African Mining September 2021 | Page 39

PLANT AND EQUIPMENT •

Takraf

Takraf apron feeders at the fabricators in Johannesburg South Africa .

Highlighting the ongoing demand for Takraf apron feeders , key equipment supplier Takraf South Africa , part of the global Takraf Group , has supplied two machines for a leading copper / cobalt producer in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC ).

The order was carried out during challenging Covid-19 pandemic conditions , with installation and commissioning assistance provided remotely due to travel restrictions .

The Takraf apron feeders , which are being installed in two new crushing stations at the mine , are 1.830 mm wide by 11.2m long ( 18 ^° incline ) and feed copper / cobalt ore at 1 200 t / h from a truck tipping point to grizzly feeders , which in turn feed jaw crushers . They are designed to handle up to 950mmdiameter lumps .

Takraf apron feeders are increasing in demand from projects across sub-Saharan Africa , particularly for challenging and abrasive material handling work , where they are preferable to belt feeders , which tend to tear in such applications .

For example , in earlier orders , Takraf South Africa has supplied three apron feeders to a gold project in the Republic of Guinea , and five apron feeders to an iron ore project on the West Coast of South Africa .

At 2.184mm long and 1.830mm wide , the apron feeders for the iron ore project were designed as extractable feeders to facilitate maintenance , as they can be individually removed and taken to surface while the others continue operating .

Takraf South Africa has also received orders for a further apron feeder for a major copper mine in South Africa , which already has two installed underground .

Takraf apron feeders combine robust , heavy-duty frames with standard chains and rugged pans to provide extremely long service life . They can feed and discharge big lump sizes , hard and / or abrasive material . With minimal maintenance requirements , they are installed below dump hoppers , and at material storage or transfer facilities and can be used with the feeder slope inclined up to 22 ^° .

Having been introduced to the southern African market only a year ago , there are already two Rhino 100 ‘ plug-and-drill ’ raiseborers from Sandvik Mining & Rock Solutions destined for local mining sites .

One unit will soon be at work in Botswana , while the second will be delivered to a large South African mine later this year , according to Saltiel Pule , Sandvik Mining & Rock Solutions ’ business line manager for underground drilling in southern Africa .

“ This machine has raised considerable interest in our market , and we fully expect to see five units at work in our region by the end of 2022 ,” says Pule . The primary application of the Rhino 100 is for drilling of production slots , but it also makes a valuable contribution