MINE MAINTENANCE
Using sensors in SAG mills can help dynamically optimise mill load and increase asset throughput by 3-6 %, Bently Nevada has shown in previous solution deployments
Condition monitoring helps to improve outcomes , often achieving return on investment within months of implementation , according to Bently Nevada . A few application examples from the company include : n Slurry pumps – Responsible for 97 % of unplanned maintenance costs , slurry pump reliability is crucial in the areas of safety , environmental impact and efficient transportation . In one mining operation , savings of $ 3 million / y were achieved based on maintenance cost recovery and capacity increases for a 10-pump station ; n Hoist systems – The hoist is a process-critical application in mining operations . Hoist repair is often complex , and their sophisticated design introduces more areas vulnerable to failure . To keep workers safe and operations productive , the use of wireless sensors on hoist systems help alert operators of potential failures before they occur ; and n SAG mills – Maximum grinding efficiency requires optimisation . Using sensors in SAG mills help dynamically optimise mill load and can increase asset throughput by 3-6 %. “ These examples articulate the benefit of optimising critical assets ,” Bently Nevada said . “ The ultimate payoff occurs when these systems scale to be interconnected and provide an operation-wide , eagle ’ s eye view of an entire mine , enabling holistically-optimised production .”
Maintenance backbone thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions also backs a condition-based approach to equipment maintenance , saying that both corrective and preventative methods come with drawbacks .
“ The solution is , therefore , to extract the best of both through a condition-based maintenance strategy that combines the advantages of preventative and corrective maintenance into a win-win solution ,” thyssenkrupp said . “ The implementation of a condition-based maintenance strategy will help to avoid potential conflicts between the production and maintenance engineering teams by aligning the teams ’ respective scope of work .” thyssenkrupp has been supporting customers with condition-based maintenance solutions over the past decade , and the company recently completed a mid-life refurbishment on two 10,000 t / h shiploaders in South Africa that extended the life of these almost 20-year-old machines by a further 10 years .
“ Although thyssenkrupp is the original equipment manufacturer of these two shiploaders , it does not mean the company ’ s expertise and capabilities are limited to its own equipment ,” it said , explaining that it is close to completing a condition-based refurbishment project on a third-party stacker / reclaimer .
A number of factors can be attributed to the success of thyssenkrupp ’ s condition-based refurbishments , it said .
The company explained : “ First , our highly skilled team of design and field service engineers and experienced project managers work alongside our customers , combining all the findings and reports in a working document . This forms the backbone of our condition-based maintenance strategy .
“ Secondly , the end-user experience and practical , hands-on involvement must never be underestimated . Subsequently , we always liaise with the customer ’ s maintenance team and consult breakdown reports when the scope of work is defined .”
The thyssenkrupp team ’ s expertise is also leveraged throughout a product ’ s lifecycle , enabling the company to assist customers irrespective of the size of their maintenance or refurbishment requirements .
“ Moreover , as many of our design engineers have been involved in the initial design and manufacture of our machines , they are equipped with the necessary know-how and skill sets to implement new improvements and upgrades during refurbishments ,” the company said . “ The involvement of thyssenkrupp ’ s field service engineers in the complete value chain of conditionbased refurbishments ensures that realistic schedules , as well as detailed method statements , are prepared to ease planning for site activities and to mitigate risk during maintenance .”
MagoSense debut
It is mill maintenance and optimisation that is at the heart of Magotteaux ’ s MagoSense solution , a digital tool that lets operators “ see ” what is happening inside their operating mill .
Together with its Germany-based partner , KIMA Process Control , Magotteaux launched this solution last year and , recently , it successfully installed MagoSense on the primary ball mill at the Anglo American Platinum Mototolo Concentrator in South Africa .
MagoSense uses vibration and shell-bending sensors , as well as digital signal processing technology , to provide information about what is happening at each of the 360 degrees of the mill , Magotteaux claims . Providing the total volumetric filling and ball impact information , the solution allows the operators to closely follow mill operation and seek optimal working conditions that directly lead to improved performance .
All technical aspects of MagoSense , such as wireless data transmission , power supply and overall system robustness , have been proven and widely adopted by industry leaders in the cement industry , yet the tool is designed specifically for the mining industry , according to Magotteaux .
“ Primarily developed for use on SAG mills , it can operate on any type of tumbling mills and is adapted to the harsh mining environment ,” Magotteaux said .
At Mototolo , the device is measuring the total filling degree of the mill , as well as the level of direct impact of balls on liners , according to the company . The latter can help minimise liner damage and wear by helping reduce the occurrence of ball impacts on liners .
Maintenance Synergy
Komatsu Mining Technology Solutions ’ new Intellimine Synergy open-technology platform was launched at the recent MINExpo event in Las Vegas , consolidating the solutions from numerous Komatsu brands in the process .
Synergy consists of several platforms , one of which is a cloud-based analytics platform , with applications that will provide insights for many operational aspects . It also incorporates learnings from Modular Mining , a Komatsu technology brand focused on real-time digital offerings that are compatible with all makes of equipment , and the former MineWare Argus and Pegasys payload monitoring systems .
“ Synergy will combine information from the application layer with the high-quality data provided by the digital twin , resulting in more holistic maintenance information to help optimise the equipment ’ s performance on site ,” Lourens Du Plessis , VP Sales and Marketing , Komatsu Mining Technology Solutions , told IM .
When it comes to explaining how clients are
42 International Mining | JANUARY 2022