July - August 2015, Volume 9 No.

Mine Site
Laboratories
The popularity of modular benefits

Inside:
Mine Health and Safety
Water Treatment Technologies
Tyre Management Solutions

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Gauteng
South Africa

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Contents

July - August 2015, Volume 9 No.4

28
24

85
60

51
40

16 COVER STORY

Regulars
African

Mining Brief

3 The Editor's Note

July - August 2015, Volume 9 No.4

African Mining Brief

4 News / Association News

6 New Products

Mine Site
Laboratories

Mine Site Laboratories

enabling mines to focus on their
competencies

The popularity of modular benefits

July - August 2015, Vol 9 No.4

7 Events
8 Guest
Other Stories

Inside:

Cover picture:
Underground laboratory at Palabora
Mining Company in Phalaborwa

Mine Health and Safety

African

Mining Brief

18 Containerised Laboratory Services

Labs designed and operated in accordance to global quality
standards
5772 NCM Magazine Ad 1.indd 1

36 The sound and effective alternative

Economic and environmental factors have raised the profile
of geomembranes as the product of choice in containing
water produced by tailings treatment. African Mining Brief
finds out whether this is for the long haul?
44

Integrated Safety and Risk Management

Solutions for the Mining Industry

One injury is one too many- mines need to be proactive in

their prevention of incidents from occurring than simply

92 The ins and outs of core trays

With regard to Core Trays, the important aspects are always
the orientation of the core, the core recovery, the sequence
of the core through the depth of the bore hole, writes CECIL
CURRIE.

Water Treatment Technologies

Tyre Management Solutions

2015/03/03 07:52

African Mining Brief is published six times a year

and is circulated to members of relevant associations,
governmental bodies and other personnel in the mining
industry as well as suppliers of equipment, materials and
services in Africa, the Middle and Far East. The editor
welcomes articles and photographs for consideration.
Material may not be reproduced without prior permission
from the publisher.
The publisher does not accept responsibility for the
accuracy or authenticity of advertisements or contributions
contained in the journal. Views expressed by contributors
are not necessarily those of the publisher.
All rights reserved.

MANAGING EDITOR
Robert Barnes
COUNTRY EDITORS
Nigeria - Boladale Ademiju
Kenya - Francis Makari
Uganda - Mr. Dan Nsalasata
South Africa -Newton Mthethwa
WRITERS
Jimmy Swira,
Thunile Alletta Nkosi
Lindsay Wagner,
GRAPHIC/WEB DESIGN
Augustine Ombwa
Caleb Larum Rorat
COUNTRY LIAISON
Thuthukile Mhlanga
Manoko Thosago
ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES
Kenya:
Frances Lagoussis (Mombasa),
Trizah Njoroge
Uganda:
Bill Collins Musaazi
Harriate Nakabuye
Tanzania:
Orton Kishweko
South Africa:
Manoko Thosago, Happy Mokoena
Shepherd Mthethwa, Winnie Sentabire,
Angeline Ntobeng, Nqobile Ndlovu
Botswana:
Dickson Manyudza,
Gerald Mazikana
Malawi:
Anderson Fumulani
Nigeria:
Seni Bello
Ghana:
Anthony Hondah, George Laing
Zimbabwe:
Cyril Zenda
Rwanda:
Collison Lore
China:
Weng Jie

Editors Note
Practical solutions needed, not crying over missed
opportunities
Almost the whole of Africa is currently facing an energy crisis Zimbabwe,
Nigeria, Egypt, etc. Of course, the magnitude of the severity varies. Having South
Africa as a second home of sorts for me, after frequenting the country for the
past two decades - got me thinking that the situation is not as worse as in other
countries where a power crisis can take up to two days.
The electricity crisis is as much an economic issue as it is political. This can
be seen in oil-rich countries like Ghana and Nigeria which should be better on the
account of their, yet the crisis there is worse than smaller resource-constrained
neigbouring countries. This is as mindboggling as one could get.
The root cause of the problem is poor planning of governments which could
not anticipate that the infrastructure they inherited from colonial masters would
not suffice in the coming years. In their typical last-minute panic mode, African
governments have resorted to mega expansion projects, most of which are beset
by structural defects and costly delays. Having said, for countries to successfully
tackle the electricity crisis, all stakeholders involved thus the government, the
private sector and civil societies must work together. Finger-pointing or ruing
what could have been wont help the resolve the situation. Encouragingly,
countries like South Africa have embarked on ambitious renewable energy
projects on solar and wind farms, nuclear and fracking.
Last but not least, it would be of your interest that African Mining Briefs
next edition will be focusing on renewable energy- opportunities and benefits for
investors as well as the mining industry.
I am off to Scotland for two weeks on holiday.

Robert Barnes

Published By Group Africa Publishing Ltd.

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NEWS

Botswana

DRC

Zambia

Diamond
Technology Park

Government to acquire more shares

on Kamoa Copper Project

Takes its first

step in reducing
its stake on
ZCCM-IH

Ambassador Anne de la Blache

of France visited the Diamond
Technology Park on July 7
to have first-hand experience
on
diamond
beneficiation.
When briefing the ambassador,
SAFDICO director, MsRutang
Moses, said the park was created
following the relocation of
diamond sales from London
to Gaborone. Her company
polishes and cuts diamonds.
It also owns the park, which
houses other diamond polishing
companies such as the Diamond
Hub, Gemological
Institute
of America (GIA), Okavango
Diamond Company (ODC)
and brokers as well as jewelery
manufacturers.
Before
the
relocation, rough diamonds were
sold in London. Ms Moses said
downstream activities had been
created locally to get more value
from the resources. She said her
company was amongst the first
sightholders to be established in
Botswana. Diamond polishing
companies were known as
sightholders.

Ivanhoe Mines has reconfirmed its commitment to finalise an

agreement for the sale of a further interest of up to 15% in the
company's Kamoa copper project to the government of the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which currently holds a 5%
free-carry interest in the project. Ivanhoe Mines is co-developing the
Kamoa project with China-based Zijin Mining Group, which on May
26, announced its intention to buy a 49.5% share interest in Kamoa
Holding Limited, the Ivanhoe subsidiary that presently owns 95% of
the Kamoa project, for an aggregate consideration of US$412 million.
The Kamoa project will provide significant volumes of copper once
developed. This confirmation follows an announcement issued by the
DRC Minister of Mines and Minister of Portfolio which stated that
any commercial sale of up to 15% in Kamoa Copper SA (the entity
that holds the Kamoa copper project exploitation permits or mining
licences) to the Congolese State would dilute Zijin future interest in
the project.

Africa News
BMG and Danfoss Strategic Alliance
BMG and Danfoss Drives have consolidated a long standing
partnership, with the official signing of a strategic alliance agreement
that augers well for both companies, stakeholders and customers.This
new development formalises and strengthens the original distribution
agreement for Danfoss variable speed drives and the soft starter
range, which has been in place since 2007, says David Dyce,
division manager, BMG Electronics Bearing Man Group. Through
this firm alliance, BMG is set to increase awareness of the Danfoss
brand; create a stablised pricing structure and ensure efficient enquiry
turnaround times and a reliable support service of Danfoss systems.
The Danfoss range of technically advanced variable speed drives and
soft starter systems, available from BMGs national branch network
of over 140 outlets, enhances energy savings, food preservation, care
for the environment and optimum productivity. BMG and Danfoss,
with a complementary product and customer base and a perfect
business ethics fit, are committed to working closely with industry
to achieve a more efficient and sustainable environment and a highly
productive and globally competitive region.

Zambian governmenthas sold

15.9 million shares of its Zambia
Consolidated Copper MinesInvestment Holdings (ZCCMIH) to the national pension fund
for almost $80 million. The
deal, signed Tuesday, is the
first step in the governments
planned reduction of its stake
in the company from 87.5% to
60% and aims to help reduce
the nations growing budget
deficit,
Africa
Intelligence
reported (subs. required). The
move follows a recent decision
to drop mineral royalties for
underground mines from a
recently revised 9% to 6%, while
keeping opencast mining taxes
at 9%. The announced changes
will be effective on July 1, once
parliament has approved them.
Zambia, Africas second biggest
copper producer with output of
730,000 tonnes last year, expects
the sale of ZCCM-IH shares to
mitigate a fiscal gap forecast
last month by the International
Monetary Fund.

: Danfoss range of technically advanced variable speed drives and soft starter
systems

July - August 2015

NEWS

Ethopia

Cameroon

Zimbabwe

Ethiopia Earns
Over U.S 281
Million From
Mineral Export

Sundance Resources set on funding of the mines

in parallel with the work being undertaken by the
Cameroon government
Sundance Resources has revealed it will no longer be overseeing or
financing the development of the rail and port infrastructure required
to support its undeveloped 40 MtpaMbalam-Nabeba iron ore project
Cameroon and the Republic of Congo. According to the ASX-listed
junior, the Cameroon government will look to fund 100% of the
capital requirement for the rail and port infrastructure and secure this
funding via a loan from China and possibly other friendly countries.
As previously announced by Sundance, the value of the infrastructure
is US$3.5 billion, including a 510 km railway line. Sundance is
confident that this funding for the infrastructure will be obtained by the
Cameroon government and this will allow the company to concentrate
on funding and the development of the Mbarga and Nabeba mines.
A transition agreement with the Cameroon government was signed
yesterday in Yaounde, Cameroon incorporating the following key
items:

Rio Tinto sellits

stake in the Murowa
Diamonds Mine

The Ministry of Mines (MoM)

said it has earned over 281
million US dollars in revenue
from the export of various
minerals in the last nine months
of this budget year. MoM Public
Relations and Communications
Director, BachaFaji, told WIC
that the income was earned from
the export of over 7,300 kg of
processed and 2,800 kg of raw
gold, 152.9 kg of gemstone,
48,147 kg of opal, 353 tons of
marble, 3.88 kg of platinum
and 133 tons of tantalum. The
minerals exported to various
countries were produced by
companies and artisanal miners,
he said. According to Bacha,
gold, marble and tantalum
exported through companies
have generated 92.02 million
USD, while gold, opal, tantalum
and platinum exported by
artisanal miners made 188.96
million USD.

Ghana.
Vermeer introduces horizontal directional drilling
(hdd) equipment to solve road cutting and surface
destruction problems in ghana.
Residents living along construction zones across the country will
now enjoy some relief as equipment developed to limit the social and
environmental impact of construction has been introduced in Ghana.
The equipment enables contractors to install cables and pipes
underground without touching the surface of the earth while installing
critical utility lines. Vermeer, a world leading provider of agricultural
and industrial equipment introduced the HDD equipment at a
ceremony in Accra. The Regional Sales Manager of Vermeer, Mr.
Ruben de Meijer said in order to meet the needs of rapidly developing
societies, contractors and municipalities around the world need
equipment that complete work efficiently and productively. He also
pointed out that, in a more established areas, the demand for faster
transfer of information is driving broadband and fiber installation,
while a rapidly aging water infrastructure is receiving a falling grade
and needs replacement. He said it will be targeting the fiber optic
industry such as telecommunication companies since they are mostly
involved in the laying of underground cables and pipes.

Mining
giant
Rio
Tinto
(LON:RIO) is leaving Zimbabwe
after agreeing to sell its 78%
stake in the Murowa Diamonds
mine and its 50% holding in
the Sengwa Colliery mine to its
former local unit, RioZim Ltd.
"Rio Tinto believes that future of
these assets can be best managed
by entities with existing interests
in Zimbabwe," according to Rio
Tinto. The move doesnt mean
that Rio Tinto is giving up on
diamonds, Alan Davies, head
of the diamond and mineral
unit, said in a statement. Rio
Tinto remains committed to the
diamond industry and is focused
on operating its two worldclass underground mines whilst
obtaining the approvals for its
advanced diamond project in
India, Davies noted. Earlier this
year Zimbabwe announced plans
to merge all diamond miners,
including Rios local unit, into
one company in which the state
would own 50% of the shares
as part of its black economic
empowerment
programme
(BEE).

Horizontal directional drilling (hdd) equipment

July - August 2015

EVENTS / NEW PRODUCTS

The Joburg
Indaba

iPAD Rwanda Power &

Infrastructure Investment Forum

Date: 4 & 15 October 2015

Venue: The Inanda Club,

Johannesburg

Website: www.joburgindaba.
com
Email: registrations@
resources4africa.com

iPAD Rwanda Power & Infrastructure Investment Forum in close

partnership with REG Ltd attracts energy sector stakeholders and
investors to Kigali for the purpose of highlighting development
opportunities within Rwanda. This stakeholder-led investment meeting
focuses on a specific delegate profile with a specific end goal in
this case looking for credible investors for Rwandas power industry
as well as associated infrastructure projects. Despite the extensive
growth and development opportunities that a well-established gas
industry can offer in Africa, it is important to consider the unique
set of challenges that Africa faces - environmental, engineering,
geopolitical and fiscal frameworks. Logie stated that there is no onesize-fits-all approach that can be taken, and that it is critical to design
and implement specific development, management and operational
strategies and programmes which take into consideration regional
prerequisites.

Incentivising
oil and gas
companies in
South Africa
Over the last few years, there
has been a steady upswing in the
level of activity in the oil and gas
(O&G) industry in South Africa
(SA). Most notably, it has been
estimated that the Karoo has
some of the highest technically
recoverable shale gas reserves in
the world, and if these reserves
prove to be commercially viable,

The Joburg Indaba on Investing

it will dramatically alter the

in Resources and Mining in

energy landscape in SA and

Africa is a unique event for

significantly boost investment.

Exploration activity off the

leaders from the mining and

resources
in

sectors

value

to

added

engage

coast of SA is also expected to

strategic

increase as many licences to

undertake exploration activities

conversations that are open,

are at various stages of progress.

honest, bold, fresh, relevant

Furthermore, various other major

and to the point. Newsworthy

content is delivered from shared
thinking,

solution

focused

interaction by delegates and

renowned

entrepreneurs

and

CEOs.
Conceived and developed by
the industry for the industry,
this credible platform delivers
undisruptive
participation
debates,

audience
through

thought

lively

provoking

discussions in an intimate and

quality

environment.

With

direct access to investors and

leading analysts, opportunities
are explored enabling business
to be done in a constructive and
memorable way.

projects are underway; such

New rugged PowerROC T50

Atlas Copco South Africa launches a new rugged PowerROC T50
in South Africa, specifically designed to meet the harsh African
environment- a real deal in providing end-to-end drilling solutions
to the entire African market. Atlas Copco as a customer centered
organisation, has developed an ear to listen to what customers want,
hence we have developed the PowerROC T50 with the customers
needs in mind- thus providing a machine with key features such
as high performance and penetration, quality holes, fuel efficient,
durable, easy operation, safety and comfort to the operator,
explainsGoranPopovski, Vice-President Marketing, Surface Drilling
for AtlasCopcoat the launch of the PowerROC T50.
The drill rigs high penetration capability comes from the powerful
COP 3060 30kW hydraulic rock drill, a proven high performance
unit in the Atlas Copco range. While output is dependent on
mineral type and location, the drill rig/rock drill combinations
output capabilities are extremely impressive, ranging from 200m/hr
in medium rock (coal) to 70m/hr in hard rock. Even in the most
extreme environments and the hardest of mineral, the machine is
capable of a remarkable 40m/hr,explains Hedley Birnie, Business
Line Manager- Surface Exploration Drilling (SED) for Atlas Copco
Mining and Rock Excavation Technique.

as the Saldanha Bay crude oil

blending and storage terminal,
the

proposed

Ibhubesi

gas

project, the Liquefied Petroleum

Gas (LPG) storage facility in
Saldanha, the Mthombo

Oil

Refinery should this go ahead,

etc. O&G companies and oilfield
services companies continue to
play a significant role in these
increased levels of activity in
the sector and whilst there has
seemingly been a slowdown in
the sector, due to the plummeting
oil prices, regulatory uncertainty,
geo-political issues etc., SA
should continue its efforts to
encourage investment into this
very important industry.

: Anthea Scholtz, Tax Partner & National Tax

Oil & Gas Leader at Deloitte

July - August 2015

Atlas Copco PowerROC T50 launch

Venue:Sun City, South Africa

Date:9-10 JUNE 2015

OC T50

Guests attending the PowerR

PowerROC T50 at work

Unveiling of PowerROC T50

Inside Cabin of PowerROC T50

Demonstration of PowerROC T50 Drilling

Capabilities

Atalas Copco Guest at the launch of PowerROC

T50

Mining into the Future Conference

Venue: Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre, Boksburg, South Africa,
Date: 1- 2nd July 2015

David Rea, African Mining Region, Caterpillar

Prof. Zvi Borowitsh- Professor of Mining

Engineering, Excavation and Haulage
Optimisation, Wits University,

Prof. Cuthbert Musingwini- Head, School of

Mining Engineering, Wits University

Teresa Huttingh- To Outsource or Not to

Outsource

July - August 2015

Dr Bekir Genc, Senior Lecturer, School Mining

Engineering, Wits University

Teresa Hattingh, Lecturer, School of

Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical
Engineering< Wits University

Interview

Column

The dangers
of stolen
explosives
can be solved

Simon Tose

Theft of explosives presents a great danger to

society and steps need to be taken to ensure
the prevention of such products falling into
the wrong hands.

His is according to Simon Tose, Global Mining

Optimisation Manager at AEL Mining Services,
who notes with concern a recent media report
where three men were arrested near Benoni, allegedly in
possession of 10 blasting cartridges, a 10m detonator fuse
and other illegal mining equipment on May 13. Tose also
points to concerning media coverage of illegal miners who
have been killed or seriously injured by explosives.

person last had control of the products at the time of the

theft, he adds.
Furthermore, an industry move away from cartridges
to electronic initiators could have a significant impact on
reducing the danger to the public because these products
are specially designed with high-quality safety features
to ensure they can only be detonated under authorised
measures.

Should such explosives go off accidentally, not only

AELs electronic detonators, for example, have fail
are the lives of the illegal miners at stake but also anyone
safe
features which mean they will not detonate, even in the
caught in the blast radius.
event of extreme temperatures
The energy from a single
or damage, says Tose.
blast also has the potential to
With such a detailed supply
create damages to the ground
chain, it is possible to track
or surrounding infrastructure
Should you require more
which could then collapse.
where the explosives originated information or would like an
Furthermore, debris thrown
and which entity or person last interview with Tose, please
from such a blast could cause
let me know and I will gladly
injury and fatalities as it would had control of the products at the
arrange. He is available to
be travelling with a high
time of the theft,
discuss the following points:
velocity.
Stringent processes must be followed in order to
ensure accountability all along the supply chain and
each and every product should be detailed with a unique
identification number and tracked from supplier to end
user, says Tose.
With such a detailed supply chain, it is possible to
track where the explosives originated and which entity or
10

The dangers of mining

explosives in unskilled hands.
How such products should be marked,
transported and accounted at each step of the
supply chain.
How electronic detonators could help prevent
the unintended detonation of explosives.
July - August 2015

Surveying and Measurement

Equipment

www.pdd.co.za, info@pdd.co.za, T: +2711 206 8620, F: 086 605 2669,

Whitby Manor, Midrand, South Africa

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BEE 3

Laboratory Services

Mine Site laboratories becoming a norm in Africa

Challenges Facing Mine Site

Laboratories in the 21st Century

lthough the role of the mine site laboratory has

not radically changed over the past 30 years or so
it does face significantly more challenges today
than it say in the late 1980s. The laboratory of today
is faced with budget constraints, an increased focus on
quality control, skills shortages, infra-structure challenges
and commercialisation. There has also been a focus of
late in some industries, particularly the gold and platinum
industries, whereby the mine assay laboratories have been
closed down and mine samples are sent to a centralised
facility for assaying. This facility in some operations is
run by a commercial laboratory company that may in fact
assay samples from several mining companies.
This is obviously expedient for the mining company as
it no longer has to worry about the staffing and operational
cost of a laboratory but in my opinion it does do away with
what I call the personal touch.In the iron ore industry we
are seeing the advent of automated or robotic laboratories
whereby the sheer weight and volume of sample has
required the use of robots to process samples. In this
environment the position of analyst has been superseded
by technicians whose role is to maintain and keep the
robots operating.
Challenges currently facing the mine site
laboratories
One of the biggest challenge a mine site laboratory faces
is that of justifying its existence based on cost alone. A
laboratory is seen as a black hole into which money
12

disappears without showing any tangible return except for

a stream of analytical data which many on the mine are not
interested in. Laboratories are under increasing pressure
to reduce costs with laboratory budgets consistently under
review.
They are asked to reduce staff levels but yet are still
expected to operate at the same level. The purchase of
new equipment is becoming harder to justify particularly
with a weak rand to dollar exchange rate. This is forcing
companies to consider outsourcing their analytical services
by reviewing the requirement of an onsite laboratory. Is the
need for assays to be performed every two hours? Some
companies have downsized their onsite laboratories to the
extent where apart from control sample assays all other
assays including mining and shift accounting samples are
now sent to external laboratories. This is evident in the
platinum industry.
Laboratories are under increasing pressure to maintain
high standards when it comes to issues pertaining
to quality control. More and more laboratories are
succumbing to the lure of ISO 17025 accreditation when
there is no real requirement for them to be so accredited.
It is now becoming the norm rather than the exception.
With the advent of SAMREC, JORC and Stock Exchange
requirements for listed companies even greater emphasis
has been placed on quality assurance/quality control. This
is not to say that laboratories in the 80s did not have
quality as a requirement. They did but they did not face the
pressure that is being exerted on the laboratory of today.
July - August 2015

Skills Shortage
One of the biggest issues faced by todays laboratories
is that of a skills shortage particularly at senior and
management level. The industry has lost of experienced
laboratory managers both locally and internationally. The
pressure of localisation in countries outside of South Africa
has seen people thrust into management positions when
they are not properly prepared resulting in laboratories not
performing as they should.
This aspect of mine laboratories has been discussed
with many professionals and the concern is that today we
are creating what is termed Push Button Analysts in as
much as they push a button and expect a result without
really understanding how they are obtaining the result.
The instrumentation of today is in reality a black
box in which you insert the sample in one end and get
the result flashing up on the computer. All is fine whilst
everything is functioning but the problem occurs when all
is not well. You only need to discuss the experiences of the
service engineers to understand what is being talked about.
These days analytical chemistry no longer appears to be a
profession more of just a job. The young people of today
are in a hurry expecting to be a laboratory manager almost
as soon as they have left university.
The pressure on budgets has reduced the money
available for allocation to training thus laboratory
personnel are undergoing what is termed on the job
training whereby they are trained by observing what other
members of staff are doing including all the bad habits.
One should never compromise training and this should

be ring fenced in any budget.There are many laboratories

that were built in the 1960s and 70s with their large
laboratory rooms with high ceilings etc.
Many of these laboratories have been through a series
of upgrades with the replacement of old infrastructure
with new. Below are a set of photographs that illustrate
upgrades we undertook of a particular laboratory whereby
a total of 13 fume cupboards were replaced and a new
scrubbing system installed, and the old fire assay section
was completely refurbished into a much more spacious

GEAR UP
YOUR PROJECT
IN AFRICA

We operate on-site laboratories throughout Africa

and around the world. Our experience and technical
solutions help you to reduce risk, enhance value and
maximize return.
Trust SGS for unparalleled expertise that will get
you to market faster.
SGS IS THE WORLDS LEADING INSPECTION, VERIFICATION, TESTING
AND CERTIFICATION COMPANY

MINERALS@SGS.COM
WWW.SGS.COM/MINING

July - August 2015

13

new section. In many instances the move has seen a move

away from the large fixed laboratories to a containerised
approach. This particularly the case in operations in the
DRC where infra- structure costs are quite high, building
skills are in short supply as is the materials required to
build a laboratory.
There are also significant costs involved when
building a permanent structure as well as logistics etc.
It is just as easy to fully equip a container with all the
onsite requirements in a major city and then transport
it to site. The container is placed on a ready prepared
concrete slab, the power and water connected and away
you go. Plug and play. If properly managed you can be
up and running in a matter of days as opposed to weeks or
months. At the conclusion of the operation the laboratory
can be relocated, or sold on.There has been an increase in
the commercialisation of the mine site laboratory whereby
the mining company hands the operation of the laboratory
over to a commercial concern.
There are several models in operation. One model is
the mining company providing the building, equipment
and majority of staff whilst the commercial concern
places its own management team in place to manage the
laboratory. Another option is for the commercial concern
to build, staff and operate the laboratory but charge the
mining company either a fixed rate, or a rate per sample.

Advantages and drawbacks

The advantage to the mining company is that, they do
not have to worry about the laboratory as long as they
obtain the data that they want within the agreement of
the contract and SLA that is in place. But reservations
centre on the auditing of these operations by the client
and restrictions that can be put in place, for instance when
you audit laboratories managed by a commercial entityyou sometimes get opposition when suggesting that a
percentage of samples should be submitted to an external
laboratory for checking, and having the commercial
entity, after learning that there is going to be audit at
their operation, they rushed one of their top people to the
operation to be there during the audit process.
The mine laboratory of today has moved on
significantly over the past 30 years and faces significantly
more challenges today than say in the 1980s. Equipment
is probably becoming smaller, able to detect at lower
levels, able to assay more samples but becoming more
complicated. Laboratory managers are under increasing
pressure to the extent that they spend less time in the
laboratory but more with dealing with administrative
issues or just attending meetings.

AuNiCu Laboratory Consulting Services (ACS) is a solution provider

to the mining and minerals processing industries.
Laboratory Audits
ACS undertakes audits of laboratories adhering to the principles of international
best practice which can include ISO 17025 and SAMREC . The audit adheres to
a set programme where all aspects that have the potential to affect the quality
of the laboratory are evaluated and carefully reviewed.
Laboratory Technical Assistance
ACS provides a consultancy service with respect to providing technical
assistance and coaching by working with the laboratory management to
improve the operation of the laboratory. This includes time spent on site
in the laboratory as well as a providing off site support as well.

ISO 17025 Accreditation Preparation

ACS can assist laboratories in preparing for accreditation to ISO 17025.
This can involve performing a Gap Analysis to ascertain the preparedness
of a laboratory for being assessed or providing guidance and assistance in the
writing of the Quality Manual, Policies and Procedures
Training
ACS is able to provide training in areas of the laboratory such as sample
preparation, analytical including AAS, ICP-OES and XRF, QC/QA and Fire Assay.
Staff are issued with course notes etc.

Website: www.auniculabconsulting.co.za, E-mail: info@auniculabconsulting.co.za, Tel: +27 82 567 5599 (m)

14

July - August 2015

Your one-stop testing service provider

Exploration

Resource
Definition

Mine
Design

Production

Railing

Export

COAL: SANAS accredited testing facilities in Centurion, Middelburg, Richards Bay and Mozambique
(Tete,Beira). These facilities are comparable with the most comprehensive, state of the art coal exploration
laboratories in the world. We offer full analytical services that extend over the entire cycle from exploration,
to mining and superintending with responsive turn-around-time. Our coking coal expertise is unrivalled in
Africa.
MINERALS: SANAS accredited testing facilities in Rustenburg and Swakopmund. Analytical services span
a range of commodities including but not limited to graphite, gold, silver and other precious metals, iron,
manganese, chrome and phosphate ores, base metals, uranium, as well as rare earth elements and heavy
mineral sands. The core focus of is the efficient and reliable delivery of quality testing and analytical.
All Bureau Veritas coal and mineral testing facilities are committed to following safety procedures that
meet stringent international standards, our laboratories are ISO14001 and ISO 18001 compliant.

SERVICES & CAPABILITIES

Proximate Analysis (Ash, Volatiles, Moisture)
Calorific Value
Total Sulphur
Forms of Sulphur
Ultimate Analysis (CHN)
Ash Composition (XRF)
Free & Combined Silica
Trace Elements
Phosphorus in Coal
Chlorine
Fluorine
Ash Fusion Temperature (Reducing &
Oxidizing)
Moisture Holding Capacity
TGA
XRD
Fischer Analysis
Free Swelling Index
Roga
Dilatation
Gieseler Fluidity
Gray King Index

Petrography (Rank & Maceral) Evaluation

Report, including prediction of coking properties
CRI & CSR
7kg Coking Oven
Charring of Coal
Decrepitation Test
CO2 Reactivity Index
Sample Preparation
Crushing & Screening
Automated Drop Shatter Facility
Wet & Dry Tumble
Froth Floatation
Apparent Relative Density
Dense Medium Separation (Sink / Float)
Abrasiveness Index
Hardgrove Grindability
Product Composite Building
Total Moisture
True Relative Density
Screen Analysis (Sizing)
On-site mine laboratories (certification of
trains on loading at the mine and arrival at
the port, as well as loading on the ship.

Plant Efficiencies
Bias Testing
Sampling & Certification of Coal
Shipments Through Ports of Durban,
Richards Bay (RBCT & Dry Bulk Terminal),
Maputo & Beira.
Marine Services Draft Survey & Vessel
Hold Cleanliness
Environmental Testing
Water Analysis
Assistance with the Scoping of
Exploration Requirements
Fire Assay Lead Collection (ICP-OES/MS)
Fire Assay Nickel Sulphide ICP-MS
Partial digest - Single Acid (ICP-OES/MS)
Partial digest - Aqua Regia (ICP-OES/MS)
Partial digest - Mixed Acid (ICP-OES/MS)
Peroxide Fusion (ICP-OES/MS)
Borate Fusion (XRF)
Combustion (Carbon, Sulphur, Graphitic Carbon)
Classical Wet Chem (Titration)

COAL: Email: celia.barbosa@za.bureauveritas.com, MINERALS: Email: vanessa.claassen@za.bureauveritas.com

www.bureauveritas.com, +27 (0) 11 661 7900

Breaking Boundaries
An Integrated Service offering across the Resources Life Cycle

GEOCHEMISTRY

METALLURGY

MINE SITE INSPECTION

Mine Site Onsite mine and process

support laboratories

Expertise in sample processing, laboratory

efficiency, economies of scale and a global
network present at your mine site.
ALS experience in successfully delivering 21st century onsite and
online solutions for mine site testing saves costs and adds value.
The ALS onsite solution allows miners to focus on mining and
milling, while we focus on delivering high quality, on-time, cost
effective analyses.

Geochemistry Your Technical Services Partner

ALS Geochemistry provides analytical procedures appropriate
for all elements or mineral assemblages of interest which are
tailored to meet the needs of exploration geologists, miners,
mineral processing engineers and metallurgists. Our data is
utilised for exploration, mine grade control, concentrate and
bullion determinations, acid-base accounting as well as process
plant control and ore characterisation or treatment studies.
ALS Geochemistry operates a Global Enterprise Management
System (GEMS) at all permanent laboratory locations and
ensures that ALS work procedures are standardised and tracked
at every step, from initial log-in/sample submittal, through the
all-important sample preparation stages and finally analytical
determination.
The standard range of analytical methods offered covers all
commodities from precious metals to iron ore and industrial minerals.
Methodologies include those used for lithogeochemistry, trace and
indicator element analysis, ore grade determinations, isotope
determinations, hydrogeochemistry, biogeochemistry, selective leach
geochemistry and mineralogy evaluations.

Design and build new mine site laboratories

Expand, debottleneck, optimise and/or upgrade existing
mine site laboratories
Mobile containerised laboratory facilities for both sample
preparation and analysis
Expand mobile containerised facilities into full service
analytical laboratories
Operate, manage and maintain mine site laboratories
new and existing
Full operational responsibility, including technical
management, staffing and maintenance
In-house engineering, project management, design,
construct and fit-out team
Laboratory equipment supply and install
Inventory management (consumables, purchasing)
Health, Safety and Environment compliance
Quality management systems and technical oversight
Training, consulting and onsite support
Laboratory audits
Secure Data Management LIMS, Webtrieve,
Core Viewer, 3D mine planning integration
Grade control analysis
Exploration analysis
Metallurgical process plant control analysis
Sample collection
Sample preparation
Instrumentation (AAS, XRF, ICP-AES/MS)
LOI/TGA
Fire Assay AAS, ICP, gravimetric finish
Screen fire assay for particulate gold analysis
Aqua Regia Acid Digest AAS, ICP finish
BLEG, LeachWELL
Classical chemistry
Carbon and sulphur analysis
Bullion analysis
Davis Tube Recovery (DTR)
Moisture analysis
Bulk density, specific gravity
Particle size distributions

Sub Sahara Africa Minerals Client Services:

53 Angus Crescent, Long Meadow Business Park, East Entrance
Edenvale, Gauteng 1610, South Africa
T +27 11 608 0555 E clientservicesafrica@alsglobal.com

Inspection Reliability, Independence, Integrity

ALS Inspection inspects, weighs, samples, analyses and reports on the quantity and quality of
commodities to produce findings that can be used for final commercial settlement purposes.
We are one of the foremost umpire and party analysis
laboratories in the world. We provide accurate, global inspection
and analysis services for:

Samples are dispatched to primary analytical laboratories in the

UK, Sub Sahara Africa and China with analytical results being used
for commercial exchange purposes between buyers and sellers.

Metals
Precious Metals

We have our main Sub Sahara Africa hub office in Johannesburg,

with addtional branch offices, covering inspection services in
South Africa as well as Mozambique and Tanzania. Our branch
offices are located in: Durban, Richards Bay, Rustenburg, Dar Es
Salam and Maputo.

Minerals
Ferro alloys

Ores
Solid fuels

All sampling and sample preparation operation are undertaken

to the highest of international standards and all laboratories are
ISO 17025:22005 accredited.
Teams of surveyors are strategically located in major ports,
smelters, refineries and steelworks and warehouses around
the world to undertake precise inspection and sampling of
commodities.

Sub Sahara Africa Focus: Locations, Commodities and Capabilities

Commodities

Johannesburg

Co Materials, Concs,
Hydroxide, Metals

Richards Durban Maputo Dar Es

Bay
Salam

Cr Conc

Cr Ores

Cu Cathodes, Blisters
Ferro Metals

Manganese
Tantalite, Tin

ALS Laboratory
Capabilities

ALS Inspection has highly experienced teams of inspectors

and samplers with expert knowledge of sampling
procedures and standards.
ALS Inspection have teams of surveyors in Sub Sahara Africa
whom are strategically located in all major warehouses in
order to undertake precise inspection and sampling of a
wide range of commodities.
ALS Inspection offers a 24/7: 365 days of the year coverage
at key locations administered through a dedicated
Customer Service Team.

Global inspection enquiries:

Sub Sahara Africa enquiries:

Imen Walker, Commercial Manager

Carol LeCordeur, General Manager

T +44 (0) 782 724 2987

E imen.walker@alsglobal.com

T +27 083 767 9711

E carol.lecordeur@alsglobal.com

Right Solutions
Right Partner
alsglobal.com

Laboratory Services

Mine Site
Laboratories
Enabling mines to focus on
their competencies.
services are evolving, with sample preparation being done
underground, reducing the turn-around time, providing
accurate results, cost savings, and thus allow greater
control for the mine, explains Kevin Gerber, Managing
Director Set Point Laboratories.
Outsourcing mine-site laboratories, allows the client
to focus on their core competencies while ensuring that
the analytical data received is accurate and consistent. Set
Point Laboratories ensures that all on-site laboratories
established meet the clients specific requirements and
that these laboratories are managed and operated with
same levels of quality and efficiency as their commercial
laboratories, adds Gerber. Set Point Laboratories with a
vision of becoming laboratory of choice in Africa, are an
ISO 17025 accredited chemical analytical laboratories.
With facilities in South Africa and Botswana, Set Point
Laboratories offers services ranging from full testing
laboratories to setting up and operating on-site and
mobile laboratories which require specific expertise and

Set Point Laboratories underground laboratory at Palabora Mining Company in

Phalaborwa

aboratory services whether On-site or off-site are a

niche technical area that requires specific expertise,
as they provide critical operational, metallurgical
processing, metal accounting, environmental, fuel and
lube oil data that guide the site activities as well as
establishing the value of the products produced. Thus
making outsourcing of mine-site laboratory inevitable as
it ensures that mine houses operations benefit fromworldclass expertise and services, enabling the mine to focus
on their competencies while ensuring that analytical
data received is accurate and consistent.The laboratory

PGMs and Gold

XRF Analysis

Water Analysis

Wet Chemistry
L

On-site facilities

A division of the Set Point Group

Design, building &

management of on-site
mine laboratories

Expert Advice & Service

Quick Turnaround Time
Competitive Prices
Accurate Results

Johannesburg
+27 11 923 7100

18

Limpopo
+27 15 491 2314

Kuruman
+27 53 712 3648

Coal Analysis
ICP Analysis

Botswana
+00267 241 6966

July - August 2015

experience. In addition, they offer testing on PGMs &

Gold, Uranium, Water as well as the coal testing laboratory
in Mokopane.
Underground Laboratory Improving
turnaround for sample analysis at PMC
Closer monitoring of ore copper concentrations is
imperative to ensure output is maximised and sustained
from the current operations to the envisaged new mining
level.Therefore Palabora Mining Company (PMC)
awarded Set Point Laboratories the contract to manage
and operate its underground laboratory as they wanted to
reduce assay and sampling costs, as well as improve the
turnaround time for sample analysis as this is critical in
production decision-making for the mine.
The lab has the capacity to analyse 450 samples (9
Tonnes of Copper ore) per week. When functioning at full
capacity, only 56kg of sample is brought to the surface
daily for XRF analysis as opposed to 1800kg daily, when
there wasnt an underground lab. The 56kg of sample is
easily carried by the operators to the surface section. This
alleviates the logistical issues that were involved when
transporting 1800kg from underground to the mines
chemical laboratory.
Since it was established the laboratory has
successfully reduced the turnaround time from more than
one month to 72 hours, allowing the client to focus on
their core competencies while ensuring that the analytical
data received is accurate and consistent," explains Gerber.
The regular consultation between the onsite laboratory
and the mine makes it easier for queries to be addressed

immediately resulting in improved customer service. For

quality control purposes, 10% of the mines samples are
reanalysed at Set Points main laboratory for comparison.
As a value add, Set Point Laboratories have conducted
Quality Assurance and Quality control training for the
benefit of geologists, operators and samplers involved
with the underground laboratory.
THE LAB OF CHOICE IN AFRICA
The company which has a water laboratory specialising
in the analysis of ground, surface, drinking, waste and
process water also a provides an outsourced or managed
mine and on-site laboratories in Mozambique and Gabon
and a well-established laboratory in Botswana. Set Point
Laboratories was awarded the contract to set-up and
manage a Chemical Analytical Laboratory in Namibia on
behalf of Swakop Uranium for a period of at least 3years.
Set to be fully operational in October 2015, the
laboratory will offer a full qualified service spectrum with
various techniques such as XRF, ICP and Wet Chemical
analysis of geology, run of the mine and plant samples
up until the production of U3O8 for Husab Mine.Husab
Mine will be the second largest uranium mine in the world
when it reaches full production capacity, and it will bring
a significant increase of the uranium production output for
Namibia. Leaders in their respective industries, Set Point
Laboratories are reputable in the mining industry, and are
pleased to be part of this new ground-breaking adventure
that presents the people of Namibia with great economic
growth.

July - August 2015

19

Laboratory Services

Containerised Laboratory
Services
Labs designed and operated in accordance to global quality standards

he latest trend in the mining and minerals industry

is a move towards the design and construction of
modular or containerized laboratories in order to
ensure that the client has at his disposal a full scope of
capabilities for the fast turn-around of accurate and reliable
data, explains Gary McFarlane, Business Development at
APT Processing.
These laboratories (labs) are designed and operated in
accordance with global quality standards, internationally
recognised methods and proficiency programs that include
benchmark comparisons with external labs. As more
Junior and Emergent mining companies are entering the
exploration and mining industry- they are frequently
dealing with smaller exploration areas, hence they need fast
turn-around to maximize on site value, states McFarlane.
Most mining activities are carried out in remote areas
far from traditional laboratories, and thus require samples
to be shipped across borders or transported hundreds of
kilometres for analysis, which tends to be costly and time
consuming. Modular or containerized laboratories now
offer a number of benefits over the traditional laboratories
as they can be moved at a relatively low cost, andare quick
to bring on-line.
Flexibility to react quickly is now hugely important
in the new mining industry. Good decisions are made not
only upon good information, but in time with changing
events. Containerized, convenient, fast analyses make a
20

great partner to nimble slick operations,adds McFarlane.

Whether on-site or off-site, it is imperative that one knows
what elements is looking for, and if it is gold, then a system
will include a BLEG with an AA. If it is base metals, then
XRF can be specified. For the cyanidation plant option,
a carbon ashing furnace is also included, however if the
amount of samples is large, or a programme needs to be
accelerated, dual units can be ordered, placed together
and then separated later for deployment at different sites,
explains McFarlane.
APT Field Assay Laboratory
APT recently installed a Field Assay Laboratory at the
CATA operation in Tanzania, enabling exploration
to proceed while the rest of the process plant is being
installed. APTs laboratories include analytical tools such
as Atomic Absorption, XRF, as well as activated carbon
analysis for monitoring cyanidation systems. The facilities
are not just equipped for analysis, but also include the
relevant metallurgical testing capability.
They therefore also provide information upon expected
extraction, a vital part of the equation. This additional
capability makes the units ideal for ongoing monitoring
and efficiency maintenance of APT plants or existing
plants, concludes McFarlane.
July - August 2015

Containerized Field
Assay Laboratories

Low Capital
Cost

Fast To
Implement

Fully
Comprehensive

Visit www.aptprocessing.com to find out more about our fully comprehensive field
assay laboratories and modular mineral processing plants.

MODULAR MINERAL PROCESSING PLANTS

Laboratory Services

Oil analysis
boosts the
bottom line

Mr Tumelo Seobi _WearCheck Lab Technician

hrough a network of strategically positioned hightech laboratories, condition monitoring specialists,

WearCheck, offer Africa-wide access tointegrated
condition monitoring servicessuch as oil analysis, which
benefit many industries. Major maintenance expenses can
be avoided through the scientific analysis of used oil from
mechanical and electrical systems, and additional services
such as the analysis of fuels, transformer oils, coolants,
greases and filters.
It has been proven time and again that condition
monitoring helps prevent unplanned breakdowns, and
therefore unplanned costs and lost operation time serving
as a reliable way to increase the bottom line of an operation.
Aimed predominantly at the mining industries around
Africa, the condition monitoring services include oil
analysis and a variety of other reliability solutions services
like thermography, vibration analysis and balancing.

LIKE us on Facebook: WearCheck-Africa

FOLLOW us on Twitter: WearCheck Africa
WATCH us on You Tube: WearCheckAfrica

22

July - August 2015

FOR ALL YOUR

SAMPLE
PREPARATION
REQUIREMENTS

DRYING

DRYING
Forced circulation
for fast drying
Precise
temperature control
40l to 2000l trolley
feed models

Neil Robinson MD of WearCheck

WearCheck, Africas leading condition monitoring

company, also provides services to many other industries,
such as earthmoving, industrial, transport, shipping,
aircraft and electrical. Neil Robinson, WearCheck
managing director, elaborates on the companys strategic
placement of laboratories, Our South African laboratories
are situated in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga
Province, with international laboratories in India, Dubai,
Ghana, Mozambique and Zambia - at Lumwana mine and
Kitwe.
Our Africa-wide presence includes offices in
Cape Town, Rustenburg, Steelpoort, Port Elizabeth,
Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast and Namibia. A new laboratory
- WearChecks 11th - is set to expand our footprint into
Central Africa when it opens imminently at Kibali gold
mine in the DRC.A parallel can be drawn between
analysing oil samples from industrial components to the
analysis of blood samples from humans. The results of the
tests indicate what corrective action needs to be instituted
to avoid further wear or illness, said Robinson.
High-tech laboratories
WearCheck recently invested over two million Rand on
brand new cutting-edge laboratory equipment including a
new Gas Chromatograph (GC), a new Inductively Coupled
Plasma spectrometer (ICP) and a new High Performance
Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC).
ICP spectrometry
analysis provides high-speed detection and identification
of trace elements at very low concentrations in oil to
determine the levels of wear metals, contaminants and oil
additives in lubricating oils. The ICP has been installed in
WearChecks Middelburg laboratory.
The HPLC separates compounds within a transformer
oil sample, revealing the presence and quantity of trace
degradation products, which in turn provides information
on the operation of the transformer and whether there
has been any breakdown of insulating material. The GC
separates and analyses compounds that can be vaporised
without decomposition, revealing critical information
about the presence of contaminants via the composition
of the oil sample. The new GC and the HPLC are in
operation in WearChecks speciality laboratory (WSL)
in Johannesburg, and have enabled more samples to be
processed in a faster turnaround time.

CRUSHING

CRUSHING
Extensive range
crushers to suit
most feed sizes
Jaw and Rolls
Crushers available
OEM spares
available

PULVERISING
PULVERISING
Large stock holding of
grinding vessels from
300cc to 2000cc.
Removable front panel
makes maintenance a
breeze.
Millmate available to
assist with the handling
of larger grinding vessels

CONTACT US TODAY
P: 011 434 1450 E: info@eectivelab.co.za

July - August 2015

23

Laboratory Services

Tried and tested Axio

Imager System

hether in R&D, quality control or failure

analysis, the challenges facing materials
microscopy are becoming greater every day.
With the tried and tested Axio Imager system platform
from Carl Zeiss you will be able to win these challenges.
The Axio Imager microscopes offer the very highest
quality: sharper images, higher optical and operational
performance with greater comfort not only in research,
but also in routine applications. Several outstanding
features of this second generation Axio Imager are:
1. optional automated functions for enhanced operating
comfort,
2. Contrasting techniques - Brightfield, Darkfield,
Polarisation, Differential Interference Contrast (DIC)
and the innovative Circular Differential Interference
Contrast (C-DIC) which is excellent for contrasting of
a matrix on the basis of the polishing relief. Hard and
soft structural constituents become visible, as does

what remains of the polishing striate (exclusively

mechanically polished).
3. Integration with Hilgers fossils software for
automatic Vitrinite random and maximum reflectance
is possible.
4. One can evaluate samples at elevated temperatures
(up to 1500 0C) through integration of the AxioImger
system and Linkam heating stages.
5. integration of digital imaging solutions allows:
Determination of grain size - Automatic
reconstruction of grain boundaries supporting DIN
EN 623, ASTM E 112, ASTM E 1382, additional
measurement parameters possible
Analyses of multiphase samples - Phase components
as a percentage, classification of particle sizes.
Analysis of graphite particles in cast iron Determination of shape and size in accordance
with EN ISO 945, Sinter
Cast Determination
of nodularity in accordance with SAE J 1887,
Lamellar Determination of the size of lamellar
graphite in accordance with EN ISO 945, Spherolyte
Determination of the size of spheroidal graphite in
accordance with EN ISO 945
Determination of the content of non-metallic
inclusions in rolled steel.
Measurement of layer thickness.

Secure Comprehensive Analysis of

component
The Zeiss Particle Analysis System is a milestone for your quality controls. With the system solution
from Carl Zeiss, you ensure that the required microscope settings are always selected correctly.

363 Oak Avenue, Ferndale, Randburg, Johannesburg 2194 South Africa, Phone: +27 11 886 9510,
Fax: +27 11 886 9592 Website: www.zeiss.co.za, Email: info.za@zeiss.com,
24

July - August 2015

Position yourself as Rwandas turnkey business

partner in its quest for sustainable energy for all

RWANDA POWER &

INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENT FORUM
KIGALI - RWANDA

5 - 6 November 2015
Kigali, Rwanda

Building dynamic partnerships

that aim to deliver efficient energy infrastructure, achieving 563 MW power generation
with 70% national connectivity rate in the next 36 months
Host utility:

July - August

Platinum sponsor:

Silver sponsor:

Strategic partner

Host publication

EARLY BIRD RATES EXPIRE 31 AUGUST 2015

For more information, visit www.ipad-rwanda.com or contact
2015
Jean-Pierre de Carvalho | +27 76 163 8888 | jean.pierre@spintelligent.com

25

Water Treament Technologies

Reclaim thousands of litres of

wastewater through world-class
filtration
Up to 120-m3-per-hour of wastewater can be reclaimed and repurposed for
operational use by mining operations and other heavy industries, using a
unique filtration system that enables industrial wastewater to be recycled on a
massive scale.

t is estimated that local mining operations lose up to

30 percent of their wastewater during operation, as a
result of ineffective filtration systems. In addition to the
devastating environmental consequences in a water-scarce
country, this inefficiency is also exceptionally costly.
I-CAT Environmental Solutions is the exclusive Southern
African importer and distributor of Hyflux Kristal hollow
fibre ultrafiltration (UF) membranes and AZUD filtration
systems, which are installed in combination to serve as a
comprehensive and holistic industrial wastewater filtration
solution.
Hyflux is a world-leading fully-integrated water
solutions company that specialises incost-effective,
reliable and sustainable solutions. Hyflux Kristal UF
membranes have been proven to consistently achieve

26

optimal results in the treatment of industrial and municipal

wastewater.I-CAT technical manager Morn van Wyk
states that, as part of the companys comprehensive
wastewater filtration offering, the Kristal UF membrane
is installed as a pre-filtration solution that is designed to
remove all suspended solids from the water.
Kristal is internationally-recognised as having
unparalleled performance in operational consistency and
stability. Using reverse osmosis, the Kristal UF membrane
is able to trap all suspended solids up to 0,01 micron ()
in size, before the water is passed onto the next phase of
filtration, he explains.
The Kristal UF membrane is available in modified
polyethersulfone (PES) or polyvinylidenedifluoride
(PVDF) materials to ensure greater hydrophilicity and less
July - August 2015

fouling. It also features an asymmetric structure for higher

flux, a sharp rejection profile for high permeate quality,
and boasts an enhanced tolerance to cleaning chemicals to
ensure a long service life and effective air-scouring.
Once the water has undergone the pre-filtration
process, van Wyk indicates that it then goes through the
AZUD range of filtration products, including; the HELIX
automatic disc filters, which are designed to achieve the
most efficient and economic water filtration in numerous
applications.
With this technology, a helix generates a centrifugal
helical effect, which moves the remaining particles in
the water away from the discs. The filtered water is then
introduced in the opposite direction through the filtering
element structures, which decompresses the stacks of
discs, thereby creating a backflushing effect whereby
solids are expelled through the drain valve, he adds.
Whats more, AZUD LUXON automatic screen filters
continuously supply filtered water during the flushing
cycle, as it flows through a pre-filter, before reaching the
screen, where the particles are retained, and the filtered
water is released through the outlet.
A hydraulic valve opens on the drainage outlet, activating
the AZUD FLEX PROTECT system, which generates a
helical movement along the screen to vacuum the captured
particles from the screen. The captured solids are then
expelled through the drain valve.
In addition to ensuring greater environmental compliance
and efficiency for heavy industries, I-CATs unique water
filtration solution can also benefit municipalities. The

reclaimed water can also be sent to municipalities, where

it can be sufficiently treated for potable usage. In addition
to saving water, this solution also speeds up the process
of diverting the reclaimed water to wherever it is most
needed, van Wyk concludes.

SEFAR TETEX DLW High Capacity Filter Belts

for Mineral Processing

Headquarters

Subsidiaries Africa

Sefar AG
Hinterbissaustrasse 12
9410 Heiden Switzerland
Phone +41 71 898 57 00
Fax
+41 71 898 57 21
filtration@sefar.com
www.sefar.com

Sefar Filter Pure

38 Elsecar Street, Kya Sand
Randburg South Africa
Phone +27 11 708 2485
Fax
+27 11 708 2450
filpur@iafrica.com

July - August 2015

27

New
mill discharge
pump range!

Why do you need it?

because the new Metso series of Mill Discharge slurry pumps encompass all the experience
coupled with an understanding of todays market needs and demands for improved sustained
performance and lower cost. Specifically designed from its inception for mill circuit applications,
the MDM hard metal and MDR rubber lined double adjusted slurry pumps offer sustained
performance with maximum time between mill shutdowns.
Get in touch, and find out how we can help!
Metso is a leading process performance provider, with customers in the mining, oil
and gas, and aggregates industries. Discover more at www.metso.com/pumps.

BEE Ownership Compliant

metso.com email: mmsa.info.za@metso.com

QR code for smartphones

New pump range

from Metso

etso has launched its range of MDM and MDR

series of hard metal Mill Discharge slurry pumps
are designed from theground up specifically for
the most arduous of mill circuit applications. The range
further enhances the companys world renowned offering
of pumps, some of which have been around for many
decades. Offering sustained performance with maximum
time between mill shutdowns, each pump inthe series has
been developed with consistent state of the art hydraulics,
limiting inlet velocity at design BEP thus ensuring impact
damage from coarse heavy solids is kept to an absolute
minimum.
The large diameter high aspect ratio impellers
provide for excellent hydraulic efficiency withminimum
turbulence at minimum rotational speed, thereby reducing
rate of wear.The MDM range features a conventional
single stage, end suction overhung centrifugal design, extra
thick casing, a high efficiency solids handling impeller,
adjustable suction side liner and gland side liner, whereas
the MDR range has a double casing with gland side rubber
liners housed in stiff cast iron outer casing halves. Both
pumps are all manufactured from High Chrome iron alloy

with a minimum guaranteed hardness of 650BHN.

The impeller is screwed to an oversized steel pump
shaft running in an oil or grease lubricated, axially
adjustable taper roller bearing cartridge. An impeller
release mechanism ensures safe and simple impeller
removal even after long periods of operation.Careful
design provides a reduced impeller overhang restricting
shaft deflection across a wide range of flows, and in so
doing so maximising shaft seal and radial bearing life.A
design feature is a 'double adjustment', enabling both front
and back impeller clearances to be reset after components
eventually wear. This adjustment is achieved by the
adjustable suction side liner and the axially adjustable
cartridge.
The shaft seal is housed in a split stuffing box and
gland protected by suitable gland guard which is also split
for ease of maintenance. Type of seal used is dictated
by application. Standard options include water flushed,
mechanical and the unique MetsoEnviroSet TM All seals
run on a renewable shaft sleeve.Pump connections are
made with loose steel flanges drilled as required.

Water Treament Technologies

Pressure Filtration Technologies

for Potable Water

ressure filters have specificdesign requirements

in order to produce satisfactory filtrate results.
Specifically,WPCP design requirements of
PRESSURE FILTRATION FOR POTABLE WATER
feature the following:
1. Quality feed water
To achieve an acceptable filtered water turbidity of
<0.5 ntu (typically 0.2 0.3 ntu), the feed-to-pressure (or
rapid gravity) filters require the following qualities:
Maximum turbidity of 5 NTU or the equivalent in
SS, (for this purpose assume they are equal, i.e 5mg/
lit SS = 5 NTU turbidity), or less.
Minimum particle size: some surface water, such as
mountain streams, has a natural turbidity/SS level of
less than 5 NTU/mg/l, but the colour and turbidity/
SS structure requires flocculation to render the SS
particles / colour to an acceptable MICRON size.
2. Filtration / Feed rate.
The physics of the filtration process demand that flow rate
is limited through the filter media in order to achieve the
desired quality. Less than 10 m/hr (m3/m2/hr)is optimal.
3. Media - including support media
For potable water,WPCP uses silica sand (0.7 - 0.95mm
dependent on water chemistry) with one or two layers of
support media of grit (5- 7mm) and pebbles (6- 12 mm).

30

Support media, which allows for better dispersion of air

and backwash water, requires a minimum bed depth of
750 - 800mm. Ensuring the media is well washed by the
supplier prior to despatch should be integral to a QCP.
4. Nozzle Design
Not all nozzles are created equal. As a crucial element
of pressure filtration technology, WPCP has access to an
internationally reputable nozzle manufacturer.
Consider the following when designing the correct filter
nozzle (WPCP engineers will assist with design):
Media type and size.
Air and water backwash regime, i.e. the actual flow
rate of each individually, and combined.
The required width of the air blanket during air scour.
Some designs of pressure filters require a bigger band
width due to the internal bounce.
The size of the air hole (preferable to a slot) and the
nozzle stem size.
Material polyprop is generally acceptable.
5. Backwashing regime and frequency
The continued guarantee of good quality filtrate
necessitates aprecise backwashing regime. WPCP prefers
backwashing with air and water, though water only may be
successful with certain cases or water types.Backwashing
is recommended at least once per day.
July - August 2015

IN

6th

ANNUAL

TH MEE
FU E D T
LL M
FO R
RC
E

MINERAL RESOURCES COMPLIANCE & REPORTING CONFERENCE

20 & 21 August 2015

INDABA HOTEL, FOURWAYS, JOHANNESBURG

REGULATORY DAY
DMR FULL DAY WORKSHOP
Adv. Mmadikeledi Malebe
Regional Manager: Gauteng
Seapei Sekgetho
Deputy Director: Mineral Law: Mpumalanga
Aubrey Tshivhandekano
Regional Manager: Mpumalanga
Ncamisile Mtshali
Deputy Director: Mineral Laws: KZN
Bongo Qina
Director: Legal & Licensing Compliance: Coastal Region
I TC

is

Modilati Malapane
Acting Chief Director: Central Region
ap

ro

ud

me

mb

er

EXPERT ADVICE & INDUSTRY DAY

Andrew Masongwa
Group Chief Executive Officer
SIMANG GROUP PTY LTD
Warren Beech
Partner & Head of Mining
HOGAN LOVELLS (SOUTH AFRICA)
Sanusha Govender
Attorney
BOWMAN GILFILLAN
Hamlet Morule
Executive: Corporate Affairs & Investor Relations
WESIZWE PLATINUM LIMITED
Chris Stevens
Director
WERKSMANS ATTORNEYS
Peter Leon
Partner
WEBBER WENTZEL

D
For easy registration contact Therisha: +27 (0) 11 326 2960 or email
d&
e
bookings@intelligencetransferc.co.za or fax: +27 (0) 11 326 2501
h
rc
ea
or visit: www.intelligencetransferc.co.za
es
ITC IS ETDP SETA ACCREDITED & LEVEL 1 B-BBEE COMPANY

July - August 2015

ev

elo

d
pe

By

31

Packaged Water Treatment Plants

Containerised
convenience
Far-flung and remote mines in the
expanse of the African continent are
now able to process waste water,
without conventional products,
thanks to containerised water
purification plants.
The modular capabilities of containerised water treatment plants are a highly respected
feature in the current mining environment

hey say, necessity is the mother of invention,

and this is, definitely, driving the demand for
water treatment plants from African mines.
Containerisedwater purification plants are mostly being
needed to improve the quality of waste water discharged
from mine camps.
The most common usage is treating sewerage
generated by residents. But, in general,containerised/
packaged waste water treatment plants are needed
for Potable Water Treatment Solutions, Waste Water
Treatment Solutions, Process Water Treatment Solutions,
Recycling Water Treatment Solutions, Effluent Discharge
Management and Mobile Water Treatment Solutions.
What one encounters in the number of packaged
plants supplied to mines is that they are designed to
withstand the harsh mining environment. As a standard,
they should be corrosion protection and watertight,
tailored for operation in remote settlements. For more
convenience, with remote monitoring, it only needs
an inspector conduct daily inspection, ensuring cost
effective running.
Popular turnkeydemands
Suppliers that provide a number of services under one
roof are at an added advantage of delivering a project with
minimal hassles. The popular package includes design,
manufacturing, assembly, installation, commissioning
and the operations and maintenance of advanced water

32

treatment solutions. Of course, expertise in project

and programme management, exceptional logistics
capabilities and financial resources are prerequisite.
Separating the wheat from the chaff
In the tempestuous economic environment procurers
have to be clued up. What SA Water says separates the
wheat from the chaff in a market teeming with every Tom
and Tim proclaiming to have turnkey expertise is the
ability to offer the following points:
1. Quality Management system provides customer
with the benefit that workmanship is of a superior
standard, which results in less maintenance and
minimizes down time.
2. Safety, Health and Environmental Systems, cannot
be overestimated. It identifies shortcomings in the
system and assists with the necessary corrective
measures to ensure that safety, health and
environmental risks are eradicated.
3. Logistics and supply chain management systems are
essential. The key reason many projects fail is due
to poor logistic systems around project planning and
issues such as ensuring that all resources (including
materials, etc) are available when the project is due
to begin. That is why experience to bring excellent
logistics and supply chain management systems to
these projects for the benefit of customers is not
negotiable.
4. Well-tailored solutions for every client are made
possible through specialised designs by highly
qualified engineers and access to latest technology.

July - August 2015

Bidvest SA Water is a divison of the Bidvest TMS Group.

Bidvest SA Water is an Advanced Water Treatment and Environmental Solutions provider, offering a full
range of activities from turnkey contracting for small and large projects, to specialised services for
Mining, Industrial and Government sectors.We specialise in the design, construction, commissioning
and the operation and maintenance of water treatment plants and offer a full range of operational
contracts including technical assistance and complete outsourcing of projects.
Bidvest SA Water is committed to providing a healthy and safe working environment for its employees.
The technologies, processes and products offered by Bidvest SA Water in the treatment
of water and wastewater include:

Screening
Grit Removal
Coagulation
Hydraulic Flocculation

Sedimentation
Aeration
Dissolved Air Flotation
Filtration

Softening
Membrane Filtration
Chemical Dosing
Instrumentation and Control

Tel: +27 11 028 8722 , Email: info@tmsg.co.za

Website: www.sawater.co.za

Mali

Ghana

Nigeria

Somalia
Kenya
Tanzania

Angola

Mozambique
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Botswana
Namibia

Containerised Solutions,

for potable, effluent & waste water

Aquamat provides world-class, cost-effective & sustainable water management solutions:

Filtration
Sterilisation
Purification
Recycling
Heavy-metal removal
Conditioning
And many more...

WE CARE,
DO YOU?

WESTERN CAPE
DISTRIBUTION
NOW OPEN

AQUAMAT SA Pty Ltd has developed water treatment technology and equipment
geared towards mining applications. We offer systems for treating potable, waste
and process water which are most relevant for your industry. It becomes mandatory
to have the filtration systems and processes in place to ensure minimal damage to
the environment, the ability to supply drinking water from any contaminated water
source, and of course to ensure that the water used in the mining processes does not
hinder the results of your mining efforts or cause damage to your machinery.
We offer water solutions for the required filtration and treatment processes specific
to the harsh conditions found in the mining environment. From reverse osmosis and
water sterilisation systems, to filtration, water softeners, descalers and mobile water
systems. Aquamats products provide the best remote water solutions, ensuring
recycling and production water of a high standard. With our solutions you are able to
preserve your machinery and offer drinking water from any water source.

Visit our web site / online shop for our vast range of
water purification products and solutions

www.aquamat.co.za

Email : hello@aquamat.co.za I National Sales Contact Number : 087 980 0327

Packaged Water Treatment

Forging ahead
The packaged treatment game is one of the most demanding
areas for service providers. WEC Projects demonstrates how
it rises to the challenge.

ec has made a name for itself in the water and

wastewater industry in the last decade through
the provision of packaged plant solutions.

African Mining Brief is informed that wec Projects

(wec) is at an advanced stage of building the first ever
Nereda sewage treatment plant in Gauteng, south
Africas economic hub.
it is also worth noting that wec is the only company thus
far to have provided a turnkey biogas to combined heat
and power plant at a bulk sewage treatment facility, which
wec operates and maintains.
in fact, the above projects are only a few amongst those
that wec has delivered to the satisfaction of clients in the
mining and other sectors.
Expertise
i. Conventional water treatment
The companys water treatment expertise ranges from
conventional water treatment systems that include
completely in-house designed and manufactured lamella
settlers to plants that incorporate membrane technologies,
such as ultra-filtration systems and reverse osmosis.
ii. sewage treatment plants
Through its well-engineered range of modular water
and sewage treatment plants, wec provides high
quality effluent that can meet and exceed any treatment
requirement or limit. being modular, the treatment plants
are easily expandable.

Plant modification
in situations where a client requires a certain amount of
capacity to be treated, with a future expected increase in
the treatment capacity, wec can facilitate this type of
phasing in approach through the addition of modules to
extend the original plant, says the companys sales and
marketing manager, Graham hartlett. we are able to
treat relatively small flows of approximately 10kl/day
to relatively large flows upward to 3ML/day with our
extended aeration systems, he explains.
Best engineering practices
both sewage and water treatment plants are designed and
manufactured according to the best engineering practices
and the very high standards that wec has set for itself.
Additionally, a comprehensive operation and maintenance
solution is available through a dedicated and specialist
department. Graham hartlett believes this should comfort
many packaged plant clients who for years, have struggled
with plant operation and maintenance as a result of the
skills shortage plaguing our country.
Adding value
Providing services that are well-engineered and assisting
clients in the consideration of plant footprint, most suitable
technologies and operational costs, adds value to client
requirements from start to finish.
with an impressive track record and innovative
entrepreneurial spirit, we have the wherewithal to handle
demanding project requirements in any part of Africa,
concludes Graham hartlett.

PACKAGED WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS!

DO YOU REQUIRE DRINKING WATER OR A SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT?
WEC Projects (Pty) Ltd is a specialist turnkey contractor supplying a range of packaged and
modular treatment plants:
Potable Water | Reverse Osmosis | Ultra-Filtration | Sand Filtration | Membrane Technology | Operation &
Maintenance | Wastewater | Sewage
Get in touch with our proposals engineers to see why we are the preferred supplier to mines throughout Africa.
WECProjects)
be.com/user/WECProjects1

March
- April 2015
July - August
2015

351

Packaged water treatment plants

Adding Value
Beyond Water
Water treatment can represent a major cost for
companies operating in the mining industry.
However, many traditional water treatment methods
are falling woefully short when it comes to capital
and operating costs, flexibility and the ability to
meet environmental legislation. African Mining
Brief explores how PROXA, a supplier specialising
in innovative water solutions, approaches this
challenge.

lspeth Grahn, Business Development Director at

PROXA, a renowned, big-thinking company with
offices in Africa, Middle East and Australia, tells
African Mining Brief more about how her companys
AQUA MOBILE units and the culture of Value Beyond
Water are directly benefitting its clients. Specifically, she
sheds light on the approach to specific customer challenges,
practical product applications, post-commissioning
services and the products overall operational benefits
Customisation, flexibility and speed
AQUA MOMOBILE is made up of a number preengineered standard units that can be configured to create
a optimum solution for the client, but without the high
costs that are typically associated with a custom designed
project, says Grahn.
The units also offer superior flexibility, which is
key to managing risk, says Grahn. Clients are often
challenged with a feed that is continually changing in both
volume and composition. And this is where the modular
design really rises to the occasion, she explains. The
modular concept allows modifications to the process to
be made both upstream and downstream of the core units
to adapt to changes in the feed, product and legislative
requirements with relative ease.
Practical application
In 2009, Anglo American Thermal Coal contacted
PROXA with an urgent problem. Due to excessive
rainfall, the pollution control dam was at risk of flooding
and emergency treatment was required. The client was
facing possible closure by authorities and pollution of the
environment, says Grahn. Because we keep 5-10MLD
in stock at any time, our rapid deployment capabilities
meant that we were able to bring the crisis under control
relatively quickly. But PROXAs involvement with the
project goes beyond that scope.
The water composition at the site changed
dramatically over the operational period, says Grahn.
However, drawing on its expertise, PROXA was able
to adapt the process to meet the changing needs such as
seasonal algae and other aquatic blooms, and increases in
oils and turbidity.
Following start-up, PROXA added post-treatment
modules to meet legislative requirements of zero brine
36

generation; enabling the mine to produce 40 tons per day

of dry by-product. PROXAs daily involvement on this
site ensures ongoing Value Beyond Water.
Driven by the 100% principle to deliver
value beyond project scope
Not only is the AQUA MOBILE fleet innovative in
design, it is supported by a wealth of value-add thinking
and operational hands-on experience. That means that
even if a client only commissions the Companys water
treatment specialists to work on a highly focused project,
the client automatically benefits from the organisations
collective expertise and experience, thanks to PROXAs
experience over many years across different industries.
Remote monitoring, control
QTRAK, PROXAs unique satellite communication
system, is just one example of how clients can benefit
from the companys future focused thinking. QTRAK
enables remote monitoring & process control of a plant
via a centralised control centre. Grahn says, This not
only means that labour on site is limited to maintenance
and limited operational tasks, operational resources and
expertise can be cost-effectively shared among multiple
sites. The centre also houses data thats been collected
over the past 27 years from more than 200 operational
systems, which means that clients have access to a wealth
of information and insights.
Operational benefits
Currently, over 25 mining clients are making use of
PROXAs expertise throughout Africa and Australia
- treating over 150MLD of mine water. Clearly, this
demonstrates that the companys mantra of adding value
is significantly paying off for everyone. With more than
500 dedicated personnel, the company is able to assist
clients not only around major industrial centres, but also
in remote locations, such as is the nature of mining.
On the overall benefits of its solutions to end-users in
African mines, Grahn says: It is not surprising that,
coupled with the continuous optimisation of existing
processes, clients in Africa have benefited from improved
quality, plant availability and operational savings by as
much as 70%
July - August 2015

Geosynthetic liners for waste water containment

The sound
and effective
alternative

Geombranes are now a product of choice in waste water containment applications

eomembranes have almost assumed the role

of the first line of defenceof sorts in the
mitigation of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)
from tailings or waste rock dumps, as their containment
performance in demanding tasks continues to prove.
With particular reference to African mining, where
the issue of managing acid mining drainage is a hot
potato this is as much an environmental as an economic
issue, geomembrane liners could easily besaid to be
God sent. Reading into developments this is only the
beginning it seems, according to information African
Mining Brief has dug.
Lined' with evidence
Noticeable amongst several factors, the natural business
instinct to adjust to a tough operating atmosphere and
the urge to comply with legislation on the environment
have led to a noticeable growth in geomembranes
demand. A paper which Professor Malek Bouazza
presented during the GeoAfrica 2013 conference in
Ghana documents very relevant facts on these aspects.
Corresponding reviews from other sources corroborate
the observations.
i. Economic factor
In the last decade or so, there has been piling evidence
suggesting a significant increase in the application of
geomembrane lining particular in base metal production.
The paper discusses the subject at length. One of the
interesting observations was the direct link between
metal production and geomembrane demand. This is not
by happenstance; there are major events at play.
Declining ore grades and the expensive cost of deep
level mining very much justifies the removal of huge
quantities of waste rocks and recovering valuable ore
that might have been underprocessed and lost. More
resources are now being devoted towards this end. This
is the direction towards which mining is surely headed
for remain viable. Surely, with time, the relationship
between metal production and geosynthetics demand is
set to keep growing.
38

Economic and environmental

factors have raised the profile
of geomembranes as the product
of choice in containing water
produced by tailings treatment.
African Mining Brief finds out
whether this is for the long haul?
ii. Environmental factor
The paper also notes the call by authorities for mining
companies to be accountable for acid mining drainage
produced from tailings treatment has been rising
consistently. This is against the backdrop of findings
that mining activity is the biggest producer of solid
waste worldwide with magnitude higher than other
forms of solid waste. Case in point is the South African
gold industry, which statistics reveal that between 1997
and 2006 produced 740 000 tonnes of solid waste.
Inevitably, in view of the reality that processing huge
quantities of solid waste will continue for a while, mines
have to ensure that this is not at a colossal cost to the
environment which will result in flouting regulation.
Thus, geomembranes will become handy in handling
this.
The test of character
As the application of geomembranesin waste water
containment gains popularity, the performance test of
available products beyond the recommended limits of
typical environmental and engineering applications has
come to the fore. This is due to high exposure to high
temperature and concentrated acid or alkaline. When
used under these trying conditions, materials such as
HDPE and LLDPE,sometimes PVC, have excelled.
This is based on data from mines worldwide which
demonstrate strength and flexibility.
Destined for growth
Taking everything into account, as tailings treatment
has now become probably the fastest subsector
within mining, more investment in tailings facilities
is taking place and more should be expected. And so,
geomembranes should become a product of choice.
Additionally, a strong case for geomembranes can be
seen from the growing scarcity of traditional liners
like compacted clay liners. Naturally, this has created
interest in alternative materials such as geomembranes
clay liners. In effect, this means the geomembranes niche
is destined to grow. Hopefully, for savvy manufacturers
business will be rolling.
July - August 2015

HDPE flexible slotted

drainage pipe with
smooth bore
Soil

Drainex drainage pipe has an innovative double wall

sandwich construction, with a corrugated outer wall and a
smooth inner wall. This combines high ring stiffness with
excellent flow characteristics. It is available in coils and
6m lengths. Rows of water in-take slots are symmetrically
arranged around the apex of the pipe (240) with a flow
channel at the bottom (120). The high infiltration area
combined with the thin inner wall structure ensures
optimum water intake. The slots are protected in the valleys
of the corrugated structure which reduces the possibility
of blocking. The smooth bore with an extremely low
roughness coefficient results in greater flow rates,
allowing the utilisation of smaller diameter pipes.

Technical data:
Drainex nominal pipe size
Outside diameter (mm)
Inside diameter (mm)
Infiltration area (mm2/m)*
Nominal slot width (mm)
Standard pipe length (m)#
Ring stiffness (kPa)
*Higher infiltration areas are available on request
#

Stone aggregate

Drainex
Geotextile

All specifications are subject to manufacturing

tolerances

DN160
DN110
DN75
160 110 75
137 95 63
>5 000 >5 000 >2 500
1,8 1,3 1,3
6 6 6
>450 >450 >450

Compressive strength
Withstands in excess of 150 kN/m

Impact resistance
Manufactured from HDPE, minimising breakages

Coils available on request subject to minimum order quantities

UV resistance
Can be stored for one year outside

Marking
An indelible yellow line ensures correct orientation

Chemical resistance
Unaffected by acids and alkalis

www.nextube.co.za

www.duraline.com

l Tel
l Tel: +27
: +271111708
7081659
1659l Email
l Email: info_sa@duraline.com
: info@nextube.co.za l l

Gold Recovery From Fine Activated Carbon

High Recovery, low environmental footprint

The Macrotec Gold Recovery System has emerged as the most cost effective solution for the
recovery of Gold from fine activated carbon, widely respected for higher recovery rates,
low maintenance costs and eco-friendly processing, African Mining Brief gathers from
Macrotecs Director, Henko Haywood.

etting the right balance between

adhering to sound environment
practices and keeping costs
manageable had been the gold miners big
challenge for years, when recycling materials
and recovering valuable minerals concealed
in them. That was until the unveiling of the
MacroBurn Gold Recovery System, African
Mining Brief gathers from the companys
Director, Henko Haywood.
Increased Yield
At a time of extended low gold prices,
mines are increasingly looking at increasing
their yield to stay ahead, with shareholders
also placing increased importance on this
measure. Its with this goal in mind that
Macrotec manufactures their Gold Recovery
Systems.
Practical qualities
Now, available in different models, the
technology has significantly eased the
burden of recovering gold from activated
particles in ways once regarded impossible,
by combining qualities such as efficient
performance, low maintenance and low
environmental footprint.

High performance
The systems ceramic filtration is noted
for its highly efficient particulate removal.
A semi fluidised bed suspends the carbon
allowing for easier combustion. Diesel or
Gas burners are used to provide auxiliary
heat during start-up, and to ensure a stable
temperature for higher efficiency and lower
emissions during operation.
On the whole, the unit is able to recover
93-95% of Gold content, says Haywood.
While operating at full capacity, the C100
is able to treat 25 to 30 tonnes of carbon
per month. This includes start-up times and
downtime for maintenance.
Low maintenance and operating
costs
Low maintenance and operating costs is the
MacroBurns most critical feature. Energy
consumption is reduced due to the carbon
providing most of the energy required and
the high quality insulation further reducing
heat loss. With only a few moving or wearing
parts, it translates into minimal maintenance
requirements and the significant extension of
the expected plant life. Due to its very low
maintenance costs it is feasible to recover
even the lowest concentrations of Gold. Only
considering operating expenses, it is feasible
to recover anything from 15g gold per ton
carbon upwards.
Environmentally friendly
By controlling the rate of combustion,
potential emissions are eliminated by
ensuring the complete combustion of
noxious gasses. The Ceramic Filtration plant
also removes over 96% of particulate matter
in the flue gas.

Worth every ounce

For end-users, explains Haywood, tangible
Return on Investment (ROI) in the
technology can be achieved somewhere
between 8 months and 12 months. However,
this is relative as it also depends on the gold
concentration in the carbon fines and the
amount of carbon processed.
High quality and safety standards
During the design and manufacturing stages,
the main focus is quality, with Macrotec also
being ISO 9001:2008 certified. This allows
the system to outlast the rigours associated
with the mining industry and operations in
environmentally adverse places. Specific
to each installation, Macrotec creates a
comprehensive quality assurance plan, in
addition to a programme for stringent health
and safety standards.
Success
The design has had global success, with
units operating in South Africa, Tanzania,
Ghana and the USA, with major mining
houses installing plants along with refining
and dedicated gold recovery firms. Projects
are also underway in Asia and other regions
in Africa. We are always growing and are
establishing new niche markets in different
parts of the world, says Haywood.
Research and Development
Rooted in the belief that every problem
requires a unique solution, Macrotec continues
to invest in research and development to
produce products that are practical, cost
efficient and meet contemporary industry
requirements.

For more details on Macrotecs products, contact Henko Haywood through

T: +27 32 552 2676, F: +27 86 608 2866, E: info@macrotec.co.za, http://www.macrotec.co.za/contact-us/
PO Box 647, Stanger, 4450, South Africa
11 Bauhinia Road, Stanger, 4449

A proud Internationally Approved

Geomembrane Installer

Aquatan has achieved the prestigious AIC Certification,

awarded by the International Association of
Geosynthetic Installers, making Aquatan the first IAGI
Approved Installation Contractor in Africa.
When it comes to the professional installation and
supply of superior quality geosynthetic materials,
Aquatan is one of the most successful geosynthetic
installation companies in Africa.The company has
successfully installed over 60 million m of various
lining products since their inception in 1966, in
a variety of structures that range from small farm
dams, to highly sophisticated concrete reservoir
lining.
With state-of-the-art technology and expertise
spanning more than four decades behind its name,
Aquatan, supported by their professional, highly
skilled and thoroughly trained staff, offer practical
design assistance to consultants and contractors
throughout the industry.

The company has developed unique Geomembranes

such as the highly flexible and durable HYPERLINER
used for the lining of mainly concrete reservoirs,
thickener tanks and tunnels. Aquatan have also
developed and locally produced the new
multi-functional HI-DRAIN which offers high pressure
resistance,improved drainage and filter ability under
high loads with a patented version.
Aquatan is fully committed to research and
development in this industry and thus, are
continually developing their products, materials
and equipment to meet the most challenging
needs of their client. Highly trained IAGI Certified
Welding Technicians complete the team.
Aquatan, backed by their reputable suppliers,
guarantee the durability of their liners for up to
20 years, offering long term peace of mind.
Aquatan is committed to ensuring that the
environment is safe for future generations to come...

TEL: +27 (0) 11 974 5271 | Fax: +27 (0) 11 974 4111 |
E-MAIL: aqua@aquatan.com | Website: www.aquatan.com

Specialty chemicals for mineral processing

Prudent procurement pays

In the application of specialty chemicals for mineral processing, the quality
and relevance of the product you go for determines the end product. James
Miller, Kemiras Global Sales Director for Mining and Oil, tells African
Mining Brief.

t no time in the history of African mining has

mineral processing been so challenging, if not
too demanding, what with rising energy costs
and growing water scarcity. Inherently energy and water
intensive, increasingly, mineral processing is becoming
less sustainable for those sticking to old school ways. As if
that were not enough, diminishing ore quantity means that
more water volumes are needed than before for extraction
and processing.
African Mining Brief finds out how mines should
approach this connundrum from Kemira, a global
manufacturer of specialty chemicals to various industries.
The company offers solutions for producers of, copper,
nickel, gold, iron ore, , phosphate, white pigments, ,
ceramicsand other minerals.
The right specialty chemicals for mineral processing
can make a huge difference. However, as James Miller,
Kemiras Mining and Oil Products Sales Director for
Europe/Middle East/Africa, points out, the main challenges
which often surface are identification of the right chemistry
that will work best in the unique operating environment at
each mine site and the application techniques.
Explaining the wide difference in performance among
specialty chemicals, Miller adds: Falling metal prices
and the increasing complexity of the ore body keep miners
focused on frequently needed process changes, continued
yield improvement and cost optimisation. Given these
conditions, identifying and adopting specialty chemicals
that work best for their process remains a challenge.
Getting the pennys worth
To ensure that mines get their value for money in products
they purchase, Kemira offers some invaluable advice. As
the performance of chemicals is influenced by the process
and equipment, the team at Kemira suggests working with
a specialty chemicals provider who understands a mines
42

unique site conditions and designs, trains and offers

supports with a chemical program that delivers optimal
results.
Contemporary requirements
Sharing Kemiras knowledge in contemporary
requirements in mining-specific specialty chemicals,
Miller says, The increasing complexity in ore bodies
demands newer technologies that would allow them to
process ores they couldnt process earlier, improve metal
recovery and also promote sustainable mining operations.
Reducing the use of fresh water, recovery and reuse of
mine water are other driving forces in the industry.
Best practice
Following best practices in the industry ensures mines get
more value in mineral processing. This entails researching
environmentally responsible chemistries that improve
yield and minimise waste generation / hazardous waste.
This is what Kemira is passionate about, says Miller. We
focus on just that - continued R&D that anticipates future
needs and providing technical support that extends beyond
our chemistries.
Latest innovations
As the global leader in polymers and coagulant chemistry,
Kemira offers the widest portfolio for process and
wastewater treatment polymers that are exclusively
tailored to meet emerging challenges. Scale and deposition
control, rheology modifiers, grinding aids, agglomeration
agents, contaminant removal, acid mist control,
depressants and other process additives are also available
from Kemira.Field experts support miners in selecting the
right chemistry and provide application knowledge.
July - August 2015

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE

PROCESS EFFICIENCY AND METAL RECOVERY
At Kemira, we understand the industry challenges
of declining ore quality. We continue innovating and
expanding our chemical technology to answer the
industry needs for optimized metal recovery, cost,
energy, and process efficiency. Our chemistry is
backed by applications & mining processing expertise
to provide the best solution for each unique situation.
Kemira is a leading manufacturer of polymers. Our
Superfloc flocculants & coagulants are trusted
for their high quality and performance reliability
by generations of miners. We offer an extensive
portfolio for the improvement of process efficiency
and metal extraction, which includes chemistry
used in grinding, leaching, concentrate thickening,
metal separation, tailings, and water treatment.
Our R&D is committed to developing new solutions
for the mining industry with the understanding
that processing needs will continue to change.

Reliable chemistries for

your mining operations
Superfloc Flocculants & Coagulants
Superfloc RH Rheology Modifiers
KemPel Iron Ore Organic Binders
KemEcal Dispersants
KemGuard Scale & Deposit Control
KemFoamX Antifoamers & Defoamers
AMA, Fennosan & Fennocide Biocides
Kemira Aluminum- & Iron-Based
Inorganic Coagulants

oil&mining@kemira.com
www.kemira.com

Mine Health and Safety

Rights and responsibilities of the

Occupational Health and Safety
People are the most important asset of any organisation,
and all employees are entitled to the highest consideration
for their safety while in the workplace. The Occupational
Health and Safety (OHS) Act is a proactive attempt by
government to provide and maintain a safe and healthy
work environment for all, and is something that must
be enforced in any organisation in any industry. One of
the safety regulations of this Act is that no person with
any amount of intoxicating substance in their body is
permitted to enter or remain at a workplace. Contravention
of the Act may result in penalties, however aside from
the negative implications, compliance with OHS also
provides numerous benefits. It is the responsibility not
only of employers, but employees as well, to enforce and
adhere to the OHS Act to prevent unnecessary injury,
illness and loss.
According to the OHS Act, employers are required to
provide and maintain a safe working environment that does
not present risk to the health of employees, in line with
the hazards and risks presented by that particular working
environment. Employees are responsible for ensuring they
take reasonable care with regard to their own health and
safety as well as that of others who may be affected by
their actions. Employees are also required to co-operate
44

with other persons in their efforts to comply with the Act,

and obey health and safety rules and procedures as laid out
by the organisation. In addition, if any unsafe or unhealthy
situation should come to the attention of an employee, it is
their responsibility to report the situation to their employer
or health and safety representative.
Both employees and employers share the responsibility
for ensuring that the workplace is a safe environment,
and the OHS Act underpins these efforts. Intoxication
is one of the major considerations laid out by the Act,
which states that employers may not permit any person
who is or appears to be under the influence of alcohol or
drugs to enter or remain at the workplace. Employees are
further not permitted to be under the influence, be in the
possession of, partake in or offer other employees any
drugs or alcohol at the workplace.
Organisations are required to ensure that they take
reasonable measures to remove or mitigate these
risks. These measures include the development and
implementation of substance abuse policies, procedures
and programs, as well as the use of accurate, reliable
testing to identify intoxicated persons. Employees need to
be made aware of these practices and testing procedures,
July - August 2015

as they may face disciplinary action, including suspension

or termination of employment, if they are in contravention
of stipulated rules and regulations.
The OHS Act is designed to guide employers and protect
employees, and while it is legally enforceable there are
also significant benefits to preventing intoxication in the
workplace. These include improved productivity, better
health of employees, safer and happier work environments,
fewer incidents of workplace accidents and violence and
more. In addition, if an organisation is in breach of the
OHS Act and is not conducting testing for intoxicating
substances, they will be liable to pay compensation should
an accident occur. They could also be fined, and will
lose production time in the event of an incident. While
testing of employees is vital, it is also essential that these
policies and procedures are fair and non-discriminatory.
Employees should not feel they are being victimised
therefore testing must be unbiased and all employees
should be tested equally.
Compliance with the OHS Act is mandatory for all
organisations, and particularly those in hazardous
industries including mining, manufacturing, transport
and construction. Proper communication is essential, as
organisations cannot simply put rules into place without
ensuring understanding from all parties involved.
Professionals in the field including drug and alcohol
testing experts, labour lawyers, and health and safety
specialists, can assist organisations to ensure they have the
highest levels of compliance, health and safety.

ON-SITE
OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH X-RAYS

For all your chest x-ray requirements

Provide a service on-site
Minimum loss in production
Available throughout SA
r o s s &

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Tel: 013 656 5826 / 013 656 3171
Email: info@osohxrays.co.za
www.osohxrays.co.za

io L Gis
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July - August 2015

Bergman, Ross & Partners Radiologists

Cape Town Tel: 021 595 2515
www.bergmanross.co.za

45

Mine Health and Safety

Integrated Safety and Risk

Management Solutions for the
Mining Industry
One injury is one too many- mines need to be proactive in their prevention of
incidents from occurring than simply being reactive.

any governments and the companies alike,

the world-over have adopted the zero harm
tolerance in order to reduce the number of
fatalities and work related injuries. In South Africa, since
1994 there has been an 86 percent reduction on all mine
fatalities from 615 in 1993 to 84 during 2014. Although this
is a vast improvement, the number of work related injuries
and fatalities is still unacceptably high when compared to
other countries such as Australia which reported 14 mine
fatalities in 2014, explains Sheldon Barnett, Business
Development Manager at African Human Logistics.
African mine companies are yet to adopt the concept
of a Safety Culture, as well as equipping their safety
departments with the latest technologies available to
perform their function. A safety culture is not a mere
collection of policies and programs- it is an environment
that has a philosophy that permeates the daily activities
of the organization. Safety and health do not exist in
a vacuum, and thus other aspects of the organization as
well as people and financial management impact safety.
Therefore, a safety culture must be a part of the overall
corporate culture to be understood and accepted as a high
priority, further explains Sheldon Barnett.
Safety and health programs such as Accident
Prevention Program (APP), Injury Illness Prevention

46

Programs, Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) and

many other programs aid in the reduction of risk and
ensuring regulatory compliance, but companies need a
tool to manage these programs and stimulate involvement
from all levels by means of adopting Electronic Safety
Management Systems.
These systems are vital in building and sustaining a
safety culture by enabling all workers to have access to
and log work related incidents, track progression of the
incident, assign and complete actions associated with
the event, identify root causes and ultimately follow the
entire process from reporting to through close out, states
Sheldon Barnett.
It is imperative that the mines become more proactive
in their prevention of incidents from occurring, than
being reactive. A mine needs to record all incidents no
matter how low the initial perceived risk or outcome,
and the reason for this is that low prioritized incidents
have the potential to become a lost time injury or even
worse fatality. By using an electronic safety management
system organizations can effectively have employees
logging all types of safety related events and these can
be further analysed through easy to use reports to ensure
that problem areas are identified before they escalate into
serious incident.
July - August 2015

In addition, dedicated electronic safety systems help

to foster a proactive safety culture by enabling easier
incident logging, greater participation across departments
as well as reducing administrative burden associated with
older excel or paper based systems.
Benefits of electronic management
systems
Electronic SHEQ management systems are enabling
companies to centralize their Health and safety records into
a single data repository, and thus enabling organisations to
further improve safety by having access to real-time, on
demand safety records.
Easy to use analysis tools built into the software
enables Safety Managers to access incident information
such as root causes, equipment involved, and thus
enabling them to be more proactive in better identifying
and preventing incidents before they occur.
In addition, a good electronic safety system provides
organisations with a tool to effectively standardize
workflows when it comes to incident/ event recording;

ease the burden associated with audits by having

centralized Health and Safety database, when audits are
conducted all relevant Health and Safety information is
easily accessible making audits effortless.It should also
enable organisations in real time to track progress of
incidents that have been logged and automatically escalate
to managers any actions that are overdue, as well as
providing companies with the means to meet many of the
OHSAS and similar accreditation requirements.
Important considerations when choosing
an integrated safety and risk management
solution
It is imperative that the electronic management system
meets the organizations current functional needs, with the
capabilities to expand to meet the future requirements. It
must also be intuitive and easy to use, especially in the
African market as a large majority of the end users might
not have been exposed to the system before. Choose a
vendor that has a strong implementation team with a proven
implementation and training track record in Africa, as well

July - August 2015

47

An impeccable aftersales track record is also critical in

this regard.
Current trends in the market
African Human Logistics based in Centurion are the local
base for all INX software sales, implementations, support
and maintenance in Africa. INX solutions are incredibly
powerful, functionally rich and yet very easy to use. It
is a modular web solution built on the latest SQL Server
database, and Net technology which allows customers to
purchase functionality needed today, adding modules as
their requirements demand. Users are able to access INX
through a web browser from anywhere within the company
network or on the internet through a secure username and
password approach, explains Sheldon Barnett.
INX Software overview
The INX modules are tightly integrated, managing the
following areas of operation:

as a solution with a high degree of automation, such as

automatic action tracking and escalation, automatic report
scheduling as it makes life easier for the end user.
Ensure that the solution has a good in-built reports and
functionality to allow users to create adhoc reports. In
addition, the solution should be able handle multiple
workflows when it comes to incident/ event recording.
African Mining Brief ad-1.2page

26/2/15

17:18

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The leading aftermarket manufacturer and supplier

of precision crusher spare parts and premium
manganese wear parts for the Mining Industry.

www.cmscepcor.com
48

InControl Module | safety. risks. events. reports.

InControl is an event management system, recording and
managing health, safety and environmental incidents and
actions. Events include but are not limited to injuries,
incidents, audits and inspections.
INX InControl Mobile Application add on
The INX mobile App. for InControl allows users to report
Events such as incidents, injuries and risks, or conduct
audits and inspections all from their hand-held device
(such as iPhone or iPad).

T.
F.
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+44 (0) 1530 817 000

+44 (0) 1530 817 111
sales@cmscepcor.com

The Genuine Alternative

July - August 2015

InTuition ModuleModule | training. skills. compliance.

InTuition efficiently manages role-based compliance,
competencies, procedures (documents) and training.
Generate capability matrices to determine training gaps
and assign employees to courses.
INX Assessor Mobile Application
INX Assessor is a field assessment tool for use with
InTuition. The app makes it easy to carry out assessments
in the field, using any compatible iOS device, and then
upload the results of the assessments directly to InTuition.
InFlight Module| accommodation. rosters. travel.
InFlight manages the complex tasks of rostering,
accommodation and flight scheduling with a high
degree of automation. The daily activity status presents
administrators with a view of employee activity.
InHealth Module | surveillance. fitness for work. hygiene.
InHealth has been designed to streamline the occupational
management process by allowing flexible configuration
of assessments and evaluations, as required for medical
surveillance and industrial hygiene management.
InViron Module| monitoring. compliance. reporting.
The InViron module is a generic data capturing and
monitoring tool, that manages environmental monitoring
data in a fully logical model. InViron has a flexible
structure, which allows for the capture of environmental
performance data that includes, inter alia, monitoring and
measurement data. Typically, InViron will be used to

capture, view, interrogate and output environmental type

data.
+Analytics Module| dashboards. corporate analysis.
synopsis.
+Analytics allows dashboards to be configured to present
relevant performance (KPI) data to users. The interface
features powerful visualisation tools designed to help
capture and communicate data trends.
Benefits of the INX solution
Each module can operate as a standalone application or
as an integrated solution. All modules share the same
database structure allowing additional modules to be
added as they are required, thus eliminating the need for
double entry.
If used together, the applications form comprehensive
corporate compliance and sustainability management
system that can be configured to the needs of any
organisation. Individual details relating to safety,
compliance, skills, rosters, travel, accommodation,
training, health and performance are stored in a secure
central database that is accessible and reportable from any
location through web browser.
INX has been built using leading edge technologies,
incorporating a powerful, SQL database engine to provide
a robust scalable solution, concludes Sheldon Barnett

July - August 2015

49

Mine Health and Safety

Rugged Mobile Medical

Systems designed to
last longer

ost mining operations in Africa are happening

in remote areas, often with inadequate medical
infrastructure, and within under-serviced rural
areas without clinics, hospitals or access to medical
facilities and doctors, -hence the need for a mobile
medical system providing access to healthcare for
employees, contractors and the host communities, early
diagnosis and management of occupational diseases, as
well as preventing exposure to hazards that could lead to
occupational illness.
Since the South African mining industry employs
quite a significant number of people, mobile medical
systems are set to provide instant medical services to the
families of these employees and the host communities,
where otherwise they would have to travel long distances
to receive medical attention.
With Saabs experience and knowledge as a system
integrator, the company has the capacity to successfully

50

deliver a system with high functionality, reliability,

maintainability and sustainability, explains Hannes
du Preez, Head of Business Development at SAAB
GrintekDefence.Saab GrintekDefence with years of
experienceproviding camp solutions for the UN and other
countries. Products and services offered to the UN include
medical care,self-protection systems as well as field
infrastructure and air transport services.
With this experience the company now design and
supply rugged mobile solutions that will last in access of
fifteen years or more, and thats bridging the gap because
the mining environment needs quality and a solution that
will last longer, adds Hannes du Preez.Saabs mobile
system is designed to move four times a month from one
site to another- this means that it will save you time and
money; onsite in accordance with your schedule; no need
for employees to travel offsite; as well as decreased cost
due to decreased downtime.
July - August 2015

Saabs Mobile Medical System for Anglo

Americas Kumba Iron Ore
Saabs South African division, Saab GrintekDefence,
has diversified its portfolio through the launch order for
a mobile medical system for Anglo Americans Kumba
Iron Ore business unit in the Northern Cape. The system
to be delivered entails the design, manufacture, supply and
delivering a mobile medical system to Kumba Iron Orethe mobile clinic system will not only deliver basic clinic
services, but can also be extended to include amongst
others, medical personnel such as doctors, dentists,
optometric services, basic theatre and basic dispensing,
states Hannes du Preez.
The aim of the mobile medical system is to provide a
system that can be maintained easily in remote locations
in South Africa where there are limited medical skills
available in remote areas. The system will also meet the
harsh environmental conditions of the Northern Cape and

move between locations on unpaved roads that exist in the

region, further elaborates Hannes du Preez.
Opportunities
Opportunities for mobile medical systems are vast in Africa,
thus Saab is focusing on assisting mines and governments
in taking medical care to the African communities where it
is still a challenge to get adequate medical assistance, and
thats making sure that the familiesof the mine workers
in the mines as well as host communities are treated. In
addition, Saab provides a complete turnkey solution, for
instance after installing the Mobile Medical System- the
company will provide security, campsite solution, fencing,
communication infrastructure, equipment, etc. in tandem
with the clients specifications or requirements, concludes
Hannes du Preez.

July - August 2015

51

MISSION-TAILORED FIELD SOLUTIONS

FOR MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES

MOBILE FIELD HOSPITALS

Saab Grintek Defence can support you every step of
the way in deploying temporary medical care centres
for surgical teams or dental care units in camps or
other areas. We provide the medical equipment and
the mobile modules required to build your field hospital,
including transportation.
The Saab Mobile Field Hospital is a battle-proven
modular system built with a network of containers and
tents. The modules are positioned depending on usage
and logistics and then connected to each other by tent
corridors. Consideration is taken of sterile zones and
the provision of a safe and efficient work environment,
putting staff and patient needs into focus.

It is a modular, deployable and flexible solution that can

be mission-tailored to suit specific tasks and climate
conditions. It is designed for optimum use in remote field
conditions, providing round-the-clock care when time is
critical. Saab Grintek Defence offers a complete solution
accompanied by a committed support concept ensuring
high availability and reliability.
Saab Grintek Defence provides mission-tailored medical
care solutions, from light portable resuscitation units
to complete field hospitals. Adapted to fit the individual
requirements of any task, our solutions use proven
technology to cater for a wide range of peacekeeping
applications, and are ideally suited to the demands of
remote and challenging areas.
Modular, Flexible & Mission-Tailored.

www.saab.com

Mine Health and Safety - Vehicle Fire Suppression Systems

Vehicle Fire Suppression

Systems for the Mining
Industry
When you combine heat, flammable liquids, turbo chargers and electrical
components in the enclosed space of the engine compartment, the potential
risk of a fast and furious fire is high.

oth surface and underground mining, is a complex

industry with significant fire protection challenges.
Mega class equipment typically found in the
mines, such as: excavators, haul trucks, wheel loaders,
as well as large and expensive off-road vehicles and
heavy processing equipment often run around the clock
in harsh environments and remote locations. They contain
hundreds of litres of diesel and hydraulic fluid, creating a
sizeable source of fuel. Hence companies need a complete
range of products to protect their mining operations from
any type of fire hazard, including electrical, hydrocarbon
and debris.
When a fire breaks out in a mining vehicle- whether
underground or on surface, the results can be devastating.
Expensive repair or replacement is required, months of
downtime and most importantly, the possibility of serious
injury to the operator.
Basic types of Vehicle Fire Suppression
Systems
Dry Chemical Powder Fire Suppression System (DCP)
The industry has shown that this is the most effective

and most popular system currently in use. DCP has

3-dimensional fire fighting capabilities and will rapidly
knockdown all pressure fires which are a common
phenomenon on mobile mining equipment. Unfortunately
DCP has limited cooling capabilities and early detection
of a fire condition is utmost importance.
Liquid Fire Suppression System such as
Foam/ AFFF
This agent has no 3-dimensional fire fighting capabilities
and will simply flow to ground level via the fastest route.
However, with its excellent cooling capabilities and
combination with a Liquid/ DCP system it is regarded as
the most effective fire suppression system.
Gaseous Fire Suppression System
Only suitable for enclosed and unoccupied areas due to its
ineffective characteristic in windy conditions. However,
larger equipment such as Excavators and Drill Rigs do
have enclosed HT/LT rooms which this agent is suitable
for,

July - August 2015

53

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54

Vehicle Fire Suppression Systems

The vehicle fire suppression system has become a
vital safety feature to several industries and is most
commonly used in the mining, forestry, landfill, and
mass transit industries. Systems available should be able
to protect all types of equipment and locations, from
shovels and loaders to conveyors and refuelling stations,
to computerized control rooms.
A vehicle fire suppression system is installed on
any type of vehicle working in the mines, and they are
especially prevalent in the mobile heavy equipment
segment. The systems are designed to protect mobile
equipment from fire damage and related losses. These
pre-engineered systems are designed per the parameters
of the individual machine.
Vehicle fire protection systems are broken down
into three stages: Detection, Actuation, and Distribution.
Vehicle fire protection is not a new field of fire protection
engineering. Vehicles are critical process equipment that
are utilised in all types of industry. One example could
be a large open cast iron ore mine that relies on vehicle
transportation of large bulk ore to a crusher. If a vehicle
was rendered out-of-action, it would affect production
and ultimately profits.
The technology of the engines used in these large
types of vehicles has progressed significantly to meet
the demands of modern mining. A key driving factor
behind this advancement has been the implementation
of larger turbo-chargers that have assisted diesel engines
in powering even larger vehicles more efficiently.
However, with every engineering step there is a payoff. In the case of larger turbo-chargers it is an increase
in heat. Turbo-chargers can become hot and pose an
ignition point when things go wrong.
Diesel flashpoints vary, but typically it has a
flashpoint between 52-degrees Celsius and 92-degrees
Celsius. The flashpoint being the temperature that diesel
will form vapour, which combined with air forms a
volatile combustible cocktail when exposed to an ignition
source. The source of ignition in a high performance
turbo-charged diesel engine bay is that very hot turbocharger. The root cause behind most mining vehicle fires
is a broken fuel line. The resultant diesel fuel vapour and
air mix from the broken fuel line comes into contact with
the turbo-charger and ignites.
The outcome of this can lead to a tremendous fast
burning fire that will spread rapidly burning the fuel
lines, the fuel and ultimately leading to a secondary fire
on the large rubber tyres. Should there be a hydraulic bay
on the vehicle operating a telescopic arm for example,
the hydraulic oil also adds to what is already a disastrous
fire.
Important considerationsWhen selecting a Vehicle Fire
Suppression System, ensure that it carries acceptable
approvals and meets the intended design criteria.
It is imperative that the vehicle system be tested
and approved by a recognised industry/ authority such
as SANA S, SABS, FPASA and other internationally
recognised bodies.
Firematic Vehicle Fire Suppression
Systems
Firematic offers a unique solution for protecting all
types of heavy equipment against the risks of fires. It
uses Firematic tubing to activate thats immune to gas,
July - August 2015

oil, dirt, vibration and extreme temperature, yet is

reliable enough to avoid false discharges.Firematic
vehicle fire suppression systems are designed to give
you a piece of mind, we are aware that the insurance
may help to replace your vehicle or item of plant, but
our hazard analysis, our commitment to quality and
individually designed system provides the maximum
cover to minimise damage, shorten down time
and protecting lives, explains Jaques Oreilly from
Firematic
In addition, Firematic offer fully automatic or
manually operated systems which are easily checked
by your operators and fully trained staff providing
training for the client on site or in a classroom
situation, adds Jacques Oreilly.
Benefits of Fitting Firematic Systems
The system offers:
A full hazard analysis of your machine
A pre-engineered system designed with you in
mind
Fitted at manufacturers premises or on site
SABS approved
Emergency call-out
Low cost servicing
Full training for your staff
Full after sales service
The company with its head office in Johannesburg,

Firematic

and agents in Northern Cape, Witbank, Limpopo and

Klerksdorp, manufactures vehicle fire suppression
at its Krugersdorp plant in Africa for Africa mining
environments. A proven system that has been
installed at Scribante Africa Mining (BHP Billiton;
Middelburg Mine); Goldfields (South-deep Mine);
Brandblusserdienste (Northern Cape); Vandlovu
Mining and Industrial Supplies (Limpopo) and many
other areas, concludes Jacques Oreilly.

VEHICLE FIRE SUPPRESSION

SYSTEMS
Specializing in vehicle fire suppression systems.

Firematic automatic vehicle fire suppression systems are proudly manufactured in

R.S.A and have more than 2000 systems installed through out Sub-Saharan Africa.
We offer service contracts, planned maintenance and repairs to all our customers
with vision based on after sales servicing.
Reliable Fire Suppression Systems at all times
JHB WITBANK NORTHERN CAPE PHALABORWA STEELPOORT

Website: www.rematic.co.za, Tel: 082 073 0306, 071 451 1644

July - August 2015

55

Kitchen Fire Suppression Systems

Advanced Fire Suppression Technologies, after founded, began dealing solely in the fire
protection line of business and secured the official sole distributorship of TYCO International
safety products in Southern Africa. The TYCO Group needs no introduction in the Fire
Protection sector, and is the largest fire protection group in the world solving fire protection
needs since 1939 which includes the ANSUL product The very product that dominate the
kitchen sector in the 3 main purchasing groups.
The chances are that if you find yourself reading this article, it is either you know and are
familiar with the Ansul product, but maybe just in the mining sector, or you are not familiar
with this product at all, but find yourself in the fire industry.

Selection of System
Normally the first step when selecting a fire system to protect your assets will be to perform a
hazard analysis, and identify the equipment to be protected. This is where Ansul Kitchen systems
have made it really easy to get surety that all is protected. To start off with, is Ansul Kitchen
Suppression systems completely free standing and mechanically operational. However, the
system can house electrical and gas shut-off valves to shut down appliances, sound alarms and
fulfil various other uses. The following should not only be an incentive for the 3 main purchasing
groups, i.e. The Kitchen Hood Fabricator and Kitchen Supply House, the A/E Consultants and
Fire departments and the end user.
The heart of Ansul Restaurant systems lies in their ability to quickly detect and suppress fires.
They are designed in such a way that the complete canopy with the plenum area and ducting are
protected. The R102 and Piranha Ansul Kitchen systems use advanced extinguishing agents to
ensure rapid flame knockdown and vapour securement. Cooling these high efficiency appliances
after initial flame knockdown is critical to eliminate a re-flash and minimising restaurant
downtime.
The best feature enabling developers and builders alike to make informed decisions such as the
procurement of flooring products and appliances are the simple fact that the Agent consist of
pretty much a neutral PH, not only contributing to the safety and environmental aspect, but also
leaving stainless appliances and equipment to be free of corrosion when cleaned and maintained
according to the Ansul Kitchen Fire Suppression System manual. The other fantastic part is that
the whole system is made of stainless steel, which in return gain the respect of the aesthetic parts
of any kitchen.

Mine Health & Safety - Asbestos removal

Asbestos in whatever form is hazardous

Better safe than sorry

In South Africa, claims in millions of dollars to victims of health conditions

induced by asbestos removal should compel mines to tidy up their act. Sadly,
this is not happening, as miners and people of communities in their vicinity still
remain vulnerable.

he picture of the management of asbestos removal

in disused mining areas or areas where mines were
closed in most African countries is sketchy, owing
to poor data collection and collation. But South Africa,
as a country with the biggest mining sector, more or less
reflects the state of affairs in Sub Saharan countries.
Regulators and health consultants are not merely
making a mountain out of a molehill by warning about the
health hazards of asbestos exposure. According to statistics
from the World Health Organisation (WHO), staggering
125 million people are said to be exposed to asbestos in
the workplace. In addition, 107 000 people die every year
from asbestos-related lung cancer and Asbestosis.
Hence, understandably, the Government of South
Africa, the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) in
particular is very vigilant on asbestos removal and disposal
and has placed heavy legislation to ensure compliance. It
includes contamination control, area security, removal,
demolition and the arrangement of a recognised inspection
authority to oversee the project and outcome.
Nonetheless, to this point, compliance has been very
poor due to companies concern about the convoluted
nature of the legislation, which entails contamination
control, area security, removal, demolition and the
arrangement of a recognised inspection authority to
oversee the project and final outcome. Compliance
canmirrored through high compensation statistics.
Just to underline the gravity of the situation, South
Africas Asbestos Relief Trust (ART) has, since its
58

inception in 2003, paid out R266.8-million to 3 893

claimants suffering from asbestos-related illnesses. Of
this amount, R16.7-million was paid out to 136 claimants
as of February 2014. Who knows? This year the figures
could be much higher. Most of the payments are for claims
related to mesothelioma, a fatal asbestos-related cancer of
the pleura or peritoneum.
Mines own worst enemies
Mines might be their own worst enemies. Under the
pretext of saving costs, theytry to remove asbestos on their
own instead of outsourcing the task to specialists. This
results in failure to comply or low compliance.
It is required that asbestos removal must be done
according to health and safety standards. Thats why
the service provider must have a credible track record of
the ability to undertake the project from start to finish.
Typically, the consultant obtains all the legal and OSH Act
requirements to ensure that work flows uninterrupted and
safely. He or she arranges convenient project schedules
and final approval by registered AAIA inspector and DOL
representatives.
Update
As this article was headed for print, there was a multimillion
dollar court case involving current and former employees
of abig mining company based. No matter which way
judgment sways, the case has already revived interest in
health hazards posed by asbestos.
July - August 2015

Mine Health and Safety - Lock-out Tag-out

A way to protect
yourself and others
Many serious accidents have happened when someone thought a machine or
the power to, it was safely off

Lock-out tag-out is a way to protect yourself and

others by ensuring that machines remain completely,
temporarily off. Without a lock-out tag-out system
there is the possibility that a machine will unexpectedly
start up, either because of stored energy which was not
correctly released or through the actions of someone
starting the process without realizing that it isnt safe to do
so. The lock-out tag-out standard requires that hazardous
energy sources be isolated and rendered inoperative
before maintenance or servicing work can begin. These
energy sources include electrical (either active current or
stored as in a capacitor), pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical,
thermal, chemical, and the force of gravity. It is important
to remember all of the energy sources must be isolated
and rendered inoperative.
OSHA requires three basic elements in a lock-out tagout program. These are training, written procedures, and
inspections. Training is required for two types of people;
authorized employees and affected. Authorized
employees are people who do the maintenance or service
work. They are the people who actually perform the lockout tag-out. Affected employees are the people who may
be affected by or work near equipment which is locked
or tagged out. Affected employees are not permitted to
60

perform servicing or maintenance work which requires a

lock-out or tag-out.
Lock-out tag-out program will help prevent contact
with a hazard while performing tasks that require the
removal, by-passing, or deactivation of safe guarding
devices, the unintended release of hazardous energy,
and the unintended start-up or motion of machinery,
equipment, or processes.
Lockout/tagout: a life saver for
maintenance workers
15-20% of all workplace accidents in workplaces are
connected with maintenance of industrial machinery.
Of those, 31% happened because there was no lockout/
tagout program present, and another 12% were due to
unsufficient lockout measures. In the United States, where
the lockout/tagout procedure is mandatory (OSHA 1910147), it has helped industries to vastly reduce accidents
during maintenance.
Lockout/tagout definition
The lockout/tagout procedure prevents injuries connected
with maintenance such as fractures, lacerations,
amputations, burns and shocks. It is a planned safety
July - August 2015

procedure which involves the isolation and inoperability of the

energy supply of industrial machinery during maintenance. The
procedure protects workers from the risks posed by live machinery
driven by various energy sources.
Lockout/tagout procedures vary in different companies, but
they usually have the same building blocks, says Jacques Couniot,
Strategic Accounts Manager Safety & Facility Identification
Europeat Brady Corporation, an international manufacturer and
marketer of safety identification and safety solutions. These
include a written procedure containing a prescribed lockout/tagout
operating sequence and a definition of roles and responsibilities;
padlocks and unique keys adapted to their environment; and
dedicated devices to block energy sources in the off-position.
A written procedure
Central in any lockout/tagout program is the written, company
wide procedure. In many companies this is a 20 page document.
But it can grow quite easily to 200 pages in large multinationals.
The lockout/tagout procedure is usually signed by the Health &
Safety Manager and top executives within the company.Part of
the document should be a detailed, step by step description of how
to lockout the various energy sources per machine present in the
company.
A lockout/tagout procedure should also prescribe what to do
when a machine is serviced by more than one person. In this case,
every maintenance worker involved should place a personal lock
to make sure machine reactivation is only possible when everyone
involved removed their own lock.The written procedure should
also stipulate what to do during shift changes, when outside
personnel or contractors are involved, and how to communicate the
Lockout/Tagout procedure to all employees.
Removing a personal lock
Equally important as isolating energy sources before maintenance,
is how to safely reactivate your machinery after maintenance
is carried out. Steps could include making sure the work is
completed, cleaning up all tools and work-aids, checking guards
and controls and notifying employees the locks are being removed.
It is important that every maintenance worker removes only his/her
personal lock.
However, your procedure should also make clear how your
company will safely remove locks if they are forgotten or left on
an energy source without cause. Great care must be taken when
removing a lock in this situation. The procedure must make sure it
is not in contradiction with the central principle of lockout/tagout
that machinery cannot be reactivated while maintenance is still
ongoing.
3 roles to identify
Every employee plays one out of three roles in any lockout/tagout
program: Authorised employees are the only ones who can lock
out equipment. These employees, usually including all of your
maintenance workers and their supervisors, need rigorous training in
the lockout/tagout procedure. They need to know where the energy
sources are for every machine they service, how to isolate them
safely, and how to do their job without risk.Affected employees,
whose work can potentially be affected by lockout/tagout. They
need to be very aware of the importance of lockout/tagout and they
need to know what to do if their machinery is locked out.
Next to affected employees, there will always be employees
whose work could never be affected by lockout/tagout. It is,
however, important to inform them about the significance of the
procedure to make sure they refrain from tampering with locks
should they encounter any. Training and/or communication for

SAFETY AND
PRODUCTIVITY

Collision Avoidance Systems

Asset Protection for vehicles, infrastructure
and personnel
Risk Mitigation aid that delivers improved safety
and productivity performance
Real-time risk monitoring and reporting of
High Potential Interactions
Improved situational awareness reduces
operator stress

Safety Access Systems

Complies with MDG15 standards
Safe easy access
Robust, able to withstand vibration
Interlock Protection
Emergency egress

Safety Isolation Boxes

Optional roll over isolation switch
Ridgid folded corner construction
Easy access- top, front or back
Customisable
Complies with EMESRT recommendations

Head Office (JHB): Tel: +27 (0) 11 453 0924 |

Witbank Branch: Tel: +27 (0) 13 692 4161|
Rustenburg Branch:Tel: +27 (0) 14 592 1589
Kuruman Branch: Tel: +27 (0) 53 712 2331|
Kimberley Branch:Tel: +27 (0) 53 832 3983 |
www.probeIMT.co.za

July - August 2015

61

these employee categories in lockout/tagout, is of major

importance to let the procedure succeed.
Lockout Tagout Audit
An audit of all energy sources in your facilities supports a
more complete lockout/tagout procedure. Most industrial
machinery is driven by more than one energy source, says
Jacques Couniot. Avoid forgetting one of these energy
sources. It could prove a very costly mistake. Invest time
in auditing your facilities. An audit will tell you which
types of energy need isolation, what types of energy are
linked to specific machinery, and what types of locks and
lockout devices you might need to acquire. Professional
third parties can be contacted if you need support to audit
all of your facilities for lockout/tagout purposes.
The right lock is the key to safety
When the lockout/tagout procedure is written, its time to
source the tools to support the program. Choosing the right
padlock for your working environment is an important
link in any lockout/tagout program. They are in place
to prevent employees from inadvertently re-energising
machinery and putting your maintenance workers at risk.
The working environment determines which padlock to
use. In electrical applications non-conductive padlocks are
the best choice. For electrical panels, lightweight padlocks
are preferred. Aluminium padlocks have superior durability
in humid or outside environments. Colour-coded padlocks
help recognising who locked out an energy source when
multiple maintenance teams are active.
Every lockout/tagout padlock has a unique key, making
it impossible to open a second lock with the same key.
Unique keys guard an important lockout/tagout principle:
only the individual who placed the lock, can remove it.
The use of a master key should always be a last resort and
must be described in the lockout/tagout procedure.
62

Dedicated lockout devices

Dedicated lockout devices exist for every type of handle,
push button, wheel or mechanism that allows energy to be
supplied to machinery. When applied correctly, a lockout/
tagout device will block an energy source in the offposition, making it impossible to re-energise machinery
without removing the padlock, or padlocks, on the lockout
device. To decide which devices you would need for a
succesful lockout/tagout program, you can build on your
lockout/tagout audit, or contact a specialised supplier. It is
very important not to miss energy sources that could cause
harm to employees during maintenance.
Special contexts: how to deal with shift
changes?
Once maintenance has begun, a machines energy sources
should remain locked until maintenance is done. If all
locks are removed before maintenance is finished, say
during a shift change, maintenance safety cannot be
guaranteed. That is why we advocate the direct handover
method, meaning that locks from the previous shift are
removed in exchange for locks from the next shift.
An alternative is the supervisor handover method in
which the supervisors lock stays on the lockout device
until the next shifts supervisor locks it with his/her
padlock. It is possible to do the handover in a meeting
room, instead of next to the machinery, by simply using
a lock box containing the key to a dedicated machine
padlock. In this case, personal padlocks are used to lock
the box containing the key.
Regulation on maintenance safety
The Lockout/Tagout procedure has proven so successful
that the procedure became obligatory for all industrial
maintenance in the United States where it is enforced
by OSHA, the US Occupational Safety and Health
Administration.
July - August 2015

ONE STOP SHOP

FOR MAJOR
TURNKEY
LABORATORY
PROJECTS

TLP

TURNKEY
LABORATORY
PROJECTS

Turnkey Laboratory Projects is a joint venture between AuNiCu

Laboratory Consulting Services and Eective Laboratory Supplies. This
partnership together with an extensive network of associates provides
a one stop solution for all aspects of analytical laboratory projects.

Specializing in mining related projects, TLP is able to provide a

service through the various stages from concept, studies, design,
supply, installation, commissioning and operation.
Our partnership with essential suppliers that have mining and large
project experience completes our oering and gives our customers
the luxury of one point of contact through the entire process for their
laboratory projects.

TLP

TURNKEY
LABORATORY
PROJECTS

GARETH ARNOLD
082 873 1833
gareth@eectivelab.co.za
www.eectivelab.co.za

CONTACT US

DAVE HARVEY
082 567 5599
daveharvey@auniculabconsulting.co.za
www.auniculabconsulting.co.za

Mine health & Safety IP-based surveillance technology

The Big Brother

to turn to for
safety and
efficiency

Every perimeter is monitored "keenly" at a high resolution (Pic credits: Axis

Communications)

he expression: You cant manage what you cant

see, encapsulates why Internet Protocol (IP) based
surveillance technology has become the weapon
of choice/the first port of call in African mining amongst
measures aimed at improving the generally poor safety
record that regular audits reveal. Mines have been replacing
ageing analogue surveillance and monitoring systems with
the latest IP based surveillance cameras in a quest to lower
the number of incidents experienced.
One of the market leaders in IP surveillance systems,
Axis Communications,is assisting mines to make the
transition from analogue to IP-based surveillance as smooth
as practically possible. According to the companys
records, there has been palpable interest in network cameras
and IP systems for process control, specifically to monitor
machinery such as conveyor belts to ensure that they work
properly.
Imbedded intelligence
Describing features that make IP-based surveillance
technology a must-have for mines, Roy Alves, country
business development manager, Axis Communications
South Africa: IP cameras have embedded intelligence that
enable them to alert operators when a selected machine
stops working as required. This technology is able to
detect movement or the lack of it, as well as sound at a
predetermined decibel level. The cameras automatically
alert operators when a certain machine starts vibrating
abnormally or stops working, or if the machine starts
emitting excessive noise, which can be a sign of damage.
Due to their ability to draw power from their Ethernet
connection, network cameras do not need designated power
outlets at the location of the camera, and can easily be set
up to cover the vast areas that are commonly occupied by
mining sites.
In general, the surveillance technology has been
lauded for improving security and increasing productivity
in mines and other industries.
64

The security and safety threats which

mines face on a daily basis are far
bigger than has always been assumed.
Usually, incurring the cost of facing
the consequences far outweighs that
of forestalling the threat by sound
preparation. In many ways, IP-based
surveillance technology has most of
the answers to this issue.
Security
On the security aspect, Alves says, as factories, warehouses
and manufacturing facilities often contain valuable raw
material and goods that are attractive to thieves, it is
important to have an efficient surveillance system to protect
property and assets. In a nutshell, mines can benefit mainly
from the following capabilities:
Automatic alerts when someone enters the perimeter or a
restricted area;
Night-vision and thermal images;
HDTV-quality video images with exceptional level of
detail;
Real-time access to live and recorded images; and
Easy-to-install, outdoor-ready cameras.
Increasing productivity
As high efficiency, low cost has become the catchphrase
of operations, network cameras are a valuable tool to make
this a reality. An authorised person remotely accessing live
images can be able to perform the following functions:
Remotely monitor manufacturing lines and processes;
Instantly detect and respond to incidents;
Provide remote troubleshooting and maintenance
support;
Evaluate incidents without contaminating the process
area; and
Have "extra eyes" when managing production lines.
Justified investment
On her part, Axis Marketing Manager, Sasha Bonheim,
says investment in IP-based surveillance for mines is value
for money: With suitable surveillance solutions, you can
manage some of the most challenging safety and security
situations, ensuring that your facilities run as smoothly as
possible.
July - August 2015

Unshakeable.
Our cameras are used in all sorts of noisy, shaky environments. But were not worried.
Thats because weve already subjected them to over one million cycles of very high
vibrations and hundreds of shocks. We try to keep them away from jackhammers though.
Its just one of the tough tests Axis cameras face, so you can be sure youll always get the
best image quality and high performance no matter where you install them.

Learn more about Axis quality assurance work at axis.com/quality

Mine Health & Safety - Cap lamps

Small lamp, big impact

First National Battery is illuminating SAs mining industry through its state
of the art Li ion cap lamps

he mining industry is imperative to South Africas

economy. With the challenges posed by the
increasing depth of mining operations, SA mining
houses face immense pressure to find innovative and
sustainable technology solutions.
First National Batterys state-of-the-art Li ion Cap
Lamp has been specifically designed to improve miner
comfort and efficiency, while adhering to stringent safety
and quality requirements.
First National Battery is the leading provider of
lead acid batteries in Africa, and one of only five
internationally recognised industrial and automotive
battery manufacturers worldwide.
More than 200 000 First National Battery cap lamps
are used daily in South Africa, with thousands more
exported to mining organisation across the continent. Its
an essential piece of equipment as miners spend hours in
the most dangerous workspaces underground where they
are almost completely dependent on light to carry out their
work.
First National Battery manufactures two models of the
Li ion Cap Lamps, namely, the TC1 and the TC2. Each
comes complete with an LED headpiece, is 30% smaller,
60% lighter and lasts 30% longer than previous cap lamp
designs.
The Li ion Cap Lamps were specifically designed and
developed to address the unique working conditionsfaced
by the South African mining industry which are amongst
66

the most severe in the world.

The cap lamps comply with the requirements of SANS
1438:2013, and are designed with cost savings in mind as
they fit all charging racks used by mining houses. Key
features include:
Main light output greater than 6 000 candela
Intensity of auxiliary light over 2 400 candela
24 hours high-beam lighting and 52 hours auxiliary
beam
lighting from a 12 hour charge
Designed to offer 800-1000 cycles with a three year life
span
The TC2 model has pocket space allowing for a Radio
Frequency Identification Device (RFID) for mantracking
and anti-collision detection in mines
Mining contributes an average of 20% to SAs GDP and
provides more than one million jobs. The First National
Battery Li ion Cap Lamp is a reliable, resilient piece of
equipment that aids miners in the harshest underground
conditions, benchmarked against the most stringent world
safety standards bringing true innovation where its
needed most.
For more information about the full range of mining
batteries from First National Battery, visit www.battery.
co.za or call toll free 0800 1112 600.
July - August 2015

Mine health & safety - Multigas detectors

Improved detection, lower risk

Better detection enhances safety by identifying the sources of hazardous gases on mine sites, says
GFG, the Germany headquartered gas detection equipment manufacturer.

nternationally esteemed gas detection

company, GFG, has noted a flawed
approach to gas detection in some
African mines, whichcan be condensed
in three ways: firstly, that money on gas
detection systems would be better spent
somewhere; secondly, the efficiency of
new gas detection systems is overrated,
old equipment suffices; and, thirdly,
what you dont know does not kill.
GFGs marketing teamsopinion
on this matter is: It should not come
as a surprise that low awareness has
made underground mining environment
very vulnerable to fire accidents.
Nevertheless, more effective protection
against gas hazards can only be achieved
through appropriate gas detection
systems, the company says, introducing
mines to GFGs flagship products - the
compact 4-Gas Detector Microtector II
G450 and the Microtector II G460- the
worlds smallest 7-gas detector; and what
are considered vital components.
The
products
remarkable
features
1. Multi-gas detection
The products can detect more gases
than comparable rivals on the market.
Developed for personal protection
against gas hazards, the Microtector II
G450 detects four gasessimultaneously,
which include oxygen (O2), hydrogen
sulphide (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO)
and combustible gases (CH4) in ambient
air.
From a performance perspective,
certainly, Size does not matter in
theMicrotector II G460 7 gas detector.

68

According to GFG, the worlds smallest

7-gas detector, simultaneously and
continuously measures seven gases.
Specifically, it warns of dangers of toxic,
combustible gases and vapours, over and
above oxygen deficiency and surplus.

The low-power multi-frequency

NDIR sensor can detect up to four
wavelengths simultaneously in ranges.
Moreover, it eliminates cross-sensitivities
to other gases. It has far lower servicing
and operating costs.

2. Robust design
With robust design, both products can be
used in diverse industries, for instance,
steel, refineries, container construction,
cleaning and mining. In addition, they
are shock and water resistant.

5. Innovative alarm system

Other distinctive performance highlights
are an innovative alarm system, which is
the loudest on the market thus far. Colour
change depicts alarm status.

3. Performance certification
Reputable bodies and jurisdictions
have authenticated theG460s and
G450s suitability as the recommended
measuring tools for areas where highly
combustible gases/ vapours, toxic gases
and oxygen deficiency hazards may be
present. In the European Union (EU),
the products functional performance has
been tested and approved to EN 6007929-1 (combustible gas performance),
EN 50104 (oxygen) and EN 45544
(toxic) standards.This gives the end user
the confidence that the instrument will
perform correctly even under extreme
conditions, and in harsh applications and
environments.
4. Smart sensor technology
Smart sensor technology which has
critical information is stored (i.e. gas
type, detection range, alarm set-points,
date of calibration etc.) in a memory chip.
The sensors have a long lifetime, fast
response, high measurement accuracy
and high specificity to the target gas.

6. Independent power system

With an independent power supply
which can operate up to 10 hours,
the detachable G400 MP-2 pump
continuously communicates with the
G450/G460 gas detector. Faults such as
low battery, blocked sampling line and
interrupted power trigger a visual and
audible alarm on the monitor.
7.
Lower maintenance and
operating costs
In general, the products unique features
lower the products servicing and
operating costs.
8. Docking station
The Docking Station (DS400/4)
automatically performs a full functional
test including fresh air calibration, bump
test, extensive sensor tests, alarm tests,
battery test and, optionally, an automatic
AutoCal calibration. GfGs product
manager advises mines interested in
knowing more about its products to visit
the website: www.gfg.biz, or call Tel:
+27 11 9554862

July - August 2015

Mine Health & Safety - Roll Over Protection Systems

Negligence biggest risk, attitude

change imperative
The risk of vehicle rollover accidents in mines continues to be underestimated, as
illustrated by the persistent reference to outdated benchmarks, insistence on OEM
safety rating over actual performance, and negligence of internal Roll Over Protection
Systems (ROPS). Considering the bearing this is bound to have on mining operations,
which are increasingly becoming expensive to sustain, Susie Bozzini, Safety Engineering
Internationals (SEI) General Manager, suggests a comprehensive review and evaluation
of the current standards and practices.

here might be noticeable variance in the statistics

demonstrating the contribution of motor vehicle
roll over to fatal road accidents in different parts
of the globe, but they all to point one sad fact: human
negligence. On mines, relatively, the risk could be twice
as high as in other environments, according to reports
that African Mining Brief has computed from various
published sources from the United Kingdom, Australia
and South Africa
Common but fatal mistakes
A clear picture of the general approach to roll over
accidents in African mining emerges from a transatlantic
interview with Susie Bozzini, General Manager of
California-based Safety Engineering International (SEI),
one of the developers of alternative ROPS which are
applied in different industries worldwide. Particularly,
she singles out three common but fatal mistakes which
mines make: insistence on rating over after market ROPS;
outdated benchmarks and
1. Insistence on NCAP rating over
aftermarket ROPS
Can a mere 5 star NCAP rating save you from a fatal lifethreatening accident? Unfortunately, thats what some
mining companies seem to assume on recent
evidence.
The obsession with 5-star NCAP rated vehicles at
the expense of aftermarket increases susceptibility of
accidents. Some mining companies are holding on to
this thinking despite evidence to the contrary, laments
Bozzini.
The reality is that the star rating for rollover is just
a tip over Ratio. It is not an actual performance test,
unlike other ratings. It simply denotes how likely or not
it is for the vehicle to tip over. The star rating has nothing
to do with how the vehicle structure will actually perform
in a roll over event, she adds. Further, a 5 star rated car
is just as structurally vulnerable as a 1 star. While the
ESC feature of the NCAP system can help reduce the
likelihood of a roll over, unfortunately, the NCAP do not
test the structural performance of any of the vehicles in a
practical roll over scenario.
2. Outdated benchmarks
On African mines, the majority of which are still using
obsolete standards, the risk could be twice as high.
Though comparatively better, the level of standards in
South African mining more or less mirrors the situation in
70

other African countries.

Specifically, ISO 3471-1994, South African National
Standard for earth moving machinery and Roll Over
Protective Structures (ROPS) was instituted over 20 years
ago and has never been updated since to reflect changes
that mining has undergone. For instance, vehicles have
become more sophisticated, increasing the level of risk.
ISO 3471-1994 prescribes a method of testing and a
standard level of performance for Earth Moving equipment
and yet, because it says, Rollover Protective Structures,
some mining companies use it as a reference for their light
vehicle ROPS.
Referring to its limitations, Bozzini says: This very
old standard and it doesnt take into account any of the
new research in dynamic rollover testing or how serious
injuries are caused and doesnt account for technological
advances in design and engineering.
She finds it peculiar that mining managers are
still using this outdated requirement for light vehicles.
Completely centred around the 4-Posted internal
(sometimes external for earth moving equip) ROPS, this
adds unnecessary weight and structure, by requiring it be
strong enough to withstand ~6 times the vehicle weight
from three directions. We have shown through our
dynamic rollover testing that occupants can be protected
by maintaining the A-Pillar and windshield header
structure, regardless of weight ratio
A case in point of the conservative approach to
ROPS in South African mining was demonstrated in
SEIs experience with a potential customer for its HALO
product. Despite information on the limitations of his
product choice, the customer insisted that he would
only accept ROPS with a numbered certificate showing
compliance to ISO 3471 .
3. Danger lurking inside
Most injuries occur in rollovers with more than 10 degrees
of forward pitch, as Bozzini points out: With the engine
in the front of most vehicles, they tend to pitch Nosedown in a rollover event, with contact to the top of the
A-pillars and windshield header. This front area of the
structure, without the support of the rest of the pillars,
is very weak and will collapse under the weight of the
vehicle. It happens to be right where the occupants are and
often causes severe head and neck injuries that can result
in Paraplegia, Quadriplegia, and Brain Damage. Also,
by being mounted to the inside of the vehicle, they create
impact surfaces that can cause injuries, reduced head
July - August 2015

room at certain locations, can impede entry or egress to

the vehicle and can potentially block internal OEM safety
systems.

tensioners are left intact .Unlike what is experienced with

conventional internal roll cages, in HALO, no additional
hard points are added to the cabin.

Attitude change imperative

On the whole, the aforementioned scenario is bound to
have a significant bearing on mining operations, which
are becoming expensive to sustain due to tough economic
conditions and various legislations. Beyond question, a
drastic attitude change is required.
Side bar
The HALO ROPS approach to inside risks
A product that gives fleet owners an alternative to
traditional ROPS solutions,
SEIs HALO ROPS
has been designed to preclude a vehicles A-pillar and
windshield area from collapsing in on the occupants
during an accident, effectively saving lives and preventing
fatalities. With four different protoypes, HALO ROPS
was developed from more than 100 different rollover
tests involving 50 different makes of vehicles from many
different model years with multiple size configurations.

Significant risk reduction

HALO significantly reduces injury to occupants in the
following ways:
I. Protecting front seat occupants by distributing loading
across all structural components;
II. Limiting crush and crush speed to maintain Occupant
Survival Space and restraint function;
III.Deploying seat and window curtain airbags;
IV.Lightweight design has little effect on the payload
capacity or CG; and
V. No additional steel structures which increases head
strike injury potential.

Enhancing efficacy
Bozzini attributes the HALOs efficacy to its
comprehensive design which consists of an optimised
tubular structure mounted on the vehicle roof, similar
to a roof rack, in combination with internal B-pillar
reinforcements hidden within the OEM (Original
Equipment Manufacturer) plastic trim. Moreover, the
design ensures that the OEM internal safety equipment
such as side seat, side curtain air bags and seat belt pre-

Practical scenario
On proof of the HALOs performance, Bozzini singles
out an incident in which two TransCanada employees in
a Mitsubishi Triton Dual cab vehicle were protected in
a rollover incident. The occupants were uninjured, the
windows did not break preventing ejection, and there
was no bending at the B-Pillar keeping the occupant
survival space intact, she says. As can be deduced from
information above, internal ROPS are less expensive, but
DO NOT offer protection where it is needed the most
over the occupants, Bozzini concludes.
More details on the performance of SEIs HALO
can be accessed from the following website: www.
safetyei.com

Marven Equipments Ndlovu External ROPS

What makes Ndlovu external

Stand out to the rest:
2 Types:

Ndlovu External Manager

ROPS
Ndlovu external Technician
ROPS
Can handle a roll of speeds UP
TO 120 km/h
Galvanised structure(ensuring
a 7 year warranty)
Approved by De Beers, Anglo
American and BHP
Complies to:
ISO 3471 ROPS
ISO 3449 FOPS
AA 264073
SAB SANS 1563-R66
Strongest and lightest in its
category of level 2 heavy dutyonly 186kg!!

July - August 2015

71

ADVERTORIAL
LAMPROOM MANAGEMENT

An entry and exit point audit in LSC-managed lamprooms is crucial

Ensuring Adherence and

Compliance to the Mine
Code of Practice
Lamproom Solutions & Consulting (Pty) Ltd (LSC) sees its service as a
foundation for the successful implementation of a Comprehensive Mine Safety
System in a Mine and a benchmark for effective lamproom management
services within the mining sector in South Africa and beyond.

must enforce safety rules and improve efficiency and

personnel and equipment and simultaneously simplified

safety system. efficiency in the lamproom is drastically

the onerous task of managing lamprooms for the mines

improved with state-of-the-art asset management and

on which it is involved throughout south Africa. This has

control. safety business-rules are also rigidly enforced.

sc has accomplished the ultimate objective

by minimising risk and ensuring unfaltering
enforcement of business rules for underground

72
2

The expectation today is that the lamproom system

these requirements are achieved through the Lsc Mining

resulted in improved safety and operational efficiency at

All of this is supported through a thorough logging and

levels exceeding expectations, lamproom employees no

reporting feature which is also unique to the system which

longer have to deal with the repetitive administrative work

includes: management and control (issue and return)

and piles of paperwork the technical team tells African

of lamproom assigned assets; monitoring/recording of

Mining brief.

lamproom activities; cost effective asset and man tracking

July - August
July 2015

and verification of the integrity of Proximity detection

systems (vehicle and Pedestrian) as well as ensuring
absolute key control of vehicles and locos.
This is achieved through seamless integration between
the Lamproom Management system (LMs) and Time
& Attendance and the underground Transport system
(railbound and Trackless) on the iT domain.

The training is provided in-house through an MQA

Accredited Training centre that goes beyond the scope
of the curriculum set by the department of Minerals
resources (dMr). Lsc has developed and registered
training modules with the MQA which are aimed
at providing its employees with relevant technical,
administrative and human resources training requirements

other features provided are:

1. verification of Proximity warning / detection
equipment (Pds and vds)
2. People / asset tracking
3. vehicle access / key control
4. Area access control
5. e-Learning / Training

for each position in the lamproom, through its various

The right resources reduce mines risk

Armed with the right resources including LMs, trained
personnel, Lsc is able to provide services that meet a
mines particular requirements and in so doing, reducing
the risk to Mine Management and contributing to the
safety of the underground employee.

is because of the systems comprehensive reporting

training facilities. This training is not limited to Lsc

employees but also widely used by Mining houses for its
own employees.
Reporting and Support
one of the main reasons why mines invest in the LMs
capabilities and ease of access. reporting is web-based
and is accessible from anywhere and is also generated and
sent automatically to inform relevant Managers of certain
events i.e. shift-clearance times.
reporting has been continuously developed over the
last ten years and provides all the outcomes required by

Lamproom Management System

key to the companys success is the bullet-proof
software system, LMs, which ensures compliance to
the Mines business rules. Lsc is, currently, the only
company that can lay claim to the achievement of having
Management systems operating effectively on mines for
the past 15 years.
what also differentiates the Lsc from similar products
on the market is that it is a comprehensive management
and control system, effectively providing the cradle to
grave controls and logging/reports on equipment and
personnel.
MQA Accredited Training and Competency
conscious that efficient service is dependent on the right
manpower, Lsc undertakes continuous staff training
to ensure that its 300 strong workforce is competent.
As a result, the company has one of the highest skilled
personnel in its niche market.

the mines.

it ranges from exception reporting which

enables management to take quick and effective action to

comprehensive history reports. reports can be generated
on employee history and asset history and these reports
can also be cross referenced.
in addition, Lsc offers full outsourcing or support in
the form of a service Level Agreement.
Growing clientele
Lsc has a consistently growing mining clientele, mainly
in the blue chip mining category and currently manages
in excess of 50 000 cap lamps spread over a large
geographical area. Lsc has been supplying equipment to
lamprooms and automated solutions since 2000. This gives
it the advantage of access to the necessary technical knowhow and the right resources to stay abreast of demanding
mining lamproom requirements.

Lamproom solutions & consulting can be contacted through the following contact details:

welkom head office

Telephone: 057 353 4292
rustenburg branch: 014 538 0242
www.lamproom.co.za / lsc@areng.co.za
July -2015
August 2015

73
3

Tyre Management Solutions

Making Mines Safer

and More Productive
Tyre protection chains

By Newton Mthethwa

triving for the highest levels of productivity, harsh

mining environments place demands on truck tiresin addition these conditions put even the best quality
tyres to the test- hence a number of new technologies have
been developed in order to allow mine operators to get
optimum tire performance, and these include Bridgestones
B-tag (Bridgestone Intelligent Tag), Michelin Earthmover
Management Systems (MEMS), Valo System, RIMEXs
TyreSense Mag Mount sensor, TranslogiksiTrack Offthe-Road (OTR) Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, Kal
Tire Monitoring Groups True Tire Technology (TTT),
as well as theVehicle tyre protection chains.Tyres can
be damaged as a result of underinflating, overinflating,
overloading, excessive speed, harsh braking and
severe impacts, therefore tyre monitoring systems will
make mines safer and more productive while reducing
operational costs.
Despite the fact that tyres are very expensive
commodities, they can also be extremely dangerous if not
monitored correctly, there have been many documented
instances of deaths caused by an exploding tyre, one of
the causes of this is a chemical reaction called Pyrolysis
thought to happen when a vehicle has been struck by
lightning or high voltage surge, this in turn may cause a

74

fire to ignite inside the tyre chamber and ultimately lead to

the tyre exploding and resulting in severe injury or fatality,
explains Laren Yeomans, CEO for Translogik.
Tyre Protection Chains for mine vehicles
The typical operating conditions in most mines put even
thye best quality tyres to the test- the combination of
factors such as hard, sharp and jagged rock, wet floor
conditions, poor visibility and constant pressure on
production resources canm lead to less satisfactory tyre
service life. Hence tyre protection and maintenance is a
key aspect in regards to operating extremely expensive
mine equipment. Tyre protection chains that are geared
towards increasing traction and protection are paramount
to the exercise of reducing tyre wear that might result
increased down-time.
A tyre protection chain is a close mesh of high-alloy,
hardened steel chains. It protects the tread and sidewalls
of the tyres. The flexible design of the chains let them
adjust to every tyre deformation. Their high level of selfcleaning prevents the tread mesh becoming filled and
clogged, which contributes to achieving the best possible
road-holding and traction.
July - August 2015

Tyre protection chains

Why Use a Tyre Protection Chain?

Sharp, edged rock, muddy and slippery surfaces are
a great hazard to tyres even when new. Equipment
downtime and loss of productivity are the result of sudden
or premature tyre failure. Tyre protection chains are the
single most effective way to drastically cut tyre costs. Tyre
expenditure being one of the highest operational costs is a
serious concern and is easily overlooked. OTR tyre sales
in RSA amounts to R4,5bn pa. The recommended use of
tyre chains will reduce tyre sales to R750m pa. The use
of tyre chains have been the single biggest reason why
some mines who chose to use chains, saved them from
bankruptcy.
Due to this enormous impact on tyre sales, we face
fierce competition from tyre suppliers. So much so that
massive amounts of false information is given to clients
and fear tactics is often used to persuade clients not to use
tpc on full scale. As a rule of thumb, any tyre providing
less than 3000hr service life, substantially benefits from
tyre chains. The harsher the tyres conditions, the greater
the benefits derived from chains. Chains can also be
used on second-hand tyres which would otherwise be
decommissioned. Information that tyre suppliers would

never reveal to clients.

The less environmental impact of chains and its
recyclabilityversus that of tyres, in itself dictates greater
implementation and use of chains. An advantage that
have a carbon offset, and a far smaller carbon footprint,
says Adv.Gerrit Coetzee CEO and MD ofOmega Tyre
Protection Chains.
The advantages of using tyre protection chains are:
Reducing your operating costs
Lowering your downtime 4 fold
Substantially Increasing your productivity by >25%
Greatly increases safety
Quarturisetyre expenditure
Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems
iTrack Off-the-Road (OTR) Tyre Pressure Monitoring
System
Translogik is a totally independent company providing a
truly unbiased data regardless of tyre make. The company
can work with any tyre manufacturer as it provides tyre
management solutions- such as tire inspection, tire
temperature and pressure monitoring using its OTR iTrack
tyre monitoring system.

July - August 2015

75

iTrack OTR tyre pressure monitoring system was

developed by Translogik specifically for the mining
industry, as compared to the other systems that were
initially developed for commercial vehicles, and then later
retrofitted and adjusted to suit the needs for the mining
industry, explains Allister Thurman, Regional Manager
for Translogik.
Monitoring tire pressure and temperature is very
critical especially in mine operations, since the haul trucks
run for extended periods of time and manual measurement
often results in extended downtime. Most of these latest
technologies do monitor tire pressure and temperature,
however the iTrackOTRtyre pressure monitoring system
adds a different dimension from the rest, by providing fast,
accurate, reliable real-time data on the condition of vehicle
tyres, combined with live tracking of vehicle location and
status, states Yeomans.
The availability of live, real-time internet based tyre
and vehicle data allows swift remedial action to be taken,
which can be the difference between safe mine operation
and a major incident. By ensuring the vehicles tyres
are operating within the recommended temperature and
pressure limits, iTrack brings increased levels of safety
to both the vehicle drivers and the technicians that work
on them. From a commercial perspective, by ensuring
that tyres are correctly inflated, tyre life is extended and
costly down-time from repairs and intervention is reduced,
improving productivity, says Yeomans.

Key Features
Features such as geo-fencing, real-time email and
phone alerts via Wi-Fi or GSM and push-data services
make iTrack an extremely powerful and versatile
system- specifically designed to withstand the harsh and
76

demanding environments of the mining, earth moving and

construction industries.
Additional features includes geo-fencing. A geofencing is a predetermined area or boundary that is set
for a particular vehicle fitted with iTrack. If the vehicle
crosses that virtual boundary or geo-fencing area, then
the tracking software can alert you. The system allows
for multiple concurrent geo-fence zones to be defined to
ensure that vehicles are only operating in approved areas,
further increasing the safety of the mine.
Key Benefits
Benefits entail improved driver and technician safety,
reduced tyre maintenance costs, and reduced vehicle
down-time, increased productivity, as well as gaining
insights from a range of data reports (pdf &xls). In
addition, extending tyre life by up to 25 percent as well
as improving fuel efficiency by up to 8 percent, assuming
that the tire pressure and temperature is correct. Savings of
this magnitude provide a rapid return on investment with
the iTrack system paying for itself in as little as 6 months,
adds Yeomans
Additional benefits includes the ability of the iTrack to
provide data both live and historical which can allow the
client to identify uneven load distribution based on tyre
temperatures, as well as offering a data analyst service
as part of the solution, which includes reporting potential
defects that may result in vehicle failure and potential
workforce hazards.
Translogik systems are focused on maximising tyre
life/ usage and encouraging safe working practices. We
continue to listen to customer feedback which in turn will
lead to continuous development programme for iTrack
solution as new/ improved technologies become available,
Concludes Yeomans.
July - August 2015

www.constructionreviewonline.com

Africas Leading Print and Online

Construction Magazine
Print Edition
A monthly print edition circulated
throughout East, South and West Africa to
decision makers in the industry

Tenders

Print Edition
A monthly print edition circulated
throughout East, South and West
Africa to decison makers
in the industry

Construction Tenders In Africa

Check them out.

Directory
A Directory Of Construction
Related Material & Service
Providers. Are you listed?

E-newsletter
Get a weekly newsletter on whats
happening in construction in
Africa

Forum
www.constructionreviewonline.com

Share your opinions and

comments in our
Construction forum

www.ambriefonline.com
Africas leading mining Journal
get the whole process covered

Online and in print

Tire Management
from passenger cars to heavy haulers, tire monitoring is
becoming a standard feature in vehicles of all applications.
The integration of tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMs)
into todays vehicles improves safety and fuel efficiency,
leading to increased tire life and reducing environmental
impact. yet as the systems become standard, it becomes
apparent that not all TPMs are created equal.
designing a suitable system for the mining industry
emphasizes the scale and complexity of industry
requirements. Mining operations present particular
challenges not seen in other industries: the size of vehicle
tires, complexity of site operations and major expense
of vehicle downtime highlight the priority of producing
a specialized TPMs as well as the difficulty faced in
creating one.
it was with these challenges and unique requirements in
mind that we designed Tyresense. our system is the result
of riMeXs extensive experience in the mining industry
and continuous feedback from the clients that employ our
system. As we continue to deliver unmatched performance
in the field and continuously improve upon our system,
riMeX is becoming established as a pioneer in the tire
monitoring industry.
Tyresense is capable of taking on mining operations of all
sizes, easily adapting to the scale of tire management you
require. our range of comprehensive tools and features
make it easy to manage every aspect of tire monitoring
across your entire site, from third-party fleet management
integration and bluetooth compatibility to advanced event
monitoring capabilities and colour-coded operator alerts.
with 40 years' experience working with major mining
operations, riMeX understands and anticipates the
unique needs of your mining operation. our industry78
2

leading developments reflect an in-depth knowledge of the

mining world, and we strive to maintain our commitment
to providing the highest-quality products and features.
one of the ways we continue to do this is through extensive
research and frequent improvements to our existing sensor
designs, including the release of our Magmount design.
unlike external mounting options that provide only
pressure readings and may be prone to theft or breakage,
our internal design offers temperature monitoring
capabilities, safety from damage or theft, and will provide
years of reliable service. The unique magmount design
eliminates the need to modify the tire surface in any way,
reducing vehicle downtime and installing in seconds.
our internal sensors are made to withstand liquid additives
and rust inhibitors as well as extreme temperature and
pressure conditions. Temperature monitoring capabilities
also ensures your vehicles maintain safe temperature
levels during long hauls and extended use.
The Tyresense MagMount sensor design is just one more
way riMeX is leading the tire monitoring industry. we
know our TPMs will provide unparalleled benefits for
your entire operation.
Please contact us on :
Tel: 013 246 2186
email: oscar@rimexsa.com; Johannes@rimexsa.com
website: www.rimexsa.com / www.tyresense.com
July
- August
March
- April 2015

division of RIMEX Supply Ltd

the tyre monitoring system

trusted by mines around

the world.

Check out TyreSense.com to learn

about TyreSense and our
revolutionary MAGMOUNT
sensor mounting system.

Ty r e S e n s e . c o m

Tyre protection seals

Less puncture downtime,

high equipment performance
Downtime of heavy duty mining equipment due to tyre puncture is often overlooked, but the
loss incurred is rarely recouped, if at all. African Mining Brief analyses the performance
of PS2 Tyre Fluid, a product supplied by tyre maintenance solutions suppliers, Enertude,
in handling this challenge.

very effective method of ensuring stable tyre

pressure and the sealing of most punctures
as they occur is by using a water soluble, nonflammable tyre sealant such as PS2 Tyre Fluid, according
to information supplier by Enertude. This highly efficient
pressure-stabiliser and sealant will radically reduce your
down time and give you much more kilometres per tyre.
PS2 Tyre Fluid is an industrial solution that will protect

your tyres from leaks, blowouts and wear and tear on the
long haul - saving you a packet in fuel and tyre costs. With
PS2, tyre pressure consistency is maintained for the life of
the tyre and leaks are sealed as soon as they surface.
Dressing
Designed to be used on any pneumatic tyre, PS2 is applied
through the valve-stem, once the valve-core has been

TYRE PRESSURE STABILISER & SEALANT

PRE-TREATMENT FOR TYRES!
Maintains tyre pressure, seals punctures &
leaks as they occur.
Extends tyre life, reduces downtime and
saves costs.
Specifically designed for use in Mining and
Commercial vehicles.

Website: www.tyrefluid.com Tel 0861 444 884, Tel +27 44 620 3871, Email: sales@tyrefluid.co.za
80

July - August 2015

removed. Rotation of the tyre then evenly distributes the

compound around the inner surface of the tyre. When
a puncture or leak occurs, the centrifugal force of the
rotating tyre and the internal pressure forces the highly
viscose fluid into the aperture. Special fibres contained
in the compound are packed into the leak to cause a
permanent seal that will last for the lifespan of the tyre.
Part of the solution that reaches the outside surface of the
tyre oxidizes on contact with the atmosphere. In this way,
a puncture (of up to 7mm in the tread area) that occurs
while driving will seal instantly with very little loss of air.
Adaptability
Ps2 Tyre Fluid has not only been successfully
implemented, but has proven indispensable in everything
from underground mining vehicles, open cast and
articulated dump trucks, heavy duty service vehicles, front
end loaders, industrial vehicles and busses, graders, site
transport, timber jacks, loggers and agricultural vehicles
as well as bush vehicles, light trucks and short or long
distance trucks. PS2 Tyre Fluid has been designed
especially to keep tyre pressure constant and halt O-ring,
vent hole and valve leaks, or leaks caused by poor tyre
repairs. It will seal punctures up to 7mm in tread area of
tubeless tyres and 3mm on tubed tyres. Tyre Fluid also
helps to maintain air pressure in industrial tyres with poor
carcasses that have experienced rough conditions.
Eco-friendly, safe and water-based
Tyre Fluid is a biodegradable, non-toxic, non-flammable
and water-based product. It contains powerful anti-rust
components that keep rims safe from corrosion. Its antifreeze properties ensure that the product performs as
intended for the life of the tyre - it wont dry out and is
designed to withstand both high and low temperatures.
A more comprehensive article on downtime, tyre puncture
diagnosis and management from Enertude is available on
African Mining Briefs website: www.ambriefonline.com

Sealing the 'problem' for good

July - August 2015

81

PROTECT YOUR MOST

VALUABLE ASSETS,

YOUR WORKFORCE!
HALO PRODUCT DESIGN
TM

Developed and patented by USA based Safety Engineering International, HALOTM is the most effective and economical means of mitigating death
and injury in a rollover crash. The HALOTM is a comprehensive design which consists of an optimised tubular structure mounted on the vehicle roof, in
combination with internal pillar reinforcements that stay within the Manufacturers plastic trim to maintain the interior space and appearance. The
HALOTM prevents roof deformation by tying all of the vehicles vertical pillars together and reforming the vehicles trapezoidal cross- sectional shape
to roll smoothly.

Hilux Rollover - NO HALO!

Hilux Rollover - WITH HALO!

3 LIVES SAVED!!!

HALO ROPS ADVANTAGES

TM

Dynamically tested to optimize rollover performance.

Reduced point load impacts to front roof corners.
Allows deployment of seat and window curtain airbags.
Light weight design minimally effects CG/payload capacity.
Enhanced Side Impact Protection from reinforcements.
Limits roof crush and crush speed to maintain Occupant Survival Space and
restraint function.
Unique roll hoop design join the structural components to:
MINIMIZE ROOF CRUSH and OCCUPANT INJURY!

HALO Maintains the Major Radius to

Prevent Roof Distortion

HALO Global Sales & Distribution

TM

HALO is available for FORD, ISUZU, NISSAN,

TM

MITSUBISHI & TOYOTA

bal SalesSingle
& Distribution
Cabs

HALO is chosen by:

SUVs

Double Cabs

HSE PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE CHOOSE

HALO ROPS TO PROTECT THEIR PEOPLE!

HALO is proudly chosen by:

TM

DUYS Licensed HALO Reseller

Primary African Distributor
S/Board: +27 31 713 1700
Email:
halo@duys.co.za
Website: www.duys.co.za
Trevor Davenport
trevor.davenport@duys.co.za
Phone: +27835004383

DUYS Licensed HALO Reseller

Primary African Distributor
S/Board: +27 31 713 1700
Email: halo@duys.co.za
Website: www.duys.co.za

Trevor Davenport:
Email: trevor.davenport@duys.co.za
Phone: +27835004383

Intensive and extensive research should go in the development of ROPS and POPS

ROPS & POPS for mine

vehicles: a systems
approach to driver safety

afety in mining operations has become key in

management decisions, which can beexpected
becausepeoples lives are mostvalued. Roll Over and
Falling Object Protective Structure (ROPS & FOPS) design
and testing are guided by several national and international
standards.
FOPS for underground operations in the immediate
rock face is obvious and further debate on this requirement
is more on drop mass and energy before impact, and, whether
the tests should be carried out by quasi-static loading or drop
testing, says Dr. Michiel Heyns, structural integrity expert at
Investmech. Investmech has developed accurate constitutive
models and finite element analysis (FEA) techniques that
provide accuracy between FEA and testing (impact & quasistatic) to enable FOPS design & certification.From the results
obtained from several design and test projects performed in the
past, it is evident the time has come for standards to be based

84

on analysis (provided that welds are carried out in correlation

with AWS requirementts).
The advantages of FEA-based design are:
Connection to the chassis/machine frame is a very
important aspect of ROPS & FOPS design, which can
be economically evaluated in a FEA. Investmech
has witnessed laboratory tests where ROPS & FOPS
specimens are rigidly mounted to test floors. These test
results should be invalid if they are not complimented
by detail analysis of the chassis or load box connections.
Brittle fracture of end connections can be controlled by
complying with preheat conditions.
Time and cost effective changes to design.
Cognisance of vehicle characteristics is also extremely
important and implementing regulations to govern the use of
July - August 2015

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Consultants

About Us
Investmech provides innovative solutions in engineering. Our
state-of-the-art expertise, in-depth knowledge of local and
International Standards and proven techniques are key
contributors to the success of our clients technology ventures.
With our sophisticated fatigue test laboratory we are also able to
conduct various tests. Our engineers continuously pursue
ground breaking technology to ensure that we are able to react
rapidly to the changing demands of the industry.Through close
relationships with our customers, we offer a professional support
network with flexible, strategic aligned agreements.
Our Services

Testing and Measurements

Multi Axial Durability Testing

Conformance Testing
ROPS and FOPS analysis & testing
Time Domain Response Reconstruction
Rattle & squeak
Shaft Steelwork Tests
Design and supply of Test Rigs

Engineering Solutions

Fatigue/Fracture Mechanics
Structural Integrity Specialists
Finite Element Analysis
Noise, Vibrations and Harshness (NVH)
Engineering Certification
Supply of Test Rigs
Engineering and Structural Audits
Structural Integrity Assessment

Business Solutions

Business & Process Analysis & Optimization

Feasibility Studies & Screening of Project Ideas
Project Management
Product Development
Financial & Strategic Analysis

We also present various courses, please contact

us for more information.

www.investmech.com, info@investmech.com,
+27 12 664 7604, 8 Topaz Avenue, Lyttelton,
South Africa 0157 - Reg. No. 98/07367/07.

different vehicles will add towards a safer environment.

In this regard, Static Rollover Threshold (SRT) dependent
vehicle operator training and traffic regulations has been
implemented by at least one Investmech client in the past
6 months. The risk associated with putting a driver that
is used to operate a vehicle with SRT=0.7g, in a vehicle
with SRT=0.4g, on a road surface with static coefficient of
friction 0.55,creates the potential ofrollover. To avoid this,
Investmech calculated the SRTs for the range of vehicles
in the client fleet and used it with the road static coefficient
of friction as action plan criteria
SRT dependent action plans typically included:
Vehicle inspections.
Awareness training.
Traffic regulations.
Rollover PPE.
Indication of rollover speed on speedometer.
Rollover warning systems.
Active rollover protection.
And even, do not allow vehicles on site with SRT
below a bottom threshold
Considering all safety aspects implemented for mining
vehicles, the following question is raise: Are LDVs
designed for safe transportation of children on public roads
at 120 km/h not safe enough for surface transportation at a

86 8020

- EMB 2015 BOTSAD 180x130 AD Paths.indd

mine at much lower speeds?

Investmech could not find sufficient evidence to infer
that the ANCAP safety ratings (determined based on a
series of internationally recognised, independent crash
tests and safety assessments) gives a good indication
of the rollover protection of a vehicle super structure
(available at www.ancap.com.au).
The IIHS measures intrusion of the structure into the
occupant compartment as an important predictor of
injury risk for people in similar crashes. However, the
structures differential deformations do not include
vertical downward movement of the roof and are not
sufficient to quantify resistance to roll over (www.
iihs.org).
ISO 3471 does not apply to LDVs. ROPS design for
LDVs is based on the risk that more than one rollover
of the vehicle is likely (heavy duty ROPS design) or
not (standard ROPS design).
There is sufficient evidence to infer that crashworthy
LDVs subject to more than one rollover could result
in occupant injury, and that an additional ROPS would
prevent injury. For LDV off-road operation and
driving on badly maintained or steep and/or winding
roads, additional ROPS should be mandatory.

July
- August
2015/06/24
12:262015
PM

Heavy-duty vehicle washing systems

Low downtime, high

productivity
What has made the routine task of heavy duty vehicle washing all the more complicated is
the equipment that is used. So what works best? In an interview with African Mining Brief,
Michael Feldon, Managing Director of DoseTech, addresses this question by referring to
Akron severe-duty water cannons as a prototype.
Thrust and accuracy are key to a heavy duty water cannon's performance

deally, washing mining vehicles and equipment which

work in unforgivable and extreme conditions should be
done consistently and correctly for better operational
safety and efficiency. However, practically, as African
Mining Briefhas established, handling this task can be one
time-consuming exercise, resulting in disruptive downtime
and loss of productivity.

Downtime to equipment is the last thing that a mine can

bear, more especially when ramping up production. More
often than not, a big poser is finding solutions which could
meet a mines particular requirements.
To seek answers on practical solutions, African
Mining Brief explores product prototypes which canenable
mines to manage demanding vehicle washing tasks, in

SERVING INDUSTRY FOR OVER 40 YEARS

ELEVATED
WALKWAYS

EARTH MOVING VEHICLE WASH BAY

Stand 62 Ridge Rd, Laser Park,Honeydew.
Tel No: +27 11 794 858, Fax No: +27 11 794 8585

Bestline is actively involved in the design of High Pressure

Cleaning Equipment for Mining applications. Pump Units
include pump drive (electric, petrol or diesel) complete
systems with accessories.
Some areas of application are:
Wash Bays
Central cleaning systems
Industrial wash systems
Hydrostatic testing
Drill pumps
Dust suppression
Jetrite equipment
Cat Pumps are consistently chosen for E.M.V. Wash Bays
because of their proven continuous duty applications and
long life service and ease of maintenance.
P.O. Box 2594, Honeydew, 2040
E-Mail: info@bestline.co.za, Website: www.bestline.co.za

July - August 2015

87

an interview with the Managing Director of DoseTech,

Michael Feldon. DoseTech is the accredited supplier
to Sub Saharan African countries of severe duty water
cannons from an American manufacturer, Akron Brass
Company. According to Feldon, Akron has been supplying
its products to the American and Australian mining and
water cart industries for just over a decade, into Southern
Africa for three years.
Features of right products
Feldon says Akrons severe duty water cannons, which
come both in electric, hydraulic and manual options,
have proved their worth in mining applications where
similar products have faltered. Amongst a host of others,
the features which stand out in the products include the
following: performance, versatility, limited maintenance
costs and durability.
1. Performance
Typically, the vehicles on sites require thorough
washing which has in the past put a strain on the
equipment. And to manage this, the Akron water cannons
have been designed to withstand continuous operation in
normal everyday mining conditions.
Several notable performance-enhancing aspects
havebeen incorporated. These include:12 volts or 24 volts
electric motors, hydraulic drives or manual operation
which produce a smooth movement and control; astraight
stream nozzle which can throw up to a distance of
55meters;a working pressure which ranges from 100psi
88

(7bar) to 200psi (12 bar); and wide range of flow options

up to 2,900lpm/750gpm.
Mounted onto a standard water cart allows the
maintenance team to take the water cannon into the pit for
preventative maintenance.
2. Versatility
A noteworthy aspect about the water cannons is their
adaptability to applications such as dust suppression,
cleaning, firefighting and general watering. This, Feldon
states is what, makes them suitable for this challenging
application.
3. Low maintenance costs
As one engineer put is in an interview on equipment
predictive maintenance with this publication last year:
The overlooked point in maintenance is the unexpected
failure of the tried and tested systems used in forestalling
failure. Similarly, as much as possible, points out Feldon,
by have the opportunity for vehicle maintenance teams
to quickly and simply clean the critical greasing points
on their mining vehicles allowing them to grease more
frequently without disrupting productions is one of the
designs ultimate objectives.
Precisely, low maintenance costs are achieved in the
following ways through swivel joints: the elimination of
greasing points; use of self-lubricating polymer bearings;
internal and external waterproofing. Further, the swivel
joints have been engineered to handle violent mine site
vibrations, dust and dirty water.
July - August 2015

Emission Control

Wheel Washing

4. Accessories
There are a few garnishes that are standard in the severe duty water
cannon, says Feldon. Notably, the end-user, a mine in this context,
has the option of choosing from a range of high performance
nozzles which will provide an exact stream pattern to suit its
specific needs.Option to have adjustable fog or solid stream (great
for dust suppression and cleaning) or a fixed flow solid stream
option for precise extreme cleaning requirements. Plus the option
to introduce fire fighting foam concentrate into the water stream
via the nozzle adds the possibility to convert a standard water cart
into a dust suppression, vehicle washing, and fire protection all in
one truck.Moreover, wiring harnesses, wireless remote control and
electronically actuated controlled valves are available.

Demucking

Guarantee
To cater for instances when equipment malfunctions at the time
it is needed the most, Akron severe-duty water cannons have a
guarantee of 2 years on the electric and hydraulic units and 5 years
on the manual models months, considering that end-users are not
left to their own devices.
Long-term view
Feldon urges mines to take a long term view when managing
demanding washing tasks so that they are more productive and
achieve significant cost savings by investing in the right equipment.
Reliable equipment results in a vehicle been thoroughly washed
thoroughly in an average of 30 minutes, he says.

Dust Control

mobydick.com

July - August 2015

89

Severe duty water cannons

T

he Akron Brass Severe-Duty manual and electric/hydraulic

water cannons have been designed for mining washbays and
watercart industries, and will withstand continuous operation
with poor quality water in normal everyday mining conditions.

Plus fire
protection

FOR ALL NEEDS

Applications include dust
suppression, crowd control,
cleaning, firefighting and
general wash down and
watering. Options include
manual, 12v or 24v electric
motors with planetary gear
drives or direct drive hydraulic
motors for smooth movement
and control.

Manual water
cannons

3491 Joystick
adjustable fog / jet
stream or stack TIP

The electric cannon has a

warranty of two years, and the
hydraulic cannon has a oneyear warranty. Manual units
have a 5 year warranty.

TOUGH SPECS
304 grade stainless steel
waterway or brass
3491 Straight
Stream only

Flows up from 500 l/min to

4 800 litres/min
Normal working pressure of
100psi, maximum 200psi
Up to 80m throw distance
with straight stream nozzle
No external greasing points
on swivel joints
Swivel joints waterproofed
internally/externally, will
handle mine-site vibration

Choose from a range of high

performance nozzles which will
provide an exact stream pattern
to suit your specific needs.

DoseTech (PTy) LTD

Contact: Mike
Tel Tel 086 111 1544
083 251 9346
mgf@dosetech.co.za
www.dosetech.co.za

Core trays for geological exploration

Core Trays ready for export in a warehouse (pic credits: Terracor)

Cost or functionality?
Exploration companies are looking for smarter ways of doing their work which includes
using affordable products which they believe dont compromise on performance. So,
whats at stake when they become overly conscious of the cost of core trays? Terracors
Internal Sales Manager, Jolene Bothma, advises companies not to be caught in the cost
cutting craze, in an interview with African Mining Brief.

n the capital and labour intensive task of geological

exploration, project execution costs keep on
skyrocketing, against the wishes of exploration
companies. And in this kind of economic atmosphere
there is a strong temptation to shelve best practice in the
purchase of products on the account of cost. A product
manager from an OEM of earth moving equipment could
not have been more spot-on when he told African Mining
Brief on the sidelines of the unveiling of a product:
We have observed that some of our clients are actually
downgrading on their product preferences, compelled by
a bad business environment. Its become all too familiar,
something other suppliers can relate to I guess. And it
must be said that this phenomenon might also be noticeable
in the purchase of core trays.
Jolene Bothma, an expert from Terracor, a leading
company in the supply of steel and plastic core trays,
shares her opinions with African Mining Brief on the
importance of sticking to best practice in the face of
prevailing economic challenges.
Which product is ideal?
As most would tell you, the notion of a product for all
conditions is nothing but a myth propagated by shrewd
marketers to see products move off the shelf fast. The
reality, says Bothma, at least in the field of core trays for
mineral exploration and geological survey, is that every
product is tailored for a specific application.It is critical

for companies to be aware the implications of making

compromises in quality, she warns.
Choosing core trays
Bothma lists the key factors that companies should
prioritise when choosing core trays for their respective
requirements as: location, nature of core, storage capacity
and environment and safety.
i. Location, location, location
Depending on the location of the exploration site,
therecould be a need for lids to cover the trays to keep
coreintact during transportation. If transport is a
challenge, then prefab trays would be the recommended
option to minimise transport costs due to the reduced
volume, she explains.
ii. Nature of core
The expected nature of the core, for instance whether they
are broken or solid samples, will determine whether one
should choose a deep or low profile tray.
iii. Storage capacity
Storage capacity - the number of rows in the tray- should
be a central factor,says Bothma. Comparing prices
is not simply the comparison of unit price, as it is more
accurate to compare price per meter of storage (cost per
meter). Furthermore, there are various designs of trays in

July - August 2015

91

AFRICAS PREMIER
CONSTRUCTION AND
MINING TRADE FAIR

OR S!
CE F
N
TRANSTRATIO
N
E
I
E
G
E
E
R
F
INE R
/en/
ONL
a.comion
c
i
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f
trat
.bca
wwwors/regis
t
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Storage capacity is everything in a core tray

each particular size which are often ignored over cost as well as other
factors.
iv. Environment and safety
Last but not least, Bothma mentions a projects environmental and
safety factors as key to the choice of core trays to be used. Would
plastic or steel trays be better suited and what length of the tray is
adequate?
The steel-plastic tug-of-war
Vendors of steel or plastic core trays would go to great lengths to punt
their product as having an edge over the other. Nevertheless, determining
which would perform better between steel and plastic core trays is
practically a futile exercise, says Bothma.A product has to be judged
according to its merits. Hence,when comparing the performance of
steel over plastic, there is no ultimate winner. Eventually, it will always
come down to a balance between cost and safety/risk management.
Composite core trays the future?
Although the composite craze has gripped many sectors, Bothma and
the Terracor Team does not see composite core trays replacing steel
trays in the near future due to large costs involved. They also dont
offer a transport cost advantage, she adds.
Fixation with cost short-sighted
The critical error made by exploration companies during the procurement
of core trays is simply comparing prices while overlooking the
aforementioned factors as well as designs. For exploration consultants
to make the most of available core tray products, they have to focus on
the functionality over cost, as their applications vary.
International Trade Fair for Construction
Machinery, Building Material Machines,
Mining Machines and Construction Vehicles.
WWW.BCAFRICA.COM

MMI/BCA/Quirk/CEN

92

Research and Development focus: transport

efficiency and space economy
To provide a view into topical issues that manufacturers are focusing
on worldwide currently from Terracors perspective, Bothma says: In
terms of developing our core tray products, we are constantly looking
at ways of lowering production costs and also focus on maximizing
transport efficiency with regard to packing volumes. We try to improve
designs that allow more trays to be packed into less space.
July - August 2015

Core trays for geological

The ins
and outs of
core trays
With regard to Core Trays, the
important aspects are always the
orientation of the core, the core
recovery, the sequence of the core
through the depth of the bore hole,
writes CECIL CURRIE.
Improvisation at its best: Iron sheets as core trays

ore trays have not fundamentally changed from

date of inception to today. From the early days
of drilling and exploration, geologists have need
to safely store the core as it was drilled.The important
aspects are always the orientation of the core, the core
recovery, the sequence of the core through the depth of the
bore hole. Geologists have a need for inspecting the core,

CORE TRAYS
All core trays have following attributes:
-Interlocking to form neat safe stacks
-have ergonomic and safe carry handles
-have drainage holes in channels to remove
excess water
-are same width to ensure entire hole is
stacked together
-economical design to ensure maximum
channels per tray
Plastic core trays:
Steel Core trays:
-Available in black as standard or
-Zinc Alume Steel for maximum
optional white
corrosion resistance
-maximum UV stabilizer content
-exposed edges have been double
-non magnetic
folded or bent out of reach to
-meter marking on inter channel
minimize risk of injury
ridges
-available in welded or prefab option
-extremely robust (you can drive
for freight optimization.
over them)
-Also Available in 1.5m, deep or
-nestle or stack design, optimizes
freight volumes
Also available to complement your core storage facility:
-racking systems for steel or plastic core trays
-range of core splitters
-density scales
-core tray handling trolleys
-marking, measuring and labelling accessories.

Website.www.geoexplorestore.co.za, Email denis@geoexplorestore.co.za,

Tel. +27 (0) 11 392 5324, +27 (0) 82 744 7594
94

logging the core insitu, keeping very accurate records.

From this information many decisions are made. What is
the resource estimate? Do we mine? How do we mine?
What is the life of the mine? Is all this financially viable?
Can we raise capital to build a mine? Many important
decisions.
From early days the importance of archiving and
retaining the core for audit purposes became quite clear.
For this reason, core that is logged and through the
mineralization, is split in half longditunally, with one half
going off to be analysed and the other half being retained
in the core tray to ensure the sequential meterage and
structure of the borehole core. From early days, using
corrugated roofing sheets, to wooden boxes through to
date where core trays are custom made, the methodology
of geologists has remained the same.
In todays world, the core needs to be safely stored
for at least the life of the mine. This has introduced a new
aspect, one of storing the core safely on either a mine
site or a regional site.Drilling and its related geological
activities is a very expensive exercise with all in costs
upward of R2000, 00 a meter drilled.Drilling is the
lifeblood of any mining activity. The core recovery and
accuracy of logging and sampling even more so.
Today a geologist is spoiled for choice of core tray to
be used as so many new comers have come onto the market.
There is Plastic, Steel, Zinc alum. Even Aluminium. Each
one has its advantages and disadvantages. And whilst
there is always arguments about the preferred material for
the core tray, the use of the core tray does not change nor
has it changed over many, many years, nor will it change
over the years to come.At the end of the day it comes
down to a geologists preference always remembering that
cost is a factor.
Cecil Currie is the Director of Afri Core. This year,
Afri Core celebrates 21 years of manufacturing and
supplying the industry with equipment and services related
to exploration. AfriCore took over the manufacturing
and supply of core trays from an existing company. All
in all, the company has been manufacturing core trays
have been manufactured for more than 25 years.
July - August 2015

PLASTIC CONTAINERS

Plastic
core tray

Our first locally manufactured plastic core tray.

Provides a very cost effective system.
Stacks and nests perfectly.
UV-stabilized, impact modified polypropylene.
The RockBox is non-magnetic.
Will not rust, corrode or contaminate core samples.
No sharp edges for safer handling.
NQ Core Tray measurements:

BQ Core Tray measurements:

(L) 1070mm, (W) 400mm, (H) 54mm

(L) 1070mm, (W) 400mm, (H) 54mm

Core Size: 52 mm

Core Size: 38 mm

Weight: 2.3 kg

Weight: 2.3 kg

Core capacity: 6 metres

Core capacity: 7 metres

Mpact Plastic Containers, South Africa,

Tel. +27 12 250 9100, Cell +27 82 904 3171,
salesforce@mpcsa.co.za www.mpcsa.co.za

TAS 2866

Fibreglass floor gratings

Vital Advice
Being torn between safety and performance versus cost, on the one hand, and
glass and steel, on the other, can be quite a dilemma for most mine managers.
Dodds Pringle, Managing Director of Vital Engineering, tells African Mining
Brief about sound advice on design and installation of floor gratings.

ow many times have we heard that an obsession

with purchasing a product on the cheap has
backfired, costing an organisation more in the
long run? It is numerous times. And more often than not,
this poses a serious threat to safety on site and, ultimately,
to a companys human resources.
African Mining Brief engages Dodds Pringle,
Managing Director of Vital Engineering, the leading
manufacturer of a broad range of floor gratings, stair
treads and safety hand rails, for views on the area. Pringle
is passionate about educating the market about safety
on site in relation to the design and installation of floor
gratings.
Vital Engineering is the first South African gratings,
hand railing and expanded metal manufacturer to obtain an
international ISO 9001 design accreditation, and to have
held this certification for over 19 years. As a specialist
in this field, Vital Engineering has decided to step into
the breach and provide practical advice to industry on the
critical issues of safety, quality and design specifications
when it comes to the choice of gratings customers should
make.
96

Prioritising safety
In our experience, the safety of the human asset is
unfortunately sometimes the last consideration when
purchasing floor gratings. The choice of material that
people have to walk on should not be driven by cost, but by
many other factors, above all safety. There is not enough
knowledge in the market surrounding the importance of
gratings, Pringle maintains.
Client awareness obligatory
One of the initiatives that the company has taken in
creating safety awareness is to distribute a CD to customers
detailing the correct gratings installation and performance
specifications. The CD provides installation guidelines
for the customer, and has been used in the construction
site context for induction purposes. For example, there
needs to be some education to prepare the market for the
transition between steel and fibreglass products, and that
it is a design issue. These products are not able to take the
same load, but then again, each has their own advantages.
Our value offering at Vital Engineering is to be a part
July - August 2015

of the design process in order to guide our customers

in ascertaining best performance specifications, says
Pringle.
Fibreglass design specifications
While fibreglass may recently have become a popular
choice in gratings, there is considerable uncertainty
about its strength, notes Pringle. This is where design
specifications come in, which demand proper research
into specific SABS requirements and performance
requirements, based on factors such as load and type
(harshness) of environment. While steel offers more
strength than synthetic products, fibreglass is a very
robust, low-maintenance product, which reduces the
maintenance cycle considerably.These products are
best used, amongst other areas, on conveyor walkways,
taking into considering the load-bearing requirements
and ensuring that the product is in line with all relevant
industry specifications, says Pringle.
The risk involved with purchasing gratings according
to the lowest price lies in quality and safety specifications
not being adhered to, he emphasises, adding that this
can result in other related costs such as injury on site and
downtime.
Importance of sustainability
Despite the rising input costs of steel manufacturing in
South Africa, Vital Engineering remains committed to
sustainability in the industry by refusing to compromise
on a quality output, and retaining safety as its focus. The
ongoing challenge is the competition the industry faces
due to lower prices in the international market.
Vital Engineering strives to find the most economical
solutions for our customers which provide value and
quality in the long run. Value-adds which we offer
our clients include lowering cost of installation while
increasing maintenance efficiencies. Our input materials
are 350WA grade, which offers greater strength than those
in a commercial grade material, says Pringle.

Quality assurance
In offering to be a part of the customers design process,
Vital Engineering runs full checks on load requirements,
according to the clients drawings, in order to ensure
compliance from a performance safety point of view,
and in relation to SABS requirements.While the trend
is towards cost-driven decision making, as the largest
manufacturer and supplier in the gratings sector in South
Africa, Vital
Vital
Engineering
considers it of paramount
importance to educate the market about the importance
of prioritising safety and performance above cost
advantage only.W e hope that our efforts will help to
increase awareness about safety on site, and that looking
after human capital should take precedence over cheaper
gratings materials of inferior quality, which could prove
more costly on a number of important levels - in the long
run, Pringle concludes.

July - August 2015

97

ADVERTISER'S INDEX
Advanced FsT...............................................54
African HL....................................................45
Akron Brass..................................................88
ALS Global...................................................14
AMB.............................................................75
APT Processing.............................................19
Aquamat........................................................32
Aquatan.........................................................39
Aunicu Labs..................................................12
Axis communication.....................................63
Azero.............................................................17
BAUMA .......................................................90
Bereau Veritas ...............................................13
Bergman Ross...............................................43
Bestline .........................................................85
BMG.............................................................9
Bidvest water ................................................31
Carl Zeiss ......................................................22
CMS Cepcor.................................................46
CR Catalogue ................................................75
DMR.............................................................29
Dockpro.........................................................79
DPI................................................................52
Drizit .............................................................57
Duys..............................................................80
Effective Labs ...............................................21
Electra Mining ..............................................84
Enertude ........................................................78
Explore IT .....................................................91
FFE................................................................66
Filtaquip ........................................................IFC
Firematic .......................................................53

First National Battery ....................................65

Frutiger..........................................................87
Geoexplore....................................................92
GFG .............................................................67
Investmech....................................................83
Kemira ...........................................................41
Lamproom solutions.....................................70
Macrotech.....................................................38
Marvin Equip ................................................69
Metso............................................................26
Mine entra.....................................................1
Mpact............................................................93
New concept mining.....................................OBC
Nextube.........................................................37
PDD..............................................................9
Probe imt.......................................................59
Proxa.............................................................35
PSA. ..............................................................47
Rimex ............................................................77
Rwanda IPAD...............................................23
Saab Grintek ..................................................50
Sefar filter .....................................................25
SGS. ..............................................................11
Setpoint group ...............................................16
Tenova...........................................................IBC
TLP...............................................................61
Vital Engineering ..........................................95
Voltex............................................................30
Wearcheck .....................................................20
WEC Projects ................................................33
WPCP............................................................29

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