Technology and innovation
Preventing blasting damage
Excessive blast overpressure from mining activity or
demolition can cause damage to nearby structures and
trigger complaints from the community. As a result,
blasting can only take place under specific weather
conditions and is subject to compliance limits.
To help manage this, Australia-based EMS Brüel &
Kjær has added a blast overpressure microphone to its
vibration monitoring terminal (VMT). The VMT is an
innovative solution for monitoring ground vibration.
Now with the microphone, it provides a complete blast
monitoring solution.
The VMT fully meets the requirements of the
International Society of Explosive Engineers, ISEE
2017, for ground vibration and blast overpressure
monitoring. It can be used in either a permanent
installation or as a portable solution. Units
work standalone or as part of a multi-location noise
and vibration monitoring network with EMS Sentinel
compliance service.
Using the VMT and blast overpressure microphone
gives mine staff as well as noise and vibration
consultants a full record of compliance to optimise
operations and to use when responding to complaints.
Doors keep traffic moving
Two high-speed roll-up Sector doors have been installed
by Apex Strip Curtains & Doors at a Gauteng gold
refinery, following a detailed assessment of application
requirements by the expert Apex team.
Operations manager at Apex Strip Curtains & Doors,
James Candy, says the doors were installed inside the
refinery to form an airlock, measuring about six metres in
distance between the processing and storage areas.
“The Sector door is a more compact solution that
requires less space. It is well suited to the smaller
opening of just 2.4m × 2.8m between the two areas
at the customer’s facility,” says Candy. “This is made
possible through a design that integrates the actuator,
controls, safety devices, and balancing systems into
one unit, allowing a reduced footprint while also being
cost efficient.”
Gas purity is key
Gas company Afrox supplies high-purity speciality gases, tailor-made
to suit customers’ gas requirements. Afrox HiQ speciality gases
include pure ‘scientific’ gases; made-to-order scientific carrier gases
and mixtures; calibration mixtures for certifying the accuracy of
instruments; as well as a host of special-purpose mixtures for safety,
research, and development in the petrochemical, energy, and mining
industries, as well as in scientific laboratories and at health facilities.
HiQ is the global brand for a specific range of made-for-purpose
gases, gas mixtures, and associated products that comply with very
high purity and quality standards.
According to Hans Strydom, technical services manager for special
products and chemicals at Afrox, the company’s HiQ high-purity
atmospheric gases include argon, carbon dioxide, helium, nitrogen, and
oxygen. For use in HiQ gas formulations, each of the source gases must
be of exceptionally high purity. “We talk about gas purity levels in terms
of a number of nines: a five nines (N5) purity, for example, is 99.999%
pure, which means it has an impurity level of less than 0.001% or 10 parts
per million (ppm),” Strydom explains.
For modern HiQ gases, Afrox now offers six nines (N6) purity levels,
which contain less than 1.0 ppm of contamination. This is the basis for
the HiQ 60 range, according to Strydom. These gas mixtures are designed
to have a shelf life of up to 60 months, as opposed to the previous
generation mixtures that could only be guaranteed for 36 months.
New loader: Tougher than the rest
Original equipment manufacturers Caterpillar launched a new
backhoe loader recently. The 426F2 backhoe loader complements the
existing Cat F2 backhoe loader family.
According to Caterpillar, the all-new 426F2 cab design is more
spacious, allowing the operator to move freely when turning from
one mode to another and providing comfort and ease of operation.
Excellent visibility is ensured with flat tinted glass and a curved front
windscreen. Other cab features include additional storage space and
easy-to-reach controls.
Versatility and productivity rely on consistent power. The 426F2
comes with a 68.5kW Cat 3054C engine, a four-cylinder-four-stroke
engine with direct injection turbo, while the lift loader boasts class-
leading lift capacities and breakout forces, and the parallel lift loader
arms offer excellent forward visibility.
At an operating weight of 7 990kg, the 426F2 is available with a
1.05m³ general purpose bucket with bolt-on teeth.