plants, for example, needs consistent
stockpiles of coal which can be reclaimed
to ensure the process never stops, and
for that, one needs efficient and effective
stackers.
Stackers come in a variety of shapes
and sizes – fixed, travelling, luffing, slewing
and a combination of the options. A
travelling luffing and slewing stacker can
serve two parallel stockpiles to the left
and right of the stockpile yard conveyor.
Controlled remotely, it can build a stockpile
in chevron, cone shell, strata or windrow
stockpiling modes.
German conglomerate thyssenkrupp’s
South African office designs and
manufactures their stackers locally
and the company custom designs the
equipment according to their client’s
specs. The company recently delivered
a 2 000tph, 100m long, including the
tripper, custom-built, stacker to a coal
mine in the Waterberg region of South
Africa. The machine weighs more than
300 tonnes and was designed and
manufactured in South Africa. Their
stackers are deployed across Africa at
bulk mining operations ranging from
Impeccable management of stockpiles using stackers at Kumba’s Sishen iron ore mine.
iron ore to manganese and coal. Steyn
says custom building stackers are
important especially for mines with
existing infrastructure already in place
where factors such as rail gauge specs
and existing stockpile width needs to be
considered. “When designing a brand-
new plant, on the other hand, one can
invest in a standard stacker, which has
obvious cost savings related to design
and overall delivery time” he says.
Maintenance is critical
Stackers are normally designed for the
life of mine. However, Steyn says that
general maintenance is required to ensure
the machine remains in a good working
order. “If these machines are properly
maintained, they will continue working
for 40 years plus, but then you need to
look after them. Part of our customer
service includes a structural inspection
and analysis, which is something clients
often neglect. Clients tend to service
mechanical, hydraulic and electrical
components that can actually be replaced
with relative ease. If a major structural
component on a stacker however fails, it
could be a massive undertaking to replace
it or may even result in the scrapping of
the machine, not to mention the cost of
lost operation.
As the world changes, old equipment
only needs to be upgraded to remain as
relevant as ever. Even if the mechanics
of stackers has not undergone radical
change, the machines are destined to be
with us for many years to come, even as
we enter the fourth industrial revolution.
thyssenkrupp remains at the forefront of
designing and manufacturing stackers
from 50 to 20 000 tons per hour and boom
lengths from 10 to 65m, and despite a
challenging environment, their products
continue to stockpile bulk material across
the continent.
24
INDUSTRY EQUIPMENT: MINING
NOVEMBER 2019
www.equipmentandhire.co.za