HEAVY ENGINEERING
Media M&A
MTG launched the Cast Lips Terra attachment at
the recent Bauma fair in Germany
service, which is initially focused on improving
safety and productivity in mines and quarries
through immediate detection and location of
wear parts on GETs.
MTG said: “The implementation of electronic
sensors on GET allows for obtaining real-time
data, which in turn contributes towards decision
making, both by the machine operator and the
operations centre to prevent crusher faults.”
It said its Digital Solutions sensors have
started to be tested in the field with
“outstanding results”, and they will continue to
be developed throughout 2019.
MTG also launched the MTG Cast Lips Terra
attachment at the event. This has been made for
hydraulic excavators weighing more than 400 t
that require added digging protection, the
company said.
“The Cast Lip Terra is light and slim, allowing
for improved penetration, reduced fuel
consumption and optimised cycle times,” MTG
said, adding that the large contact areas and
smooth transitioning reduce plastic deformation
and concentrated strain in critical areas.
It had a 169 inch size 5 Cast Lip Terra on
display at its booth in an effort to lure in mining
customers.
Bucket benefits
Australia-based CQMS Razer (CR) says its highly-
engineered dragline buckets can deliver payload
capacity and fill time advantages for both mine
and machine.
“Through our unique-scale testing facility
located at our Technology Park, combined with
dragline production data monitoring software
50 International Mining | JUNE 2019
and analysis, CR’s patented, best practice
designs reduce weight, increase payload and
increase availability for dragline operations
around the world,” CR said.
The company designs bucket sizes for all
applications – from small class 8050 draglines to
the largest 8750 class dragline bucket in the
world – which includes a combination of dragline
bucket, dragline GET, and rigging, to suit “every
mine condition, machine size, and model”, CR
said.
It recently completed its first dragline bucket
build with fabricator Independent Mining
Services (IMS). “Based in Mackay (Queensland),
IMS are our second bucket fabricator in the
region helping us to deliver quality and reliable
bucket fabrication solutions for our growing
manufacturing program,” the company said.
The first bucket from this partnership was its
Hurricane 84 m 3 Mk3 (formerly the CQ-238) and
will be used on a major central Queensland coal
mining operation, according to CR.
CQMS Razer Hurricane dragline buckets are
fast-filling, consistent and highly efficient,
according to the company. “With its patented,
wide, low profile and slimline lip design, the
Hurricane also provides substantial energy
savings due to reduced drag energy when
compared to traditional shaped dragline buckets,”
the company said.
In order to prove fabrication competence, this
84 m 3 Mk3 bucket was subjected to a
significantly increased inspection and test
program and passed with excellent results, CR
said.
It was successfully despatched on time from
Mackay, with the Hurricane bucket arriving on
schedule to the customer, which immediately put
the bucket into operation on site.
The grinding media that ensures the
effectiveness of mills in the mining process is
one area of the wear parts field where there has
recently been significant corporate activity.
Last year, Australia grinding media major,
Donhad, finally joined Moly-Cop and, in January
2019, the acquirer completed its buy of Metso’s
grinding media business.
The transaction included the sale of Metso
Spain Holding SLU, including operations in two
locations with around 80 employees in Spain
(Bilbao and Seville). The turnover of the entire
business amounted to ¤60 million ($68.5 million)
in 2018, according to Metso.
Sami Takaluoma, President, Minerals
Consumables business area at Metso, said the
company’s deal rationale was tied to its growth
strategy of focusing on developing a “world-
leading” global offering when it comes to
consumables.
“We are confident that our customers and our
grinding media team will benefit from this
transaction and from the combination of our
strong regional know-how with Moly-Cop’s global
capabilities,” he added.
Moly-Cop was already a leading global
manufacturer of grinding media used primarily
by global copper, gold, and iron ore producers to
break down ore in the primary phase of mineral
concentration, and CEO, Jim Anderson, said the
Metso acquisition was “a great match” for the
company’s strategy moving forward.
He added: “Metso’s operations and team align
perfectly with our global manufacturing network,
and this transaction will further enhance our
industry-leading value proposition to our
customers.”
In more grinding media news, the Industrial
Development Corp (IDC) and Magotteaux
International, in May 2018, reached an
agreement on extending their Grinding Media
South Africa (GMSA) partnership.
Magotteaux calls itself a leader in process
optimisation for high abrasion extracting
industries, while IDC is a national development
finance institution in South Africa set up to
promote economic growth and industrial
development.
GMSA, a newly created company spun out
from Scaw Metals – itself sold to an IDC-led
consortium all the way back in 2012 – specialises
in the manufacturing and design of grinding
balls.
The latest agreement has seen Magotteaux
enter GMSA as a strategic equity partner,
enhancing both the technical and financial
capacity of the business as well as providing
access to new growth markets, Magotteaux said.
As part of the pact, it assumed operational
management of GMSA.