Conveyor belts are crucial components in mining and heavy aggregate handling operations, where efficiency and reliability are paramount. However, these systems often encounter significant challenges, particularly in the loading zones where the impact of falling materials can cause severe belt damage. Tru-Trac’s EXHD Dynamic Impact Idler Bed offers a robust solution designed to protect belts and enhance system reliability in the most demanding applications.

COO of Tru-Trac, Shaun Blumberg unpacks the design, benefits and broader impact control capabilities of Tru-Trac’s innovative solution. Blumberg says the challenge of managing impact control in loading zones is a significant one for all materials handling operations. “These transfer zones are the points where materials are introduced onto the belt from chutes, often from considerable heights ranging from 2 metres up to 10 metres.

The force of this impact can lead to various issues including belt damage, material spillage and belt misalignment. Insufficient support and impact control ultimately results in frequent maintenance needs, increased downtime and higher operational costs.”

“Traditional impact rollers, while commonly used due to their low cost, often provide inadequate shock absorption particularly in high-drop applications,” he continues. “Furthermore, poorly designed chutes and under-specified impact beds can worsen the problem.”

With the focus on future-proofing at this year’s Investing in African Mining Indaba, SRK Consulting has emphasised the nurturing of skills as a vital foundation for building inclusion and long-term resilience in the continent’s mining ecosystem.

This is particularly true in West Africa, where gold production was estimated to have reached almost 12 million ounces in 2024. With gold’s extended price rally, potential for industry growth is high – especially in those countries on the Birimian gold belt. The region is also home to other minerals that are critical to the global energy transition, further fuelling Africa’s industrialisation through downstream processing and manufacturing.

What the Indaba highlights once again is that the future impact of the sector depends on how responsibly mining is conducted – from the technical excellence of its engineering through to environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. All aspects of mining are today subject to tighter and more demanding standards, and it is critical that all stakeholders collaborate in continuously raising the region’s skill sets accordingly, according to Ivan Doku, partner and Ghana country manager for SRK Consulting.

Foster local expertise

“We need to be building on the depth of mining expertise that exists in West Africa, which has been developed over more than a century of mining in countries like Ghana,” said Doku. “The region must foster local skill sets in response to changing standards and requirements both from government and clients.”

Testament to Weir’s dedication to shaping the future of mining through knowledge, the company has invested in its new Process and Applications Academy, a training programme designed to give graduates technical insights into processing equipment. Held in April 2024, the inaugural training session attracted nearly 40 graduates.

As with several other sectors of the economy, the mining industry is undergoing a fundamental shift in which technological advancements are redefining the landscape. Consequently, the need for consistent ongoing training and development has never been more critical. With that in mind, Weir’s newly established Process and Applications Academy provides graduates with fundamental technical knowledge of processing equipment.

The Process and Applications Academy represents an extension of the company’s existing Mill Circuit University (MCU) training programme specifically designed for customer-facing personnel at Weir. Its primary objective is to equip these individuals with the requisite technical knowledge to deliver effective solutions to our customers. This initiative has been successfully extended to Weir’s customers in the East African region, with a particular focus on Tanzania, as well as to customers in West Africa.

In discussions with several Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) managers, adds Malunga, the concept of the Process and Applications Academy was introduced. The academy aims to impart essential technical knowledge to recent university graduates, ensuring that they are well-prepared for their professional responsibilities.

State-of-the-art global haulage company Railveyor has appointed Deebar as their official sales representative in South Africa. This partnership is a pivotal step in Railveyor’s global expansion, enhancing its capabilities in this dynamic and resource-rich region, according to Tas Mohamed, CEO of Railveyor.

As a leading supplier of innovative mining solutions, Deebar led the installation of an earlier Railveyor system at Phakisa Mine, a Harmony Gold-owned operation in South Africa. This project exemplified the power of combining Deebar’s local expertise with the advanced technology of the Railveyor system – to deliver an efficient and sustainable materials handling solution.

“We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with Deebar,” said Mohamed. “Their proven track record and deep understanding of the South African mining landscape make them an ideal partner as we continue to innovate and provide solutions that align with the industry’s needs.”

Exploring new opportunities

Through their strategic agreement, Railveyor and Deebar will collaborate on new opportunities across South Africa, offering clients state-of-the-art material haulage systems that prioritize efficiency, sustainability, and safety. The partnership underscores Railveyor’s dedication to forging meaningful relationships that drive progress in the mining industry, she said.

Scooptram ST10 G brings Epiroc’s industry-leading benchmark in safety, productivity, and battery autonomy, to smaller drift sizes. Built on well-proven technology from the field, the underground loader is now added to Epiroc’s leading electrification portfolio, featuring a payload capacity of 10 tonnes – and up to 4 hours of drive time on a single battery charge.

The small Spanish village of Ontinar de Salz (Zuera, Zaragoza) has purchased a new Bobcat L28 small articulated loader, which is being used for landscaping, cleaning and maintenance work in and around the local community.

The L28 model clearly ticked all the boxes, as the village needed a multi-purpose machine, capable of tackling day-to-day municipal tasks, such as sweeping, weeding, breaking concrete, moving loads, and even mowing the soccer field. This can all be carried out with the Bobcat L28 thanks to its low ground disturbance and the specific turf-safe mode that ensures that the Bobcat loader does not damage the grass surfaces.

An All-in-one Solution for Jobs in Confined Spaces

Bobcat small articulated loaders offer an all-in-one solution for jobs in confined spaces, ideal for a small village. The machine’s size and tight turning radius make it easier to work in hard-to-reach areas. Its design makes it highly nimble and easy-to-handle, thanks to an articulation joint that guarantees high manoeuvrability. Despite its compact size, it delivers superior performance and maximizes productivity, due to its high torque engine that makes it a powerful and practical multi-purpose tool for a wide range of applications.

Impressive Versatility Thanks to Attachments

Alfredo Gaspar, the Mayor of Ontinar de Salz, talks about the new machine in glowing terms: “We are very satisfied with the performance of the Bobcat L28 articulated loader. It is the ideal model for our needs because of its compact dimensions, which are ideal for working in narrow streets, and it is very easy to operate.

“It has given us a convenient way of working as it is a highly versatile and multi-purpose machine, allowing us to perform different tasks with a quick change of attachments.”

Bobcat attachments are the key to this machine’s versatility. To allow operators to perform more tasks, the articulated loaders are equipped with the hybrid Bob-Tach system, which makes them compatible with both small and standard attachments.

Using the Bob-Tach mounting system is fast and easy. After lining up the attachment to the compact loader, the operator simply presses a switch inside the cab to engage the wedges into the attachment. It locks into place and keeps the attachment secure, without the need to get out of the cab. In addition, Bobcat compact equipment is compatible with the firm’s original attachments, which further simplifies this step for the operator. This allows operators using this loader in Ontinar de Salz to quickly switch between different tasks on the same jobsite without having to change machines.

Improved Speed, Comfortable Cab and Easy, Intuitive Operation

Alfredo Gaspar continues: “We chose Bobcat over all the other brands because the surrounding municipalities have Bobcat equipment and are very satisfied. The Bobcat L28 loader is used both in urban environments and in the surrounding open terrain.

“There are obvious advantages when it comes to the most common tasks and the end result always lives up to expectations. The Bobcat L28 loader has allowed us to mechanise manual work considerably, which makes a huge difference. It can take over the work of several operators and speeds up the process.

“To get the most out of the machine, we’ve also purchased a series of attachments including a brush cutter, a hydraulic breaker, a sweeper and pallet forks, which are very useful when it comes to maintaining and developing green spaces.

“It’s a very modern machine, with all the safety features that are essential for our operators. The operator cab is comfortable and we haven’t had any nasty surprises, as the fuel consumption has matched the figures on this model’s technical data sheet.”

The operators of the Bobcat L28 loader in Ontinar de Salz appreciate the comfort of the cab and the simple and intuitive handling. They single out its street cleaning performance in particular. And one of the features they value most is the dumping height. The excellent lifting capability offered by the Bobcat L28 loader compared to the machine weight is ideal for lifting and transport operations in tight areas, such as the streets of the old town. Its telescopic arm further simplifies load placement, which is also facilitated by all-round visibility.

Its impressive stability, tipping load and reach make it easy to position loads over ditches and pavements. The open cab design makes working safer, with the 360° visibility ensuring a visual overview of the entire jobsite.

Alfredo Gaspar says: “The most important thing about this machine is that, without a doubt, it is several machines in one. We are very happy with the result, as well as with the excellent relations with the local dealer, JRA Maquinaria. This model gets an excellent rating from us, 10 out of 10.”

For more information about Bobcat products, attachments and services, visit www.bobcat.com

Press contact:

Michael Isherwood

Tel.: +44 20 8723 0161

mikish@btinternet.com

Perkins Engines Company Limited has entered into an agreement appointing Comapire SARL as an authorised Perkins distributor in Morocco effective January 1, 2025.

Based in Casablanca, Comapire has been appointed thanks to its extensive industrial engines experience, strong knowledge of the territory and proven customer relationships. The appointment will see Comapire replace Seco Power as an authorised distributor for Morocco.

Led by managing director Yassine Tabout, who has over 15 years’ experience in the industry, the wider Comapire team has worked with the Perkins brand in Morocco for over 30 years. The team will be bolstered by the addition of a newly appointed service manager who will lead the service department overseeing technical support, coordinating field service technicians and service product support representatives.

Jaz Gill, vice president of global sales, marketing, service and parts at Perkins said: “I’m very pleased our Perkins-powered customers in Morocco will be supported by Comapire going forward. I’m confident that Perkins end users will receive an exceptional level of service and support, as Comapire’s highly experienced team have worked with engines for many years. The investment they have made in their new facility in Casablanca, coupled with their geographical reach and proven customer engagement will serve them well.”

Mr Tabout said: “The Comapire team is very excited to be taking on this appointment. We are looking forward to delivering our portfolio of service and support solutions to help Perkins-powered customers throughout Morocco. Customers will benefit from our highly trained technicians, our infrastructure set up and our extensive experience with industrial engines.”

Customers can contact Comapire at:

14 – 16 Rue 20 Hay Nour

Zone d’activité Artisanale Sidi Othmane 20700

Casablanca

Telephone: +212 (0)522 59 88 41

Website: http://www.comapire.ma/contactez-nous/

TOMRA Mining’s advanced technology and unique experience in designing and installing large-scale ore-sorting plants were key to the successful completion of the world’s largest lithium sorting plant. The sorting installation, part of Pilbara Minerals’ P680 Expansion Project, has a capacity of more than 1,000 tonnes per hour, and demonstrates the power of TOMRA’s cutting-edge technology to improve overall ore recovery and reduce energy consumption through early and effective waste reduction.

Pilbara Minerals, a major player in the global lithium supply chain, has successfully commissioned the world’s largest lithium ore sorting plant at its Pilangoora Operation in Western Australia. Powered by TOMRA Mining’s cutting-edge sensor-based sorting technology, the facility breaks new ground in hard-rock lithium processing, improving lithium recovery and increasing final product quality, while significantly reducing energy consumption through the elimination of waste early in the process. The new facility is part of Pilbara Minerals’ P680 Expansion Project.

The large-scale project for the design and installation of the new crushing and ore-sorting plant was delivered on schedule, within the deadlines set by Pilbara Minerals.

The successful delivery hinged on the effective collaboration and coordination of the teams from TOMRA Mining, Pilbara Minerals, international companies involved in the manufacturing and shipping of components, and multiple contractors on the work site.

“The success of this project is a testament to TOMRA Mining’s collaborative approach and capacity to deliver innovative, large-scale, high-capacity sorting solutions tailored to the unique demands of our clients, providing continuous support from the testing and design phases right through to installation, commissioning, and beyond,” says Gavin Rech, Area Sales and Technical Manager Australia at TOMRA Mining. “What’s more, the scale and success of this plant have demonstrated to the mining industry the benefits and capacity of sorting.”

Successfully addressing a key challenge: processing ore

One of the challenges in lithium mining is managing spodumene ore whithinn barren host rock. These non-lithium-bearing materials, some with densities similar to lithium-rich spodumene, complicate traditional metallurgical methods and can reduce the efficiency of downstream processes.

TOMRA Mining tackled this challenge with its high-precision sensor-based sorting technology: 10 sorters — 4 TOMRA XRT COM TER for fines, 3 TOMRA XRT COM2.0 for mid-sized particles, and 3 TOMRA PRO Primary Color for coarse-sized particles.

The commissioning of the world’s largest lithium ore sorting plant has delivered a sorting capacity of 1,000 tonnes per hour. The facility’s ability to remove barren material upstream enhances the efficiency of downstream processes, reducing energy consumption by 8–15 GWh annually, and ensuring consistent product quality.

“The ore sorters enable a better utilisation of the resource as they remove contamination from the ore upstream,” explains Gavin Rech. “This means that the wet plant does not use energy, water, and reagents to process barren ore, and that the contamination doesn’t reduce the efficiencies and recovery of the downstream plant. In addition, our sorters’ high availability and efficiency ensure consistent quality feed for the processing plant.”

Collaboration: The Cornerstone of Success

The successful completion of this project owes much to TOMRA Mining’s collaborative approach, which emphasized partnership and adaptability throughout the process.

TOMRA’s involvement began in 2017 with geological assessments and bulk test work conducted at its Sydney Test Center. These tests validated the performance of the sorting equipment under operational conditions and formed the basis of the sorting plant design.

The TOMRA team worked closely with Pilbara Minerals and engineering partner DRA Global on every aspect of the project from equipment testing to plant layout and operational integration.

During installation and commissioning, TOMRA mobilized a global team of specialists from Australia, South Africa, Germany, and beyond to ensure the project met the deadlines. This effort culminated in a seamless ramp-up to full operation.

This hands-on support continues with a 24-month service contract, providing on-site support 7 days a week, 365 days a year to optimize sorter performance and address any operational challenges.

“The global collaboration on this project has been an excellent demonstration of the core TOMRA value set of Passion, Innovation, and Responsibility,” concludes Gavin Rech.

Since the start of 2024, the world’s first energy island has been under construction in the Princess Elisabeth zone, 45 kilometers from the Belgian coast. The six-hectare “Princess Elisabeth Island” will serve as an energy hub from about 2030 and will provide a significant contribution to the sustainable energy supply in Europe. The island is being erected on a total of 23 caissons, which are being manufactured in the North Sea port Vlissingen in the Netherlands since this year by TM Edison, a joint venture of the Belgian companies DEME and Jan de Nul Group. Each caisson is approximately 60 meters long, 30 meters wide and 22 meters high. The Wacker Neuson battery-converter backpack ACBe and various high-frequency internal vibrators IRFU were used in the consolidation of these concrete elements.

Reliable consolidation performance around the clock

Wacker Neuson supports this construction site with its long-term expertise in the field of concrete consolidation. More than 120 powerful high-frequency internal vibrators IRFU are in use, ensuring consistently high and reliable consolidation during the days of work. “Each caisson is poured 24 hours a day over seven to eight days. During this period, it is necessary to continuously consolidate the concrete. We can completely rely on the high quality of advice from Wacker Neuson and the reliability of the products used in this project. Wacker Neuson has found very good solutions for all our technical challenges,” explains Matthias Liefooghe, Technical Superintendent Heavy Equipment, Jan de Nul/TM Edison. Lex van Leusden, Concrete Technology Account Manager at Wacker Neuson in the Netherlands, adds: “In projects like these, close and trustworthy collaboration with the customer is of particular importance. We are proud that we can contribute to the first energy island in the world with our know-how.”

Improved flexibility and safety

Wacker Neuson internal vibrators with an exchangeable battery as a backpack system are also used on this site. The battery-converter backpack ACBe makes it possible to work without a power cable, which means greater freedom of movement for the operator and a high level of operating comfort. The Battery One battery drives the ACBe: a powerful lithium-ion battery, which can be quickly and easily exchanged between the backpacks and further equipment. Liefooghe confirms: “If a battery is empty, it is simply replaced and you can continue to work at the push of a button. As a result, we can consolidate concrete around the clock.” Further benefits: No trip risks due to cables running along the ground or power cables in wet concrete, which significantly increases the level of safety on the construction site.

Support from concrete specialists

Concrete consolidation has a long tradition at Wacker Neuson as the company invented the internal vibrator in the 1930s. The specialists at Wacker Neuson Concrete Solutions are building on this long-term experience and using their expert knowledge to provide advice on complex concrete projects. Customers can rely on precise solutions and professional support on all things relating to concrete consolidation.

As a trailblazer, Wacker Neuson has already invested more than ten years into electrically powered products and markets them under the label of “zero emission.” Lex van Leusden adds: “We are proud to support the construction of the first energy island with our innovative technologies and our expertise. We have set ourselves the goal to accompany our customers as pioneers on the way to a more sustainable future.”

Yaskawa Southern Africa has partnered with Aerosud Aviation, a leading aerospace manufacturer, to implement a cutting-edge robotic TIG welding solution tailored to the exacting demands of aerospace production. The collaboration, highlighting both companies’ commitment to innovation, precision, and efficiency, is poised to strengthen Aerosud’s production capabilities and ensure compliance with stringent Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) standards.

The project, spearheaded by Yaskawa National Project Manager Devon Prinsloo and Aerosud Welding Engineer Nico du Toit, demonstrates the potential of automation and robotics to transform aerospace manufacturing.

Meeting aerospace challenges with advanced automation

Aerosud’s need to scale up the production of aluminium track cans for Airbus A320 aircraft was a key driver for the project. “Airbus is ramping up production on its Single Aisle aircraft, requiring us, as a single-source supplier, to increase throughput,” explains Nico du Toit. “This welding robot solution allows us to repeatedly produce uniform welds on 1.4mm–1.6mm aluminium while meeting OEM specifications with the highest efficiency.”

The TIG welding process, chosen for its superior quality and precision, delivers clean, consistent welds with minimal distortion, essential for aerospace components. The solution integrates Yaskawa’s high-precision robotic arms, Fronius TIG welding systems, and a SERVO-ROBOT Micro-Trac camera system, ensuring accurate seam tracking and filler wire positioning.

“The camera scans the weld seam before welding, enabling precise alignment,” says Devon Prinsloo. “This approach not only ensures repeatability but also reduces waste by minimising errors. Automation in TIG welding enhances safety, precision, and efficiency, all of which are critical in aerospace manufacturing.”

Seamless integration and tangible benefits

Yaskawa’s expertise in robotics and software was instrumental in overcoming the complexities of aerospace welding. Using MotoSim simulation software, the welding process was meticulously planned, reducing programming errors and setup time. Additionally, Yaskawa’s custom solutions addressed challenges such as variable component geometries and maintaining consistency across diverse materials.

The impact on Aerosud’s operations has been significant. “This technology improves workflow efficiency by reducing rework and increasing yield,” notes du Toit. “Automation allows us to maintain consistent quality while scaling up production. This positions Aerosud as a competitive, innovative supplier in the global aerospace market.”

A commitment to innovation

The success of this project underscores Yaskawa’s mission to push the boundaries of automation technology. “This collaboration reflects our dedication to developing solutions that address the most complex manufacturing demands,” says Prinsloo. “Aerospace manufacturing requires precision and reliability, and Yaskawa is proud to contribute to Aerosud’s growth and innovation.”

Looking ahead, the partnership between Yaskawa and Aerosud is set to explore new advancements, including adaptive welding technologies. By leveraging their combined expertise, the two companies are paving the way for further innovation in aerospace robotics and manufacturing.