• CRADLE TO GRAVE
financial commitment . We have the technical skills , world-class experience , manufacturing infrastructure and the motivation needed to restore our industry to its rightful place on the world stage . Together with our members , SAPPMA will continue to be the flagbearers for maintaining excellent standards and quality through the commissioning of reliable and knowledgeable consultants , pipe manufacturers and installers ,” Venter concludes .
QUALITY , CUSTOM HOSES FROM WEIR MINERALS
As a leading South African producer of high-quality rubber hoses , Weir Minerals Africa designs and builds mining hoses for customers from 50mm to 1000mm nominal bore up to 10m in length and up to 1100mm bends .
“ Our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Alrode , Gauteng , comprises advanced semi-automated processes to produce both hard wall hoses , soft wall hoses and bends ,” says Yatheen Budhu , product manager rubber products , hoses , and spools at Weir Minerals Africa .
“ With a decade of investment in semi-automated building equipment and training , we can ensure high levels of safety , manufacturing consistency and quality in our custom-engineered products .”
“ The safety of our people is our number one priority , and the investment included system improvements in the hose building process protecting our employees from harm at all times ,” he says .
These hoses are designed to the specifications of customers around the world , using an option of Linatex , Linard , Linagard and Linacure abrasion-resistant internal wear liners . The hard wall mining hose is built for suction and discharge applications , with a heavy spring steel wire helix to cater for high dynamic loads . For discharge applications with no vacuum or suction that could collapse the hose , the soft wall mining hose is usually used as it allows for ease of movement and flexibility .
“ Among the innovations we have introduced is a wear-indicator system , for critical applications where unexpected hose failure carries an unacceptable level of risk ,” says Budhu . “ The wearindicator system gives operators early warning of wear on the liner and allows proactive replacement to be planned and conducted .”
Weir Minerals Africa ’ s world class local manufacturing capability gives a number of benefits to mining companies , he says . These include a quicker lead time and a valuable contribution to Mining Charter compliance .
“ Having our manufacturing facilities relatively close to our customers also facilitates our engineered-to-order approach ,” he says . “ We spend time with customers whenever possible – through our comprehensive branch network – to understand their conditions and requirements .”
For mines across the commodity spectrum , Weir Minerals ’ rubber hoses deliver long wear life – from demanding conditions in mineral sands dredging operations to tailings , cyclone feed or thickener underflow .
“ Our hoses must deal not only with abrasive materials , but also unexpected foreign objects in slurry , some of which may be sharp ,” he says . “ Nonetheless , as an example , we have seen our hoses in mineral sands applications last up to seven years – considerably longer than the customer is used to .”
The company also manufactures related equipment like flexible distance pieces – instead of normal bellows – to customer specifications , notes Budhu . With its Linatex ® wear liner , these items
Weir Minerals Africa
The Weir Minerals state-of-the-art automated hose manufacturing facility in Alrode .
42 • African Mining • November 2021 www . africanmining . co . za