PRODUCT FOCUS
Finlay
Deployed in an alluvial diamond mining company in the arid Northern Cape , Finlay ’ s dual power screen machine saves water as well as improves efficiencies .
electrical power is already supplied at a fixed cost .”
The Finlay 694 + dual power screen receives the minus 40mm material from the Finlay 883 + screen and screens out the sand that is smaller than minus 3.5mm .
“ On the Windsorton site , we ’ re working through many old mining sites that were worked years ago , and our gravels are situated at very shallow levels with little overburden to remove and stockpile for later rehabilitation and there is subsequently a lot of sand to contend with .
“ On average , we ’ ll screen 1 680 tonnes per shift and of that , a massive 72 % goes to our four 16-foot pans , which shows the screens ’ efficiency . Another upshot of this efficiency is that we can now use closer circuits on our pans , which saves us water . We used to fill our process water reservoir from the nearby Vaal River every day , but due to us taking the sand out of the gravel using the Finlay 694 + dual power screen , we now only draw water for the pans on a Monday . This equates to using the water we used for one pan before , on four pans now , which is really eco-friendly .”
The Finlay 883 + heavy-duty screen returns average fuel figures of 10.4 litres to the hour and the Finlay 694 + dual power screen averages 14.2 litres .
“ To further improve the efficiency of the Finlay 883 + screen , we have fitted an optional external air filter to counter the dust , and air filters on both machines are cleaned at the start of every shift ,” Smit says .
All oversized material , along with the sand , is hauled back to the mining area that is rehabilitated continuously . The sand that is removed by the Finlay 694 + dual power screen has proved to be an ideal growth medium for both Blue Buffalo and Borseltjie grass types , which are planted in accordance with the mine ’ s environmental management plan .
Schoeman points out : “ We use customer feedback from around the world to assist us in improving product lines . Machine downtime has been radically reduced due to the fact that the equipment is no longer subject to trial and error . Machines thereby run on less power , which provides environmental and cost factor benefits , with 85 – 95 % availability becoming the norm . We have upgraded our newer models to decrease the physical interaction required and we have reduced the size of wear components to make them easier to physically handle . In line with this , we have also introduced a range of special lifting devices , certified and weight tested to assist customers in the removal of wear parts . The end result is that equipment availability is greater and the return on investment is much faster .” Product automation is increasing as this provides more equipment availability . It allows for longer operational hours since the predictive elements within the equipment provide for proactive rather than reactive maintenance . Vibration and heat sensors in the bearings send alerts to the operator that something is amiss .
However , automation does not mean that the human element is removed from the process , since one still needs an operator to ensure that the process continues .
In addition to efficiency and high levels of throughput , regardless of the material being crushed , there is a growing trend towards the ability for crusher operation management to be able to remotely monitor and control crushing equipment from a smart device or cell phone . This can provide instantaneous insight into the health of the equipment , fuel consumption idle time , crushing time , and projected tonnages per hour , without having to physically be on site .
“ This allows us to observe trends and look at tolerances so that overall maintenance is reduced . Checkpoints can be immediately addressed , and we can quickly remedy root causes . We believe that the future is in the remote monitoring of equipment ,” adds Schoeman .
Mobile vs static crushers
The debate on whether it is more costeffective to invest in a static or mobile crushing plant can be simplistically resolved if one considers the applications for use and the length of the crushing contract .
Typically , static crushing plants are chosen when a crushing contract is expected to last a number of years or where deposits are extensive . Static is an objective term here , as the plant can be mounted on a skid frame to provide limited mobility .
24
JULY 2018