Following are some case studies that highlight several projects we have undertaken.
Case Study 1
Design and detail an 8mtpa primary and secondary crushing plant for a contract crushing company partnered to a minor iron ore supplier.
This crushing circuit utilised many innovative designs for chutes and skirts, dramatically reducing the amount of wear experienced, plus improving change out times and accessibility when inspection or change out was deemed necessary.
We completed the detail drawings for shop fabrication level and only received two phone calls during the assembly phase and both of these were for minor fabrication errors – not drawing error.
About two years after completion of the project, our client also asked us to design, engineer and detail an additional access bridge to allow an excavator with rock breaker fitted access to the top of the jaw crusher due to the ‘slabby’ material blocking the crusher.
Case Study 2
A large iron ore company was concerned with the amount of wear occurring in several of their chutes. This high level of wear necessitated shutting down the process about every four weeks to replace liners.
We developed a number of linerless chutes to virtually eliminate shut downs due to wear issues in these chutes. These chutes had the additional benefit of better belt loading, improving the efficiency of the skirts and conveyor tracking.
Case Study 3
A ‘Junior Miner’ required a pro-active design company to function as their ‘on call’ engineering department and assist them with a number of process improvements and plant upgrades to not only improve their thru-put, but also reduce wear on several chutes and address some personnel access and safety issues within the plant.
Some of the projects undertaken for them were:
- An additional conditioning circuit using a 2nd hand conditioning tank and new float cell, pumps and systems, along with associated civil and structural works, plus inspection and modification to second hand tank.
- An additional cyclone circuit for the Sag Mill using second hand cyclones, but new underflow and overflow hoppers, pipework and structural – including a new canter levered platform to access and service this system.
- A float circuit expansion, requiring an extension to the second floor, plus a mono-rail for installation and maintenance.
- Design of transfer to incorporate the installation of a stacker, including modification to an existing transfer station and associated link conveyor, diverter gate and access platforms.
- Re-design and manufacture of both the Sag Mill and Ball Mill feed chutes and liner systems to improve reliability and liner wear.
- The supply of ongoing spares for many different parts of the mining process.
- Design and manufacture of a ball dispensing station to allow filling and operation from a reasonable working height.
- Modifications to a number of platforms and stairs to give improved access and/or to integrate the various plant modifications.
Case Study 4
A large gold mine was experiencing high wear in a number of chutes, including a poorly performing stockpile recovery chute and an elevated rotating stacker chute.
Working in conjunction with our engineering team we developed a number of linerless chutes, including an insert into the existing stockpile chute, this reduced the amount of wear, whilst improving the control and flow onto the stockpile recovery conveyor.
Case Study 5
Reverse engineering a replacement “Elution Vessel” due to poor and missing documentation. This included a confirmation site measure.
