IPCC
Modular gyratory crushing station supplied by TNT to a copper mining customer in Chile
overburden from 1,500 mm down to 300 mm in a single pass at 5,500 t / h , achieving peak rates of up to 7,200 t / h . The Semi-Mobile Sizing Stations ’ high throughputs and short relocation times have made them a key part of the customer ’ s long term plan .
TNT - portable and modular innovation
Terra Nova Technologies , Inc ( TNT ) was recently awarded a three-year engineering services contract by Ma ’ aden . The services agreement is for ongoing engineering and on-site technical support for the 35,000 t / d dry tails stacking and overland conveying system supplied by TNT to one of Ma ’ aden subsidiaries , Ma ’ aden Phosphate Company , headquartered in Ras Al Khair Industrial City in Saudi Arabia , with the associated Al-Jalamid minesite in the north of Saudi Arabia .
TNT successfully completed the Phase III expansion of the dry tails stacking facility in January 2021 , having originally supplied the propriety fully mobile Super Portable ® stacking system and associated overland conveyors in 2011 . This system was one of the first successful multi-lift dry stack tail systems in the world and has operated as a fully redundant dual stacking system achieving close to 100 % availability conveying phosphogypsum filtered tails and facilitating the mixing of waste tails materials from both process plants that run continuously prior to being stacked . The material is unique and has a high moisture content but dries exothermically and becomes very powdery and as such is a challenging material to convey and stack with its changing properties .
TNT ’ s patented Super Portable ® Mobile Stacking Technology operates at several mines in several countries , in large copper heap leach applications with a very high individual equipment reliability being proven at 99.95 %. These systems typically operate in the 6,000 to 9,000 t / h range with single stacking systems operating with + 25 units in series typically achieving > 95 % system availability . TNT says the technology is very versatile and is suitable for high-capacity heap leach , dry tails , IPCC , overburden and waste rock stacking applications with designs capable of up to 20,000 t / h .
Elsewhere , with the recent hand-over of its first modular gyratory station located in Chile , TNT has expanded its crushing plant capabilities to the largest in the industry . " This allows TNT to supply complete material handling solutions that include robust and innovative crushing plants , overland conveyors , stockpiles and mobile stacking systems which incorporate safety-in-design and maximise modular delivery for rapid assembly .” TNT is a subsidiary of Cementation Americas , itself part of the Murray & Roberts group of companies .
Bulk handling solutions major FAM continues close relationship with Spence copper mine
The first expansion stage of the handling equipment of the leach pad system at the BHPowned Minera Spence copper mine in northern Chile was completed in 2006 . This impressive turnkey facility consisting of 21 highly efficient machines ( bucket wheel reclaimers , tripper cars , belt wagons , stackers , conveyors ) and weighing approximately 7,500 t was installed by FAM within only 24 months after the contract award . It was an extremely short timespan for such a massive , newly developed handling system .
Over time , FAM completed several further scheduled plant expansions , which included , inter alia , implementation of a second bucket wheel reclaimer and installation of additional belt conveyors . “ The installed technology and the achieved performance parameters have proven the efficiency of the handling solution for the leaching processes presented by FAM , and the entire FAM plant concept enjoys now a worldwide acknowledgement and application .”
In 2020 the mine replaced one of the mobile conveyor bridges delivered years ago by a new bridge designed by FAM , which includes the most modern mechanical components , as well as advanced electrical and I & C technology . This upgrade will substantially increase the handling capacities in the area of leach stockpiles for copper sulphide .
By means of a tripper car , the
material is transferred from the feed belt conveyor to the mobile conveyor bridge which has a centre distance of 426 m . The conveyor bridge moves on a total of nine double crawlers in the direction of the stockpile . On top of the bridge , a tripper car runs and discharges the material systematically line by line using a cross conveyor . This ensures uninterrupted operation with a capacity of 5.500 tph , which results in achievement of a very precise stockpile shape using the FAM-developed control system based on GPS data .
The requirements for the ground surface preparation are low due to a special design of the crawler-mounted conveyor bridges . Owing to the new operating principle developed and patented by FAM , individual double crawler tracks can easily compensate not only for differences in ground inclination in all directions , but also in height . The position of the entire mobile conveyor can be adjusted at any time , even in longitudinal direction . The system is insensitive to temperature influences . Furthermore , the stable conveyor belt operation is ensured at all times .
The entire system has been designed for easy maintenance . A high level of component unification has been achieved , which allows to minimise the number of spare parts required for individual items , drive units and even complete undercarriages . The FAM scope of supply includes project designing , manufacturing , delivery , assembly supervision and commissioning of all mechanical components , electrical systems and control technology .
FAM recently replaced one of the mobile conveyor bridges it delivered years ago to BHP ' s Spence operation with a new bridge including the most modern mechanical components , as well as advanced electrical and I & C technology
38 International Mining | MAY 2021