MINING SCREENS
Mineral Resources trialling carbon fibre screens
Australia ’ s Mineral Resources Ltd ( MRL ) says it is always looking at opportunities to work safer , create efficiencies and be more cost effective , and part of this includes looking at carbon fibre technology . In a world first , MRL has successfully developed carbon fibre vibrating screens for its crushing and wet processing plants , which look set to take the place of traditional steel vibrating screens and bring a host of life-of-plant cost and productivity benefits . Constantly on the move as they classify ore into different size fractions , vibrating screens made of steel are prone to fatigue corrosive cracking . In contrast , carbon fibre screens are lightweight , corrosion resistant and have a significantly higher structural strength than carbon steel . With a service life of 3-5 times longer than steel screens the carbon fibre screens offer significant cost benefits , with MRL able to manufacture them inhouse at its own facility in Bibra Lake , Western Australia . MRL has commenced in-field testing , replacing a traditional steel screen with a carbon fibre screen in an existing processing plant at one of its lithium mine sites .
company told IM that the range has been a significant success , with customers valuing the durability and prolonged operational life of the products . “ This results from their unique construction , with no welds in the sidewalls , making them fundamentally different from other screens available on the market .” It now has 15 Infinity-branded screens for dewatering and product sizing classification in the full range . “ It ’ s a range that boasts a lot of unique features , including a fully-bolted construction with patented trilogy side wall technology which reduces the risk of cyclic fatigue failure ,” explains Daniel Webber , Australasia Regional Manager at CDE . “ No cracks mean no welding or patching and , crucially , no downtime to ensure maximum performance and fast return on investment .” Commenting on the maintenance of the range , he says the rail system for PU attachment requires no specialised tooling . “ This means no small individual components are used that could possibly be lost or damaged during the install . The only wearable parts are the mats themselves and their replacement can be carried out safely by a single operator .”
Construction of the screen ’ s VibroCentric drive removes unnecessary weight while delivering significant acceleration enhanced screening performance . “ It ’ s a fully-sealed drive system protected from material and water ingress to ensure maximum equipment life . The bearings , which aren ’ t in close proximity or submerged in fluid like older dewatering technologies , are ‘ sealed for life ’, requiring minimal greasing , and with each B10 bearing ’ s lifecycle in excess of 10,000 hours .”
He says CDE is always innovating and expanding its screening technology . “ We ’ re currently developing to new screens to add to the range . Screening technology is central to every plant we commission , across all sectors , and no two projects are the same which is why we ’ re expanding the range , boosting the flexibility and adaptability of the range to be able to respond to the challenges facing customers .”
He also emphasised the modular design and adaptability of the Infinity screen range . “ It ’ s not an off the shelf solution , we work to adapt it to our customers ’ site-specific or material challenges . The modular design means we can even maintain a customer ’ s own preferred screening media as part of our solution .” The key to improving and adapting CDE ’ s screening technology for each customer or project is its cocreation approach , he says . “ In a way every screen is new , or bespoke , or different in some capacity . Aperture size and shape are extremely important in ensuring maximum screen efficiency and every solution – every screen and its screening media – that we deliver is tailored to the customer ’ s own feed material after extensive sampling and lab testing to deliver the best possible solution to meet their objectives .”
Commenting on the applications of the range , he says its adaptability as result of its considered design and the three principles which underscore the CDE Infinity Screen range . “ Our Infinity Screens exemplify our commitment to engineering excellence , demonstrated through a range that offers superior plant performance to maximise tonnage per hour , durability to protect your investment and enable fast return , and achieving very tight product specifications .” IM
OCTOBER 2021 | International Mining