MINERAL SEPARATION
Responding to the needs of the mineral sands sector , Multotec recently developed its first 12- turn spiral concentrator
Separating success from failure
Another potential area that mining companies in need of more production can turn to , mineral separation processes continue to evolve , Dan Gleeson says
In an increasingly competitive market for mineral separation , it is often the finer details that lead customers to choose one vendor ’ s technology over another ’ s .
South Africa-based mineral processing technology major Multotec believes it has gained such an edge , having recently attained the ISO 45001:2017 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications for Occupational Health and Safety management systems and Environmental management systems , respectively .
Having started as a company in 1973 focused specifically on screening , Multotec has gone on to become one of the dominant players in the screening media space in Africa , as well as a key supplier of hydrocyclones , mill liners and ceramic wear lining products . Its roots remain in South Africa , but it has since grown internationally .
These recently awarded certifications bolster this reputation and follow a three-year process , reflecting the company ’ s continuous pursuit of excellence in occupational health and safety and environmental stewardship .
This is according to Multotec Safety , Health , Environment and Quality Manager , Denise de
Beer , who explains that obtaining the ISO 45001 certification demonstrates the company ’ s
dedication to the wellbeing of its employees and stakeholders by implementing robust safety measures . Similarly , she notes , obtaining the ISO
14001 certification reflects Multotec ’ s efforts to operate sustainably and reduce its carbon footprint .
“ These certifications signify our adherence to international standards , fostering trust among our stakeholders , enhancing organisational resilience , and aligning us with global best practices in health , safety and environmental management ,” she said .
Aligning Multotec ’ s existing health and safety system with the requirements of ISO 45001 involved a systematic approach to ensure that policies and procedures met the standard , and de Beer says only relatively small changes were required to ensure ISO 45001 requirements were met .
“ We performed a gap analysis comparing our existing safety management system against the requirements of ISO 45001 ,” she said . “ This assisted us in ensuring all requirements had been addressed . We reviewed our existing safety documentation , policies and procedures and updated or created new documents as necessary to meet ISO 45001 requirements .”
However , de Beer says obtaining the ISO 14001 certification proved more challenging , due to a lack of awareness or understanding of environmental issues among employees , making compliance with environmental regulations and meeting the ISO 14001 requirements complex in certain areas . “ We provided awareness sessions to secure buy-in from the various managers and employees , ensuring that they embrace environmental responsibility ,” she explained . “ This can sometimes be quite difficult because people don ’ t always realise the extent of all the aspects that are involved in this process .
“ It was also challenging to ensure uniformity and that we do things the right way throughout the entire group of Multotec companies , each of which have their own way of operating . We also had to instil and sustain a culture of continuous improvement , which is one of the fundamental principles of ISO 14001 .”
In line with the ISO 45001 certification and its efforts to reduce the company ’ s environmental footprint , Multotec has installed solar panels on the roofs of its various manufacturing facilities which assist in reducing overall energy consumption . In addition , the group has also implemented waste reduction initiatives by encouraging recycling , which includes the placement of bins in various areas around its premises and employee education on waste segregation and disposal . de Beer notes that the successful attainment of ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification was a collaborative effort involving both employees and
64 International Mining | APRIL 2024