International Mining

Green and safe mining at Euro Mine Expo

International Mining — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:53:05 +0000

A range of interesting lectures will be presented during the Euro Mine Expo 2012 in Skellefteå, Sweden. In one of the main theme sessions, Smarter, deeper, better mining, visitors will receive information on how Finland is working with green mining and how KGHM works on safe mining in Poland. On Thursday, June 14, presentations will be given on Smarter, deeper, better mining. Two of the topics raised during the day are green mining and the future of safe deep mass metal mining. The mining industry growth offers Finnish companies an opportunity to become pioneers in a sustainable mineral industry. Green Mining combines an industrial production process with ecological operating practices. Harry Sandström is a senior consultant and Green Mining program coordinator at Spinverse Oy in Finland. He will be presenting the Finnish Green Mining Program under the headline: Aims and ongoing research activities. He started his career in mining working as a researcher, project manager and lab manager at GTK during 1977-1999. He continued at GTK in positions as Director, Regional Director and Director of Geoservices between 1990-2006. Sandström has been CEO af Labtium and currently holds the position of Senior Consultant at Spinverse Oy with key competences including service business within the mining sector as well as business development and overseas project management. "The objective of the Green Mining program is to minimise adverse impacts through compliance with environmentally and socially sustainable objectives in the entire cycle of extraction and beneficiation process and to ensure alternative land uses following mine closure. The program also wants to find improved working methods and operating practices", says Sandström. The main objective of the program is to make Finland a global leader of sustainable mineral industries by 2020 and creating new business that requires specialised expertise alongside traditional mining. Furthermore the project is workning to increase the number of SMEs targeting the export market in the mineral cluster and achieving global leader status for research in selected sectors. Another of this day's speaker is Henryk Karaś. He is Corporate Adviser for KGHM in Poland and on Euro Mine Expo he will talk about the vision of future deep mass metal mining in Poland. Karaś has since 1972 to 2009 worked in many management positions in the production and research units in mining industry, mainly the KGHM Polska Miedź, encompassing underground mining and mineral processing operations. Since 2009 to date he's employed as corporate advisor to the KGHM Management Board. Between 2006 and 2012 Karaś was acting chairman of the European Technology Platform on Mineral Resources and also a committee member of a number of European associations in the metal sector representing KGHM, for example: Euromines, Euromeatux in Brussels and the Swedish project "Smart Mine of the Future" which started in 2009. Furthermore he is a member of the CIM (Canadian Institute of Mining) Association), Karaś presents the vision of future deep mass metal mining in Poland. The project is being carried out by KGHM since 2009 and is based on hard rock continuous mining technology. "It should be the introduction to an intelligent and remote controlled robotic technology for deeply laying copper and silver deposits in Central Europe. Owing to successful implementation of the project results KGHM hopes to extend its activity in the next 40 years in Europé", Karas says. He also describes how the development of Hard Rock Cutting methods in Europe and in other countries, such as USA and Australia, gives KGHM the opportunity to implement remote sensing, steering and automation when using both continuous mining and hydraulic powered roof support (HPRS) units. Karaś says that the development of novel Hard Rock Cutting methods is based on two assumptions: First: The current method of drill and blast is inherently dangerous, cyclic and slower. Second: Rock Cutting - the way of the future is based on continuous operation (non-cyclic mining) which is easier to automate, easier to respond to geology, faster and safer. "Additionally, continuous mining gives more opportunities for implementation of Lean Management in underground mining operations", Henryk Karaś concludes. Euro Mine Expo takes place June 12-14, 2012 in Skellefteå. This third international trade fair and conference for the mining industry and its suppliers is held in the very heart of Sweden's mining industry. In this region, tradition and history go hand in hand with technical development and innovative approaches. www.eurominexpo.com

GE to buy both Industrea and Fairchild in major mining equipment move

International Mining — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:30:30 +0000

GE has made a surprise entry into the mobile mining equipment OEM world with announced acquisitions of two important underground mining equipment manufacturers which it says is "in support of the global expansion of its mining business." GE has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of Australia-based Industrea Ltd, the provider of safety and productivity-enhancing mining equipment and services. The company also signed a binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire Fairchild International, the independently owned and operated underground coal mining equipment manufacturer located in Glen Lyn, Virginia. The Industrea transaction is valued at approximately A$700 million, but terms of the Fairchild agreement were not disclosed. The company stated: "The combination of the two entities expands GE's product offering to address approximately 35% of the underground mining value chain. Industrea Ltd and Fairchild International together are well positioned in dynamic growth regions for mining, including Australia, China (Industrea), and the United States (Fairchild). GE will enable these regionally focused enterprises to reach a global customer base with enhanced products based on GE's clean propulsion systems, energy storage offering, and world-class system integration capabilities. Both Industrea Ltd. and Fairchild International will benefit from GE's lean manufacturing and effective global supply chain management." Both companies will become part of GE Transportation's global mining business which already works with mines to provide innovative solutions in critical areas such as power, water, and productivity. With more than 700 employees, seven Australian locations, and a significant presence in China, Industrea is said to be well positioned for growth across its four divisions: Mining Equipment (flame- and explosion-proof underground mining vehicles and equipment), Mining Technology (drill guidance systems and collision avoidance systems), Gas Management (specialised underground in-seam drilling and gas drainage services) and Mining Services (integrated contract mining services). With the proposed acquisition of Industrea, GE makes a strategic investment in expanding its manufacturing footprint to Australia and contributing to a strong industrial manufacturing base in the country. In addition, GE expands its product portfolio to underground mining and increases its presence in key mining regions Australia and China. Industrea is to "benefit from GE's global footprint and customer relationships, and mining technologies." The transaction will be subject to shareholder approval. Industrea shareholders will vote on the offer in the second half of 2012. The transaction is also subject to customary conditions including relevant regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close later in 2012. In the other deal, GE Transportation signed an LOI to acquire Virginia-based, independently owned and operated Fairchild International. The company employs approximately 150 people and manufactures a wide range of underground coal mining equipment, including diesel and battery-powered scoops, continuous miners, haulage systems, shield haulers, and maintenance vehicles. With this acquisition, GE again aims to expand its product offering to underground mining but also grow Fairchild's customer base beyond its core US market to serve mining customers worldwide. Lorenzo Simonelli, President and CEO of GE Transportation said: "With the acquisition of Fairchild International we will combine nearly fifty years of leading industry knowledge and expertise in designing, building and servicing underground mining equipment with GE's global reach, technology leadership in clean propulsion and energy storage systems, and world-class system integration capabilities. We will bring the next generation of top performing underground mining equipment to mining customers around the globe."

New Neptune pump for coal prep frother applications

International Mining — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:18:03 +0000

Neptune Chemical Pump, a leading manufacturer of chemical metering pumps, designed its Neptune 500-D Series (Duplex) Diaphragm Metering Pumps for frother applications found in coal mine prep plants. In the preparation plant, the Neptune 500-D Series pumps diesel fuel from one pump head to coat the coal and feeds frother (alcohol) from the other pump head, which makes the coal float on top of the slurry so it can be extracted. The 500-D Series pumps are designed with features that the company believes "set the standard" in the industry. Its EZE-CLEAN valve cartridges can be removed from the pump heads without having to disturb the pump's piping. Neptune's Variable Oil By-pass stroke adjustment provides better valve performance than variable-linkage designs. Other standard features of Neptune pumps include double ball-check valves, internal relief valve, and a hydraulically balanced Teflon diaphragm for extended life. Optional features available are automatic flow rate adjustment using an electronic stroke controller and variable frequency drives. The 500-D pump head materials of construction are 316 stainless steel, C-20, PVC, and Kynar. Material options for the ball check valves are 316 stainless body and seat with 316 balls, PVC body and seat with ceramic balls, C-20 body and seat with C20 balls, and Kynar body and seat with ceramic balls. Flow rates at 100 psi (60 Hz) range from 1 to 60 gal/h (4 to 228 litres/h) depending on gear ratios of 37, 72, 117 and 144 strokes per minute. Maximum operating pressure is 3,000 psi (207 bar) and maximum temperature of 200ºF (93ºC) for 316 stainless steel and C-20; maximum pressure and temperature of PVC is 400 psi and 125ºF; and the maximum pressure and temperature of Kynar is 150 psi and 200ºF.

Underground Coal to Liquids (UCTL) update - significant progress

International Mining — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:03:21 +0000

Preliminary results suggest that Stanford University has achieved the primary objective of coal liquefaction using specifications of UCTL. Qualitative demonstration of liquid hydrocarbon products being formed from coal using near-critical or supercritical water at conditions anticipated in UCTL. Quantitative demonstration expected from further testing on conversation of coal to liquid hydrocarbons and gas. Fast liquefaction times with Stanford’s continuous coal feed reactor is considered novel and could lead to further intellectual property. Potential application of UCTL to upgrade heavy hydrocarbons. (more…)

Hitachi introduces new solution for heavy equipment paint waste

International Mining — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:22:42 +0000

Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) has implemented what it believes to be a unique process to reduce chemical waste from the painting process at its factory in Amsterdam. Developed in cooperation with Advantage Chemicals, the process will save an estimated €60,000 per year on labour and energy costs, as well as disposal costs for waste water and sludge. Before the new system was introduced in December 2011, the painting process produced approximately 260 t of waste per year. It used a classic sinking system, in which the paint would sink or form a sediment at the bottom of the pool of water beneath the paint facility. Twice a year, the pool had to be cleaned, and the water and paint had to be removed, which was costly in terms of labour, energy, water and waste removal. The new system has reduced the amount of waste by 88% per year. HCME Production Engineering Manager Robin Huijsman, who is also Compliance Officer for Environmental Regulation, explains: "Cleaning the pool beneath the paint facility twice a year was a difficult and dirty job. With the new system, we are able to remove the overspray paint from the water and reuse the water. Thanks to the new system, the facility is cleaner and the filtering system that removes paint particles from the air functions better." The new process combines real-time CoAg (coagulation) systems with waste water treatment systems. Instead of sinking or forming as sediment, the paint is suspended in the water and pumped to a waste treatment tank. "For this tank, we asked Advantage Chemicals to develop a chemical that is able to remove the paint by making it float," added Huijsman. "The floating paint sludge is then skimmed off the top of the tank and is estimated at 30 t per year. We are delighted with the results of the new process. The reduction in chemical waste is one of our key environmental objectives and has improved the overall carbon footprint of the HCME factory in Amsterdam. In addition to cost benefits, there are health benefits too, with less solvents being released into the factory air and less dust."

Powerscreen reveals extensive Hillhead line-up

International Mining — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:18:26 +0000

Powerscreen will be unveiling the latest in a series of new mining and quarrying products at the Hillhead Exhibition on June 19-21 at its L10 stand. Visitors to the demonstration area will see five machines working. The Powerscreen XA750S jaw crusher will be feeding the Powerscreen Warrior 2400 screen, while the Powerscreen XA400S jaw crusher will be working separately to showcase its new pre-screen feature. Finally, the enhanced Powerscreen XH320X impact crusher will be working with the Powerscreen Warrior 1400X screen. "Powerscreen is eagerly awaiting the 2012 Hillhead exhibition as we have a number of enhanced products to showcase to our customers," said Damian Power, Powerscreen Global Product Line Director. "Traditionally, Hillhead has been one of the most anticipated exhibitions on the Powerscreen calendar for team members, distributors and customers, and we fully expect the 2012 exhibition to be one of the best. With the opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of our enhanced equipment and the volume of international visitors already registered, we're looking forward to a successful Hillhead." Additional new product developments will be on display at the Powerscreen stand, including a Powerscreen XA400S jaw crusher, the Powerscreen XH320X and Powerscreen XH500 impact crushers, and a Powerscreen Warrior 1400X screen. Established models - the Powerscreen 1000 Maxtrak cone crusher, a Dual Power Powerscreen Chieftain 2100X screen and the Powerscreen Warrior 800 screen will also give visitors a good overview of the full Powerscreen product portfolio.

AREVA and Mitsubishi co-operate on Australian uranium exploration

International Mining — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:18:09 +0000

AREVA and Mitsubishi, through their respective subsidiaries Afmeco Mining and Exploration (AFMEX) and Mitsubishi Development (MDP), have decided to work together in a uranium exploration program in Australia. Exploration will be conducted for several years across tens of thousands of square kilometres of Australia where little or no previous exploration has yet been undertaken. Under the terms of the agreement entered into between both companies, MDP will cover 100% of AFMEX's exploration expenditure for several years up to a predetermined amount. Once the threshold is reached and if MDP confirms its interest, MDP will have the option to acquire 49% of the greenfield* uranium exploration permits held by AFMEX in Australia and enter into a joint venture owned 51% by AFMEX and 49% by MDP. The operations of the new joint venture will be managed by AFMEX. Olivier Wantz, AREVA Senior Executive Vice President in charge of mining activities stated: "By joining forces through this partnership, AREVA and Mitsubishi Corporation are gaining the means to develop Australia's very substantial uranium potential. We believe that exploitable low production cost deposits will be discovered there over the long term, hence our mutual commitment to financing such a large-scale exploration effort." Australia produced nearly 6,200 t (about 16.1 Mlb) of uranium in 2011. It is the world's number three uranium producer behind Kazakhstan and Canada, and its uranium reserves are among the largest in the world. AREVA recently stepped up its exploration efforts in Australia, where it has discovered several deposits since commencing exploration activities there in the 1970s.

Clean Mining Alliance will highlight the cleaner technologies available to the industry

International Mining — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:15:00 +0000

The Clean Mining Alliance has announced the unveiling of its new industry association aimed at supporting and advocating technological advancements to make the mining industry cleaner and more environmentally responsible. "Frameworks exist to increase social responsibility in mining, but despite advancements in exploration, extraction, production and reclamation technology, the industry has struggled to present itself as having grown beyond the mining days of old," said Dallas Kachan, Executive Director of the Clean Mining Alliance. "The Clean Mining Alliance exists to help promote new and emerging technology developments that are making mining more environmentally responsible." The Clean Mining Alliance is a newly formed international non-profit organisation based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is being introduced during British Columbia Mining week, a time when the province celebrates the contributions the mining industry brings to the province, its communities and businesses. Members of the Clean Mining Alliance include companies on the forefront of innovative breakthroughs in the mining industry, as well as leading research organisations. Kachan stated: "We're thrilled to be able to showcase case studies from industry, and world-leading research members like CERM³ (The University of British Columbia's Centre for Environmental Research in Minerals, Metals and Materials), which has proven through its work at the local Britannia mine site that innovation can vastly improve mine reclamation. It's these types of innovations that are leading towards a cleaner mining industry." Founding members of the Clean Mining Alliance include American Manganese, CERM³ at the University of British Columbia, Kemetco Research and Nevada Clean Magnesium. Each of these organisations is introducing new processes or technologies aimed at making mining safer, cleaner and less expensive. Clean technologies, or "cleantech," employed by member organisations include membrane-based water filtration, hydrometallurgical processes, biologic remediation, carbon capture, near-zero emissions processes, closed-loop systems and other innovation. Learn more about each company and the technologies it is employing at http://www.cleanmining.org

Indian/US joint venture for global operation in large mining machine parts

International Mining — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:40:11 +0000

India’s Vulcan Industrial Engineering Co (VIECL) and L&H Industrial of Gillette, Wyoming, USA, both claiming to be “leaders in engineering services and products for the global mining industry,” have launched Velocity International, a US based organization that will produce mining machinery, spare parts and equipment accessories that are primarily used in high volume global mining operations. Headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, Velocity has put together a team of industry experts with extensive international experience that will sell and service high quality mining equipment through its worldwide dealer network. (more…)

Innovative 3D design methodology applied for Gounkoto crushing plant by Sandvik

International Mining — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:25:05 +0000

Sandvik has applied an innovative 3D methodology to conduct design work on a new crushing plant at Randgold Resources' Gounkoto mine in Mali. The project entails the crushing of the primary ROM gold ore and transporting it to a secondary crushing station to be stacked by a slewing stacker. Sandvik Mining Systems was awarded the contract in January 2011 and the scope of work included civil, electrical, mechanical and structural design, procurement, fabrication and ex-works delivery of the plant, as well as commissioning assistance. Time Mining erected and commissioned the plant in December 2011. "One of the keys to the success of this contract was the fact that we harnessed proven Sandvik crushing equipment and technology in the design," Marnus Fick of Sandvik Mining states. "When it comes to design, the traditional 2D approach with detailed construction drawings is invariably associated with fabrication errors and mechanical equipment not fitting well onto the structural components. On this project we effectively removed a lot of this uncertainty by creating a 3D representation in a data managed environment, using a product called Teamcenter that controls the various revisions the design went through. The critical factor is that all revisions to the 3D design were carried out in a managed environment. This means that we completely captured all associated design data, including vendor data sheets and 2D designs, to reduce errors. In the end we were able to supply Time Mining with a very easily interpretable representation of the plant that made the construction drawings so much easier to understand. It also greatly facilitated the identification of the steel members that arrived on site, effectively shortening the time to project completion." He adds: "Combining the 3D design with the data management system also allowed us to compile a bill of quantities and manage it through the various lifecycle stages, from concept through fabrication into logistics control and construction. Taking this approach allowed us to significantly reduce the likelihood of errors and boost the ability to do materials control on site, ultimately increasing the speed of construction." HAZOPS (hazards and operability studies) were incorporated into the design to ensure safe and efficient operations of the plant. Sandvik also set up a local supply of critical spares through its office in Mali and will continue to support the life of plant via this office. Gounkoto is a recent greenfields discovery which is located 25 km south of Randgold Resources' Loulo gold mine. Sandvik's scope of supply commenced from the top of the tip bin, designed to suit a Caterpillar 777 dump truck. Ore is withdrawn from a 100 t bin via a 1.8 m wide by 7 m long apron feeder, which will deposit the ore straight into a CJ815 Jawmaster primary crusher at a rate of 800 t/h. The crushed -350 mm ore from the primary crusher is deposited via a chute onto a 1,200 m wide transfer conveyor which in turn transfers the ore to the secondary crushing station. The -100 mm product is stockpiled using a 1,200 m wide slewing conveyor capable of creating a plus 20,000 t stockpile. The discharge chutes from the primary sizers are lined with 16 mm VRN400 liners to reduce maintenance downtime in this high wear area. The scope included the total steel support structure of the CS660 secondary crusher, including the structures required to support a 25 t electric overhead crane. Sandvik Mining Systems is a product area of Sandvik Mining, created in the wake of the recent restructuring of the Sandvik Group's global operations. The new product area became fully operational in early 2012 and specialises in bulk materials handling solutions. From continuous opencast mining systems and in-pit crushing and conveying (IPCC) to integrated stacking, reclaiming and conveying systems for mines, stockyards, mills and port facilities, Sandvik Mining Systems offers total solutions and turnkey installations including a wide range of individual equipment like crushing plants, reclaimers, stackers, bucket wheel excavators, spreaders and shiploaders.