As part of Weir’s mission to support its customers’ sustainability efforts, Wear Reduction Technology (WRT®) upgrades have made both WARMAN® and ENVIROTECH® pumps more energy efficient and longer lasting.

With Weir’s large installed base of WARMAN® and ENVIROTECH® pumps around the world, the most impactful sustainability strategy was to improve the efficiency of equipment already in the field, according to Marnus Koorts, General Manager Original Equipment at Weir. The best place to start was with its renowned WARMAN® AH® pumps which are used by almost every mine on the planet.

“Our aim was to enhance our current models to deliver superior wear life and energy efficiency,” he says. “The WRT component combination does this by allowing upgrades that integrate seamlessly into existing infrastructure without extra capital investment.”

Extended lifespan

Introduced to the African market in 2010, WRT® components deliver an energy saving of 3 to 5% to WARMAN® AH® pump owners and have extended the lifespan of these pumps by from 30% to 50%. This has meant direct on-site cost savings and significantly reduced energy consumption from the large number of these pumps in operation worldwide.

South Africa’s fuel industry has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, with the country currently importing over 60% of its required petroleum products. This is a significant jump from just 22% four years ago a shift that brings added risks to our local economy.

This shift comes as a result of a shrinking domestic refining capacity, and so instead of importing crude oil to refine locally, South Africa is importing the refined product. Sarah Wright, Senior Underwriter at Lombard Guarantee, explains that this evolution calls for more flexible financial instruments to maintain a steady flow of fuel (and cash).

“As we transition to becoming a net importer of refined fuel, fuel wholesalers and consumers in our economy are needing to look further afield for supply and therefore diversify their suppliers, often purchasing from more than one source.”

According to Wright, the challenges go beyond supply risks. “The move to importing refined fuel has added complexity for suppliers and buyers, who have been forced to navigate financial exposure across international transactions,” she says.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is notorious for its harsh mining conditions, with heavy seasonal rainfall and remote mining locations creating formidable obstacles for operations.

One of the biggest challenges mining companies face in the region is managing water—particularly the need for efficient dewatering systems to keep mining sites operational. IPR (Integrated Pump Rental) is playing a pivotal role in overcoming these challenges by providing reliable, high performance dewatering pump solutions specifically designed for extreme environments like those found in the DRC.

Steve du Toit, Sales Manager at IPR, says that mining in the DRC is not for the faint-hearted and robust solutions are needed when tackling heavy rainfall. “The region experiences substantial seasonal rainfall that can lead to flooding, making effective water management a top priority for mining operators,” he explains. “During these times, poorly equipped mining sites can find themselves overwhelmed by water, leading to downtime and costly disruptions.”

IPR’s dewatering solutions, which include Atlas Copco submersible pumps, have proven themselves indispensable in managing water levels. Du Toit says these pumps are known for their durability and efficiency, even in the most challenging conditions, ensuring continuous operation.

• Innomotics, ENECO and Johnson Controls successfully complete collaboration project
• Innomotics’ motors and drives help deliver 25-27 MW of sustainable heat from treated wastewater
• 30,000 tons of CO2 emissions reduced annually, heating 20,000 households

Innomotics, a globally leading provider of electric motors and large drive systems, has played a pivotal role in the realization of the largest heat pump system in the Netherlands. It is located at the municipal wastewater treatment plant in Utrecht. The system harnesses residual heat from 65 million liters of treated wastewater daily, generating 25-27 MW of heat.

This translates to 15% of the district heating demand in Utrecht and Nieuwegein or approx. 20,000 households in total. Thanks to Innomotics’ state-of-the-art motors and frequency drives, the project achieves unparalleled energy efficiency while saving 30,000 tons of CO2 annually. Innomotics supplied:

▪ 8 Perfect Harmony GH180 frequency drives

▪ 8 A-Compact Plus units, with one spare, providing optimal operational flexibility

Integrated Pump Technology is accelerating its drive to enhance customer support with the recent opening of its new service centre in Steelpoort. This strategic move aims to better serve the immediate area, including Burgersfort and surrounding regions, by bringing essential dewatering pump services and stock closer to customers’ operations.

“With a significant installed base of both Godwin diesel-driven pump sets and Grindex submersible pumps in this area, having reliable localised support is vital,” says Jordan Marsh, Managing Director of Integrated Pump Technology. “While our pumps are already accessible through our established distributor network, our strategy is focused on further improving service levels by creating local service hubs. These centres will not only stock equipment but also provide the technical backup to keep pumps performing optimally in the field.”

The Steelpoort service centre will undertake a range of services including pump repairs and modifications to meet specific dewatering application requirements. This hands-on capability means customers can minimise downtime and ensure their dewatering operations remain efficient and effective. According to Marsh, the new facility mirrors the comprehensive service offering available at the company’s main service centre at its Jet Park head office.

“Keeping an inventory of new pumps and critical spare parts close to where they are needed is a key part of our customer-centric focus,” Marsh explains. “We know how important it is to deliver a quick turnaround when customers require dewatering pump solutions as well as when repairs and maintenance are needed, and this centre allows us to meet that need. It means more uptime for our customers and less waiting for vital equipment or components.”

In a milestone project, Pilot Crushtec International has commissioned its largest ever Pilot Modular plant. Supplied to produce five aggregate sizes for an existing customer in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the plant is designed to produce 350 tonnes per hour (tph), with a peak design capacity of 440 tph to account for peaks and troughs in day-to-day production.

Having operated a Pilot Modular plant for a long time, a major aggregates producer in the DRC looked no further than Pilot Crushtec when it was time to invest in another greenfields plant to meet the rising demand for aggregates in the DRC. This comes on the back of ongoing private mine expansion projects, coupled with government infrastructure development projects aimed at closing the infrastructure gap in the country.

From the onset, says Wayne Warren, Sales Manager Africa at Pilot Crushtec, the customer was well aware of the benefits of the Pilot Modular solution, ranging from lower capital and operational costs compared with bespoke plants to quick lead times and flexibility to operational changes. Pilot Modular systems are readily available modules that can be deployed to site rapidly and operational within a short space of time.

Use of off-the-shelf products

“To provide context, this particular plant was delivered within about four-and-a-half months of its order, while the erection, assembly and commissioning took a further three months, highlighting the short lead times for which the Pilot Modular concept is renowned,” says Warren.

In the demanding environments of mining and quarrying, equipment reliability is non-negotiable. Often overlooked, however, is the critical contribution that heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems make to both operator safety and the reliable performance of machinery.

Booyco Engineering, South Africa’s leading specialist in custom HVAC solutions for heavy-duty mobile equipment applications, highlights that poorly performing HVAC units can directly impact equipment uptime and operational efficiency. According to Brenton Spies, Managing Director, HVAC systems in mining vehicles and earthmoving equipment as well as specialised rail and military applications are more than just comfort systems – they are integral to productivity and safety.

“Mining operations often run in extreme heat, dust and humidity,” says Spies. “If an operator is working in a cab where the HVAC system is not functioning optimally, concentration levels can drop, fatigue sets in faster and safety risks increase.”

Design and efficiency

Additionally, electronics and controls inside the cab rely on stable environmental conditions and without efficient climate control these systems can fail or deliver unreliable performance. Booyco Engineering has built a strong reputation as a trusted Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for designing and manufacturing robust HVAC units locally, engineered to withstand the harsh conditions of African mines.

With demand for most commodities – especially for critical minerals – looking strong, mining projects in Africa want to be able to ramp up crushing and screening capacity quickly to make the best of market changes.

According to Frengelina Mabotja, Business Line Manager Screening Solutions at Sandvik Rock Processing, this means harnessing the power of the latest technologies and digital tools. Mabotja points to the company’s next generation vibrating screens – the SK range – which are designed to meet the highest standards of safety and productivity.

“These screens deliver the lowest total cost of ownership, ensuring that customers achieve maximum uptime and reliability,” she explains.

Efficiency

The successful integration of screens with crushers is another key aspect of Sandvik Rock Processing’s capability, given its extensive range of solutions across the process flow sheet. This allows multiple opportunities for performance improvement, as the company understands each aspect of the flow sheet. Precise integration between all the elements of the plant makes for optimal efficiency in crushing and screening, says Tarynn Yatras, Vice President of Sales Area Africa at Sandvik Rock Processing.

As the mining sector increasingly relies on Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) firms for new builds, expansions and plant optimisation, the strategic integration of transfer points in the early stages of project planning is gaining recognition. Mark Baller, CEO of Weba Chute Systems, emphasises that engaging transfer point specialists at the feasibility stage can significantly enhance plant performance and cost efficiency.

“EPCMs play a crucial role in ensuring projects are executed efficiently, but to truly maximise value they need to involve transfer point specialists at the earliest phases,” says Baller. “Too often, transfer points are considered late in the process, leading to costly design alterations and operational inefficiencies.”

He notes that in the past, transfer chutes were often regarded as minor components in plant layouts with more focus placed on high-capital items. However, the industry is now recognising the substantial impact that poorly designed chutes can have on plant performance.

“When transfer points are not optimally positioned or engineered, mines experience a range of issues from material choking and excessive wear to belt misalignment and spillage,” Baller explains. “These problems translate directly into increased downtime, higher maintenance costs and disruptions to the entire process.”

Integrated Pump Technology has been at the forefront of helping mining operations deal with the persistent challenges posed by groundwater ingress, both at surface and underground.

Groundwater can cause significant disruptions to mining activities, particularly during the rainy season, which varies across different regions of Africa. From heavy seasonal downpours to localised conditions in different geographic and geological environments, mining operations need effective dewatering strategies to ensure productivity and safety.

Managing Director, Jordan Marsh explains that, as the authorised distributor of Grindex electric submersible pumps and Godwin diesel-driven self-priming pumps, Integrated Pump Technology provides a range of reliable dewatering solutions tailored to various application.

Global brands

“Both these pump ranges are well-known global brands that are designed to handle the often harsh and unpredictable conditions that mines face across the continent. Mining operations in many parts of Africa, where dewatering is mission-critical, have been quick to adopt dewatering solutions from us, knowing that our team understands the requirements and the support is in place to ensure reliable operation,” he says