandra.bottani@ piacenzaexpo.it www.geoﬂuid.it

MEET THE TEAM

MARCH 29-31: World of Asphalt 2022 Nashville, Tennessee Organisers: NAPA, AEM & NSSGA Tel: +1 (414) 274 0644 www.worldofasphalt.com

Aggregates Business travels the globe attending conferences, events and equipment shows, keeping you informed of the latest offerings. Come and join us for a chat at any of the events below.

APRIL SEPTEMBER 02-04: RecyclingAKTIV & TiefbauLIVE Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, Germany Organiser: Messe Karlsruhe Tel: +49 (0) 721 3720 2300 Email: verena.schneider@messekarlsruhe.de www.recycling-aktiv.com

OCTOBER 21-23: IFAT Eurasia 2021 Istanbul, Turkey Organiser: Messe Munchen Tel: +90 212 241 81 71 Email: genc@mmi-eurasia.com www.ifat-eurasia.com/en/

NOVEMBER 03-04: 4th Construction Equipment Forum Berlin 2021 Estrel Convention Center, Berlin Organiser: IPM AG Tel: +49 511 473 147 90 www.constructionforum.eu

08-12: MATEXPO 2021 Kortrijk, Belgium Organiser: The Fair Experts Tel: +32 56 98 07 60 Email: info@matexpo.com www.matexpo.com

04-10: bauma 2022 Munich, Germany Organiser: Messe München Tel: +49 89 949 11348 Email: info@bauma.de www.bauma.de/en

JUNE

2022 (DATES TBC) EIG 2022 Exeter, UK

21-23: Hillhead 2022 Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire, England Organiser: The QMJ Group Tel: +44 (0) 115 945 4377 Email: Harvey.sugden@qmj.co.uk www.hillhead.com

These dates were correct at the time of going to press, but please note that the COVID-19 pandemic means some events may be rescheduled with little advance notice

DECEMBER 15-18: Construction Indonesia Jakarta, Indonesia Organiser: PT. Pamerindo Indonesia Tel: +49 3999905 0 Email: contact@merebo.com www.ci.merebo.com

JUNE 2022 21-23: Hillhead 2022 Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire, England

07-11: EXCON 2021 Bengaluru, India Organiser: CII Tel: +91 44 42444564 Email: excon@cii.in www.excon.in

www.aggbusiness.com NEW state-of-the-art website

ADVERTISERS INDEX

MARCH/APRIL 2021

Advertisers in AGGREGATES BUSINESS can now be contacted via their websites 19/02/2020 12:15:59 - for instant links to all the websites listed below, by category, go to: www.AggBusiness.com

HOUSE AD.indd 2

COMPANY

PAGE NO

WEBSITE

COMPANY

PAGE NO

WEBSITE

Ammann

www.ammann.com

Matec

p31

www.matecindustries.com

Beumer

p40

www.beumer.com

Metso

OBC

www.mogroup.com

BKT

p33

www.bkt-tires.com

Terex Trucks

p23

www.molsongroup.co.uk

CAT

IFC

www.cat.com

Terex Washing

p29

www.terex.com/washing

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EUROPE

INTERNATIONAL

MARCH/APRIL 2021 | VOL.15 ISSUE NO.2 | www.AggBusiness.com

MARCH/APRIL 2021

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| Vol.9 ISSUE No.2 | www.AggBusiness.com

Proud past, fine future A major washing plant manufacturer builds on its rich history p28

On to another washing winner

SURFACE DRILL RIGS AND BREAKERS Automated systems changing the face of surface drill & blast p37

ABE MA2021.indd 1

15/04/2021 08:51:12

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F OO T P R

INTERVIEW PPC’s Mokate Ramafoko on how the SA giant is ﬁnding solace in its international business p08

ABI MA2021 Cover.indd 1

MARKET REPORT South Korea’s major road and residential building fuelling aggregates demand p14

PONSI BLY

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MARKET REPORT Germany’s resilient construction & aggregates sectors are primed for growth in 2021 p41

RES

I N T E D & PO S

F OO T P R ON

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INTERVIEW IQ’s Julian Smallshaw is ﬁrmly established as quarrying’s learned friend p10

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DUCE OU

PONSI BLY

RES

I N T E D & PO S

Tunisian quarry firm SOMEVAM acquires second CDE plant p28

DUCE OU

CRUSHER LINERS How signiﬁcant are crusher liners in the overall cost equation of running a crusher? p45

15/04/2021 08:55:34

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Lower your OPEX, increase your proﬁtability The Metso Outotec Truck Body is a groundbreaking innovation that combines the beneﬁts of rubber and a structure in high strength steel, enabling mines and quarries to haul more with less.

Partner for positive change. mogroup.com

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