SOUTH AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES
looking at new materials handling solutions including the use of sophisticated lining composite materials which can be extremely expensive,” Baller says.“ The solution does not have to be as complicated as this, and as soon as engineers realise this the closer they will be to saving money on their maintenance budget.”
Baller explains that the Weba Chute System is not an alternative to conventional chute systems.“ It is, in fact, a completely different engineered approach with a‘ supertube’ or‘ cascade’ scenario with 95 % of the material running on material at the same time.
“ Some engineers may be familiar with the term‘ boundary layer’ which is used in aero and fluid dynamics. Study of this phenomenon shows that when a boundary layer is in place, friction can be reduced by up to 30 %,” he says.
When viewed in slow motion it becomes apparent that the particles close to the surface actually move in a tumbling motion and are, in fact, moving slower than the main flow of material. Baller explains that sliding particles moving at higher velocities cause extensive wear, while those that tumble at a lower velocity cause far less wear.
“ Controlling the material’ s movement down the transfer point is only the first step,” Baller says.“ By changing the angle of the transfer point the material can be controlled from its entry into the chute right up until the point of discharge.”
This optimal control of the material during its journey through the transfer point not only reduces wear, but can eliminate spillage. Spillage can be a major cost issue both in terms of waste and when it comes to cleaning up the area around the transfer point.
Baller says that on a new transfer point it is actually possible to completely eliminate spillage, and on projects where Weba Chute Systems are retrofitted into existing installations, it is possible to significantly reduce the spillage. This also results in substantial savings for the mine.
In addition to liner plates, wear specialist solutions provider Rio-Carb also manufactures a range of chromium carbide( CrC) internally hardfaced pipes, from 100 mm diameter and above. The pipes are available in two sizes: 10 mm( 4 mm CrC on a 6 mm mild steel), and 12 mm( 6 mm CrC on a 6 mm mild steel base).“ We have opted for CrC in our pipe range due to the fact that it is more resistant than ceramics, and also longer-lasting than rubber,” Rio-Carb Product Development Manager Luis Garcia explains.
The pipes are available in 3 m lengths, in bends, T- shapes and straight pieces. They can be supplied loose, or with fitted flanges according to customer requirements. The CrC cannot chip off, in addition to being easily weldable on the outside. The CrC pipe range from Rio-Carb is ideal for abrasive materials such as slurries. It can withstand heat of up to 600 ° C, and can be rolled, studded, holed and fabricated.
Rio-Carb manufactures wear-resistant Chromium Carbide( CrC) clad pipes for heavy materials-handling applications in the mining and allied resources industries
Managing Director Colin Maine points out that the CrC pipe range is an example of the ongoing product development that exemplifies Rio-Carb.“ What keeps us ahead of the competition is our emphasis on constant development, in addition to our quality and service. All of our procedures are
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Analysis of Feeds, Concentrates and Tailings
• Mine Mapping and Grade Control
• Ore-body Assessment
• Exploration
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in accordance with international American Welding Society( AWS) standards.”
Elemental Analysis
JANUARY 2017 | International Mining 47