CRADLE TO GRAVE
SMARTER COAL SAMPLING
Weatherby has refi ned the procedure to test coal samples in the
TDS, characterising all the components of the sample prior to a
full test. “I changed the sample procedure in such a way that we
can actually characterise the various elements of the coal seam
before we apply the necessary algorithm, thereby giving a much
better calibration curve,” says Weatherby.
A proprietary testing procedure developed specifi cally for
South African coal samples by WMP Consultants for the
Telligent Dry Separator (TDS) has been trialled successfully at
the DADI Engineering Development Group sister company
Meiteng Technology by consultant Tony Weatherby on behalf of
Aury Africa.
A sample from a discard dump in KwaZulu-Natal has been tested
successfully.
As a result, Aury Africa is in the process of sending a 20t bulk
sample to China for validation of the test initial results, followed
by a further six run-of-mine (ROM) samples of discard and coal-
recovery samples from various customers.
A particularly exciting development has been the successful
testing of a sample from a discard dump in KwaZulu-Natal,
containing a mixture of bituminous and anthracite coal from
two separate mining streams. The TDS was able to clearly
diff erentiate the two materials in the sample, which means
that discard dumps can be turned into potential sources of
additional revenue for mining operations.
conveying system that incorporates dual X-ray technology. It
can be retrofi tted to an existing coal-processing plant in various
confi gurations.
The system features image-identifi cation technology, with the
separator accurately identifying and separating coal and its
components, without using water or any other medium. There is
also no slime generation, with the TDS subsequently producing
a higher yield of coarse coal at low operational cost at an
increased return-on-investment, compared to conventional
process systems.
The fact that the TDS is not water-based not only reduces the
footprint of mineral-processing plants due to the downscaling
of the Dense Medium Separation (DMS) circuit as a result, it
also means that slurry material is reduced drastically, thereby
off ering a signifi cant environmental benefi t, in addition to
overall cost-savings.
The technology can process 300mm to 50mm and 150mm to
25mm raw coal, with an upper throughput of about 400tph. The
higher tonnage output makes the TDS more effi cient compared
to competitor dry sorter technology. Aury Africa is continuously
striving to improve the technology’s separation capabilities in
order to achieve coal sizing down to 12mm.
The TDS was developed by Meiteng Technology in 2015. Aury
Africa launched the technology locally at the South African
Coal Processing Society’s biennial conference in Secunda in
September 2017. At that time, three operating mines in China
were using the equipment, which is now being commonly
applied globally as far afi eld as Mongolia.
The TDS is fully automated and modular, and also self-
diagnostic. The longer the unit runs, the more accurate it
becomes. “The margin of reject material compared to coal is
reduced, as the TDS learns and adapts continuously,” says Aury
Africa MD Sydney Parkhouse.
The TDS constitutes intelligent dry separation technology.
Essentially coal is conveyed on an enclosed, single-layered
Scraper winches are used in the mining of platinum and
platinum group metals. They operate in tough underground
conditions and are a key part of the extraction process as they
scrape up and collect platinum particles and minerals. In South
Africa, one of the world’s largest producers of platinum and
associated platinum group metals uses winches extensively
at its UTS plant in Rustenburg. The mining company saw a
signifi cant improvement in the lifespan and performance of
its winches when it switched to a multi-purpose, highly tacky
lubricant, which has saved the company money on downtime
and repair costs.
The company is structured around fi ve mining operations and
refi ning plants. At its UTS plant, when using winch grease and
hydraulic oil on its 56 kW series scraper winches, the lifespan of
62
African Mining November 2019
PROLONG WINCH LIFE WITH
LUBRICATION
Winches are an important part of platinum operations and should be
properly maintained.
www. africanmining.co.za