September2013

Vol 9 No 9www.crown.co.za

MODERN MININGIN THIS ISSUE… Rockwell refocuses on the Middle Orange Niewejaarskraal delivered in 10 weeks Diamond mine set to restart operations Special feature – Materials Handling

CONT

ENTS

September 2013

6

8

22

30

41

MODERN MINING

309.13

MINING NEWS6 Somkhele anthracite mine delivering solid results

6 Waterberg PGM resource grows to 17,5 Moz

7 Continental Coal pushes up production by 15 %

8 Innovative approach adopted on Bokoni vent shafts

9 Mines, state must unravel migrant labour

10 ‘Ultra’-class hauler market exhibits rapid growth

11 Kipoi Stage 2 SX/EW expansion on schedule

12 Ivanhoe to sink bulk sampling shaft at PGM project

13 IMX Resources updates Ntaka Hill mineral resource

15 Namoya on course to commission in fourth quarter

17 Galane Gold experiences challenging quarter

18 Beleagured New Dawn shuts down its Dalny mine

19 BMR reports on Kabwe Definitive Feasibility Study

ARTICLES

Cover20 Surelock® anchor now offers digital tracking

Diamonds22 Rockwell refocuses on the Middle Orange

30 Rockwell’s latest arrival delivered in 10 weeks

35 Botswana’s Lerala mine set to make a comeback

Copper37 Blackthorn targets 3 Mt/a copper mine at Kitumba

FEATURE – MATERIALS HANDLING41 JV to leverage skills of DRA and ELB Equipment

46 Codelco conveyor system designed for 12 000 t/h

49 Modular precast walls separate bulk materials

51 TKMH has long track record at iron ore mine

52 Chutes ordered for optimisation project

53 High speed impact cradle from Martin Engineering

54 BMG introduces flexible rubber splice

PRODUCT NEWS57 Complete cyclone package ordered for Sentinel

59 High pressure pipe systems from Robor

60 New friction bolt has capabilities of an end anchor

60 Safety rope emergency stop switch from ifm

62 Stability of re-pumpable emulsion cuts costs

63 Pontoons offer cost-effective dewatering

64 Scribante buys tower lights from Pilot Crushtec

509.13

MODERNM I N I N G

COvERAveng Manufacturing Duraset has developed a ‘value-add’ to its Surelock® cable anchor. Known as AnchorTrack®, the new system allows the digital tracking of Surelock® anchors. See page 20 for details.

PublisherJenny Warwick

EditorArthur Tassell

Advertising ManagerBennie Venter

Design & LayoutDarryl James

CirculationKaren Pearson

Subscriptions:Wendy CharlesR410 (incl. Vat) per annumPostage extra outside RSA

Printed by:Shumani Printers

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.

Published monthly by:Crown Publications ccP O Box 140, Bedfordview, 2008Tel: (011) 622-4770Fax: (011) 615-6108e-mail: mining@crown.co.za

Average circulation(January–March 2013)

4 454

Although I was not there to see it, it seems that Anglo American Chief

Executive Mark Cutifani gave a very spirited defence of everyone’s favourite ‘whipping boy’, the South African mining industry, at the gala dinner marking the close of the sec-ond annual Mining Lekgotla held in Sandton in late August. He highlighted the industry’s achievements but also posed the question of whether South Africa really wanted a mining industry.

As he said, mining in South Africa is respon-sible for 19 % of all economic activity in the country with its products indirectly supporting a further sizeable chunk of the economy. “The mining industry may seem old-fashioned to some, but it plays an important role in modern life,” he told his audience. He also refuted the popular perception that there was little benefi-ciation of South Africa’s minerals, pointing out that the size of the downstream beneficiation sector was in fact considerable, accounting for sales of R300 billion and for more than 200 000 jobs. He also noted that 30 % of South Africa’s liquid fuels and 94 % of its electricity output were produced from locally mined coal.

“So importantly, when we discuss the min-ing sector’s contribution to beneficiation and the impact that mining natural resources has on benefitting the nation and the world as a whole, please note that we’re already making an impressive impact,” he said.

On the subject of safety (again, an area where popular perception is out of synch with the real facts), Cutifani – who is also President of the Chamber of Mines – described the progress being made by the local industry as “amazing” and said it had shown better progress in safety improvements than any other single mining region. From 2003 to 2012 the industry’s safe-ty performance had improved by a staggering 66 % per cent, he said, despite South Africa having the toughest operating conditions in the world and despite critical skills shortages, low workforce literacy levels and “a national culture of disregarding safety, as evidenced by our horrific road accident statistics.”

He added that South Africa’s coal safety per-formance was now on a par with the US and also pointed out that ‘Fall of Ground’ fatalities in South Africa’s mines had been reduced by 81 % from 134 in 2003 to just 26 in 2012.

On the downside, Cutifani said South Afri-ca’s mining industry was under threat. “From 2007 to January 2013, the JSE all-share index rose by around 60 % and outperformed the New York Stock Exchange,” he said. “Over the same period, 10 % lower mining production and poisonous investor perceptions weighed on the mining index like a deep sea anchor. The mining index was flat, in nominal terms, over the same period, representing real value destruction of more than 30 %. Let me say that again, the South African mining industry has experienced absolute value destruction in ex-

cess of 30 %, while other sectors have thrived and grown in our new democracy. So, the sim-ple question has to be asked – why would any-one consider investing in a mine in South Af-rica? And the question that goes with it – does South Africa actually want a mining industry?”

The under-performance of mining has a huge impact on our economy. According to Cuti-fani, the country’s average economic growth rate of 3,2 % a year since 1993 could have been 3,9 % if mining had grown at the same pace as the rest of the economy. He also argued that – given South Africa’s minerals endowment – a growth rate for mining of at least 5 % a year should be attainable.

Identifying the reasons for the sluggish mining growth rate, Cutifani said security of tenure was vital: “If you threaten ownership, you threaten everything. We must remove un-certainty and that means the state must stop threatening ownership. Once you stop threat-ening ownership, you will set a starting foun-dation for new investment.” He continued: “Once ownership is secure, investors need stability. We need to stop changing the rules. We have spent years negotiating and agreeing a Mining Charter. We are now confronted with amendments to the MPRDA that would create a whole new set of operating conditions for mining companies. This type of thing is ter-minal for anyone considering investing in our mining industry.”

Cutifani also hit out at the calls for down-stream beneficiation in areas where it made little sense and criticised transformation – not the concept itself but the way in which it was being implemented. “Transformation must be about broad-based economic development and not enrichment of narrow vested interests,” he argued.

If conditions were put in place to allow min-ing to grow at its full potential, the effects on the economy would be profound, said Cuti-fani. “At a 5 % growth rate, the mining in-dustry would be able to increase exports and reduce the savings-investment constraint, and, in so doing, add at least another 100 000 direct jobs to the economy by 2020. These direct jobs would in turn help support a further 160 000 indirect and induced jobs, bringing the total new jobs to at least 260 000, which means that, at the current 10:1 dependency ratio, we could make sure we help another 2,6 million South Africans out of abject poverty.”

Cutifani, of course, is not South African but I understand that he delivered his address with a passion that suggests a 100 % per cent com-mitment to this country. Let’s hope that our Minister of Mineral Resources and other top government officials take note of his analysis of what’s gone wrong with the South African mining industry and how it can be put right. Based on what I’ve seen from the government over the past few years, I doubt that we’ll see any meaningful action but I live in hope! Arthur Tassell

Does SA really want a MINING inDustry?

mining news

6 09.13

In a shareholder and trading update for the year ended 30 June 2013, Petmin says it ex-pects a 92 % increase in expected second half headline earnings per share (HEPS) from an improved performance at its Somkhele anthracite mine located 85 km north-east of Richards Bay in KZN.

Petmin’s like for like profit for the year to 30 June 2013 from continuing operations, be-fore impairments, is expected to be up 18 % to R88 million (2012: R75 million).

The Somkhele mine, an opencast opera-tion which was commissioned in 2007, is de-livering solid results with anthracite produc-tion in the second half of the year up 80 % on the first half. Somkhele now has an installed capacity to produce 1,2 million tonnes of saleable metallurgical anthracite and 480 000 tonnes of energy product from the newly-commissioned third plant. The third plant at Somkhele was successfully commissioned and became fully operational in February/March 2013.

Somkhele production increased for the year to 822 431 tonnes of anthracite (2012: 637 220)

Platinum Group Metals (PTM) has announced an updated independent inferred resource estimate for the Waterberg Joint Venture of 167 Mt grading 3,26 g/t of platinum, palladi-um and gold for a total of 17,5 million ounc-es (Moz) with significant copper and nickel credits.

The resource estimate includes the ‘T1’, ‘T2’ and ‘F’ layers in an extension of the Bushveld Complex discovered in late 2011 by the company in conjunction with its joint venture partner, the Japan Oil, Gas and Met-als National Corporation (JOGMEC), and a private empowerment partner. PTM owns an effective 49,9 % interest in the Joint Venture (JV). The previously announced resource on the JV was 10,3 Moz.

The shallowest edge of the known deposit

on JV territory is on the T2 layer at 130 m be-low surface. The resource estimate has been restricted to 1 000 m vertical as a preliminary economic cut-off. The deposit is 5,5 km long on the JV property and is limited to the north by the JV property boundary. The deposit remains open along strike to the north ex-tending on to prospecting right applications where PTM holds an 87 % effective interest with the balance held by a private empower-ment partner.

Mechanised mining methods, milling and infrastructure requirements for the Waterberg platinum deposit are all being studied as part of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) being conducted by South African engineer-ing firm WorleyParsonsTWP. As announced in May 2013, estimated recoveries for plati-

and 207 238 tonnes of energy product (2012: nil). Second half anthracite production was 528 666 tonnes, up 80 % on the first half production of 293 765 tonnes.

Somkhele’s net profit margins were re-duced to 16 % (2012: 26 %) for the year end-ed 30 June 2013 as sales price increases in a subdued market could not compensate for cost increases.

Petmin has reported a R200 million impair-ment of its investment in the Veremo pig iron project in Mpumalanga.

The controlling shareholders of Veremo Holdings were to fund and develop the project to commence production within 48 months of 30 April 2008. Veremo was to dis-tribute to Petmin the larger of a cash pay-ment of R65 million per year for three years, or 25 % of the profit after tax from Veremo.

The first of the three cash payments of R65 million fell due on 28 February 2013 and this payment has not been received. Petmin says it has entered into discussions with the controlling shareholders regarding the payment due to Petmin.

The processing plant at the Somkhele anthracite mine (photo: Petmin).

Somkhele anthracite mine delivering solid resultsConsidering the state of the South African

and world economies, Petmin has reviewed the project valuation parameters and record-ed an impairment expense of R200 million at 30 June 2013.

Significant progress has been made at Ver-emo and development capital of R112 million has been invested to date by the controlling shareholders and the previous owners. MCC International Incorporation Limited (MCC) was commissioned by Veremo 18 months ago to perform a feasibility study and, during the year under review, finalised its report on the project and concluded that it is economi-cally viable. The Veremo management team are in the process of evaluating and reviewing this report. Furthermore, Veremo is awaiting the approval of a new order mining licence application.

Petmin is reviewing its costs across the group, including the reduction of costs at the corporate office and, as part of this process, says it intends terminating its secondary listing on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in London.

Waterberg PGM resource grows to 17,5 Moz num, palladium and gold (2PGE+Au) in scop-ing flotation tests completed at SGS Labs in South Africa averaged 88 % for the T2 layer and 83 % for the F layer. The resource update and the baseline metallurgical work will form the basis of the PEA due to be completed at the end of 2013.

Step out drilling further northward along strike from the current JV deposit area is to be executed immediately upon final approval of PTM’s completed environmental manage-ment plan over the new extension prospect-ing rights. Drills are on standby at the proper-ty boundary to complete initial investigations on strike. Interpretation of airborne gravity and magnetic surveys by the company pro-vide a clear target for drilling northward over approximately a further 20 km. Multiple bore-holes along strike are planned to be drilled simultaneously.

mining news

709.13

Tanzanian gold miner African Barrick Gold (ABG) has appointed Bradley A Gordon as Chief Execu-tive Officer. He succeeds Greg Hawkins, who has resigned to pursue other opportunities.

Gordon was previously the CEO of Intrepid Mines, a Canadian and Australian listed precious metals exploration and development company with primary operations in Indonesia. Prior to his time at Intrepid, he was the CEO of Emperor Mines, the Australasian subsidiary of DRDGold before it merged with Intrepid. Before that, he held a series

of progressively more senior positions with gold miner Placer Dome.

He holds a Mining Engineering degree from the Western Australia School of Mines and an Execu-tive MBA from INSEAD, France.

ABG has also announced that Marco Zolezzi, who has been ABG’s Chief Operating Officer since September 2010, has resigned with immediate ef-fect to pursue other interests. A search is under-way for his replacement and, in the interim, Gordon will take direct responsibility for the operations.

ASX-listed Continental Coal, the South Afri-can thermal coal production, development and exploration company, has released its preliminary final report for the year ended 30 June 2013 According to the report, Continen-tal’s ROM production from its three operating mines increased 15 % to 2,3 Mt year on year.

Production from the Vlakvarkfontein mine increased 23 % year on year and contributed 1,5 Mt to total ROM production. The mine ex-ceeded planned production and also recorded free on truck (FOT) costs of R140 (US$14) per tonne, which was 6 % below planned costs, comparing well with the R131 (US$13,1) per tonne recorded for the 2012 financial year. Vlakvarkfontein mine is forecast to deliver 1,3 Mt at a FOT cost of R152 (US$15,2) per tonne during the 2014 financial year.

An initial delay during the year in obtain-ing regulatory approval to expand the Fer-reira mine was mitigated by good production results in the latter part of the financial year. Some 559 105 ROM tonnes were produced at a yield of 70,4 % during the year, a significant improvement on the 60,1 % yield achieved in the prior year. Free on board (FOB) costs of R662 (US$66,2) per tonne were recorded, below the South African inflation increase of 3 % year on year. The Ferreira mine is nearing the end of its life and reserves are expected to be depleted by November 2013.

The company achieved the commissioning of its third thermal coal mine during the year when it successfully delivered the Penumbra mine with production of first coal in Novem-ber 2012. Both the continuous miners were commissioned during the year while the key focus up to August 2013 remained on the de-velopment and commissioning of the primary ventilation shaft. This project was completed

Zambian focused manganese company Kaboko Mining Limited, listed on the ASX, has concluded the first sale of high-grade manganese ore from its Mansa mine to the Noble Group under its US$10 million pre-pay and offtake agreement. Noble has agreed to purchase the ore free on truck (FOT) at the mine site and has initiated delivery of con-tainers to site to commence transportation.

Kaboko has rapidly brought the Mansa mine into operation since the completion of the Noble agreement in March 2013. Produc-tion from the mine has reached 5 000 tonnes per month, with a current stockpile of 10 000 tonnes high grade manganese on site and a further 22 000 tonnes of alluvial unprocessed overburden being stockpiled.

A further US$1,16 million has been drawn pursuant to the Noble agreement to upgrade key plant and equipment with a view to in-creasing production to in excess of 10 000 tonnes per month. This includes the addition of a scrubber trommel and jig circuit to be used in conjunction with the semi-modular

during August 2013 and – with the required ventilation now in place – the focus has shift-ed to achieving the planned monthly produc-tion rate of 63 000 tonnes per month by Octo-ber 2013. Notwithstanding the development activities during the year, the mine still man-aged to deliver 143 299 tonnes to the Delta processing facility. Penumbra is forecasting the delivery of 600 000 ROM tonnes during the 2014 financial year at a FOB cost of R530 (US$53) per tonne.

The optimisation work for the De Wit-tekrans project that was completed dur-ing the year has confirmed the potential to

Production from the Vlakvarkfontein coal mine near Delmas increased 23 % year on year (photo: Arthur Tassell).

Continental Coal pushes up production by 15 %

substantially improve the project economics and reduce the capital expenditure neces-sary to bring the project into production. The work identified the opportunity to develop De Wittekrans as a major opencast and under-ground thermal coal mining operation supply-ing domestic and international markets over an initial 30-year mine life. Annual production of 3,6 Mt/a is expected after the initial build-up phase.

The project economic model is being up-dated to account for the changes proposed by the optimisation study and is planned for completion in Q4 2013.

African Barrick Gold appoints Chief Executive

crushing plant, as well as a front-end loader, excavator and other key equipment items.

The scrubber trommel and jig circuit will be used to recover 25-30 % of the high grade manganese nodules that are in the alluvial overburden and will be initially used to pro-cess the alluvial stockpile already on site. This unit will upgrade the manganese ore

mined, particularly from the alluvial overbur-den, and is also able to be used to process material during the wet season. Kaboko anticipates that this capital investment in further mining plant and equipment will see production ramping up to achieve targets of 120 000  t/a, deliverable under the Noble agreement.

Kaboko’s Mansa mine sells its first manganese

mining news

8 09.13

Murray & Roberts Cementation has taken an innovative approach to a project that will see the establishment of two ventilation shafts – one upcast and one downcast – at Bokoni Platinum mine on the north-eastern Limb of the Bushveld Complex in Limpopo. For this project, the mining infrastructure, construc-tion and services company has departed from the conventional blind sinking option in favour of bulk earthmoving and excavation methods.

Project manager Dirk Visser explains that Murray & Roberts Cementation conducted a trade-off study during the tender phase

Caledonia Mining Corporation has appointed Dana Roets as its Chief Operating Officer (COO) with ef-fect from August 19, 2013. He is based at Caledo-nia’s Africa office in Johannesburg.

Roets holds a BSc Mining Engineering degree from Pretoria University (1986) and an MBA from the University of Cape Town (1995). He has over 24 years of operational and managerial experi-ence in the South African gold and platinum in-dustry. He started his career with Gold Fields at the St Helena gold mine as a graduate trainee and progressed via various operational roles from be-ing an underground shift boss to become Vice President and Head of Operations at Kloof gold mine in January 1999 (at which time Kloof pro-

duced over 1 million ounces of gold per annum). More recently, Roets was the COO at Great Basin

Gold, which had gold mining operations in the US and South Africa.

Commenting on the appointment, Stefan Hayden, Caledonia’s President and CEO, said: “I am delight-ed to announce the appointment of Dana Roets as Caledonia’s Chief Operating Officer. Dana will assume responsibility for achieving Caledonia’s operational objectives, which currently include the Blanket mine and its various projects in Zimbabwe. The day-to-day operations of Blanket and its proj-ects will remain in the extremely capable hands of Mr Caxton Mangezi, Caledonia’s General Manager Zimbabwe, and his management team.”

JSE-listed Keaton Energy Holdings Limited (Keaton Energy) has made an offer to acquire Xceed Resources in an all cash deal.

The acquisition will be implemented by way of a scheme of arrangement. Once the transaction is implemented, Xceed will be-come a wholly owned subsidiary of Keaton Energy and will be delisted from the ASX.

which revealed that taking a bulk earthmov-ing and excavation route would be more cost effective. It is also the safer of the two op-tions and will reduce the manpower require-ment substantially, with personnel on site at project peak likely to be less than 45 people.

The upcast 88 m 2East0 ventilation shaft will have a completed diameter of 4,6 m and the 350 m downcast 6West1 ventilation shaft a completed diameter no less than 5,9  m. Both shafts are being constructed using the same method, with variations on the di-mensions and quantities, and the project is scheduled for completion in August 2014.

Innovative approach adopted on Bokoni vent shafts

B125 casagrande establishment for contiguous pile construction at Bokoni.

On both shafts Murray & Roberts Cementa-tion began by excavating and removing the soil overburden from depths of about 24 to 50 m to reach competent rock. Portions of the initial excavation process were carried out si-multaneously and, after the overburden was excavated, contiguous piles were sunk from the bottom of the open excavation to the re-fusal depth.

After piling, a curtain grout pre-cemen-tation method will be applied to a depth of 80 m. A concrete reinforced pile cap will be constructed as a foundation for the raise-bore machines. Once raiseboring has been completed, precast concrete rings, with di-ameters that correspond with the diameters of the shafts, will be installed from the bot-tom of the installation back to natural ground level. Concurrent with the precast concrete ring installation, the previously excavated soil materials will be backfilled and compacted to natural ground level.

A remote shaft lining machine will be used to inspect the shaft and, based on the client’s recommendation, a 100 mm fibre lined Dry-crete shotcrete will be applied to the shaft walls in layers of 25 mm.

The Murray & Roberts Cementation team has been mindful of the wellbeing of the local community, especially when it comes to us-ing community roads where the large earth-moving machinery has to interface with the community’s vehicles. Overburden, being used for backfill purposes during the con-tract, is being stockpiled well away from the local community’s dwellings.

Dana Roets joins Caledonia as COO

Xceed is an Australian based public com-pany engaged in the exploration and devel-opment of coal projects in South Africa and presently has a market capitalisation of ap-proximately A$15 million. Xceed’s primary focus has been the development of thermal coal projects located within South Africa’s premier coalfields.

Commenting on the proposed transaction, Mandi Glad, CEO of Keaton Energy, said: “The acquisition is consistent with Keaton Energy’s strategy of strengthening its posi-tion of becoming a 5 Mt/a coal producer. The Xceed transaction reflects our strong belief in the South African coal industry, and the growth of the group bodes well for Keaton’s continued delivery of records across mining, processing, sales and cash generation.”

The acquisition will increase Keaton En-ergy’s open castable coal resource by more than 100 Mt and, importantly, increase the run of mine coal reserve in the greater Vang-gatfontein Colliery area by approximately 44 Mt. The enlarged Keaton Energy will thus be well on its way to meeting its strategic ob-jective of producing 5 Mt/a of diversified coal products.

Xceed’s most advanced asset, Moabsvel-den, is located 3 km from Vanggatfontein. Moabsvelden offers significant operational synergies as a result of its proximity to Vang-gatfontein, is entirely open-castable with a low stripping ratio and has a mine life in ex-cess of 15 years. Production is targeted for late-2014. Moabsvelden will be primarily an Eskom product mine with an export fraction, allowing Keaton Energy to enter the export thermal coal market for the first time.

Keaton Energy to acquire Xceed Resources

909.13

mining news

Strategies to resolve South Africa’s mining problems will need to include drastic moves towards a settled labour force and a pro-ac-tive dismantling of the migrant labour system.

“The effects of migrant labour are erod-ing the ability of mines to forge sustainable, skilled and contented communities around their operations,” says Roger Dixon, Chair-man of consulting engineering firm SRK Con-sulting SA.

Dixon believes that much of the current labour unrest in the industry can be traced to inappropriate labour decisions taken by mines over recent years, and lack of govern-ment service provision in mine communities.

He says it has become increasingly clear that the mining industry’s policy of offering workers a living-out allowance for accom-modating themselves has had unforeseen negative impacts, and has often exacerbated social problems in areas around mines.

“The migrant labour system has endured, placing severe financial stresses on mine-workers who still try to support a life at the mine and a life back in their home village,” he says. “The social and economic problems that this situation fosters have been key to re-cent unrest, and need to be tackled directly.”

He questions the viability of suggestions from the Presidency’s mining consultative fo-rum that mining rosters be adjusted to allow workers more home visits each year.

“It is mooted that a system of eight weeks on and two weeks off might be helpful, but this is likely to create more problems than it solves,” he comments. “We should really be creating the conditions to allow the workforce to settle in and around the mine environment on a permanent basis, and to focus their lives and future there.”

This was effectively done in the develop-ment of gold mining towns like Welkom, al-beit in a racially discriminatory fashion; new strategies should explore the efficacy of this under today’s conditions of equality and constitutionality. He says the predominance of the migrant system in mining no longer

Botswana Diamonds teams up with Alrosa

Mines, state must unravel migrant labour

makes ethical or business sense in a demo-cratic South Africa.

“Even the current use of terms like ‘labour-forwarding areas’ – to denote where mine-workers come from – seem to imply that mineworkers are just units of production to be ‘sourced’ from the rural areas,” he states.

While Australia’s mining sector uses the ‘fly-in fly-out’ system to hold down accom-modation costs on its remote mines, the neg-ative social and family impacts of this system are well documented. Dixon argues that SA would be wise to avoid following this exam-ple, as the social effects of fatherless fami-lies and disrupted communities are already deeply felt here.

“Clearly the problem is complex, and the profitability and life-span of many mines rules out some of the better options for minework-ers’ accommodation. But the solution needs to involve all stakeholders, including local government, making their contribution toward a long-term strategy for permanent urban set-tlements with secondary industries.”

Roger Dixon, Chairman of SRK Consulting SA.

AIM-listed Botswana Diamonds has an-nounced that an agreement to explore in Botswana has been signed by Atlas Minerals (Pty) Ltd (Botswana), a wholly owned subsid-iary of Botswana Diamonds, and by Sunland Holdings SA (Switzerland), a wholly owned subsidiary of OJSC ‘Alrosa’ of Russia. Alrosa is the world’s largest rough diamond produc-er by volume with 17 producing mines and a highly successful exploration record. The unique exploration technology developed by Alrosa will be applied in Botswana for the first time, says Botswana Diamonds.

The agreement requires equal contribu-tions from each party. The joint venture will utilise and merge the exploration technology available to Sunland with the on ground ex-

pertise and extensive diamond database held by Botswana Diamonds.

Applications have been lodged for licences in the Orapa region. The first ground has been obtained and work is expected to commence in Q3 2013. The initial budget is US$1 million.

John Teeling, Chairman, commented: “We are delighted with this agreement. This is good news for Botswana Diamonds – and for Botswana itself. We have already been work-ing together for over 18 months on selecting the best ground in the Orapa and Gope areas of Botswana and we have multiple targets. More diamond deposits remain to be discov-ered in Botswana. The unique technologies being brought to bear on the Kalahari sands improve the chances of success.”

mining news

10 09.13

The generally higher metals prices of the past decade have tended to lower the economic cut-off grade for most metals, and this has contributed to an overall decline in mined ore grades. This trend has been augmented by the introduction of larger equipment, which has lower unit operating costs. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the evolution of the ‘Ultra’ truck.

In 1996, Komatsu delivered the first of a class of mining trucks that became emblem-atic of the seemingly relentless drive to cap-ture economies of large-scale production at the world’s biggest surface mines. The com-pany’s model 930E (with a 290-t payload ca-pacity) remains a favourite for many of these large mines but has been superseded, at least in size, by haulers with payloads of 327 to 363 t.

According to a Special Report on Trends in Mining Methods, Technology and Equipment by IntierraRMG, until 1996 the largest capac-ity mining trucks in use had rated payloads of approximately 218 t (units in this class have since been upgraded to around 231 t). That changed with the delivery of four of Kom-

atsu’s 930Es to copper mines in the south-western US.

While Komatsu had gained a clear early advantage on its competition, first Liebherr (1998) and then Caterpillar (1999) not only introduced their own Ultra-class trucks but extended the size to 327 t. In 2003, Liebherr extended the capacity ‘envelope’ to 363 t. By the end of 2012, there were more than 3 000 of these Ultra-class trucks (payloads of over 290 t) operating at 100 mines worldwide. This largest truck category now represents the fastest growing segment of the large-scale truck market (defined as those trucks having payloads of 90-t plus).

As IntierraRMG MD Peter Rossdeutscher explains, “Shipments of these Ultra-class trucks achieved early acceptance, grow-ing from just the four ‘prototypes’ delivered in 1996 to more than 100 units in each of 2000 and 2001 (the latter coming while the market was turning down sharply). As a re-sult, shipments (measured in payload term) grew to 24 % of the global market in 2000 before demand succumbed to the protracted 1999-2002 cyclical depression.”

‘Ultra’-class hauler market exhibits rapid growth

A Cat 797F Ultra-class hauler with a 363-t payload capacity is loaded by a Cat 6090 FS hydraulic shovel at the Moatize coal project in Mozambique. More than 3 000 Ultra trucks are in service around the world.

By the end of 2002, the total population of Ultra-class trucks approached 500 units but at only 37 different locations, and they still accounted for just 6 % of the global truck population (this more than six years after the first 930E was commissioned). At that time there were five major suppliers offering at least one model of over 290-t: Komatsu (from 1996), Liebherr (1998), Caterpillar (1999), Unit Rig (2000) and Hitachi (2002).

The commodities boom and mining super-cycle that commenced circa 2003 brought with it a near decade-long growth in demand for large mining trucks (interrupted only briefly in 2009). Global shipments of 90-t plus trucks increased from less than an annual 1 000 to nearly 3 000 in 2007.

The demand for the largest offerings in-creased as well, with the 282 units shipped bringing the Ultra-class population to more than 1 100. But, at that point (more than ten years after its introduction), these largest haulers represented just over 10 % of in-stalled payload worldwide. Comparing their growth during the first five years of the min-ing and equipment ‘super cycle’ (2003-2007) to the five previous years (1998-2002) indi-cates a slower growth rate for the Ultra-class than for any of the ‘more mature’ classes (from 90 to 231 t).

But the situation has changed over the past five years. Despite a sharp contrac-tion during 2009, the overall truck market increased to nearly 5 000 unit shipments in 2012, and this time the growth of the Ultra-class far exceed those recorded by its small-er counterparts. “The 640 Ultra-class haul-ers delivered in 2012 accounted for more than 25 % of delivered capacity, and the 3 004 units in service at the end of Decem-ber last year accounted for more than 16 % of the total truck payload in operation world-wide. Looked at another way, of the addi-tional 3,6 Mt of truck payload in operation at the end of last year, more than 22 % was accounted for by trucks in the 290-t plus range,” concludes Rossdeutscher.

Now in its 21st year, BME’s Annual Drilling and Blasting Conference is to be held on 7 November at the CSIR Conference Centre in Pretoria.

Speakers lined up for this year’s event include US expert Robert McClure, Presi-dent of R.A. McClure, Inc (RAM), who will cover explosive disposal technology, and Randy Wheeler, President of White Industrial Seismology, Inc, who will talk on the use of software in signature analysis and vibration simulation.

Placing the future of the industry in a broader perspective will be Dr Roelof Botha, now a familiar face at this event, giving an outlook on the South African economy.

BME will also offer its own technical in-

sights with Refiloe Kekana – responsible for technical work for bulk clients in the Wit-bank and Middelburg area – talking about the impact of horizontal planar structures on blasting results and Tony Rorke – Director of Blasting Technology at BME – covering the application of Blastmap III.

Deon Pieterse, who is responsible for the Bulk Technical team within BME, will share his insights on the application of emulsion explosives, while Peter van Jaarsvelt, Blast-ing Technology Manager for BME in West Africa, will discuss HEF emulsions in reactive ground.

“As a leading player in the field of blasting in Africa’s mining industry, we know how cru-cial the quality of blasting is to the success

of any mining operation,” comments BME Marketing Manager Hayley Wayland. “We are also aware that declining levels of blasting skills are costing the mining industry millions of Rands annually in lost production.”

It is precisely for this reason that BME hosts this important event each year, as part of the company’s contribution to education and in-formation-sharing in the use of new blasting technologies. As in the past, the event is free to all BME customers and is open to explo-sives users in the mining sector with an in-terest in blasting technology, the environment and current events.

Further information is available at www.bmeconference.com where delegates can confirm their attendance online; registrations are taken on a first-come-first-served basis and space is limited.

Drilling and blasting conference coming up

mining news

ASX-listed Tiger Resources has provided a progress report on its Kipoi copper project located in Katanga in the DRC (where it re-cently recorded 3 million hours without a Lost Time Injury).

According to the company, the Stage 1 heavy media separation plant (HMS) is con-sistently producing copper in concentrate above guidance and construction of the Stage 2 solvent extraction/electro-winning plant (SX/EW) is on schedule. Results from a 14-hole drilling programme at Kipoi Cen-tral assays are awaited and will be used to update the resource estimate planned for the December quarter 2013.

The HMS has been working at near 200 % nameplate capacity, delivering high grade concentrate for sales within the DRC. The stockpile of feed for export now contains ap-proximately 270 000 tonnes or three months of feed. During the next six months, mining will continue to accelerate as the stripping ratio goes below 1 unit of waste to 1 unit of ore. The operating costs are currently con-sistently below US$0,50/lb. Based on grade control results, the operating team at Kipoi is predicting about 40 000 t of copper in con-centrate production for the next 10 months.

The heap leach pads for the SX/EW plant are ready for finishing before placement of the plastic liners. The solvent extraction module is progressing well, with the concrete founda-

Kipoi Stage 2 SX/EW expansion on scheduletions in place and tank walls being formed, while the electro-winning building is ahead of schedule and expected to be completed be-fore scheduled first feed in the June quarter of 2014. Construction of the SX/EW plant contin-ues on schedule and on budget, says Tiger.

The solvent extraction module of the new SX/EW plant under construction at the Kipoi site (photo: Tiger Resources).

Comments Brad Marwood, Tiger’s Manag-ing Director: “I am very impressed with the ef-forts of the entire team at Kipoi who are work-ing well across production, development and exploration. At the same time, we’re continu-ing to break records in safety and environ-mental protection while deepening the rela-tionship with the local communities.”

mining news

12 09.13

Pan African Resources has appointed Ron Holding, currently Pan African’s Interim Joint CEO, as a direc-tor and its CEO with immediate effect. Holding has been intricately involved with all Pan African’s oper-ations since 2009 as Chief Operating Officer, until his appointment as Joint Interim CEO in March this year.

Holding commenced his mining career in 1973 with Gencor and has since occupied a number of se-nior positions, with exposure to the various stages of developing and mining mineral deposits. In addition to deep level gold mining, his experience includes the mining of platinum, diamonds and copper.

TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines (formerly Ivanplats) has announced that it is proceeding with the sinking of a bulk-sample shaft to access the underground Flatreef platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, gold and rhodium discovery at its Platreef project. The project is located on two contiguous rights, Turfspruit and Macalac-askop, which adjoin Anglo Platinum’s Mogala-kwena mining operations near Mokopane.

The Department of Mineral Resources has notified Ivanhoe Mines of its approval of the planned bulk-sampling procedure.

Contractor mobilisation and site prepara-tion for the 7,25-m-diameter Shaft #1 will begin in Q4 2013 and approximately 250 con-tract employees will be working on the shaft once the sinking work begins. The vertical shaft will extend to a depth below surface of 800 m and facilitate the collection of a miner-alised bulk sample in the second half of 2015 to complete the company’s development as-sessment of the Flatreef.

Shaft #1 is expected to cost US$80 million. This is expected to be fully funded from the approximately US$180 million in dedicated funds remaining in Ivanhoe’s treasury from the US$280 million received in 2011 for the sale of an 8 % interest in the Platreef project to a Japanese consortium of Itochu Corpora-tion, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Cor-poration (JOGMEC) and JGC Corporation.

Ivanhoe Mines is working with the Japa-nese consortium on an integrated Flatreef development plan based on an exclusively underground mining operation of up to 12  Mt/a utilising multiple shafts. The study is expected to be completed late this year or early next year.

“This is a very significant development in the life of our South African project,” com-ments Robert Friedland, Executive Chair-man of Ivanhoe Mines. “After 18 years of determined exploration that produced this truly amazing discovery, the sinking of the

Ivanhoe to sink bulk sampling shaft at Platreef project

bulk-sample shaft is a crucial step in moving the Flatreef discovery toward production as a state-of-the-art underground mine. We are at the stage where we need get underground and obtain a bulk sample from the mineral deposit to confirm Flatreef’s metallurgy and mining characteristics to help us finalise our design and operations planning.

“Together with our Japanese partners and our South African employees, we look forward to the day when we can take our stakeholders and investors underground to show them first hand the incredible thick-ness, grades and continuity of the Flatreef platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, gold and rhodium mineralisation.”

South Africa-based Aveng Mining is the sinking contractor for Shaft #1 and has been working on shaft engineering and design since June 2013.

Friedland says that given the Flatreef de-posit’s remarkably thick mineralised zones,

Drill rigs working at the Platreef site. There are currently 11 deployed on the project with four to be added (photo: Ivanhoe Mines).

A cross-section through the Flatreef.

Ivanhoe Mines is committed to ensuring that its underground operations will be at the fore-front of safe, new mining technology.

“Compared to an open-pit mine, the planned mine at Flatreef will have a greatly reduced surface footprint because the major-ity of the mine’s operations, including work-shops, crushers and other infrastructure, will be underground,” Friedland adds.

Lars-Eric Johansson, who is CEO of Ivan-hoe Mines, says that when the shaft sinking begins, the Platreef project will directly em-ploy approximately 550 workers, including full-time staff, drillers and shaft sinking con-tractors. “Ivanhoe will continue to encourage our contractors to employ men and women from our host communities and once the Pla-treef Mining Right is granted, employment at the project should increase significantly as the mine development and construction ramps up,” he says.

Ivanhoe Mines has 11 drill rigs at the Pla-treef project, with 10 rigs drilling metallurgi-cal/geotechnical holes and one exploration rig targeting a potential contiguous, high-grade mineralised zone to the south-east of Flatreef’s Zone 1. The exploration drilling pro-gramme is focused on delineating the explo-ration target – Ga-Madiba – that is believed to represent the southern continuation of the shallow Flatreef underground deposit. The company is adding another four rigs to the exploration drilling programme.

Pan African Resources gets new CEO

mining news

1309.13

Australia’s IMX Resources has announced an updated global mineral resource estimate for the Ntaka Hill nickel sulphide project in Tanzania that comprises the recently updat-ed Sleeping Giant deposit mineral resource estimate, the previously announced Zeppe-lin mineral resource estimate and the exist-ing mineral resource estimates for J Zone, G Zone and M Zone as of March 2012.

“We are pleased to announce this signifi-cant increase in the Ntaka Hill project global mineral resource estimate,” comments IMX Managing Director Neil Meadows. “The more than doubling of the grade to 0,66 % Ni in the inferred resource category is particularly significant and challenges the perception that Ntaka Hill is largely a low-grade depos-it. When the excellent metallurgy of the re-sources is taken into account, they form the basis of a significant project to be developed in the future.

“The mineral resource zones that make up the global mineral resource at Ntaka Hill are now seen to form part of a much larger min-eralised system, which is consistent with the growth of the Sleeping Giant deposit. The company’s current drilling programme at Ntaka Hill continues to focus on expanding the open-pit potential as well as investigat-ing the mineralisation down plunge of the high-grade shoots that have previously been discovered. We anticipate that further drill-

IMX Resources updates Ntaka Hill mineral resourceing will demonstrate that the mineralised zones at Ntaka Hill are likely to form one very large mineralised system potentially also containing a significant amount of higher grade material.”

The total measured and indicated min-eral resources at Ntaka Hill are currently 20,3 Mt at 0,58 % nickel (and 0,13 % cop-per) for 117 880 tonnes of contained nickel,

and the total inferred mineral resources are currently 35,9 Mt at 0,66 % nickel (and 0,14 % copper) for 238 500 tonnes of con-tained nickel.

Editor’s note: As we were going to press with this issue, IMX announced the signing of a JV over its Nachingwea project (which includes Ntaka Hill) with MMG of Hong Kong. The JV could potentially see US$60 million being spent on the project over the next five years.

Drilling underway at the Ntaka Hill project in Tanzania (photo: IMX Resources).

mining news

1509.13

Tsodilo Resources (TSD), listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, reports that First Quan-tum Minerals (FQM) has commenced a major airborne electro-magnetic survey in north-west Botswana. The survey will cover the metal licences held by Tsodilo which form the project area of the strategic partner-ship between TSD and FQM announced on April 18, 2013.

FQM has contracted with Spectrem Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anglo Operations Ltd Management and Logistics and part of

Canada’s Banro Corporation has provided an update on its developing Namoya gold proj-ect in its financial and operating results for the second quarter of 2013.

It says that development activities for the planned open-pit heap leach gold mine at Namoya continued through the second quar-ter of 2013. Completion of the construction efforts are expected in the fourth quarter of 2013, when commissioning is planned to commence.

Orders for all long lead mechanical equip-ment and electrical equipment have been placed and both road and sea freighting to site have commenced. To date, approximately 60 % of the process plant equipment and ma-terial has been delivered to site or is en route to site.

Four local construction companies were mobilised for resettlement construction. All 207 planned houses have been completed. Construction of two schools, a church, and a market have also been completed. All 207 households have been resettled into their new homes. Water has been made available to the resettlement area, with installation of supply pipes from the Kibiswa River completed. The resettlement process was finalised, as expect-ed, at the end of the second quarter of 2013.

The 420 km main access road to Namoya from Uvira has been rehabilitated. The sec-tion from Baraka to Namoya is practically complete with the mountain portion opened up and widened. Ten bridges have been up-graded, increasing the logistics capacity of freighting materials and equipment to the Namoya site.

The engineering design is 99 % complete

Namoya on course to commission in fourth quarter

while the earthworks design has been fi-nalised. Earthworks to the plant site are ef-fectively complete. The heap leach pad and ponds, civil construction, and lining works are in progress and expected to be finished by the end of the third quarter of 2013. Mine pit development has begun at Seketi and stockpiling of low, medium, and high grade ore is in process. Mwendamboko pit mining development is on course and the pit will be ready for mining by the end of the third quar-ter of 2013.

The construction of the Tailings Manage-ment Facility (TMF) access road is 100 % complete and bush clearing of the TMF foot-

Namoya site conveyor base in the mid-ground and stores building in the background (photo: Banro).

print has been completed, as have the bulk earthworks for the return water dam com-ponent of the TMF. The design of the TMF is complete with all geotechnical work and construction drawings. The TMF will consist of an initial 620 000 m3 earthwall at a 12  m height with a storage capacity of two years of tailings.

As a result of scope changes as well as certain delays in the development schedule, 2013 gold production from the Namoya mine is expected to be in the range of 7 000 to 10 000 ounces and the total Namoya project development capital forecast has increased from US$208 million to US$224,3 million.

FQM launches airborne survey over Tsodilo licencesthe Anglo American Group (AAG), to conduct the survey. AAG has invested about US$20 million and 15 years of development effort into the SPECTRUM2000 fixed wing and Ex-plorHEM helicopter systems, in order to af-ford it a significant competitive advantage over that possible by utilising the services of commercial survey companies.

The SPECTRUM2000 system is a highly-successful proprietary airborne electromag-netic technique used to detect metalliferous sulphide bodies at or beneath the earth’s sur-

face. The survey will cover 11 800 line kilo-metres and take approximately two months to complete.

“It is most encouraging to observe the fervour which FQM has brought to this stra-tegic partnership,” says James M. Bruchs, Tsodilo’s Chairman and CEO. “Their explo-ration programme is aggressive, complete and professionally executed. We look for-ward to the results of this programme which is geared towards the discovery of a large orebody.”

Armadale, an AIM-quoted investment com-pany focused on natural resources projects, has announced an initial investment and op-tion to increase its interest in the highly pro-spective, low-cost Mpokoto gold project in the DRC’s Katanga Province.

The project has an indicated and inferred resource estimated at 380 000 oz Au from 7,2  Mt at 1,65 g/t Au at a cut-off grade of 0,5 g/t Au (75 % in the indicated category) and

an exploration target potential of 20-24 Mt at 1,5-1,8 g/t Au. The development of the proj-ect is anticipated to be a relatively low-cost heap leach operation – the ore is metallurgi-cally simple – with operating costs estimated at US$700-900 per ounce. Completion of a scoping study is targeted for the end of 2013.

Mpokoto is located in the western part of Katanga Province approximately 250 km west of Kolwezi. The project was established by

Kisenge Limited, owned by Cluff Mining Lim-ited, in 1998. The licence areas, which include the Mpokoto gold deposit, cover 1 212,2 km2.

Studies completed thus far are propos-ing that the project could mine and treat 750 000 t/a at a head grade of approximately 1,6 g/t. An initial strip ratio for the first four years of production is suggested of approxi-mately 2:1 with lime and cyanide consump-tion being modest.

Armadale increases its interest in DRC gold project

mining news

1709.13

Galane Gold, which is listed on the TSX and operates the Mupane gold mine near Fran-cistown in Botswana, has announced the re-lease of its financial results for the three (and six months) ended June 30, 2013.

The company produced 9 530 ounces of gold during the quarter, an increase of 2  100 ounces compared to Q1 2013. Total ore mined was 223 410 tonnes at an average grade of 1,84 g/t.

Some 137 451 tonnes of ore at a grade of 2,11 g/t were mined at the Tholo pit (Q1 2013 – 84 435 tonnes of ore at 2,30 g/t). As antici-pated, the stripping ratio has declined from 20,34 in Q1 2013 to 9,85 in Q2 2013.

Mining at Golden Eagle – a satellite deposit of Mupane – was suspended as a response to the fall in gold price. Before mining at Golden Eagle was suspended 85 959 tonnes of ore were mined during the quarter with an aver-age grade of 1,41 g/t.

Total ore milled during the quarter was 229 221 tonnes at a head grade of 1,65 g/t.

Galane Gold experiences challenging quarter

The recovery rate at the processing plant was 78,0 %. The rate was mainly affected by the switch to processing predominantly Tholo ore which is known to display sulphide char-acteristics, says Galane. Sulphide orebod-ies are less amenable to cyanidation and, as such, recovery is reduced.

The net loss for the quarter after tax was US$26,08 million after charging: an impair-ment of US$16,86 million against mining and exploration properties; a reduction of US$955 264 in the carrying value of inventory to its net realisable value; and a reversal of a previously recognised US$1,81 million tax asset. The all-in operating cash cost was U$1 449 per ounce (excluding royalties).

Galane says the mine and processing plan is constantly reviewed in relation to gold price to optimise pit design and plant feed. Given the recent declines and volatility in the gold price, the company completed an exercise in Q2 2013 to identify optimum plans at different long term gold prices. This has determined

The Mupane mine’s Tholo pit. Mining activity at the Tholo pit is anticipated to finish in the first quarter of 2014 (photo: Galane Gold).

that the reduction in the gold price will require the company to utilise the following resourc-es for the remainder of 2013 and 2014: Tholo pit – it is anticipated that it will be

providing the majority of the ore feed re-quirements for the mill in Q3 2013. This ore is of a higher grade than other high volume ore sources available to the com-pany at this time and thus will have the ef-fect of increasing the process plant head grade. Mining activity from the Tholo pit is anticipated to finish in the first quarter of 2014 but it is expected that some of the ore mined will be stockpiled for feed through-out 2014.

High grade small deposits – Galane his-torically had identified several high grade small deposits that were intended to be in-cluded in the mine plan in the future when the company had spare capacity both in mining and at the plant. The change in the mine plan has created an opportunity to exploit these resources and as such they have been incorporated into Galane’s plans for 2013 and 2014. The deposits are within the company’s current mining licences and the intention is to utilise the deposits to supplement the feed to the plant to in-crease the head grade. Galane has begun the work of producing relevant mine plans and it is anticipated that the deposits will start providing ore during Q4 2013. “The company managed to improve pro-

ductivity in the quarter and has put itself in a stronger position for future periods,” com-ments Galane’s CEO, Philip Condon. “The new plan that the company has put in place is expected to see the company better posi-tioned to generate positive cash flows in the remainder of 2013 and during 2014 at the cur-rent gold price levels.

“We are also starting to see the benefit of some of the operational improvements we have put in place and we are expecting to see the improvements in the efficiency of the operation resulting in a reduced cost per ounce.”

Boart Longyear has been awarded a con-tract for the exploration drilling services at the Kibali gold mine in the DRC. The contract has an expected duration of five years and a value of up to US$70 million. Drilling is sched-uled to commence immediately.

The Kibali gold mine is anticipated to rank as one of the largest gold mines in Africa. It is located in a remote north-eastern area of the DRC and is being developed jointly by Rand-gold Resources, AngloGold Ashanti and the Congolese parastatal, Sokimo.

During the life of the contract, Boart Long-year will deploy at least seven rigs at the site and provide a variety of drilling techniques, including deep diamond coring, reverse cir-culation and rotary rigs for mine dewatering.

“We have had a long-standing association with Boart Longyear. We value their technical

MDM Engineering has announced that Anglo-Gold Ashanti (AGA) has awarded it a contract for the completion and commissioning of the MWS uranium plant in Stilfontein.

MDM has a long history with the MWS proj-ect having commenced work on Phase 1B in January 2008, which saw a doubling of the throughput of the project from 650 000 tonnes per month (tpm) to 1,28 million tpm, treating the reclaimed tailings for the recovery of both gold and uranium. The Phase 2 module was then completed in 2011 and the plant treated

MDM to complete uranium plantan additional 650 000 tpm of gold reclaimed tailings. Phase 2 also included a reclamation station pumping the material 12 km to a CIL and elution plant, as well as all adjoining in-frastructure. In total, MDM laid 72 km of pipe-line for Phase 1B and Phase 2.

All work for the current award will be carried out in accordance with the original standards and specifications used by MDM during the original implementation of the uranium plant, undertaken by First Uranium before the ura-nium project was stopped and mothballed.

expertise and ability to drill in the most chal-lenging conditions, and, with their help, we have discovered five other world-class gold

Boart Longyear awarded Kibali contract deposits in Africa,” said Paul Harbidge, GM, Exploration for Randgold Resources.

Boart Longyear is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, and is listed on the ASX in Sydney, Australia.

mining news

18 09.13

TSX-listed New Dawn Mining Corp, a junior gold mining company operating in Zimba-bwe, has announced that its 84,7 % owned Zimbabwe operating subsidiary, Falcon Gold Zimbabwe Limited, has shut down its 100 % owned Dalny mine located in the Kadoma re-gion of Zimbabwe, effective as of August 30, 2013.

Dalny produced 1 949 ounces of gold in the quarter ended March 31, 2013, and 2 762 ounces of gold in the quarter ended June 30, 2013 and employs approximately 900 people.

New Dawn says the substantial fall in the price of gold over the last nine months, exac-erbated by the impact of previously reported

DRDGOLD Limited, listed on the JSE and the New York Stock Exchange, has reported a 9 % increase in operating profit to R679,3 mil-lion for the financial year ended 30 June 2013 compared with FY2012, and a consequent 11 % increase in headline earnings per share

(HEPS) to 68 South African (SA) cents.The company has declared a final dividend

of 14 SA cents per share, contributing to a total distribution for the year of 28 SA cents, up 180 % on the previous year.

Gold production for the year was 8 %

Shaft Sinkers Holdings, listed on the LSE, has an-nounced that its subsidiary company, Shaft Sink-ers Kazakhstan LLP, has been selected as the pre-ferred bidder in a public tender for Kazchrome JSC. The project award, valued at approximately US$75 million, is subject to the negotiation and conclu-sion of a contract scheduled to be completed by the end of September 2013.

The project entails the sinking of the Skipovaya vertical shaft to access a ferrochrome orebody at the Donskoy ore processing plant in the Aktujbinsk region, Kazakhstan. The scope of work includes the

sinking and lining of an 8 m diameter skip shaft to a final depth of 1 453 m.

Kazchrome JSC manufactures, supplies, and ex-ports ferroalloys to steelmakers in the Americas, Europe, and Central and South-East Asia.

“We are very pleased to be selected as the pre-ferred bidder on this project as it is in line with our diversification strategy,” says Shaft Sinkers’ Chief Executive, Alon Davidov. “This project intro-duces the Group to a new client and country as well as increasing our commodity basket with fer-rochrome.”

Beleagured New Dawn shuts down its Dalny gold mine

operational problems at the mine, has result-ed in a serious liquidity problem. As a result, the amounts owing to the Zimbabwe Electric-ity Supply Authority (ZESA) in respect of the Dalny mine operations were not being paid on a basis acceptable to ZESA, thus causing ZESA to issue a Notice of Disconnection of electrical services to the mine.

Without electrical power, the company cannot operate the mine and was thus forced to shutdown the Dalny operations. As part of the shut-down, the workforce is being placed on unpaid leave and the company is moving the mine to care and maintenance.

New Dawn says it intends to engage with

the creditors of the Dalny mine operations to craft a plan that will address the mine’s out-standing trade payables, which currently to-tal approximately US$3,1 million. The mine is expected to remain on care and maintenance until New Dawn is able to satisfactorily ad-dress the financial and operational issues that contributed to its shutdown or until a potential sale, joint venture or some other ar-rangement is realised.

New Dawn says that a major underlying factor contributing to Dalny’s current difficul-ties has been the more than two-year delay in the still incomplete approval process for the company’s proposed Plan of Indigenisation. A timely approval of the Plan of Indigenisation had been expected to provide the company with access to sufficient investment capital to fully fund the development of a cost efficient operation at the Dalny mine. “After years of under-development, had an investment pro-gramme in the Dalny mine been implemented and completed as originally anticipated, the Dalny mine would have been positioned to maintain profitable operations in today’s en-vironment of lower gold prices and increasing costs,” says New Dawn.

The company says that all its Zimbabwe subsidiaries are facing negative working capital positions and an increasingly difficult legislative, regulatory and economic environ-ment.

“The result of all of these adverse factors is that there is a significant and growing risk that actions more severe than steps taken so far or currently envisaged may be required, including the temporary or permanent clo-sure of other of the company’s mining opera-tions in Zimbabwe and/or the sale or liquida-tion of the company and its assets in a formal or informal arrangement,” says New Dawn.

The Dalny mine in Zimbabwe, which has been placed on care and maintenance (photo: New Dawn).

Kazchrome selects Shaft Sinkers as preferred bidder

DRDGOLD increases operating profit by 9 % higher at 146 381oz, reflecting an 8 % in-crease in ore milled to 23,54 Mt and a slight increase in recovered grade, from 0,195 g/t to 0,196 g/t.

Revenue increased by 18 % to R2 076,5 mil-lion, a consequence both of higher gold pro-duction and a 9 % improvement in the aver-age rand gold price received to R458 084/kg.

All-in sustaining unit costs, as defined by the World Gold Council, rose by 10 % to R365 569/kg. Key contributors were the costs associated with the mining of additional sand resources at the Knights plant and above-inflation increases in the cost of labour, elec-tricity and reagents. The all-in sustaining costs margin was steady at 20 %.

Capital expenditure was 13 % higher at R361,5 million, due mainly to continued de-velopment of the flotation/fine-grind circuit at Ergo’s Brakpan plant.

Looking ahead to the first half of FY2014, CEO Niël Pretorius says commissioning of the flotation/fine-grind circuit will continue, with a view to achieving completion and sta-ble production by December 2013.

mining news

1909.13

Anglo technical specialist appointed as SAIMM PresidentAnglo American says its reputation for employing leaders in the mining industry has once again been demonstrated, with one of the company’s technical specialists at Technical Solutions: Research, Marek Dworzanowski, having been appointed President of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM). Dwor-zanowski was inaugurated as the new President at the SAIMM AGM on 22 August, 2013.

Dworzanowski was born and educated in the UK and has BSc Honours in Mineral Processing from the University of Leeds. He has worked for various mining and mining related companies during his career, including Impala Platinum, Montan Chemicals, Joy Process Equipment, and Group Five Projects. He has served in a variety of roles, including concentrator metallurgist, development metallur-gist, applications engineer and process engineer.

He joined Anglo American as a senior process engineer in 1999, and has held his current role, which focuses on magnetic separation research and consulting, since 2011.

Berkeley reports on Kabwe Definitive Feasibility StudyBerkeley Mineral Resources (BMR), the AIM-listed resource compa-ny engaged in the processing of tailings dumps in Zambia, says that notification has been received from the Zambia Environmental Man-agement Agency (ZEMA) that the Agency will require an Environ-mental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for BMR’s proposed Washplant tailings and Leachplant processing facility in Kabwe.

This will lead to a single environmental clearance of BMR’s plans for the extraction of all the minerals from both the Washplant and Leachplant tailings at the former mine site. BMR’s 100 % owned Zambian subsidiary, Enviro Processing Ltd, has appointed African Mining Consultants to undertake the ESIA.

BMR has also released details of the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for the gravity separation stage of the Washplant tailings pre-pared by its consultants, Ascot Group Ltd.

The DFS concludes that the project has technical merit with the ability to commence processing the Washplant tailings in a grav-ity separation stage. This will process the tailings to provide a con-centrate of not less than 40 % with an initial zinc and lead metal recovery rate of not less than 60 %. The process will be followed by a secondary leaching stage which will recover further percentages of zinc, lead and other valuable metals known to be in the tailings. A further feasibility study on the secondary Washplant tailings leach-ing stage is in progress.

The processing plant will be built as a mobile unit on a multiple flat-bed chassis which can be sited adjacent to the tailings deposit and relocated as required. It will use gravity separation methods which, industry wide, are used to treat a great variety of materials, ranging from heavy metal sulphides such as galena to coal at par-ticle sizes now down to 8 µm.

The plant has been designed to receive Washplant tailings solids at a feed rate of 30 t/h at an average slurry density of 25 %. Account-ing for material following internal reprocessing circuits provides a peak capacity requirement of just under 52 t/h. The annual produc-tion target is 180 000 t, which is 15 000 tonnes per month input.

Work is ongoing to complete the second part of the process, a leaching plant design, which will allow for the sequential separation of the lead and zinc as well as some of the minor metals. This pro-cess will substantially improve the overall recovery rates, improve the life of mine economics and will also provide a significant contri-bution to the long-term environmental remediation of the site.

Ascot, having completed the DFS for the gravity separation stage of the Washplant tailings, is currently working on a further DFS for the subsequent Washplant tailings leaching stage.

cover story

20 09.13

The Surelock® cable anchor has for many years ranked as one of Aveng Manufacturing Dura-set’s flagship products and is widely used

throughout the South African mining industry. A barrel-and-wedge system, it is designed to give im-mediate support and is normally post-grouted after being pre-stressed. It is manufactured to the required specifications of the customer in terms of parameters such as the cut length of the strand and the size of the expansion shell and is easy to install using trained support installation crews.

Surelock® is part of a comprehensive range of steel rock reinforcement tendons (roofbolts), cable anchors and stand-up support products manufac-tured by Aveng Manufacturing Duraset in its three ISO 9001-2000, NOSA 5-star factories. The products are supplied not only to South African mining opera-tions but also to mines throughout Africa and over-seas in more than 20 countries.

A big selling point of the Surelock® anchor has always been its unique preservation of pretension. “The anchor has a locking-off unit at the collar called the swivel barrel which ensures that it is correctly in-stalled to the required prestressed load,” explains Jaco Rademeyer, Sales Manager: Business Development of

Aveng Manufacturing Duraset. “The way the system traditionally worked was that a shear ring sheared off once the correct tensioning load was achieved, in the process forcing out a rubber ring which provided a positive visual indicator of correct tensioning.”

He notes that the very popular Surelock® system has now been enhanced by adding an electronic tracking device. “Obviously, with correctly installed anchors the quality of the installation is ensured. To facilitate this, the barrel was re-designed to incorpo-rate a radio-frequency identification (RFID) ring to limit possible short cuts during installation. This new barrel is now standard on the Surelock® anchor bring-ing radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to the Surelock® system.”

AnchorTrack® makes use of a shear ring which pops off the barrel once the correct tensioning has been achieved enabling the removal of the RFID ring. The ring has information encoded on it at the time of assembly detailing information such as the date of production, the length and design load of the anchor, the batch and job numbers. At the mine itself, ad-ditional information is scanned onto the ring, iden-tifying the issuer, the installer and the section of the mine where the anchor is to be installed.

SURELOCK® anchor now offers Digital tracking

A Surelock® cable anchor with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) ring fitted. On the right is the scanning unit forming part of the AnchorTrack® system.

Aveng Manufacturing Duraset, which supplies engineered support solutions to the mining and geotechnical industries, has developed a highly innovative ‘value-add’ to its best-selling Surelock® cable anchor. Known as AnchorTrack®, the new system allows the digital tracking of Surelock® anchors and provides mines with the assurance that the anchors have been correctly installed.

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AnchorTrack® allows the digital tracking of Surelock® anchors and provides mines with the assurance that the anchors have been correctly installed.

The RFID rings have information encoded on them at the time of assembly and at the mine prior to installation.

On installation of the anchor, the installer retrieves the tracking ring which is then handed back to the appropriate mine personnel on surface, who scan the ring and retrieve the information (which is stored in a database). If a ring does not scan properly or has been damaged, then there is the possibility that it has been tampered with and the mine can then take corrective measures. The analysis capabilities of the Anchor-Track® software will highlight missing rings and the installer will have to explain the discrepancy in addi-tion to other management information.

Says Rademeyer: “AnchorTrack® is a truly revolu-tionary development and it is the first time that it has been incorporated as part of an underground support system. It provides cast-iron traceability and account-ability at every stage of the rock anchor installation process and reduces the need for paperwork and manual interventions significantly. The information gathered will, of course, allow a mine to easily build up comprehensive data on its rock anchor usage and the quality of the installation. Previously, this would have had to have been compiled manually, whereas AnchorTrack® automates the process.”

The scanning of the tags is a quick and easy pro-cess, Rademeyer points out. “The mine uses a hand-held scanner we supply and scanning takes just sec-onds,” he says. “If a large batch of anchors is being handed over to an installer, the scanner can work in batch mode, scanning multiple units simultaneously. Use of the scanner and the AnchorTrack® system is relatively simple. Some training is required and we will supply this where necessary.”

According to Rademeyer, AnchorTrack® has been trialled and tested at two platinum mines and the system is now ready to be rolled out industry-wide. “Essentially, we have completed phase one of our An-chorTrack® programme – this being the development,

testing and commercialisation of the system,” he says. “We do, however, have further development in mind and for phase two we are looking at establish-ing a central server for AnchorTrack® to which all our mining customers would be connected. Beyond this, we have quite a ‘wish list’ for further enhancements to the system, but it would be premature to talk about these at this point.”

Rademeyer is confident that this added benefit of the AnchorTrack® system will result in the company increasing its already substantial share of the cable anchor market. “The initial reaction we’re getting from our customers is very positive,” he states. “In today’s safety conscious environment, any product or service that enhances safety is likely to be well received and AnchorTrack® clearly fits into this cat-egory. It addresses one of the most important safety concerns on mines – the correct installation of rock anchors using modern technology.”

Rademeyer emphasises that AnchorTrack® is a totally South African-developed innovation. “I proj-ect managed the development of the system over a roughly 18-month period, reporting to Joe Visagie, who is the ‘project owner’ and Technical Executive of Aveng Manufacturing Duraset. I should also give credit to our primary sub-contractor, Krugersdorp-based Bitworx, who have played a key role in turn-ing the system into a reality. OveralI, the entire team can take pride in developing a South African system which is a world first,” he concludes.

The barrel of the Surelock® cable anchor has been re-designed to incorporate an RFID ring to limit possible short cuts during installation.

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The man who can take much of the credit for reversing Rockwell’s fortunes is James Camp-bell, who was appointed as CEO in mid-2011

to turn the company around. A geologist who has spent his entire career in the diamond field (much of it with De Beers, where served as personal assistant to Nicky Oppenheimer and later as GM Exploration), he relishes a challenge but admits that Rockwell’s problems were considerable when he took over. “The company’s acquisition of the Tirisano mine in North West Province was clearly not a success and the operation was beset with labour problems and losing money, as was the Klipdam mine on the Vaal River, at that point Rockwell’s biggest operation,” he recalls. “In addition, Saxendrift was not performing to its full potential. On top of this, the company was under-capitalised, effectively negating any expan-sion potential.”

With the turnaround now in full swing and the company returning to profitability, Campbell gives

credit to his executive team and senior management at mine level for the transformation. He also acknowl-edges the support of Rockwell’s board, led by Dr Mark Bristow. As he says, “For a company of its size, Rock-well has a phenomenal board. Mark himself is a very proactive chairman who – despite the fact that he is a gold specialist – has an amazing grasp of the alluvial diamond mining business and who has given me his full backing throughout my tenure.”

Most of the legacy problems have now been dealt with and Rockwell’s core strategy going forward is to grow its Middle Orange River production to 500 000 m3 of gravel a month, in the process maxi-mising the recovery of large, high value diamonds. Klipdam was sold earlier this year to a private buyer (see page 30) and Tirisano was placed on care and maintenance at the end of last year.

Says Campbell: “Despite improvements in opera-tional efficiencies, Klipdam was still making a loss when we sold it and, in any event, only had a two-

ROCKWELL refocuses on the MIDDLE ORANGEThe past several years have been difficult ones for TSX- and JSE-listed Rockwell Diamonds Inc but the com-pany is confident that its new strategy of concentrating on its Middle Orange River properties – and harness-ing innovative technology at its operations – is starting to pay dividends. Modern Mining’s Arthur Tassell recently visited Rockwell’s flagship Saxendrift mine and its new Niewejaarskraal mine (see also page 30) to see for himself the progress the company has made in recent months.

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The in-field screen (IFS) at Saxendrift has been operating at greater than 90 % screening efficiency and at up to 20 % above its design capacity since installation.

Above: Diamonds from Saxendrift – including a 116-carat stone – recovered in August this year (photo: Rockwell).

Left: The new Saxendrift Hill Complex (SHC) plant, which was commissioned in April this year.

year resource left, so it’s fair to say that Rockwell is better off without it. Moreover, its sale has in part funded the development of our new Niewejaarskraal mine downstream from Saxendrift. As for Tirisano, it remains within the group but is now purely a royalty-mining operation with Rockwell earning 12,5 % on revenues. The royalty mining contractors all have huge experience of mining in the Ventersdorp area – where local knowledge is everything – and the royal-ties they are paying have now turned Tirisano into a profitable operation. We anticipate production vol-

umes at Tirisano building up to 150 000 m3 a month within six months.”

Rockwell’s activities are now focused firmly on its Saxendrift property and the Niewejaarskraal mine – with a new mine, Wouterspan, waiting in the wings. Located on the opposite side of the Orange River from Saxendrift (but unfortunately without a bridge to con-nect the properties), Wouterspan was an operational mine which was placed on care and maintenance in 2008 – when the global financial crisis hit – in order to preserve capital.

Rockwell is now looking at what is effectively an entirely new mine at Wouterspan and in May this year published the results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) compiled by Walter Bold, Group Projects Manager, and well-known diamond metal-lurgist, Dr Kurt Petersen, who consults extensively for Rockwell, with some input also from Paradigm Project Management (PPM). The study proposed a contract-mining operation served by a plant with a

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capacity of 1 200 t/h (354 000 m3 a month). The fig-ures presented in the study were very encouraging, with the economic model yielding an IRR of between 45 % and 70 % for a range of scenarios based on the key inputs. The resource at Wouterspan is 37,7 Mm3 (inferred) and 5,02 Mm3 (indicated) at an overall grade of 0,84 carats per 100 m3 – sufficient to support a mine life of at least 10 years.

“We believe Wouterspan has the potential to be a highly successful mine,” observes Campbell. “Previ-ous mining with pan plants was very effective but a new operation incorporating innovative fit-for-pur-pose technologies such as bulk X-ray systems will be more effective still. The problem is the estimated capital cost of US$42 million, which is about three times our market capitalisation. There is little chance of our being able to raise this type of money, so we will almost certainly have to implement Wouterspan in phases, with the first phase targeting 100 000 m3 a month.”

Across the river at Saxendrift, Campbell and his team have – over the past year to 18 months – cre-ated a ‘new look’ operation which is performing very well and where the problem of a relatively limited remaining life has been addressed by the acquisition (finalised in March this year) of the contiguous Jas-per property, where the mine life is a minimum five years. Jasper has been incorporated into the Saxen-drift operation as Saxendrift Extension and is being mined by mining contractor CML Operations (which also mines at Niewejaarskraal).

At Saxendrift proper (if one can term it as such), the big news is that a new operation known as the Saxen-drift Hill Complex (SHC) has been established, which is served by its own processing plant. Although the SHC lies only about 3 km from the main Saxendrift (‘wet’) plant, the topography is such that haulage of the ore to the existing plant would have been less than optimal, given the wear and tear it would have

imposed on the mining fleet and the huge fuel bill that would have been incurred, hence the decision to build a new facility.

As is the case with Niewejaarskraal, Rockwell has built the SHC plant in-house – at a very competitive cost of US$1,4 million – and it was commissioned in April this year. A highly innovative aspect of the new facility is that it is based on two Bourevestnik X-ray bulk sorters and two Bourevestnik single par-ticle sorters with a monthly processing capacity of 100 000 m3. The Bourevestnik machines are of Rus-sian design and manufacture and are distributed lo-

Rockwell CEO James Campbell with Mulalo Ndwammbi, Mining Manager at the SHC operation.

Rockwell’s Komatsu PC2000 excavator in action at Saxendrift Extension.

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cally by Impulelo Technologies, based in Johannes-burg (but with a branch in Kimberley).

According to Campbell, Rockwell is acting very much in the role of pioneer with the Bourevestnik sorters. “We’re using them in both a concentration and a recovery mode,” he explains. “While this has been done in Russia for decades, outside of Russia it is virtually unknown. In terms of Africa, and out-side of Angola (where there are some Russian-owned diamond mining operations which could be employ-ing Bourevestnik equipment), I would say that we’re probably the first to use the Bourevestnik technology for ore concentration. The machines obviate the need for either pans or a DMS and are characterised by a low water consumption – and water usage is definite-ly an issue for us, despite our proximity to the Orange River. Power requirements are also lower. Our projec-tion is that unit processing costs at the SHC will be 30 % lower than if we had used pans.”

In order to more fully evaluate the effectiveness of the bulk X-ray technology compared to traditional DMS and pan plants, gravels from the Saxendrift Ex-tension project were processed in parallel through the bulk X-ray system as well as Saxendrift’s wet plant (which uses pans) for the month of July 2013. Results showed that the SHC plant achieved a grade that was at least 40 % higher than the wet plant, including two rough diamonds exceeding 30 carats.

In another innovation at Saxendrift, Rockwell is us-ing a high G-force in-field screen (IFS) which address-es the problem of the high sand content in the gravel that was impacting the mine’s ability to achieve its production targets. In July 2011, following an evalua-tion of the available technologies to process the sand-rich gravels, which were often damp, the Rockwell board approved the purchase of a new 3,0 m by 8,0 m Dabmar Bivitec screen.

“The performance of the unit – which includes a magnetic scalping plant – has exceeded expectations since it was commissioned just over 18 months ago,” says Campbell. “It has operated at greater than 90 % screening efficiency and at up to 20 % above its de-sign capacity. It has contributed to enhancing pan plant efficiency at the wet plant and also gives us in-creased flexibility inasmuch as we can now mine cer-tain blocks with a high sand content which couldn’t previously be processed economically.”

While Campbell and Rockwell’s Mine Manager at Saxendrift, Wikus de Winnaar, are well pleased with

The Saxendrift ‘wet plant’, which is based on traditional pan technology (photo: Rockwell).

Johan Spaarwater, Plant Manager at the SHC, with one of the Bourevestnik sorters.

the recent performance of the mine, there is still one major problem to be resolved – a mining fleet which is not only ageing (it was acquired in 2008) but which is not optimal for the tasks it has to perform. As Campbell says, “We have machines in a wide range of sizes from at least five different suppliers and our main excavator is a Komatsu PC2000. This is a 200-t class machine which is really an ‘overkill’ for our op-eration – it sometimes loads 40-t ADTs – and could probably be replaced by a couple of front-end load-ers. We even had a PC3000 at one stage but we’ve since sold this off as it was really superfluous to our requirements – and, quite frankly, should never have been purchased in the first place.

“We’re looking at various options with regard to the fleet and we’re bringing in a consulting mining engi-neer who is an absolute expert in the management of earthmoving equipment in an open-pit environment to give us his assessment of what is the best way to move forward. It could be that we will invest in an ex-tensive mid-life overhaul of the fleet or, alternatively, we could sell the fleet off and move to contract min-ing. We’re also looking at putting in an in-pit screen at the Saxendrift Extension operation which would reduce the loads being taken to the plants and which would help to extend fleet life. In essence, what we have in mind is a mobile version of an in-field screen. There is nothing available commercially to meet our

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The Bourevestnik X-ray machines at the SHC processing plant are housed in these containers.

needs, so we will have to develop the unit in-house.”The initiatives taken at Saxendrift together with the

closure of direct operations at Tirisano and the sale of Klipdam resulted in Rockwell returning to profitabil-ity in the first fiscal quarter of this year (to May 31), at least on an operational level. The good performance has continued with record production being record-ed in July and August – indeed in August Saxendrift recovered some exceptional stones, including one of 116 carats and another of plus 30 carats. Saxendrift stones, incidentally, are currently achieving an aver-age price of US$2 432 per carat.

Summing up, Campbell says he believes Rockwell has now turned the corner and is on the verge of full profitability. “Going forward, we have our goal of 500  000 m3 a month from the Middle Orange in sight,” he says. “Saxendrift and Saxendrift Exten-sion can deliver 160 000 m3 a month, SHC a further 100 000 m3 and Niewejaarskraal 100 000 m3 – giving us 360  000  m3. Add to this a first phase of at least 100  000  m3 a month at Wouterspan and we’re al-most there. In terms of carat production, we’re fore-casting around 32 000 carats in FY2014, rising to nearly 80 000 in FY2015 and just short of 100 000 in FY2016. Over the past three or so years quite a few people have written off Rockwell but I’m convinced that we’re about to prove them wrong. The company has returned to health and definitely has a long-term future on the Middle Orange.”Photos (unless otherwise credited) by Arthur Tassell

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Niewejaarskraal is located on the south bank of the Middle Orange 13 km downstream of Rockwell’s flagship Saxendrift operation and

its construction forms part of Rockwell’s strategy to increase its monthly production volumes in the Middle Orange River region to 500 000 m3 a month (see also page 22 of this issue). The property has been in the Rockwell stable since 2009 (it was acquired from Trans Hex as part of the Saxendrift transaction) but cash restraints, among other issues, prevented its immediate development by Rockwell.

The situation changed earlier this year when Rock-well received an unsolicited offer for its Klipdam mine – which was nearing the end of its life – on the Vaal River. “The sale of Klipdam went through very quickly once we received a firm offer – quite literally within a matter of days, with the buyer taking imme-diate occupation of the property,” says James Camp-bell, Rockwell’s CEO. “The purchase price was R23 million, of which R10 million was paid on signature of the agreement. This influx of funds into Rockwell

opened the way for us to develop Niewejaarskraal, as long as we kept a firm rein on capex.

“The need to build the mine quickly was dictated by several factors. For a start, we needed to replace the contribution that Klipdam was making to the group. Secondly, we had an experienced workforce at Klipdam which we wanted to retain and, thirdly, we also had a contract miner in place at Klipdam, CML Operations, whose contract could not be terminated without penalties being incurred. If we could get a mine up and running within a very short period of time, we would address all these issues. Moreover, we only sold part of the Klipdam plant to the pur-chaser, which meant that we had equipment which could immediately be transferred over to a new mine.

“Our Group Technical Director, Glenn Norton, was briefed to put together a motivation for the develop-ment of Niewejaarskraal and he and his team com-pleted this within a couple of weeks,” Campbell con-tinues. “We then submitted a proposal to the board which gave the proposed mine its enthusiastic back-

ROCKWELL’S latest arrival DelivereD in 10 weeks

The Niewejaarskraal plant showing the DMS section.

Is it possible that a reasonably substantial alluvial diamond mine could be built and commissioned within just 10 weeks? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’ as Rockwell Diamonds Inc has recently demonstrated. The company started construction of its new Niewejaarskraal mine on the Middle Orange in April this year and started commissioning it in July. When Modern Mining was on site in late August, the plant was in the pro-cess of ramping up to its phase one capacity of 50 000 m3 of gravel a month.

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ROCKWELL’S latest arrival DelivereD in 10 weeks

Ben Nell (left), Mine Manager at Niewejaarskraal, with Wikus de Winnaar, Mine Manager at Saxendrift

The first blast at the new mine was carried out recently by AEL Mining Services (photo: Rockwell).

ing. The board could have elected to play safe and simply bank the Klipdam proceeds – but that would have militated against our medium-term goal of push-ing Middle Orange River production up to half a mil-lion cubes a month.”

Although it in no way detracts from Rockwell’s per-formance, it must be said that Niewejaarskraal, in a sense, can be considered a ‘brownfield’ development. The property was originally developed by Trans Hex, which constructed a 200 t/h (ROM) DMS plant in 2001 and began full-scale mining operations in 2002. Trans Hex continued to operate at Niewejaarskraal until 2007, when the plant was placed on care and maintenance.

Says Campbell: “We’ve constructed the new plant using elements of the existing DMS but the amount of work we had to undertake was nevertheless formi-dable and has included the construction of what is es-sentially a new ‘front end’ to the facility. We brought in equipment from our Tirisano mine in North West Province, which we put on care and maintenance a few months back, and we’ve also transferred over one of the two recovery units at Klipdam – the other was retained by the new owner. In all, we had around 150 loads of equipment from Klipdam. One of the biggest tasks, incidentally, was the complete rewiring of the plant, which was a very complex operation which we contracted out to a small, specialist contractor.”

Campbell makes the point that companies such as Rockwell do not have the luxury of being able to employ expensive consultants and contractors and says the bulk of the design and construction for Niewejaarskraal was carried out in house. “I think our project team led by Glenn Norton and by Mel-chior van Niekerk, the MD of CML Operations, is to be congratulated on an incredible achievement. I’ve

enjoyed a long career in mining but I’ve never seen a project completed this fast. We’re just a few weeks on from the start of construction and the plant is work-ing well and on the brink of full production. The first diamonds have been recovered, including two stones exceeding 20 carats.”

The primary components of the plant are a vibrat-ing grizzly, a wet double deck screen, magnetics (for the removal of banded ironstone present in the ore), a scrubber, the DMS module and a recovery unit based on Flow Sort machines. “The plant can currently handle 50 000 m3 per month but we intend doubling up later this year,” says Campbell. “To do this we

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need a second DMS and we are about to install an ex-perimental unit developed by Paradigm Project Man-agement (PPM) of Johannesburg, a company whom we’ve worked with before and which is well-known for its diamond expertise. It would be a breach of con-fidentiality for me to give any technical details of the unit but suffice it to say that it represents a massive simplification of the DMS concept and has the poten-tial to cut both capital and operating costs quite sub-stantially. PPM is happy to trial it at Niewejaarskraal and it is being transported to the mine at our cost. If it works well, we would obviously consider purchasing it but that decision is some time off still and subject, of course, to negotiation with PPM.”

Campbell adds that Rockwell has the pans from Tirisano in reserve should it require them at Niewe-jaarskraal. On the question of why Rockwell has not opted for Boerevestnik bulk X-ray technology (see also page 22) at the new mine in preference to both DMS units or pans, he says the lead times on the Russian equipment are significant and would have delayed completion of the project and that their

A loader delivers alluvial gravels to the Niewejaarskraal plant.

Another view of the processing plant, constructed in just 10 weeks.

use would have been a more expensive option than utilising the existing DMS.

In contrast to Saxendrift, the Niewejaarskraal deposit will require blasting, as the palaeo gravels which are expected to be the mainstay of operations are overlain by up to 5 m (but generally much less) of calcreted sands and silts. The first blast at the site – apparently the first to be undertaken by Rockwell in several years – took place recently and was car-ried out by AEL Mining Services to a blast design by SRK. Says Campbell: “Generally, our mining con-tractor, CML, will do the blasting but we wanted to get the first blast absolutely right, hence our use of these highly experienced professionals. We antici-pate blasts being carried out every several weeks.”

All but eight of the labour force at Klipdam accept-ed transfer to Niewejaarskraal and the total labour complement of the new mine (including CML’s em-ployees) is approximately 220. Most of the employees live in Douglas, which is about 57 km from the site, and travel to the mine by bus. Heading the Niewe-jaarskraal team is Ben Nell, one of Rockwell’s most

experienced mine managers.Campbell says that Niewejaars-

kraal is absolutely crucial to Rockwell’s future. “In time this could emerge as our new flagship as it has a long life – plus 10 years – and there is scope to expand the present level of production con-siderably,” he states. “The average grade, at 0,74 carats per 100  m3, is better than Saxendrift’s, with the added benefit of slightly bet-ter projected average carat values. So overall we’re talking about a key asset which will be one of the backbones of Rockwell’s produc-tion well into the future.”Photos (unless otherwise acknowledged) by Arthur Tassell

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According to KDL, the acquisition presents it with an excellent medium term development opportunity beyond its flagship Ellendale

diamond project in Western Australia (acquired from Gem Diamonds in February 2013), as well as a strong foundation for its growth ambitions to become a mid-tier diamond producer.

Under the terms of the agreement, KDL will issue a total of 13,56 million new ordinary KDL shares to Mantle shareholders. The agreement is conditional upon KDL undertaking final due diligence and Mantle undertaking a capital restructuring. KDL is aiming to complete the transaction by the end of October 2013.

Lerala is situated 50 km due west of the Martin’s Drift Border Post with South Africa in eastern Botswana. The mine comprises a cluster of five diamondiferous kimberlite pipes (K2-K6) totalling 6,66 ha in size, to-gether with a 230 t/h processing and recovery facility.

The kimberlites were discovered by De Beers in the early 1990s and subjected to limited mining by Diamon Ex Ltd in 2008. Most recently, Mantle oper-ated the mine between February and July 2012, pro-ducing 73 403 carats from 0,26 Mt at 28,2 carats per hundred tonnes (cpht). An independent valuation performed by WWW International Diamond Consul-tants Ltd in 2005 returned an average diamond price of US$57/ct for K3, K5 and K6 and US$45/ct for K2 – using a cut-off of +1 mm.

Lerala has a 15-year fully-permitted mining licence covering an area of 21,86 km². The estimated remain-ing total indicated resource at Lerala is 12,18 Mt at 25,52 cpht including probable reserves of 8,38 Mt at 29,68 cpht.

Prior to mining, Mantle undertook a substantial re-furbishment of the plant and equipment, focusing on critical engineering modifications to optimise process-ing and security. To date, DiamonEx and Mantle have together invested in excess of US$25 million in estab-lishing the plant, mine and infrastructure at Lerala.

Lerala stands ready to be re-commissioned fol-lowing the execution of engineering improvements designed to further enhance recovery and reduce operating costs. Upgrades that will receive priority subsequent to the completion of the transaction in-clude: the purchase of a new diamond sorter to re-place out-dated technology and improve recovery; the purchase of an optical waste sorter to improve the throughput capacity of the plant; and replacement of the diesel power generators with a link to Botswana’s national power grid.

The above improvements, along with required working capital to restart mining, are estimated to be US$10 million. Management is currently reviewing options to fund the restarting costs.

Botswana’s LERALA mine set to make a COMEBACK

The Lerala plant – this photo was taken in 2008 just prior to the commissioning of the mine, then owned by Australian company DiamonEx (photo: Arthur Tassell).

ASX-listed Kimberley Diamonds Limited (KDL) has executed a binding Heads of Agreement to acquire 100 % of the equity in Mantle Diamonds Limited, including Mantle’s wholly-owned Lerala diamond mine in Botswana. KDL says it expects to bring the operation, currently on care and maintenance, back online in 2014 and is targeting a production of plus 400 000 carats per year.

Upon completion of the transaction, KDL will ad-ditionally acquire Mantle’s portfolio of diamond ex-ploration projects in Finland and Canada.

In Finland, Mantle holds 34 % of the diamondif-erous Lahtojoki kimberlite through a joint venture (JV) agreement with Firestone Diamonds plc. The JV provides Mantle with the ability to earn 70 % of the project through further exploration and/or the com-pletion of a feasibility study.

In Canada, Mantle, through its wholly owned sub-sidiary Mantle Diamonds Canada Inc, holds interests in a range of brownfields exploration projects cover-ing a total of 136 000 ha across the known diamond producing Slave and Superior cratons.

KDL’s recently acquired subsidiary, eDiamond Bel-gium BVBA, provides an effective marketing and sales distribution channel for the company’s diamond goods. Additional carats from Lerala’s production will further supplement Ellendale’s existing produc-tion to provide KDL with improved pricing control and volume through this facility.

The company currently markets an average 85 000 carats per annum of Ellendale’s production through the eDiamond platform. Lerala’s production will in-crease the annual throughput through the marketing platform to approximately 500 000 carats per year.

KDL’s Chairman, Alex Alexander, commented: “The acquisition provides KDL with a strong foundation for the company’s growth ambitions, including its objec-tive to become a world class diamond producer – with multiple operating mines, supported by longer term life extension opportunities. We aim to consistently acquire projects with promising prospects at attractive valuations, with significant upside potential that can be realised quickly and cost-effectively. Lerala has all of these qualities and represents an important incre-mental step in the company’s growth.”

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Kitumba is located in west central Zambia, approximately 200 km west of Lusaka, and forms part of the large Mumbwa exploration

project comprising five exploration licences covering just over 1 000 km2. Although Mumbwa lies outside the normally accepted boundaries of the Zambian Copperbelt, the area has numerous historic artisanal copper mines dating from the late 19th century and has been explored for large Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) style deposits since the mid-1990s.

Previously held in joint venture with BHP Billiton (BHPB), Kitumba is now owned 100 % by Blackthorn Resources with BHPB retaining a 2 % production roy-alty following its decision in 2011 to exit from direct involvement in the project.

Following on from the positive drilling results and the Scoping Study outcomes issued in mid-2012, Blackthorn Resources committed to a PFS of Kitumba in late 2012. The company engaged an independent consultant, Lycopodium Minerals, to manage the PFS in conjunction with a number of other specialist con-sultants.

The PFS is based on the geological model com-pleted in April 2013. As of this date, the resources were estimated at 108,9 Mt at a 0,5 % Cu cut-off, comprising 87,6 Mt at 1,17 % Cu of indicated mineral resource and 21,3 Mt of inferred mineral resource at 0,77 % Cu.

Both open-pit and underground mining strategies were assessed by RungePincockMinarco Limited (RPM) as part of the PFS. This assessment ranked a range of development options based on economics, risk and mining development capital.

The assessment demonstrated an underground mining method, with ore extraction using sub-level caving (SLC), to be most appropriate for the PFS. A sublevel open stoping (SLOS) mining method with full cemented paste backfill for maximum ore extrac-tion was also considered, but rejected due to the cost savings associated with sub-level caving.

A 3 Mt/a production rate at a stope design cut-off grade of 2,0 % Cu was chosen as the preferred mining strategy. Contractor mining was selected over owner mining to provide maximum flexibility for mine start-up. This results in a production mine life of 11 years, producing an average of 39 000 t/a of copper.

Preliminary haulage modelling based on the use of ‘60-t class’ trucks and a production rate of 3 Mt/a in-dicated that a peak fleet size of approximately nine trucks and six loaders will be required. By opting for a dual decline arrangement, productivity reductions due to having a high number of trucks on a single ac-cess haul route have been negated, enabling produc-

tion targets to be met without incurring the capital cost associated with establishing a hoisting shaft or a conveyor system.

Once the primary decline is advanced far enough, up to four production horizons may be developed concurrently from the decline. Similarly, due to the large lateral footprint of the orebody, each production horizon was considered capable of accommodating two development jumbos, with an additional unit included to undertake access development for each level as it was reached by the decline. In total, this means that up to six development jumbos are provid-ed for in the development schedule.

The ultimate result of this level of resourcing is that all development will be completed within 10 years of start-up. In doing so, a degree of production flexibil-ity will be ensured by maintaining development well in advance of the production horizon.

The mined ore will be processed via a concentrator to produce a copper concentrate which may then be acid leached to provide feed solution to an SX/EW plant. Residue from the leached concentrate will then be processed to produce approximately 24 000 t/a of copper concentrate at 25 % Cu.

The SX/EW plant treats the pregnant liquor (copper rich solution) resulting from the acid leaching of the bulk flotation concentrate to produce an average of approximately 33 000 t/a of copper.

The overall design of the process plant reflects: Proved and reliable unit processes. A compact and accessible process plant layout ser-

viced by mobile equipment. Maximum use of gravity for the transport of slurry

Blackthorn targets 3 mt/a COPPER MINE at kitumBa

Exhaust Raisebore/Emergency Egress

Boxcut

Dual Declines

Australia’s Blackthorn Resources reports that the Prefeasibility Study (PFS) on its Kitumba copper project in Zambia demonstrates positive potential for an economically and technically viable development. The com-pany says that work is to start immediately on project optimisation, which is expected to lead to a PFS update in early 2014. An underground operation targeting the high-grade core of the deposit has been chosen as the preferred base case as it has a lower capital cost (US$358 million, including a US$34,2 million contingency) and higher capital efficiency than a larger scale open-pit mine.

Detail view of underground design looking north.

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and tailings streams where possible in order to re-duce pumping costs.

A control philosophy that encompasses a low to moderate level of instrumentation and control to minimise capital cost.Underlying the engineering design philosophy

is the requirement to minimise capital cost and the complexity of the flow sheet, whilst retaining as much operational flexibility as possible, and without compromising safety.

The PFS Base Case assumes that the cathode will be sold direct to customers, while the concentrate will be transported to copper smelters within Zambia for treatment and refining.

Blackthorn says that the optimisation work which will now be undertaken will focus on metallurgy and recoveries, as well as the mining sequence. In terms of the latter, the current production schedule indicates that the ore grade peaks mid-mine life. A revised mining plan will assess opportunities to modify the production sequence to smooth out the mined grade over the production life and ensure consistent feed quality to the processing plant. The optimisation will also encompass development schedule optimisation to provide the ‘best fit’ with the chosen production strategy.

Commenting on the PFS, Scott Lowe, MD of Black-thorn resources, said: “The completion of the PFS for the Kitumba project along with identification of opti-misation and value enhancement potential is a very

important milestone for the company and the latest in a series of positive developments since BHP Bil-liton exited the JV just two years ago. We have chosen a smaller scale underground operation rather than a much larger scale open pit as this allows us to target the higher grade zone much earlier, and to avoid ex-pensive and time-consuming pre-strip. The economic comparison clearly showed that the internal rate of return is better for the underground scenario with a significantly lower pre-production capital cost.

“The timing of this PFS has been very important for preparation of a mining licence. Looking ahead, we see potential to further improve the business case for the project through optimisation work focused on metallurgical recoveries and mining sequence. We are also looking forward to a mineral resource update later in the year incorporating the excellent drilling results we recently announced, and working towards a maiden ore reserve statement.

“In summary, the Kitumba PFS represents a proj-ect that has sound technical feasibility and economic potential, along with ‘upside’ possible through opti-misation. The copper market continues to be firm in what is a very volatile international business environ-ment and the Kitumba project will be well positioned to take advantage of what many analysts are forecast-ing to be higher copper prices in the medium term. Beyond Kitumba, there remains the possibility of fur-ther discoveries on the Mumbwa project and we are currently reviewing our exploration plans.”

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Explaining the background to the formation of ARDBEL, Bromfield says that ELB’s CEO, Ste-phen Meijers, and DRA’s CEO, Paul Thomson,

first discussed the possibility of a joint venture a year ago. “They both recognised that Africa was booming and that a huge capex spend in mining and infra-structure was looming,” he says. “They also recog-nised that some projects on the horizon – for ex-ample, some of the iron ore projects in West Africa – were of such a scale in terms of materials handling, in some cases requiring even rail lines and port fa-cilities, that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for either DRA or ELB to take them on individually. They discussed the possibility of a joint venture and the idea progressed from there.

“Earlier this year the idea was promoted by Ste-phen and Paul at the Indaba in Cape Town and the decision was made to proceed with the formation of a 50:50 joint venture. We officially launched on 1 August and we’re now established in new offices in Rivonia, Sandton, conveniently close to both ELB’s headquarters in Rivonia and DRA’s head of-fice in Sunninghill. At this point we only have a small core staff but I would envisage this growing to perhaps 100 to 150 employees within two years. As for our name ‘ARDBEL’, this is simply a play on the

initials of the two parent companies.”Referring to the potential of Africa, Bromfield says

that some countries on the continent have consistent-

JV to leverage skills of DRA anD ELB ENGINEERING

A conveyor discharges onto a stockpile. ARDBEL’s capabilities include all types of conveying systems.

Seen here at the recent official launch of ARDBEL are Stephen Meijers (left), ELB’s CEO, and Paul Thomson, CEO of DRA.

A major new player in the materials handling field has emerged with the establishment of ARDBEL, a joint venture (JV) between local mine engineering and construction group, DRA, and listed materials handling specialist, ELB Engineering (ELB). Modern Mining recently spoke to Ken Bromfield, MD of the venture, about the skills it offers and the objectives it has in mind. He makes the point that the joint resources of the two parent companies give ARDBEL the capacity to tackle the biggest mining projects in terms of their materials handling requirements, even to the extent of full ‘pit-to-port’ solutions.

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ly had some of the highest economic growth rates in the world for several years now. He also notes that projections of infrastructural spend indicate that the continent is on the verge of an infrastructural boom that could last for decades. “Estimates of the scale of the boom vary but the World Economic Forum, for example, has estimated that investments in critical infrastructure could exceed US$68 billion a year by 2020 with this growing to as much as US$360 billion by 2040,” he states. “Much of this infrastructure – ports, roads, rail lines and the like – will be related to resource projects and this is where ARDBEL comes in. Drawing on the strengths of DRA and ELB Engi-neering, it will be able to design, engineer, procure, construct and commission all the materials handling requirements of mining clients.”

Both of ARDBDEL’s parent companies have exten-sive experience of working in Africa and between them have a ‘footprint’ covering more than 30 coun-tries. DRA is involved in some of the largest mining projects in the region including the massive Kibali gold project in the north-eastern DRC, the Moatize coal project in Mozambique, the Lubambe copper project on the Zambian Copperbelt (where ELB was involved as a materials handling specialist) and the Khumani iron ore project in the Northern Cape.

For its part, ELB has an impressive track record in materials handling. Among its current and recent contracts are materials handling systems for Sasol’s new Impumelelo coal mine, Eskom’s Medupi coal project, and the Tonkolili iron ore project for African Minerals in Sierra Leone.

Bromfield says that ARDBEL will operate right across Africa, including South Africa itself. “Within South Africa, we’ll operate through ARDBEL (Pty) Ltd, which is a fully empowered company, while the vehicle for our external work will be ARDBEL Inter-national,” he says. “Given the current subdued state of the South African market, we would anticipate the rest of the continent accounting for a major share of our turnover, at least initially. In particular, we see opportunities in Zambia and the DRC, East Africa, Mozambique and West Africa. Coal and iron ore are where the big volumes are so both these sectors will be important to us.”

According to Bromfield, the market’s reception of the JV has been uniformly positive. “We’ve intro-duced ourselves to virtually all our potential clients and have not had a single negative comment. In fact, the reaction we’ve had is one of enthusiasm. Both DRA and ELB have a high reputation and clients seem confident in ARDBEL’s ability to operate in the same manner – offering a high degree of technical competence allied to the highest standards of safety, health and environmental competence.

“The cornerstones of our business will be develop-ing long term relationships providing sustainable, ap-propriate and innovative solutions by drawing on the many years of experiencing gained in working with clients on the African continent.”

Elaborating on ARDBEL’s specific capabilities, Bromfield says the company has the expertise to han-dle a mine’s materials handling requirements from the ROM tip feed bin right through to the beneficia-tion plant, as well as from the plant onwards, includ-ing stockyards and reclamation and load-out systems.

Once ore reaches a port, it can provide the asso-ciated material handling systems including tip-plers, stockyard layout and ship-loaders. Waste handling systems down-stream of the plant, in-cluding the waste dis-charge conveyor, dump conveyor and spreader also fall within its com-petence.

ELB Engineering, of course, has an equipment arm which represents a number of overseas principals such as FAM, a German manufacturer of stacker reclaimers and port equipment, Claudius Peters, also of Germany, which manufactures pneumatic conveying systems, and THOR Global of Canada, well-known for its telescopic portable radial stacker. “Obviously, ARDBEL will act in the best interests of its clients so there will be no automatic preference for equipment marketed by ELB,” says Bromfield.

Above: A rapid load-out facil-ity. ARDBEL is able to handle all material handling down-stream from the beneficiation plant.

Right: Ken Bromfield, Manag-ing Director of ARDBEL.

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Above: The joint venture will be offering total ‘pit-to-port’ solu-tions.

Below: ARDBEL’s offering includes all associated material han-dling once the ore reaches a port including tipplers, stockyard layout and ship-loaders. A typical ship-loader is seen here.

“Clients can be assured of our total independence.”In terms of project delivery and contractual models,

Bromfield says that ARDBEL intends being very flex-ible. “Our goal is to meet the requirements of clients and we are happy to work on a Lump Sum Turnkey (LSTK), EPC or EPCM basis,” he explains. He adds that existing relationships with South African fund-ing organisations and with the Export Credit Insur-ance Corporation (ECIC) place ARDBEL in a strong position to facilitate potential funding for African projects where a significant component of project spending is South African based.

While ARDBEL will not directly involve itself in the operation of the systems it supplies, Bromfield points out that it will nevertheless be able to offer a full range of services in commissioning, operations and main-tenance through Minopex, which is part of the DRA Group. Employing over 2 000 personnel, Minopex is far and away the biggest operator of processing plants in South Africa (and indeed Africa) and is currently responsible for around 20 plants across the continent.

Bromfield himself is from the ELB side of the JV. A graduate civil engineer, he spent much of his early ca-reer with Fraser Alexander (where he became a mem-ber of the main board), later running its Waste-tech subsidiary. He joined Golder Associates in 2005 and was ultimately appointed as its COO for Africa. Out-lining the main challenge ahead for him, he says it will be building a company with its own unique iden-tity, where the employees do not regard themselves as belonging to DRA or ELB but rather to ARDBEL. “The JV comes from excellent parents and it will be taking the best systems and approaches from both of them,” he says. “But I think it nevertheless needs to position itself as an independent player in the market in its own right and this will be one of my primary objec-tives moving forward.”Photos courtesy of ARDBEL

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In its final stage, the system will transport prima-ry crushed copper ore at more than 12 000 t/h. Running at 6  m/s, the 2 m wide belt conveyor

system will carry the ore over almost 12 km. The three principal conveyors, one 9 000 m long tunnel conveyor and two 1 000 m steep uphill conveyors (15 degrees!), will feed the existing stockpile and in the future a new stockpile.

The contract also involves the extension of an ex-isting conveyor line. For this it will be necessary to carry out the final tie-in within just a four-day shut-down. Constructability is therefore of fundamental importance to the success of this project and is incor-porated in all design aspects.

With ever increasing energy costs, drive efficiency and conveyor running resistance are becoming more and more important. Codelco has therefore selected direct or gearless drives. The higher efficiency of the direct drive, combined with the variable speed, will provide long term benefits to the project.

It will also allow the El Teniente operations to run the conveyor system initially at lower speeds to suit the lower conveying capacities in the earlier years of production, thus saving power and reducing wear. This will further save maintenance cost. Reduced maintenance combined with their high efficiency and reliability are strong points in favor of the gear-less drives.

Even though gearless or direct drives are a well proven technology (used in mills, hoists and similar equipment), they are relatively new in conveyor de-sign. TAKRAF, in partnership with ABB, has integrat-

CODELCO conveyor system DesigneD for 12 000 t/h

The conveyor system will connect a new orebody to the El Teni-ente processing plant (seen here).

Codelco, Chile’s state-owned mining giant, has awarded a large scale conveyor system for its El Teniente mine expansion to Tenova TAKRAF. The system will connect a new orebody to the existing processing facilities.

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The portal of the 8 800 m tunnel for conveyor CV-01.

ed such features within gearless drives which have been standard features for conveyor drive systems for a long time – for example, ease of alignment and ease of drive change. The aim has been to re-duce the amount of work in the field to an absolute minimum so that a faulty drive can be simply replaced and repaired in the shop.

In order to accomplish this the motor is mounted on a special base frame. This also allows the use of standard pulleys – another important feature. The configura-tion of the direct drive unit can induce very significant forces into the pulleys which have caused considerable prob-lems with pulleys in the past. With the TAKRAF design this has been eliminated.

TAKRAF’s innovative approach has reportedly produced a reliable and easy to maintain drive concept combining proven technology with state-of-the-art direct drives.

The conveyor in the tunnel has been designed for minimal running resistance by ensuring accurate alignment through special conveyor frames and the use of low running resistance rubber compound for the belt. The two steep inclined con-veyors, which in their final stage will be both equipped with four 2  500 KW drives, presented some challenges – par-ticularly regarding the servicing of the idler rolls along the conveyor run, which is mainly in tunnels. With idler rolls weighing 45  kg respectively, manual handling is not only difficult but carries a high risk of injury for the maintenance personnel.

For this reason TAKRAF has devel-oped what it describes as a unique sys-tem to service these steep conveyors. A special maintenance cart straddling the conveyor has been designed to minimise the tunnel cross section. It is equipped with a small service crane and runs on rails along the entire conveyor length. The crane is fitted with special lifting frames which pick up the rolls and help to place them in position. The mainte-nance personnel only need to ‘manipu-late’ the rolls; the weight is taken by the crane. The cart can carry spare rolls, all required tools and up to four people. This – says TAKRAF – makes idler roll changes a safe and easy task.

Special attention has been paid to safe-ty with independent and failsafe braking and clamping systems. TAKRAF believes its focus on the safety, maintainability and long term reliability of its systems and the combination of proven technol-ogy with the latest advances in conveyor design have contributed to its success in the marketplace in general and to this project in particular.

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ReMaCon Products, the well-known Gauteng-based manufacturer of precast concrete retain-ing blocks, has launched an innovative new

modular product that provides a flexible alternative to the conventional ways of separating stored dry bulk materials.

The new product, branded YFEL because of its character-istic inverted ‘Y’ shape com-bined with its resemblance in profile to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, is designed to provide easily erectable temporary walls as dividers in warehous-es and other areas where dry bulk materials are stored.

“Unlike the traditional per-manent or semi-permanent walls that are usually built for such purposes, the YFEL is mobile and YFEL free-standing walls can quickly be dismantled and re-erected in accordance with the changing storage re-quirements of the operation concerned,” comments Silvio Ferraris, ReMaCon’s Managing Member.

“The wide variety of industries that have to store dry bulk materials of various kinds will readily rec-ognise the convenience and time- and cost-saving ad-vantages of YFEL compared to the traditional meth-ods of separating different kinds and grades of dry

Modular precast walls separate bulk materialsbulk material kept in storage, as well as helping com-panies in their compliance with quality management systems such as ISO,” he points out.

The YFEL product is manufactured to order in heights ranging from 1,2 m to 4 m. “Concrete 28-day

strengths exceeding 40  MPa ensure rapid early de-mould-ing strengths and the prod-uct can withstand abrasive construction machinery han-dling,” says Ferraris.

The product has the option to be bolted into the floors of warehouses and other storage areas for extra stability. ReMa-Con also supplies steel carrier attachments for insertion into each unit to make them easily transportable by forklifts and

other handling equipment for loading onto and off trucks and for positioning on site.

Also on offer is an ‘anti-climb’ security wall option in which the top of the YFEL unit is curved to prevent entry of intruders into the area requiring protection.

ReMaCon, a black economic empowered company with a Level 4 BEE rating, claims to have the biggest range of concrete retaining blocks (CRBs) in the coun-try and has SA Bureau of Standards (SABS) certifica-tion on its core range of CRB products.

A typical application, showing a YFEL wall sepa-rating two types of bulk material.

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Following the supply of two stackers and two TAS27.5 drum reclaimers to Sishen in 1971, TKMH supplied

two stackers, two TAS40 drum reclaimers with a 40 m rail centre, and one transfer car for the drum reclaimers in 1973. In 1979, the company handed over a semi-mobile crusher and crawler-mounted spreader for the calcrete overburden handling system at the mine. During the late 1980s, TKMH ret-rofitted the double shell drums on the two TAS40s to single shell drums. Between 2005 and 2008, an additional four TAS40s, three stackers and one transfer car were supplied.

Located in Northern Cape Province, Sish-en is reputedly the largest open-pit mine in Africa, producing over 28 million tons of high-grade (>65 % Fe) haematite iron ore per annum, mainly for export. Sishen uses 75 % of the rail capacity to Saldanha with the ore trains from Sishen typically being 7,5 km long and consisting of 660 wagons. As the mine expands, greater demands are placed on equipment which is expected to deliver ever higher capacities to cope with increasing vol-umes of material.

The objectives of one of the mine’s more recent expansion projects, Bed E, are to increase the mine’s overall stacking, reclaiming and storage capacities. TKMH was awarded the full turnkey Bed E expan-sion project which included all civil, mechanical and electrical work.

“The Bed E expansion project necessitated the wid-ening of the area to accommodate a larger stockpile,” explains TKMH’s Marketing Manager, Willie Agen-bag. “We removed the small stacker, its feed conveyor as well as two small 27,5 m rail width drum reclaim-ers that we supplied in 1971 when the Sishen-Sal-danha Bay iron ore export project was first opened. In order to accommodate the larger volumes, we ex-tended the bed to a width of 40 m and a length of 365 m. We replaced the two 27,5 m drum reclaimers with a large TAS40 unit with its associated conveyors which feeds into the existing system via a new trans-fer house and link conveyor.”

With a 40 m rail width, the uni-directional TAS40, with a total drum weight of 100 tons, is equipped with 64 buckets and has a handling capacity of up to 5 500 tons of iron ore per hour.

“The expansion project also called on us to up-grade and install new conveyors, as well as supply and commission a larger 4 000 t/h luffing and slew-ing stacker,” continues Agenbag. “We also extended the transfer car runway to reach Bed E so that Kumba is able to use any of its three TAS40 drum reclaim-

TKMH has long track recorD at iron ore mine

Robust ThyssenKrupp Materials Handling equipment reliably handling ag-gresive iron ore at Sishen.

ThyssenKrupp Materials Handling (TKMH), a division of ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions South Africa, has been a turnkey supplier of bulk materials handling equipment and systems to Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen mine since 1971.

ers across its multiple reclaim beds using the existing TKMH transfer car.”

TKMH completed the Bed E project in July 2012. This brings the total number of TKMH drum reclaim-ers supplied to the Sishen mine to nine, which, ac-cording to Agenbag, is the largest concentration of TKMH drum reclaimers in the world.

Discussing the merits of drum reclaimers, TKMH Sales Manager Matthias Göing says that, compared to other reclaimer types, drum reclaimers deliver the best blending results at constant high throughputs. “The drum reclaimer’s mechanical simplicity and gentle reclaim action enable these rugged machines to perform reliably and deliver high throughputs even under the harshest of conditions such as the temperature extremes, high dust levels and abrasive materials typically experienced on the Sishen mine.”

Göing also emphasises the fact that TKMH is an engineering driven company that delivers modern, world class, turnkey service solutions. “This is the backbone of our company and central to our custom-ers’ equipment reliability and plant availability,” he says. “Our systems are sophisticated and, from the initial design and development phase to final com-missioning, require the highest levels of engineering expertise and attention to detail. For example, in or-der to ensure seamless mobility between the reclaim beds, it was paramount that the new TAS40 would fit any of the mine’s beds. This necessitated interface checks with other equipment and structures, as well as modifications to TKMH’s latest, more operator-friendly designs.”

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Manufacturing of custom designed Weba Chute Systems for Assmang’s Khumani Iron Ore Mine Optimisation Project (KOP)

is well underway. The company has an existing rela-tionship with Khumani having previously installed a number of transfer points at this Northern Cape op-eration.

The current contract includes the design of ten chutes and the manufacturing of four chute systems which were delivered in the second quarter of 2013.

This latest project calls for three designs of com-pletely new chute systems and a fourth design that will cater for the interface of a new transfer point with the existing Weba Chute System. “Careful con-sideration was given to the design of all four transfer points to ensure a perfect fit. Our team of engineers, who have extensive experience in designing custom-ised chute systems and transfer points, leveraged this knowledge to ensure that the new system maximises productivity,” says Ted Cruickshank, projects man-ager of Weba Chute Systems.

Cruickshank explains that in order to optimise the circuit, the conveyors needed to be moved around. “This allowed us to use a portion of the existing Weba Chute System already in operation, which not only simplified the installation but also added to the cost savings for the customer. The top section of the exist-ing chute was redesigned to accommodate any pos-sible contamination while the sampler is in motion.

chutes ordered for optimisation project

In order to ensure that the existing and new chute systems work together seamlessly, the design toler-ances had to be perfect.”

Weba Chute Systems carefully considers the direc-tion of flow and the velocity of the calculated volume and type of material in each application, while also taking into account belt width, belt speed, material sizes, shape and throughput. In this instance, three of the incoming belts are 750 mm wide with speeds of 1,93, 1,57 and 1,71 m/s, with a fourth one being 900 mm wide with a speed of 1,71 m/s. The material lump size varies from 8 mm to a maximum lump size of 43 mm. The three 750 mm wide incoming belts have a maximum capacity of 500, 600 and 720 t/h onto outgoing belts of 750 mm wide with speeds of 1,57 and 2,12 m/s. The 900 mm wide incoming belt has a maximum capacity of 1 200 t/h onto an outgo-ing belt 1 050 mm wide with a speed of 2,4 m/s.

“In addition to the four chutes which were designed and manufactured, we also received the contract for the design of five apron feeder discharge chutes and one trifurcated head chute. The five apron feeder dis-charge chutes have been specifically designed to mi-nimise dust, wear and direct belt impact when the ore body discharges from the apron feeder. The system is intended to reduce the speed of the materials be-ing transferred and this will be achieved by utilising proprietary techniques and reverse flow principles,” says Cruickshank.

An overview of the KOP conveyor installation showing the semi-fines product conveyor head chute.

The semi-fines product conveyor head chute, which is designed to control the flow of material.

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A new high speed impact cradle is designed to reduce roller and frame damage from heavy conveyor loading conditions in mining, coal handling and other applica-

tions involving dense materials and/or high volumes. One customer estimates that the new EVO® cradles from US-

based Martin Engineering (which has a South African arm) paid for themselves in just the first week of service at the com-pany’s copper handling facility, due to the savings in mainte-nance and downtime.

“Under high-volume conditions, standard OEM impact idlers in the load zone simply can’t withstand heavy loads and lengthy drops, costing downtime for repairs as well as the ex-pense of replacement components,” observes Martin Engineer-ing Service Technician Doug Brown.

The new cradles use Martin Engineering’s Trac-mount™ technology to slide in and out easily for maintenance. The modular components are light enough to be removed by hand, without using a crane or other equipment to handle them.

“The new cradle design only requires one person to change the rollers when the time comes,” says Brown. “The biggest problem solved is the downtime. In the past, when custom-ers have needed to change rollers or frames, they had to shut down the conveyor for an extended amount of time,” he ex-plains. “Old style frames can be difficult to remove, requiring that maintenance personnel pull the arms down, then jack up the assembly to pull it out.”

“We wanted something that was slide-in/slide-out,” adds Martin Engineering Global Product Manager Chris Schmelzer. “These new cradles were designed using Finite Element Analy-sis, so we could confirm that they’d be strong enough, with-out having to overbuild them. We can make them as strong as they need to be, without adding excess weight, so workers can remove and replace components without using heavy lifting equipment.”

The innovative load zone design uses an elastomer bar sus-pension system that absorbs and distributes the material load being transferred, greatly reducing the stress on the idlers’ roll-ing components and support structure. One patent-pending de-sign innovation is the use of connecting brackets near the top of the idler frame to hold the three rollers together. These special brackets are designed to allow multiple modular cradles to be tied together, so that the idlers throughout the entire load zone work together as a system.

High speed impact cradle from martin engineering

The new cradles use Martin Engineering’s Trac-mount™ technology to slide in and out easily for maintenance.

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Enquiries from as far afield as Peru and Senegal – as well as numerous local leads – marked manufacturer Osborn’s recent participation in

the ‘Beltcon 17’ International Materials Handling Conference (IMHC) and Exhibition, held at the Birch-wood Hotel and Conference Centre, Johannesburg.

Sharon Deczy, Osborn’s Product Sales Manager: Conveyor Products, reports that the company experi-enced a high level of interest in its exhibition stand. The company showcased its conveyor idler range and associated products at the event.

Osborn offers a complete product range of stan-dard and custom design idlers; underground, fixed and suspended structure; High Impact Torsion (HIT) systems and pulleys. The company’s achievements

BMG’s belting division has extended its range to in-clude the Super-Screw™, a

flexible rubber splice – developed by MLT in France – which screws onto a conveyor belt for efficient repair in all conditions.

“BMG originally used the Su-per-Screw splice as a temporary alternative to conventional hot and cold splicing, but the effi-ciency and high strength of this product in arduous test condi-tions locally proves this system to be totally reliable as a permanent splice,” says Donovan Scott, GM of BMG’s belting division. “BMG has used various belt classes and widths to test the Super-Screw in different applications over the last two years and the SABS has also successfully trialled it on 100 mm width belts. This system, with a high tensile strength, proved to be a suitable alternative to conventional splicing meth-ods. In some cases, the Super-Screw exceeded the tensile rating of hot and cold splice samples of the same class rating.

“This new high strength splicing system, which can withstand service tensions up to 200 N/mm, is the quickest way to repair a belt in any emergency situation, significantly reducing downtime. The me-chanical joining technique is quick and easy to com-plete, without the need for a skilled operator and heavy, costly equipment.”

He adds that the system can reliably be used for join-ing a belt, repairing a longitudinal rip, or a puncture in a belt. This splice is compatible with small pulley diameters and is scraper and V-plough friendly.

The rubber material, containing tensile fabric used for the splices, is manufactured in rolls up to 25 m in length and in various strength ratings, from Class 315 to Class 2 000 conveyor belting. This system is also available in a ready to install option, with maximum pre-cut lengths of 3 m and pre-installed assembly spacers.

BMG introduces flexible rubber splice

BMG’s belting division has extended its range to include the Super-Screw™, a flexible rubber splice which screws onto a conveyor belt for efficient repair in all conditions.

Steel screws are twisted into an embedded nut in-side the material, forming a sandwich effect of the top and bottom cover that clamps onto the belt carcass. The surface of the splice is level with the two ends of the original belt, making the splice surface as even and as thick as the belt itself. It is fitted at the bias like regular splices to ensure optimal strength and flex-ibility around the pulleys.

According to BMG, the system, which is available in different qualities of rubber suitable for various ap-plications, is easily installed regardless of the config-uration of the conveyor belt and irrespective of access and weather conditions.

In selecting the correct Super-Screw fastener for each application, factors to be considered include the belt tension and strength of the belt, as well as the final belt thickness required. The rubber quality for each specific application is also important.

BMG conducted a field test for all splice types in the same conditions using the same belt type and width. Results showed that a conventional hot splice takes seven hours, a cold splice takes over eight hours (including curing) and the Super-Screw takes less than one hour.

date back more than four decades in this area, and the idlers are said to represent years of design im-provement and worldwide installations. “Osborn ca-ters for customers’ bespoke requirements, and with our quality controlled manufacturing programme customers can be assured of a world class product,” says Deczy.

Now in its 34th year, the IMHC is held every two years and is regarded as one of the foremost techni-cal conferences of its kind, drawing delegates from all over the world. The concurrent exhibition is a popu-lar attraction.

Beltcon has been held every two years since 1981. The event is aimed at promoting excellence in belt conveying.

Beltcon 17 pays off for osborn

materials handling

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feat

ure

Stieber Clutch recently launched its new RDBK load sharing, high-speed, releasable backstop at this year’s Hannover Messe. The product fea-

tures a compact design with increased torque capac-ity compared to conventional designs, which helps avoid the over specification of gearboxes to meet large outside diameter requirements of some back-stops. In the event of a blockage, belt jam or overload, the RDBK allows for a controlled release under load and is able to rotate backwards for maintenance and clearing work, unlike many other designs that offer limited reverse rotation after being engaged.

In most large conveying applications, backstops are installed onto the gearbox to prevent the conveyor from rolling backwards in the event of a breakdown. To satisfy customer demands, many backstops now include load sharing/torque limiting and releasable functions which help to reduce downtime once the backstop has been engaged.

However, to cope with the high torque loads, their design footprints are often quite large which means oversized standard gearboxes must be specified for them to fit. This can negatively affect the cost and overall efficiency of the gearbox. Traditional back-stops can also make repairing the fault extremely awkward. While they prevent any immediate dam-age being done by uncontrolled reverse rotation, they also prevent the conveyor from being easily unload-ed prior to maintenance. Even designs which allow

New backstop for conveyor applications

The new RDBK backstop from Stieber Clutch.

for controlled release only provide a small amount of reverse rotation.

Based on its many decades of ex-perience of manufacturing back-stops for demanding conveying applications, Stieber Clutch’s new backstop allows the correct sizing of gearboxes, as well as offering re-verse rotational capability with a simple hand-operated hydraulic or mechanical release. The RDBK is a centrifugal lift-off, sprag-type back-stop with an internal limiter which is designed for use on the high speed or intermediate shaft of the driving unit in multi-drive systems, such as on large inclined conveyors, where two or more backstops share the reverse load.

With a maximum torque capacity of 170 000 Nm, the unique, compact design gives the backstop up to 3,5 times more torque capacity than conventional designs of similar sizes with up to 15 times more energy dissipation, says Stieber. To make sure that it remains functional after long periods of inaction, the friction linings work in an oil bath, pro-viding a consistent coefficient of friction even after long periods without engagement.

Stieber Clutch is represented locally by AZ Hollink South Africa.

product news

5709.13

Weir Minerals Africa is poised to ship a sub-stantial order for a complete cyclone pack-age to First Quantum Minerals’ new Sentinel copper project in Zambia. First Quantum is a major and longstanding client of Weir Miner-als Africa, both in Africa and across the world.

This will be one of the biggest installations of its kind ever supplied by Weir Minerals Af-rica into an African application and includes six cyclone clusters. To date, clusters of this size only occur in Australia and Chile. The equipment destined for the Sentinel project is considered very large for any greenfields project and is reportedly at the upper end of global engineering practice.

The Sentinel copper project at Kalumbila, approximately 150 km west of Solwezi in north-west Zambia, is part of the Trident proj-ect that includes the Enterprise nickel project and several other exploration undertakings. The Sentinel project is being developed by Kalumbila Minerals, a wholly owned subsid-iary of First Quantum.

The order was placed with Weir Minerals Africa in mid-2012 and the cyclone clusters have been custom designed for this applica-tion to achieve a specified metallurgical per-formance. Commissioning of the equipment

A South African specialist engineering com-pany with an established Canadian subsidiary is to channel product lines from diverse local manufacturers into North American markets.

A new, Canadian registered company, Horne Engineered Products, has been formed as the conduit for these products, which will initially come from five South Af-rican engineering concerns specialising in valves, conveyor belting, lifting, chairing and polyurethanes.

The driving force behind the new venture is the Horne group, which has a factory and head office in Gauteng, a subsidiary compa-ny in Barrie, Canada, and direct representa-tion in Peru.

A company spokesman explained that the new venture was substantially different from an agency in that the five companies, as

Kwikspace secures large Mozambican contract

Complete cyclone package ordered for Sentinel

Four Cavex clusters comprising sixteen 650 CVX cyclones are to be supplied to Sentinel for its ball mill operation.

is scheduled for the first quarter of 2014.Weir Minerals Africa’s Process Manager,

JD Singleton, says he believes the company was preferred in its bid to supply this equip-ment based on its unique Cavex® technolo-gy and associated application skills, as well as its quick response time to technical que-ries during the tender adjudication period.

“In addition to our proprietary Cavex® tech-nology which is well proven in the Zambian Copperbelt, other unique features of this order include various grades of Linatex® rubber lining for superior abrasion resis-tance and our Isogate® knife gate valves with full port flow which will ensure that the Cavex® cyclones receive a laminar feed,” he says.

The package includes two clusters for the SAG mill operation, each of which compris-es twelve 650 CVX cyclones (of which one will be put by for future expansion), with a capacity of more than 3 000 m3/h, and four clusters for the ball mill, comprising sixteen 650 CVX cyclones with a capacity in excess of 5 000 m3/h.

Weir Minerals Africa will provide commis-sioning assistance on site and will support its equipment for the life of the mine from

its Zambia branch, including stockholding of spare parts, with backup from the company’s Isando operations. The clusters are 100 % lo-cally designed and fabricated by Weir Miner-als Africa.Rene Calitz, Weir Minerals Africa, tel (+27 11) 929-2622

yet unnamed, have signed agreements with Horne Engineered Products to fund a direct sales drive into Canada, fully supported by after sales service and repairs.

A Canadian engineer possessing wide experience and knowledge of its mines has been appointed to focus on sales. He will visit South Africa during September for training on the various product lines, after which the project will be formally launched.

“Horne Engineered Products will in es-sence become the sales arm of the five South African companies encompassed by this venture,” explained the spokesman.

“We expect the majority of business to come from Canadian customers, with spin-off orders from consulting engineering firms connected to the USA, South America and further afield.

New venture opens up Canada to South African suppliers“Technical support for the various product

lines will come from qualified artisans already in place at our Canadian subsidiary, although Horne Engineered Products will operate as an independent entity,” the spokesman said.

Contracts with the five participating manu-facturers will run for ten years.

Monthly facilitation fees of some R30 000 will be payable by each manufacturer for the first three years, during which participants will recover their entire fee for the period before paying Horne a sales commission of 10 %.

Once the initial venture has proved suc-cessful, Horne intends to introduce a similar programme with a focus on South African manufacturers of electronics and communi-cations products targeting the mining market.Horne Group, tel (+27 11) 974-1004

One of Africa’s leading manufacturers and erectors of prefabricated buildings, Kwik-space Modular Buildings, continues to expand its reach in Mozambique, having secured a large contract to provide a 700 person camp in Nacala-Velha for a large in-ternational mining company.

As the country undergoes rapid growth in mining and railway development, the Nacala Corridor project is currently one of the larg-est mining and construction projects taking place in the country. Construction started in 2011 and the project involves the refurbish-

ment of certain sections of the railway line, as well as the construction of entire new sec-tions together with a new coal terminal. The railway line will connect the Moatize coal fields to the port of Nacala-Velha and the first coal load is expected late next year.

Approached by one of the largest inter-national mining companies, Kwikspace has been contracted to introduce an accommo-dation camp in Nacala which will make provi-sion for 700 people including senior project staff, engineers, supervisors and labourers involved with the project. The camp includes

a large kitchen, laundry, a clinic and an office complex.

All modular buildings developed by Kwik-space are made with fully insulated polyure-thane injected panels and thus provide excel-lent temperature control and noise reduction.

Kwikspace currently has a factory in Moatize, Tete Province, and plans to open another factory in Nacala in September. This development aims to support the works in Nacala and the nearby city of Nampula. Kwikspace, tel (+27 11) 617-8000, e-mail: nick@kwikspace.co.za

product news

5909.13

Robor Pipe Systems (RPS) has expanded its product and service offering into the high pressure pipe systems market. The com-pany now has a dedicated team focusing on high pressure pipe and related products. The expansion was initiated after the demise of Trucking & Engineering (T&E) formerly based in South Africa. Robor subsequently employed some key sales and technical re-sources to supplement its offering.

RPS manufactures, imports and supplies complete pipe solutions for various applica-tions which include the conveyance of slurry, water, steam and acid. “We are able to manu-facture stub ends, flanged, ring or groove-ends for the African mining market and are able to custom-manufacture special pipes to client specifications,” says Deon Kruger, Robor Pipe Systems Sales Director.

“Mopani, the largest copper mine in Zam-bia, is sinking a US$320-million shaft at its Synclinorium mine, which will significantly boost the mine’s production and extend op-erations well beyond the current depletion dates. This is the first major project for the new dedicated team,” says Kruger.

The pipeline portion of the project consists of three main high-pressure pump columns, with a fourth emergency column. All of these columns extend to about 1 200 m below sur-face and are, therefore, required to handle extremely high pressures.

To complement this system, the RPS high-

Original valve beats imitations

pressure coupling was specified for the proj-ect. To ensure that the coupling met all the stringent specifications demanded, RPS per-formed a series of strain gauge and pressure rating tests. The coupling passed all the tests and met all the requirements throughout the series of assessments.

RPS has also announced the completion of the Robor Pipe Systems contract with DRA Mineral Projects South Africa to supply the company’s trademark Steel Polypipe, which Zimplats will use to convey mine slurry at the Ngezi mine, 150 km south-west of Harare.

Kruger says the HDPE-lined Steel Polypipe is suited to conveying slurry in tailings lines

High pressure pipe systems from Robor

High pressure pipe supplied by Robor Pipe Sys-tems.

at mine sites, owing to its high corrosion re-sistance. Besides supplying the steel piping product, Robor will provide on-site assis-tance at Ngezi should maintenance pipe re-placements need to be undertaken.Robor, tel (+27 11) 971-1600

Saunders diaphragm valves continue to be regarded by mines throughout Africa as the benchmark for performance and reliability, so much so that they are frequently illegally imitated through reverse-engineering tech-niques, says Aveng Manufacturing DFC.

The Saunders brand is sometimes also il-legally used in marketing campaigns for the reverse-engineered product, particularly on the internet.

Saunders nonetheless remains the only com pany to own the necessary research and development, design and production tech-niques essential to effective valve perfor-

mance, including the all-important diaphragm itself.

Invented in 1928, Saunders valves today safely handle a wide variety of corrosive, abrasive and combined corrosive/abrasive fluids.

They are manufactured under licence in South Africa by Aveng Manufacturing DFC, which produces the complete range from 15 mm to 350 mm nominal bore.

Genuine Saunders products are manufac-tured only in the UK, South Africa and India.Pat Stander, Aveng Manufacturing DFC, tel (+27 11) 748-0200

product news

60 09.13

Purpose-built mine cabling

Mine Support Products (MSP) has recently launched a new hydraulically set anchoring device, Rocbolt. Established in 1994, MSP is jointly owned by DCD Group and Robor.

MSP Marketing Manager Ivan Jacobs says the Rocbolt is unique in that it is a friction bolt with the capabilities of an end anchor, thanks to a patented friction ring that fits around its shaped tube. He adds that Rocbolt has been tested at a number of underground mining operations in Zambia and South Africa with successful results.

“During the trial periods in varying regions and conditions, all of the MSP Rocbolt devices were able to withstand loads in excess of 10 tons, which exceeds the industry requirement. The mining operations have subsequently pro-vided us with positive feedback, and I am con-fident that the Rocbolt will gain measurable market share moving forward,” he says.

MSP claims to be the only underground support systems manufacturer in Africa that boasts its own purpose built press that has the capability to test both the static and dynamic capabilities of support units. The press is located at its 5 500 m2 manufactur-ing plant in Vereeniging and can test static loads of up to 100 tons and dynamic loads of 40 tons at 3 m/s.

MSP’s flagship product is the unique

A new heavy-duty safety rope emergency stop switch from ifm electronic is designed to protect personnel while working in dangerous situations such as on long conveyor systems and rotating machines. It provides a safety-related switching status where large danger areas have to be secured and where hous-ings or covers are not possible.

Safety rope pull switches are commonly used as a manual safeguard for long distance applications. With long coverage spans, rope pull switches eliminate the need for numer-ous E-stop buttons, reducing installation time and costs.

Pulling the tensioned rope or rope break-age activates the safety rope emergency stop switch. Housed in die-cast aluminium,

New friction bolt has capabilities of an end anchorRocprop roof-support system. The Rocprop MK1 model was originally designed by MSP in 1994 for deep level gold mines in tabular orebodies, with mining widths of up to 6 m.

“Rocprop MK1 is an all-steel elongated support system with predictable and consis-tent performance that caters for static and dynamic loading conditions. Rocprop MK2, which is a smaller version of the original Rocprop MK1, provides a more cost-effective solution for shorter length support system re-quirements of up to 2,1 m,” adds Jacobs.

Under static loading conditions, both Rocprop models are able to sustain constant load bearing characteristics during blasting, while maintaining the integrity of the hanging roof after closure. By providing a constant re-sistance, Jacobs notes that Rocprop devices securely hold key blocks in place in seismi-cally active mines, and in static conditions.

He continues: “Both Rocprop models are easy to transport and install, and their slender design ensures that they do not restrict un-derground ventilation in any way whatsoever. The Rocprop support system has proven to be particularly successful within the coal-mining environment, where it offers a viable solution for systematic roadway support, belt drive support and long wall moves.”

According to Jacobs, Rocprop also ensures

MSP has recently launched Rocbolt, a new hy-draulically set anchoring device.

a substantial reduction in material handling costs, while improving installation times too. “This innovation and versatility has opened up new avenues of growth for MSP, particularly in soft rock conditions, where Rocprop is being increasingly recognised as a more effective replacement to timber packs.”

MSP also provides remote cooling units to facilitate mining in areas where chilled water is not available for cooling. The MSP Enerflow underground air cooling unit (ACU) is designed to create a comfortable working environment of between 26 deg C and 28 deg C in areas where cooling capacity is either inadequate or inefficient, or where additional cooling is required. Henk Schoeman, DCD, tel (+27 16) 428-0133

Safety rope emergency stop switch from ifm

the switches meet IP67 protection require-ments. They have an integrated E-stop with a blue reset button, a tension indicator and long rope spans of up to 250 m. With four NC safety contacts and two NO auxiliary con-tacts, the switches are vibration tolerant and

the LED function display indicates healthy operation or error conditions.

The safety rope emergency stop switch meets the requirements of EN ISO 13850, IEC/EN 60947-5-1 and IEC/EN 60947-5-5. The safety switch can be used in applications up to performance level e according to EN ISO 13849-1.

A window on the switch allows the user to monitor the correct rope tension during set-ting and maintenance. After activation of the E-stop function, a latching mechanism main-tains the E-stop command until it is unlocked manually by pressing the blue reset button. Before resetting the E-stop signal the cause of the activation has to be determined. Reset is only possible with the correct rope tension.ifm electronic SA, tel 0861 IFM RSA (436-772)

The new safety rope emergency stop switch.

A new breed of cables for earthworks and mining operations is able to withstand harsh outdoor conditions, as well as being able to stand up to tough mechanical conditions while delivering ultra-reliable performance.

Manufactured in Germany by leading cabling and related equipment supplier, Helukabel, the range includes a variety of purpose built cables that have been specially manufactured for various tasks on the mines, from the mine face to the main operation and beyond. Included in the range are techno-logically advanced cables for deep mining

purposes, various coatings for process ap-plications, trailing cables with high abrasion resistance and a wide variety of others.

According to Helukabel South Africa’s MD, Doug Gunnewegh, some of the latest advances in cables for mines include ex-treme torsionally stiff cables. These are used for reeling medium voltage power supply to heavy equipment such as cranes or large mobile equipment, as well as excavators, in the mining industry. They allow faster reeling speeds for better production output, while

the purpose-built construction improves reli-ability and minimises downtime as a result of breakages or damage.

The cables can operate under tough condi-tions and have a number of built-in features that protect them from damage. Advanced anti-torsional protection is also built in to the cable to lend it unique torsional strength abilities. The cables are available in nominal operating voltages of between 3,6 and 20 kV. Helukabel South Africa, tel (+27 11) 462-8752

product news

6109.13

ZVL Industries (South Africa) cc has been ap-pointed sole agent for PROTAN VENTIFLEX® flexible ventilation ducting for the mining and tunnelling industries in South Africa and neighbouring countries.

VENTIFLEX® is manufactured in Norway and sold worldwide through qualified resell-ers in selected locations. It has reportedly captured significant market share in major mining countries such as Australia, Chile, Canada, Finland, the US, Russia and Zambia.

Key advantages offered by VENTIFLEX® ducting include ease of transport and instal-lation and significantly lower installed cost

Designed and tested rigorously to Caterpil-lar specifications, Cat Premium High Output (PHO) batteries are built for the toughest jobs and the harshest climates, delivering de-pendable and consistent start-up.

“PHO applications cover Cat earthmoving and power generation systems, meeting de-manding specifications to provide industry leading Cold Cranking Amp (CCA) capabil-ity up to 1 500 CCA, and maximum vibration resistance,” explains Barloworld Equipment Group Product Specialist Reuben Phasha. (Barloworld Equipment is the Cat dealer for Southern Africa.)

Due to their high CCAs and reserve ca-pacities, Cat PHO batteries claim the high-est performance ratings in the industry. That equates to vibration resistance levels that are five times the industry standard and easier starts because less capacity is used.

Built for hard work, heavy-duty, forged terminal post bushings provide maximum strength and resistance to acid seepage, whilst thicker internal posts with extra cor-rosion resistance provide built-in overcharge protection and higher CCA output. In turn, rug-ged partition connectors, anchored to resist vibration, shorten the electrical path and max-imise starting power. The battery’s impact-resistant, reinforced case further provides ex-tra strength in all temperature extremes, and helps prevent flexing and punctures.

To ensure durability, Caterpillar uses the 72-hour deep discharge/recharge cycle test, run five times, to simulate the most demanding field conditions, which requires batteries to recover to 25 charging amps within 20 min-utes and meet industry electrical performance standards. The associated 30-day complete discharge test demands batteries recover to 25 charging amps within 60 minutes, after be-ing completely discharged for 30 days.

Because vibration is the number one rea-son batteries fail, Cat batteries must with-stand tremendous vibration forces – without suffering mechanical damage, loss of capac-

Cat PHO batteries claim the highest performance ratings in the industry.

Cat batteries deliver dependable performance

ity, loss of electrolyte or developing internal/external leaks.Barloworld Equipment, tel (+27 11) 929-0000

Best-selling ducting now available locallyper metre than steel ducting. The product can be supplied in any single length required by the client and in any diameter up to 3 200 mm and is available for vertical columns as well as horizontal runs.

It is made from a rugged proprietary poly-ester fabric coated with PVC which mini-mises internal friction, delivers air to the face more efficiently and saves power. If the fab-ric suffers a cut, it will not spread due to the knitted substrate design and is easily repair-able on site.ZVL Industries (South Africa) cc, tel (+27 11) 823-6893

product news

62 09.13

The Megapump range of double-salt emul-sions from BME is so stable that it can be pumped and re-pumped multiple times, opening the door to a variety of cost-saving opportunities for underground mines.

“We can confidently say that our emulsion is the most stable on the SA market, contain-ing an ammonium nitrate and calcium nitrate mix that delivers remarkable qualities, even compared to other double-salt emulsions on the market,” says Selwyn Pearton, Research and Development Manager at BME.

In addition to its resilience to multiple pumping cycles, it also has a very long shelf-life, says Pearton, having been successfully used for blasting up to a year after being manufactured.

“The ability to re-pump the product has huge benefits for an underground opera-tion,” he explains. “Essentially, it allows a mine to pump emulsion from the surface to the underground workings safely, quickly and cheaply, avoiding much of the disruption and expense associated with normal explosives.”

For a start, the emulsion is regarded as a 5.1 oxidiser in terms of the United Nations transport classifications, allowing it to be transported without the stringent require-ments applied to other explosives. It is only sensitised in-situ in the blasthole at the work-face, when the blast is about to take place.

This means that the usual safety precau-tions and time constraints associated with moving explosives underground including

High Power Equipment (HPE) Africa dis-played the capabilities of the McCloskey C38 recirculating cone crusher to more than 60 industry professionals and trade media representatives at an interactive open day hosted by the company at a quarrying site in Gauteng recently.

HPE Africa was named as the sole South-ern African distributor for Canada/Ireland-based McCloskey International – which manufactures crushing, screening and han-dling equipment – in January 2013, and has since sold a total of 12 McCloskey machines to the local quarrying industry, including cone crushers, vibrating screens and jaw crushers.

HPE Africa McCloskey Sales Manager Alan Straw points out that the McCloskey C38 recirculating cone crusher was selected as the display model of choice, due to its du-rability and adaptability to the harsh African climate and terrain. “The C38 recirculating cone crusher combines the productivity of a 38 inch cone with the versatility of a full screening and recirculating system, thereby allowing operators to produce a crushed and screened final product with one single ma-chine,” he says.

Straw says the McCloskey C38 crusher was well received by guests during the dem-onstration, due to the fact that it displayed its

Multi-jackbolt tensioners reduce downtime

Stability of re-pumpable emulsion cuts costsdedicated shaft and locomotive cycles can be avoided. There are also considerable sav-ings in labour as emulsion can be pumped between cassettes and through the shaft system, simplifying the transportation cycle on the way to the blastface.

BME has also engineered a bag or cas-sette-based charging system through which workers can transport emulsion through the demanding confines of narrow-stope mines, before being loaded into blastholes quickly and efficiently.

While it is much safer and simpler to trans-port any emulsion rather than an explosive, the limitation of less stable emulsions is that they are unable to stand up to the number of pumping cycles ideally required to get it from a surface location to the stopes, says Pearton.

In a typical chain of events, the emulsion is first pumped into the silo at the manufactur-ing facility before being gravity-fed into the tankers that supply the mine. At the mine the emulsion is pumped into a silo before being pumped through multiple transfer cassettes or pipelines before entering the charging unit that will again pump the emulsion into the blastholes to charge them.

Applications vary between mechanised operations where the excavation is large enough for a mechanised charging unit, and a narrow reef environment that requires workers to take the emulsion into the stope for blasting. The latter can take advantage

Operator filling an underground charging unit with Megapump emulsions.

of BME’s closed emulsion system, where the product is pumped into small, sealed bags which are cycled into the confined spaces where blasting takes place before being re-turned for refilling. The design of the system ensures that there is no contamination of the emulsion, which could damage equipment and affect the results of the blast.

“It is a significant drawback to alternative systems that they cannot pump emulsion into small bags due to the risk of crystallisation – caused by a breakdown of the emulsion ma-trix,” notes Pearton. “Most other emulsions on the SA market can only be re-pumped about three times before they start to break-down.”

The stability of the BME product also al-lows it to stand for a very long time – both before and after it is sensitised – and still de-liver the high detonation qualities for which emulsions are well known.BME, tel (+27 11) 709-8765

McCloskey equipment on show at open daycapabilities as the ideal portable secondary crushing solution for operators requiring pro-duction rates up to 300 t/h. “The McCloskey C38 recirculating cone crusher is an entry level cone with high-spec features, including an anti-spin system, load and material level

monitoring, a fully hydraulic push button and fully hydraulic relief system. This machine proved first hand at HPE Africa’s McCloskey open day that its competitive pricing does not compromise on power or quality in any way whatsoever.”Alan Straw, HPE Africa, tel (+27 11) 397-4670

BMG’s new Superbolt® multi-jackbolt tension-ers, which form part of the Nord-Lock range, are designed to reduce downtime and elimi-nate unsafe and laborious bolting methods for pumps and pumping equipment, particularly in harsh operating conditions like the mines.

“These new multi-jackbolt tensioners re-place or retrofit nuts and bolts on pumps and only require hand or air tools for installation and removal of any size tensioner,” says Dar-ryl Campbell, GM for BMG’s fasteners, tools and equipment division. “Bolts on pumps and pumping equipment need to be easily remov-able during maintenance procedures, but must resist the loosening effects of vibrations and dynamic loads.

“This quick and efficient bolting method is based on a design which splits one big torque into a number of smaller ones. Super-bolt, which has numerous advantages over

conventional bolting products, ensures joints can be tightened with high accuracy, without the need for specialist skills or heavy tooling. Tightening in pure tension allows higher pre-loads on the same size bolt than conventional tightening methods.

“Multi-jackbolt tensioners are easy to in-stall, even in confined spaced and although there are multiple jackpoints to tighten, by using hand or air tools, installation times are faster than other bolting methods.”

While Superbolt tensioners are available in standard sizes, from M16 to over M1450, a large number of sales are for special non-standard items. This range is also custom de-signed and manufactured in various materials to required specifications for diverse tighten-ing applications.Darryl Campbell, BMG, tel (+27 31) 576-6621

product news

The advantages of pontoons for the dewa-tering of open-pit operations have become apparent to a number of mines throughout South Africa and into the rest of the conti-nent. This increased awareness is a direct result of a robust marketing campaign initi-ated by Weir Minerals Africa, which has high-lighted the many cost and efficiency benefits of this technology to the local market.

“By continually sharing information on pontoon technology and its applications with our customers, we’ve seen a sharp growth in demand for our pontoons,” says Weir Miner-als Africa’s Rental and Submersible Manager, Howard Jones. “This is in line with the growth of our entire dewatering division and under-lines the popularity of African-engineered technology.”

Weir Minerals Africa’s design centre, one of three design centres within the global Weir Group plc, has customised the design of pontoons produced by its Australian counter-parts to suit African conditions.

“There is an unprecedented need for more cost effective and operationally efficient dewatering solutions in the African mining industry,” Jones adds. “Conventional dewa-tering solutions are less effective and require expensive civil works, whereas pontoons are installed at the source, making pump-ing more efficient. Another major advantage is being able to migrate the pump wherever

it is needed, compared to the alternative, in which a new pump station would have to be developed.”

In its approach to the design of the pon-toons, Weir Minerals Africa has factored in the harsh conditions found on mine sites. “Pump pontoons not only need to be imper-vious to corrosion, but also need to be stable and rigid. During the re-engineering of spe-cific pontoons for the African market, we si-multaneously broadened the product offering for use in other regions such as Russia, South America and Australia,” says Weir Minerals Africa’s Dewatering Manager, Ian Farquhar.

Farquhar points out that in addition to ex-tensive input from its mechanical engineers, the company seconded the ser-vices of structural engineers to ensure the structural integrity of the pontoons. “When manufactur-ing each pontoon, we first address the specific needs of each site and we are then able to ascertain the best materials of construction for that application. As a result of our fit-for-purpose design, Weir Miner-als Africa has become one of three global design centres of excel-lence in the Weir Minerals division for pontoons.”

Construction materials vary from complete steel pontoon barges to

linear low density polyethylene flotation de-vices with steel frames for lighter applica-tions, where mobility from one pond to anoth-er is required. The designs can handle most Weir Minerals pump offerings, with a load bearing capacity from 500 kg to 10 t, includ-ing the structure. The floating walkway holds the cable and piping from the docking station to the shore and provides ready access to the pumps.

Jones says that while the majority of the pontoons used in Africa are medium sized units, Weir Minerals Africa has the ability to produce units for larger applications which can include workshops and sleeping quarters for personnel.Rene Calitz, Weir Minerals Africa, tel (+27 11) 929-2622

Pontoons offer cost-effective dewatering

Two Warman 200QC DWU pumps with 110 kW motors on mild steel twin Multiflo pontoons.

product news

64 09.13

Index to advertisersAveng Manufacturing Duraset OFCAxis Communications 40AZ Hollink South Africa 11Babcock Equipment 38Bearing Man Group 61Bell Equipment Company 9bme OBCCummins South Africa IBCDabmar 26Eaton Industries GmbH 2Ernest Lowe 34Flexicon Africa 13FLSmidth IFC/1

Hosch-Fördertechnik SA 53HPE Africa 14Impulelo Technologies 24Joy Global (Africa) 4M & J Engineering 49MDM Engineering 32Melco 52Mining Indaba 42Minopex 29MMD Mineral Sizing 56Multotec Group 47Novatek 39PANalytical 59

Robor 50 Sandvik Mining Systems 44Scaw Metals 58SKF 46Tega Industries 28Tenova Mining and Minerals 48TWP 19Vital Engineering 16Voith 55Wearcheck 63Zest Weg Group 36

Scribante Africa Mining has purchased 10 TowerLight systems from Pilot Crushtec Inter-national. According to Pilot Crushtec Interna-tional National Sales Manager Nicolan Goven-der, the units are being used on two entirely different sites for a wide range of purposes.

“Four of these are in use at Maseve mine, owned by Platinum Group Metals, situated in Boschoek in the North West. They provide light at the site’s workshop to give teams a 24-hour operating capability, illuminate round-

Scribante opts for tower lights from Pilot Crushtecthe-clock road building, and the construction of the mine’s platinum plant. They also light up the night-time operation of a heavy duty scalper supplied by Pilot Crushtec Inter-national, which is processing a substantial stockpile of platinum waste,” says Govender.

A further six units are reliably hastening essential rehabilitation work at the Scri bante open-cut coal mine outside eMalahleni, Mpumalanga.

Situated outside Milan, Italy, TowerLight produces what is reportedly the world’s wid-est range of free-standing mobile lighting towers and the technical excellence of the products has reportedly impressed manage-ment at Scri bante.

Mike Maurice, site manager at Maseve, has extensive experience of outdoor lighting sys-tems and was immediately impressed with the TowerLight products in terms of perfor-mance, reliability and ease of operation.

Scribante Africa Mining recently took ownership of seven TowerLights in one order for its Maseve site in North West Province.

“The light output (lux) is far superior to equivalent products on the market and we have experienced a zero fault rate despite working 10-hour shifts five days a week. But there are other practical considerations. The TowerLight products are based on a wheeled chassis while other products use outriggers, which regularly fracture when the units are moved across uneven ground.”

From the operator’s perspective, Tower-Lights are both safe and user friendly to oper-ate. The tower, which can extend to a height of 8 m, is controlled by a manual lifting winch backed up by an auto braking system. Being telescopic, it is not prone to collapse under windy conditions, the Achilles heel of folding towers. In addition, the twin axle option of the VT8 purchased by Scribante is road legal for towing purposes.Pilot Crushtec International, tel (+27 11) 842-5600

South African condition monitoring special-ist WearCheck recently expanded its African footprint into West Africa with the opening of a world-class oil analysis laboratory in Tarkwa in the heart of the country’s gold mining region.

Neil Robinson, MD of WearCheck, views the expansion into West Africa as the next step in WearCheck’s ongoing strategic ex-pansion. “The stable Ghanaian economy and good governance were important factors in our decision to select Ghana as our starting point in West Africa. Another drawcard is the

WearCheck opens laboratory in Ghanafact that several of our South African mining clients also run operations in Ghana, and we wanted to support them by offering the same high quality condition monitoring services they already use in South Africa.”

The WearCheck network currently has a presence in seven countries (South Africa, Zambia, India, Dubai, Zimbabwe, Namibia and now Ghana), and includes nine world-class laboratories, all located in areas best positioned to serve particular industries or industry clusters

High quality, modern instrumentation ser-vice and an excellent sample turnaround time are some of the drawcards at WearCheck Ghana. Oil samples are processed in the laboratory, which has the full complement of laboratory equipment on a par with all Wear-Check’s laboratories.

The sample processing is overseen by Ghanaian nationals, Samuel Yenyi (laboratory supervisor) and Daniel Boakye, who have a wealth of knowledge and experience in oil analysis. WearCheck Ghana, tel (+233 354) 431-6512

APE Pumps has completed manufacture of two vertical turbine pumps for return water duty at the Namoya gold mine in the DRC.

The pumps have been shipped, and will be installed to transfer water for re-use within the mine’s gravity circuit, a pre-leaching pro-cess that will recover coarse gold by making use of its relatively high specific gravity.

After use, process water will pass into a large polyurethane lined dam for transfer by

the APE vertical turbine pumps back to the start of the circuit.

Namoya is a new mine situated at the south-western end of the Twangiza-Namoya gold belt in the DRC’s Maniema province ap-proximately 225 km south-west of Bukavu. It is owned by Canada’s Banro Corporation.

Construction of the gravity circuit at Nam-oya is nearing completion as part of a larger overall mine development programme being

Turbine pumps shipped to DRC’s Namoya gold mineexecuted by MDM Engineering.

APE’s two vertical turbine pumps for Namoya are identical machines, each 8 m in length from mounting plate to suction bell, and incorporating a water flush to lubricate the bearings.

The pumps are designed to transfer water at a flow rate of 100 m3/h.APE Pumps, tel (+27 11) 824-4810, e-mail: apepumps@mweb.co.za