During South Africa’s extended national lockdown, aimed at helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Werner Pumps SA is open and able to assist municipalities and contractors to ensure essential services such as sewerage, wastewater treatment and infrastructure maintenance continues.

“At Werner Pumps, our offices and manufacturing facilities have been given to remain open to assist our customers working in essential services, which include sewerage and wastewater infrastructure repair and maintenance,” says Sebastian Werner, Werner Pumps MD. “Proper sanitation is critical to prevent and control the spread of disease.”

This is why the South African government has designated cleaning, sanitation, sewerage and refuse removal as essential services. Werner notes that this includes the maintenance and operation of water-borne sewerage systems, which is what the equipment manufactured by Werner Pumps is designed for. The company designs and manufactures high-pressure jetting and vacuuming equipment, which is also used in other essential service operations, such as controlling fly ash on the coal mines that fuel South Africa’s power stations.

“We are available to service all our customers’ needs, including emergency spare parts supply and repairs, as well as to advise clients and facilitate sales orders for all Werner Pumps products,” he concludes.

Proximity Detection Systems (PDS) started out as a valuable mechanism to warn operators and pedestrians of imminent danger, but today they play even more powerful health and safety roles.

These include gathering and analysing site-specific data that allows management to plan safe and efficient traffic flows. According to Anton Lourens, CEO of leading PDS developer Booyco Electronics, the rapid development of digital communication and sensor technology is opening many doors to higher safety levels.

“PDS can today locate vehicles and personnel in real time, giving mines the ability to recognise patterns in traffic movement,” says Lourens. “From this starting point, traffic management strategies can be developed to keep people away from trackless mining machinery (TMM).”

Importantly, the data collected can identify ‘hot spots’ where potential collisions could occur. This makes a systemic contribution to the mine’s safety, as management can adapt traffic management plans to  create segregation of people from equipment, and equipment from each other. This feeds constructively into the mine’s ongoing risk assessment responsibilities, and provides strong mitigation methods.

“This is giving PDS a vital role in each mine’s code of practice (COP), making these interventions specific rather than generalised,” he says. “Every mine has its own specific traffic conditions and operational requirements, for instance, and PDS helps provide insight into those conditions so that the COP is kept relevant and effective.”

He points to the Booyco Electronics Asset Management System (BEAMS) software suite as an example. This is essentially a central information hub that gives mines the insight they need into operational interactions.

“BEAMS analyses a huge amount of data from vehicles, uncovering important aspects such as unsafe patterns of behaviour,” says Lourens. “This gives management the basis for responding with strategies that mitigate risk and enhance safety.”

He also highlights the growing use of sensor technology in enhancing the health and safety benefits of PDS. These innovations have, as example, added a close-up and more accurate sensing approach to the traditional long-distance detection technology.

“We have designed our CXS range of PDS solutions so that we can readily augment the system architecture with sensors,” he says. “By combining various sensing technologies, we develop flexible solutions that make for safer working environments – as they are specific to customer and operational requirements.”

Lourens reiterates that the application of PDS technology can only be effective when based on a thorough risk assessment. This, he says, will ensure that the mine’s selection of a solution is relevant to their needs and conditions.

“This means a well-planned process that includes careful change management and real engagement with all involved,” he explains. “By taking the required steps, PDS can play a significant role in enhancing health and safety – while providing long-term benefits in productivity.”

Heavy Machinery Appraisal

In the mining sector, situations arise time and again in which assets have to be evaluated. Be it when there is a change of contractor in opencast mining or when technology is to be replaced on a larger scale. Especially when there is a change in ownership or when used construction machinery and transport vehicles are to be replaced, an external valuation or technical inspection is appropriate. Sometimes an appraisal by the supplier of the technology is sufficient. However, it is often the case that each supplier can and wants to evaluate only his own products. It becomes more difficult when someone is needed to evaluate excavators, wheel loaders and mining trucks from different manufacturers and maybe additional processing plants. Here you need an appraiser who has a wide range of experience with different makes. Such an appraiser needs good management as well as technicians in different countries who are also willing to visit a mine in a distant country.

Who can inspect and evaluate mining equipment?

It is good to know that such a service exists. The German company MEVAS specialises in the appraisal and valuation of mining assets and construction machinery. Experienced inspectors are available in various countries and are ready to travel even to remote areas. The team has experience with large excavators, dump trucks, crushing equipment and anything else used in open pit or underground mining. Through the large number of projects already completed, a wealth of experience exists in both the technical analysis of condition and the evaluation of equipment.

How much does a mining-fleet appraisal cost?

The question of the price for evaluating a fleet of mining machines is not so easy to answer. It logically depends on the number of machines and their size. Another important cost factor is the location of the equipment. Which inspectors can be deployed to inspect the machines on site? By what means can the inspectors get into the mine? Are the machines still in use or have they been parked on the side-line for some time? Overall, one can conclude that compared to the value of the machines, the valuation is an insignificant cost factor. When taking over a fleet or buying individual machines, it may well be worthwhile to have the repair costs calculated in their current condition. An experienced valuer can be helpful here.

Why to choose Mevas?

A German management leads since 2006 a team of international inspectors. The team knows about equipment conditions and about valuation. Engineers are familiar with machinery of Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi, Sandvik and many other brands. The range of inspected and valuated items reaches up to PC 3000, ZX 1900 CAT 777, larger rock drills, bulldozers up to D10T and any kind of articulated dump trucks.

Experienced Team of Engineers

Mevas has done a couple of asset audits and valuations for quarry, mining and open pit equipment. Engineers have been in Russia on pipeline projects, in African goldfields, in coal mines in Kentucky and on huge oil plantations in Western Africa. Upon request, some projects and clients for which the company is or was active can be named.

For more details visit the website www.mevas.net please. Sample reports can be provided and the management is available to discuss any requirement for machinery appraisal or inspection.

Grinding Techniques has been a solution-driven manufacturer of specialised abrasive products since 1981, offering a wide range of high-quality cut-off and grinding discs, vitrified and resin bonded grinding wheels, specialised industrial diamond tools and a wide range of surface finishing products. In 2014, Grinding Techniques became part of the global Tyrolit group – a leading manufacturer of grinding and dressing tools.

At the forefront of bringing top quality innovation to application solutions, our extensive range allows a perfect product solution with optimum balance between cost and performance.

With over 90 million SMEs (Small and Medium Scale Enterprises) in Africa, we are perfectly positioned to meet any customer demand when it comes to the supply of premium abrasives.

Choosing abrasives require careful consideration of certain elements to ensure both productivity and profitability. In any economic climate, overall cost reduction is a constant challenge, and product longevity remains a key element. If the need to replace or change products during application is less frequent, costs are not only reduced, but the bottom line is immediately influenced.

With a vast product range inclusive of Tyrolit products we are best suited to service all major industries, including the Manufacturing sector – which is widely viewed as the key to economic growth for any continent, and known as one of the most profitable components of any business chain.

Boasting premium quality with excellent durability, and proven longevity, Tyrolit is undoubtedly the preferred choice when it comes to any cutting and grinding application.

The Tyrolit product range include three tiers, ranging from Basic and Standard to Premium, all offering application tools suited to various materials including metals, concrete, stone, and composite.

The Basic cutting and grinding range are engineered for enhanced performance, with minimised tool wear, while the Standard range not only offers cost-effective application solutions, but premium performance with all the international safety standards customers have come to expect.

For optimum results on solid steel and heavy-duty metals, with excellent stability during application, the Standard cutting disc is the perfect choice.

When it comes to the Premium product line, the absolute best is delivered in cutting and grinding performance, boasting extreme fast cutting rates and excellent stock removal.

Apart from being manufactured to achieve optimum results during application, the Premium Tyrolit Stainless Steel range is free of contaminants to avoid impairments  such as corrosion, pitting  and or a reduction in the fatigue strength to the material.

With a special formula and production method, the Tyrolit non-ferrous range is best suited for a wide range of non- ferrous metal applications as it not only delivers optimum performance with reduced application times but clogging and dulling of the cutting wheel is eliminated.

Available in different diameters and thicknesses, the Tyrolit cutting and grinding range will suit any application, from hand program to stationary operation.

Apart from cutting and grinding solutions, we also carry a range of coated and non-woven abrasives, the latest addition to our product range, to cater for a wide variety of surface conditioning applications.

Tyrolit non-woven abrasives are manufactured from abrasive grains that are fused to a three-dimensional support of nylon fibres. Uniform distribution of the abrasives combined with the softness of the material ensures a constant and consistent finish throughout the working process and product’s lifetime for applications requiring a mirror, satin, or brushed finish. The most important characteristic and benefit of non-woven abrasives is that you can change or manipulate a surface finish without changing the shape and geometry of the workpiece.

With our complete non-woven range, surface finishing has never been easier.

From blending a scratch pattern after stock removal and achieving a matt finish, to reworking the same matt finish to a mirror finish with any of our light de-burring wheels, buffing wheels, or polishing compounds, you can restore and renew any surface.

Our non-woven abrasives offer exceptional product longevity and are available in different sizes and derivates.

At Grinding Techniques, we do not only offer premium quality products to your fingertips, but proven longevity of our product line could boost both output and profit of your business in the long run.

For a bespoke solution, contact us today.

Grinding Techniques – Your application, Our solution

+27 11 271 6400 | info@grindtech.com | www.grindtech.com

Many industrial facilities, mines and power stations rely too much on dust suppression and extraction systems, when the real answer is to improve the flow of material through well designed chutes.

This is the considered opinion of Weba Chute Systems technical director Alwin Nienaber, based on decades of experience in this field. His view is that 50% to 80% of the dust problem around conveyors and transfer points can be resolved by applying the right chute system design and positioning equipment correctly.

“Many of the dust suppression and dust extraction systems that are applied in these applications are expected to do more than they are capable of,” says Nienaber. “A preferable approach is to get the chute design right first, and then apply these other systems to deal with the residual dust load.”

He explains that the advantages of doing this extend well beyond the health and safety benefits. He has seen more than a few situations where the dust created by a poorly designed chute can prevent personnel from moving or working in that area. This often prevents the checking or maintenance of critical equipment during operating hours, requiring more downtime to wait – literally – for the dust to settle.

“In examples like this, excessive dust can reduce an operation’s efficiency, so there is an opportunity to improve overall productivity by fixing the dust problem,” he says. “Other equipment in these areas also gets heavily coated with dust, and needs regular cleaning to ensure optimal performance. Cleaning becomes yet another avoidable cost.”

To address excessive dust creation, a good chute design is based on understanding the physics of material flow – and avoiding uncontrolled velocity and impact. A lack of control over the way material flows will degrade the material and create higher levels of aeration – which is what leads to dust dispersal.

“Our philosophy at Weba Chute Systems is to ensure that material flows more easily and remains consolidated as a homogenous stream,” he explains. “We base our designs on the ‘supertube’ effect, which also allows the controlled transfer of material onto the conveyor belt. Not only does this reduce dust, but it also cuts down on the wear rate of the belt itself.”

Kavango Resources PLC (LSE:KAV, OTC:KVGOF) has told investors that drilling is about to restart on the company’s Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) project area following a scheduled summer break.

Drilling will resume to complete the sixth and final hole in the programme, rounding off a total of 1,640 metres of drilling across all the holes.

The remaining hole, KCBRD006, is targeting a major stratigraphic structure identified by its Controlled-Source Audio MagnetoTelluric (CSAMT) surveying.

“Through our innovative use of CSAMT, Kavango has identified major structures for the first time on our KCB licences,” Kavango chief executive Ben Turney said in a statement.

“Our ongoing drill programme has subsequently confirmed these to be associated with deformation, fluid flow, and alteration. This could be a game changer in exploration for a new generation of drill targets on the KCB.

“Given the large size of our KCB licence package, Kavango is currently working to optimise and prioritise these. Our COO Brett Grist is presently in Botswana with our senior consultants, the results of which work are expected to refine our 2023 KCB exploration strategy”, he added.

Lithium is a crucial component in the switch to renewable energy, but the extraction process of this critical mineral has been costly to the environment.

Lithium arguably plays the most important role in ditching fossil fuels and ensuring the world can move towards a zero-carbon future. The lightweight metal is found in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which are used in most personal electronics and most importantly, electric vehicles (EVs).

The demand for EVs has seen a huge increase in recent years, with companies scrambling to target multiple lithium exploration projects to ensure lithium supply can meet demand. However, in order to ensure the safety of our planet, lithium extraction methods must be done in an environmentally sensitive way that causes as little damage.

Any type of resource extraction is harmful to the planet, with removal of raw materials resulting in oil degradation, water shortages, biodiversity loss, damage to ecosystem functions, and an increase in global warming.

The Innovation Platform takes a look at why lithium extraction is bad for the environment and how companies are ensuring their extraction methods are eco-friendly so that we can meet the ever-growing demand for lithium.

The increasing demand for lithium

 Lithium demand is higher than ever, with calls for at least $42bn in lithium investment over the next six years in order to meet 2030’s goal of 2.4 million tonnes of lithium production per year.¹

 The demand for lithium is so high due to its integral role in EV batteries. EVs are becoming increasingly common on our roads, with over two million vehicles sold in 2018 alone.

The growing interest in lithium has seen the world’s largest-known reserves increase significantly. According to the US Geological Survey, there are around 80 million tonnes of identified reserves globally.²

Lithium is irreplaceable for the high-energy batteries that power portable electronics and electric vehicles. It has a unique position on the periodic table, offering high voltage and high capacity that cannot be replicated by other metals. A select few battery technologies have shown potential to one day replace today’s lithium-ion batteries. These new batteries are based on lithium metal and lithium silicon anodes, which improve performance but also increase lithium usage per kilowatt-hour.

After South America – mainly Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina – the next biggest lithium-producing country is the US, followed closely by Australia and China. In 2019, lithium exports from Australia were reported to have totalled almost $1.6bn.

Lithium is mainly sourced from either spodumene or brine. Australia is home to the majority of hard rock (spodumene) mines, while brine production is concentrated in South America, mainly in Chile and Argentina.

Lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide are the two lithium compounds employed for battery cathode production, with carbonate currently making up the bulk of usage. In brine production, lithium chloride is extracted from alkaline brine lakes before being converted to carbonate.

With this in mind, it is crucial to explore how these different extraction methods impact our planet and ecosystems.

Why is lithium extraction bad for the environment?

 Despite its potential to power a net-zero future, lithium extraction methods can cause great damage to the environment, with the metal often described as the non-renewable mineral that makes renewable energy possible. Extraction of the product causes several environmental defects, including water contamination and increasing carbon dioxide emissions.

New dealerships have been announced for Hitachi mining equipment in both Africa and two states in the US. First off, Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME) has announced a new dealer for customers in Africa. With its headquarters in Belgium, SMT will provide the complete range of Hitachi Zaxis and EX excavators with a targeted focus on the mining market.

Established in 2010, SMT has benefited from acquisitions of a significant heritage dating back to 1946. The company is active in 15 countries in Africa, where it has a total of 27 branches. In addition, it has a presence in Belgium, Luxembourg, and has two branches in The Netherlands, eight in Great Britain and 11 in Texas, USA. Across all regions, it employs 2,000 people. It is already a major mining and construction equipment dealer and in Africa also represents Volvo and Sandvik for example.

“We look forward to developing a strong mining partnership with Hitachi,” says Jérôme Barioz, CEO at SMT Holding. “The mining market is booming in Africa at the moment, with high demand for gold. Our customers are looking for powerful and reliable equipment, with excellent after-sales support and a dedicated mining team. Efficiency is the key to their success.”

Representatives from both SMT and HCME celebrated the announcement at the recent bauma 2022 exhibition. “It’s fantastic to welcome a new dealer to the Hitachi family in our 50th anniversary year and we look forward to strengthening our partnership with SMT,” says HCME President Takaharu Ikeda. “By extending our network with the right partners, we can get closer to our customers and achieve our aim to be a first-choice solution provider.”

In the US, Associated Supply Company, Inc (ASCO), a leading provider of construction, agriculture, and material handling equipment, has been awarded the Texas and Oklahoma sales and service territory for construction and mining equipment by Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas Inc (HCMA).

With over 60 years of experience, ASCO is well-established in Texas with 24 dealership locations supporting many other brands of equipment. “With a proven track record of successful growth, ASCO has a clear vision for the potential of the HCMA products to strengthen their current relationships with customers and build new relationships with the world-renowned lineup of Hitachi construction and mining equipment.”

“We are excited to combine Hitachi’s worldwide reputation as a premier manufacturer with ASCO’s commitment to providing excellent customer service, product knowledge and industry relationships to create new opportunities for both of us,” said Brax Wright CEO, ASCO.

“ASCO looks forward to joining our team with Hitachi, a world class manufacturer. Together we will offer the customer a superior option in our market. We are excited about this new opportunity we have to serve our customers with Hitachi,” said Steve Wright President, ASCO.

ASCO’s other product offering includes CASE Construction Equipment, CASE IH, Doosan, Volvo Construction Equipment, Genie, K-TEC, Gradall, Sennebogen, as well as many other lines of well-known and respected agriculture, construction and material handling equipment.