Author: yinghui

Trelleborg’s engineered products operation has supplied “a lower cost, long lasting rubber lifter bar solution” to Australia’s largest open pit gold mine for one of their ball mills. A valuable alternative to traditionally used composite steel, they offer a number of significant benefits such as a longer life and reduced downtime. Trelleborg has provided rubber lifter bars in special grade compound – 1605AM to replace the existing composite steel solution which lines the mine’s grinding mills. These special grade rubber lifter bars have achieved the same life expectancy as composite steel, and also provide reduced power draw, noise pollution and weight, which decreases the impact on rotating components and makes the bars easier to handle.

Downtime is a significant issue faced by the mining industry, and the mining and material processing industry is always looking for ways to enhance availability of the mills that grind and blend materials. Trelleborg’s rubber lifter bars “offer increased operational efficiencies, significantly reduced downtime, simple wear monitoring and life predictability. In addition, when compared with steel, a rubber solution also provides superior resistance to the severe impact, high temperature and abrasion caused by the comminution of the ore within the mine’s grinding mill, lengthening its life.” Composite steel is currently the traditional material of choice for primary and some secondary milling applications and until now has provided a whole-life performance that alternatives could not. However, the development of Trelleborg’s special grade rubber compound and various face angles to suit any application, offer greater value and performance versus composite steel lifter bars.

Trelleborg’s expertise in the use of polymers and polymer composites means that it is at the forefront of efficient and effective mill lining solutions. By optimizing design and specialized rubber compound selection for all milling wear protection applications, including lifter bars, Trelleborg can provide longer lasting, higher performance solutions. Trelleborg offers a wide range of rubber lifter bars and plates for ball mills, rod mills and drum scrubbers. The standard rubber lifter sizes range from 50 mm-250 mm wide and 50 mm-300 mm in height, and come complete with aluminium and steel tracks, with different face angles to suit the milling or scrubbing application. Trelleborg also provides a wide range of shell plates, grate plates, head plates and filling segments, including the backing rubber to protect the mother plate of the mill.

Sandvik has announced its intention to divest its Mining Systems division.

This product area, which sits within Sandvik Mining, covers the supply, design, and engineering of materials handling systems for the resources industry.

“Divestment of Mining Systems will make Sandvik Mining more focused on its core operations, mining equipment and aftermarket offerings for both underground and surface mines, which Sandvik will continue to develop to ensure long term value creation,” Mats Backman, CFO and acting President and CEO for Sandvik, said.

The division employs around 1300 people, and had annual sales of $1.12 billion, accounting for 7 per cent of Sandvik’s invoicing.

According to a Sandvik spokesperson the only Australian operations to affected will be the Bayswater facility, in Perth, which produces conveyor pulleys, rollers, and frames for mining.

From the third quarter of this year the Mining Systems group will be reported as ‘discontinued operations’.

It is understood a buyer is yet to be found.

As base metals prices stagnate, many miners are looking to innovative methods to increase production.

One area that many operators are looking to for cost savings and efficiency increases is that of minerals processing.

OZ Minerals began trials to slash costs and boost productivity by implementing more efficient minerals processing at its Carrapatenna operation.

The miner developed a hydromet demonstration processing plant to verify scalability for its site late last year, and has now seen positive results from the trials.

“The first trial results from the hydromet demonstration plant indicate that the process is scalable and is already returning copper-in-concentrate levels of more than 55 per cent,” OZ Minerals stated.

“This compares favourably to globally produced concentrates with copper-in-concentrate grades that typically average less than 30 per cent,” OZ Minerals said.

It added that impurity elements were below penalisable levels.

“This is a great set of first results for OZ Minerals and the copper industry in South Australia,” OZ managing director Andrew Cole said.

He went on to state that “the successful completion of this demonstration trial will allow up sot produce some of the best and cleanest copper concentrate in the world, with virtually no impurities”.

The new pilot plant builds upon laboratory scale test work, where a final product exceeding 55 per cent copper-in-concentrate from a starting concentrate grade of 30 to 35 per cent.

According to OZ Minerals, the system involves processing copper concentrate containing chalcopyrite and bornite. It then converts these two minerals into chalcocite by leaching out the iron and other impurities.

“On the back of these promising results,” Cole said, ”we will continue to feed samples of concentrate through the plant over the next few months to build on our technical understanding and confidence in the process.”The trials come as South Australia throws its support behind the copper industry in the state, launching a new strategy to ramp up production.

Speaking before members of the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME), state treasurer and resources minister Tom Koutsantonis announced the next phase of consultation was underway.

“There is widespread agreement that South Australia’s geology and geography does put us in the box seat to supply copper to the world’s fast growing economies,” Koutsantonis said.

“The Directions Paper on the Copper Strategy seeks the views of industry, regional and Aboriginal communities, and other stakeholders on how we tackle some of the issues that could prevent South Australia from reaching its full potential as a copper producer.

“In the weeks ahead, we will be looking to the community, landowners, producers, explorers, researchers, innovators and suppliers to provide their guidance on the final design of this long-term strategy.”

As part of the strategy the South Australian Government has pledged $10 million to found a joint study of the hydromet process between OZ Minerals and Orway Mineral Consultants, with work carried out by Adelaide University.

OZ Minerals will contribute $8 million to the research.

Speaking on the this plan and the trial results, Cole added that “this is crucial research that could help maximise the value of South Australia’s copper resources for generations to come”.

“When considered in the context of the South Australian Copper Strategy, it is a very exciting time for the industry.”

With current cooper production around 300,000 tonnes per annum, the SA government wants to triple production by 2030 to become a major contributor to Australia positioning itself as the third largest copper producer in the world.

At present South Australia has three active copper mines; Olympic Dam (BHP), Prominent Hill (OZ Minerals) and Kanmantoo (Hillgrove Resources).

A quarry operator is seeking a buyer for its limestone operation ahead of the site’s proposed redevelopment into a residential hub.
Sibelco Australia has launched a public tender sale campaign for its Lilydale quarry, located in Melbourne, Victoria.

The supplier announced earlier this month that operations would cease before the end of the year due to “flat” economic and market conditions, with Sibelco spokesperson Helen Stanley confirming to Quarry more recently that the site was expected to close in October.

The quarry, which has been producing quicklime, hydrated lime and other associated products for more than 140 years, had originally been scheduled to close in 2016 once its resource had been exhausted.

“The Lilydale site has been a significant part of Sibelco Australia’s business success and we are proud of the strong legacy it leaves behind,” Stanley commented. “The Lilydale site has provided long-term employment to the Lilydale community for more than a century, [and has been] pivotal to the growth of Lilydale and the broader Yarra Ranges region of Victoria.”

Plans for the future
For more than two years, Sibelco has been planning the quarry site’s future with the support of the Victorian Government’s property development agency, Places Victoria, and the Yarra Ranges Council.

The draft master plan it first released in June 2013 – which is known as Plan Cave Hill – envisaged the establishment of up to 2500 new residences, retail outlets and community facilities focused around a large, central parkland by way of a 15 to 20 year redevelopment program.

Sibelco CEO Tom Cutbush explained that the sale of the quarry would help progress these plans.

“Sibelco Australia recognises that we are not experienced property developers, and therefore … we are launching a public tender sales campaign to attract a property developer with the skills and resources necessary to turn this exciting vision into a reality,” he said.

In July this year, Sibelco lodged a planning scheme amendment request with the Yarra Ranges Council to rezone the site in preparation for its redevelopment.

Commenting on the milestone, Cutbush said, “Sibelco is excited to see the site take a step closer to a positive legacy for the Lilydale community including celebration of the site’s long history and its close connection with the growth and prosperity of Lilydale and the broader Yarra Ranges region.”

The final master plan will be exhibited for public consultation later this year following the council’s initial review.

Originally established as a family-operated business in 1872, the 163ha Lilydale quarry site was acquired by Sibelco in 2002.