High-pressure grinding rolls at the
thyssenkrupp Service Centre in Chloorkop,
Johannesburg, which carries out service,
repair, and remanufacturing on their
products, components, and machines.
South Africa
is the global
thyssenkrupp
group’s centre
of excellence for
drum reclaimers.”
Jacques Steyn,
Sound investments in technology can characteristics, blending requirements,
also drive down costs, make operations and equipment compatibility must first
safer, and offer a well-defined response be taken into account.
to environmental needs. The upward
“To ensure that all these factors
movement in the uptake of bulk material are dealt with to achieve maximum
handling products and technologies in efficiencies, demands detailed planning
recent years is indicative of this market and organisation. This does not
drive. “Large capital investments made commence at the pit face as one might
on equipment has to be weighed think, but at the end of the process; in
general manager: against operation efficiency and other words, working backwards from
Materials Handling productivity to achieve profitability. So, port side to pit side. The material quality
we do not just supply equipment. We required by the end user, the ship-loading
look at the operation holistically, from capacities demanded by the port, as well
an in-depth analysis of the customer’s as the size and loading requirements of
requirements to the design and individual ships, must all be factored in.
development of an optimised system,” Multiple factors along each step in the
explains Nellessen. process must also be analysed to ensure
Correct equipment selection
is crucial
that during equipment selection, one
must bear in mind that a mine is not static
and is constantly evolving. As the seam
manager: Materials Handling, correct progresses, it moves further away, so the
equipment selection is vital. He points equipment must also be able to handle
out that to ensure best equipment these changing dynamics to ensure
choice, numerous interrelated factors continued efficiencies.
yield, capacity requirements, material
www.plantonline.co.za
best-fit equipment selection.” Steyn adds
According to Jacques Steyn, general
such as operation lifespan, mine
PRODUCT FOCUS
According to Steyn, material types play
a pivotal role when selecting suitable
FEBRUARY 2019
19