Worcester aggregates laboratory.
Afrimat’ s technical centre is located in Killarney Gardens, Cape Town. It conducts research on how to reduce water in product mixes on an ongoing basis, in line with the company’ s innovation drive. Some of these products have already been successfully introduced to the market.
Sand shortages still a problem
In terms of sourcing, Afrimat receives the majority of its aggregate supply from its own quarries. Kliprug, Palmiet and Brewelskloof quarries supply the Cape Town operations with coarser aggregates.
“ Our aggregate is generally sourced inhouse unless we are working in remote areas where we don’ t have a quarry. In the Western Cape, 95 % of our aggregates
are sourced locally,” says Paton. Good quality sand is a challenge in the Western Cape— a problem that remains prevalent across the country, says Paton.“ The problem goes hand in hand with reducing water. If you have a good quality fine aggregate, you can produce concrete with very low water requirements. Unfortunately, the good quality sand has been exhausted at a rapid pace over the last couple of years.”
Quarry managers are very much aware of the problem and are constantly looking at manufacturing sand.“ Crusher sand is not quite the same as natural sand; even though it gives you the same grading, it does not behave the same way in the concrete. Natural sand is also cheaper. The industry is moving towards the blending of
Afrimat has worked on a number of projects in the renewable energy sector through its mobile operations, including a job on a wind farm near De Aar.
26 _ QUARRY SA | March 2017