BENEFICIATION
THE KILN IS
THE BOSS
By Eamonn Ryan | All images by Eamonn Ryan
Over the last 30 years, the process of brickmaking has not changed except for minor
refinements. Corobrik’s Midrand factory in Olifantsfontein was state-of-the-art on
construction almost 30 years ago. It still is.
I
ts technology is still as valid today, even
as the group will open another state-
of-the-art 100-million bricks-a-month
plant in Carltonville – the major significant
difference being lower energy consumption
and greater capacity for improved
economies of scale.
The Midrand brick kiln runs 24/7 fed by
two shifts and consuming vast amounts of
energy. Corobrik Midrand factory manager
32_QUARRY SA| JULY/AUGUST 2019
Heinrich von Wielligh, says: “The kiln is the
boss, not me.” It doesn’t recognise public
holidays, Eskom load shedding or indeed
anything not centred around satisfying its
insatiable appetite. All hell breaks loose if
it isn’t constantly fed with material from
the adjacent clay quarry supplemented by
regular truck loads of clay and additives.
The kiln takes 10 days to cool down and
another 10 to heat up – so it’s not as though
someone flips a switch Friday afternoon,
switching it back Monday morning. It’s
never switched off except for critical
maintenance every fourth year.
Energy is the major input in brick
manufacture ‒ nature provides the basic
material used in brick manufacture. The
weather and chemical reactions break up
rocks producing fine-grained earth called
clay. South Africa collectively produces
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