• TECHNOLOGY
FLS STREAMLINES CRITICAL MINERALS OUTPUT WITH R & D-DRIVEN INNOVATIONS
Contributed by FLS
As the world faces potential bottlenecks in strategic minerals that are critical for a low carbon future , FLS is allowing mines to optimise production and recoveries while keeping their ESG targets on track .
The manufacture of battery-powered vehicles , for instance , will demand orders of magnitude for more graphite , cobalt , manganese , nickel , lithium and copper , explains Alistair McKay , FLS vice president for Capital Sales in Europe , Arabia and Africa . The European Union ’ s Critical Raw Materials Act has highlighted the challenge facing both producers and consumers of mined commodities . It defines strategic resources as those whose current production is difficult to increase – and for which the demand is expected to grow significantly . At the same time , it also points to 16 critical minerals , a shortage of which could derail economic activity . footprint of operations by between 20 % and 90 % - when including all embodied carbon in the system .
He points out that while friction losses in a traditional belt conveyor are between 0.070 and 0.110 kilowatt-hours per tonne per kilometre , these can be reduced to between 0.015 and ., 030 in a rail-running conveyor .
“ It is remarkable to consider how this innovation – being essentially a combination of the two well-known mobility systems of belt
“ An example is copper , which is essential for a vast array of decarbonising technologies ,” says McKay . “ A sustainable future is reliant on these technologies , as they could account for two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions ’ abatement by 2050 .”
With these factors front of mind , FLS invests over half its research and development budget on technology that will have a noticeable impact on reducing emissions , water and energy , he says . As a global technology provider with contributions across
Alistair McKay , FLS vice president for Capital Sales in Europe , Arabia and Africa .
the process flow sheet , FLS has recently introduced a range of innovations . These include the rail-running belt conveyor , Eccentric Roll Crusher ( ERC ®) and the Pro generation of its High Pressure Grinding Rolls ( HPGRs ) as well as the coarseAIR™ coarse particle flotation technology and REFLUX™ Flotation Cell ( RFC™ ).
“ These are all part of our ongoing MissionZero strategy to support our mining customers ’ commitments to meet carbon emissions and sustainability goals ,” he says .
Eco-efficient rail-running belt conveyors McKay highlights how rail-running belt conveyors have provided a breakthrough in sustainable conveying from mine to plant , across the plant and in other applications . The energy efficiency of this technology has been reliably calculated to reduce the carbon
All images supplied by FLS
FLS ’ s rail-running belt conveyors have provided a breakthrough in sustainable conveying from mine to plant , across the plant and in other applications .
46 • African Mining • January 2025 www . africanmining . co . za