FIRE SAFETY SOLUTION FOR CONTINUOUS MINERAL PROCESSING UPTIME
ENHANCED DURABILITY WITH HIGHER PIN RETENTION
CRADLE TO GRAVE •
Supplied by Multotec
FIRE SAFETY SOLUTION FOR CONTINUOUS MINERAL PROCESSING UPTIME
Francois Fouche, Multotec’ s vicepresident of Screening Media.
Fires on vibrating screen decks pose a significant threat to mining operations, as they can rapidly escalate into uncontrollable incidents that endanger personnel, damage equipment and disrupt production. Multotec’ s newly developed Flame Retardant( FR) rubber screen panels provide mines and quarries with a proactive solution to reduce fire risks while ensuring continuous plant uptime.
Standard rubber screen panels are highly flammable, with fires often continuing to burn or spreading once they start. The risk is particularly high during routine maintenance or hot-work activities such as welding, grinding or flame cutting, where sparks, heat, or hot pieces of metal can easily ignite surrounding panels.
The product’ s screen panels, engineered from specialised flame-retardant rubber compounds and rigorously tested to international standards, are designed to resist ignition and selfextinguish in under 60 seconds. This key feature prevents flame propagation while protecting personnel, equipment and critical processing assets.
The panels combine safety, reliability and performance in a single solution. Backed by more than 50 years of mineral screening expertise, the product’ s durable panels, like all of the company’ s screening media, are engineered with good wear properties and will maintain operational efficiency, even under the most demanding conditions.
These solutions were first developed for the Australian market in response to stricter fire safety regulations and insurance requirements. Today, leading iron ore producers in Australia have made FR panels a standard, with certification and compliance to Australian fire safety standards central to their adoption.
Ensuring continuous operations“ FR screen panels go beyond their primary screening function,” explains Francois Fouche, vice-president of Screening Media at the company.“ By self-extinguishing when the heat source is removed and limiting flame propagation, these panels protect personnel, equipment and assets while reducing unplanned shutdowns, ultimately supporting higher plant availability.”
“ The chance of a fire occurring during maintenance is ever-present,” Fouche adds.“ These panels have been designed to support uninterrupted mineral processing operations, even under South Africa’ s extreme and continuous operating conditions.”
These screen panels are suitable for both wet and dry screening applications across a wide range of commodities, including coal,
Supplied by Multotec Supplied by Caterpillar
iron ore, copper, platinum, manganese, zinc and diamonds. They are available in both hard and soft durometer rubber variants, offering options tailored to meet specific operational needs.
The company is continuously developing new compounds of the product to meet evolving mine health and safety compliance requirements while solving the practical challenges faced by modern mining operations.
By adopting these advanced rubber screen panels, South African mines and quarries can proactively safeguard against potentially catastrophic fire events while maintaining production, demonstrating that safety and productivity can go hand in hand.
Source: supplied by Multotec
Multotec ' s flame-retardant panels serve coal, iron ore, copper, platinum and more globally.
These screen panels are suitable for both wet and dry screening applications across a wide range of commodities, including coal, iron ore, copper, platinum, manganese, zinc and diamonds.
ENHANCED DURABILITY WITH HIGHER PIN RETENTION
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www. africanmining. co. za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining • March 2026 • 35