Technology and innovation
Improved safety for quarry applications
The Ranger DXR drill rig can reach places that are off-limits to operators and where other drills fail to operate.
Quarry and construction applications will
soon have improved safety with the Ranger
DX series of surface top hammer drill rigs.
The drill rigs are produced by Sandvik’s
mining and rock technology division.
Ranger DX series of surface top
hammer drill rigs, suited for construction
applications, quarries, and opencast mines,
is now expanded with two new non-cabin
drill rigs based on the Ranger DX600 and
DX800 models, named Ranger DX600R and
DX800R, respectively.
New Ranger DXR drill rigs can reach
places that are off-limits to operators
and where other drills fail to operate.
They essentially offer the characteristic of
conventional Ranger DX series drill rigs,
reliability, and large drilling coverage area,
from the standard 17.6m2 to an optional
26.4m2, in a lighter and more mobile
package — a superior solution for hazardous
conditions where safe and productive drilling
requires advanced radio remote control
capabilities. .
The application of spiral concentration technology to high-value minerals used in cellular
phones and electric cars can potentially have a positive impact economically.
“A number of customers who mine minerals such as copper, lithium, tin, and tantalite
are already benefiting from using spirals to upgrade the value of their concentrate, either
replacing their conventional processing technique or augmenting it,” said Graeme Smith,
application engineer at Multotec Process Equipment.
He said that spirals are proving their worth in helping producers become more
efficient, potentially raising output levels while holding down the cost involved in
downstream processing. This upgrading of the value of mined material also contributes to
lower transportation costs and higher revenues earned.
Recent successes have been enjoyed by copper mines in the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC), Zambia, and Zimbabwe, where Multotec’s spirals are upgrading product
from 1–3% run-of-mine to 20%-plus copper concentrate.
Working with tin producers in countries including Morocco, the DRC, and Spain,
Multotec spirals have been able to raise initial head grades of 1–3% to levels of over
50% tin in concentrate. Treating tantalite from a tailings operation in the DRC, spiral
technology has performed massive bulk reduction and upgrading, while shaking tables
clean the final product
www.miningmirror.co.za
Spirals firmly in control
Spirals can be conveniently containerised for
transport to and commissioning at remote sites.
MARCH 2019 MINING MIRROR [41]