Technology and innovation
More Lokotracks head north
A mining operation in Zimbabwe has ordered
three more Lokotrack ST2.8 mobile scalping
screens from Pilot Crushtec.
A mining operation in Zimbabwe has
purchased three more Metso Lokotrack
ST2.8 mobile scalping screens from
Metso’s southern African distributor,
Pilot Crushtec International. The
operator originally bought three
Lokotracks in 2017.
According to Sandro Scherf, CEO of
Pilot Crushtec, the ore deposits at the
mine in Zimbabwe are found in thick
clay above the bedrock, which varies in
depths of between one and two metres
beneath the surface. Complete bush
clearing is not an option, so surface
and subsoil vegetation provide their
own challenges, not to mention a rainy
season and flash floods. This is where
this scalper comes into its own.
“An aggressive screen box with a 15mm
throw (50% greater than any other
comparative product) substantially
reduces the chances of blinding and
pegging,” says Scherf, adding that the
scalper can be fine-tuned to suit a
variety of soil and surface conditions,
including sand applications.
“With such a powerful throw, the
box can be run at a relatively low
750 revs per minute. This is not only
beneficial to the scalping process
but has the capacity to increase the
operational life of the machine, as
there is less wear on the screen box.
“Current output is more than
300 tonnes per hour, well within
expectations, and is greatly assisted by the tines (fingers) mounted on the
bottom deck, which serve to maintain
production levels, even under the
wettest conditions.” Considering the
material is abrasive, there has been
no need to change the tines (bottom
deck) or bofar bars (top deck) after 12
months.
Another important feature is
its two-way split option. Should
only two conveyors out of three be
required for a specific application,
the third conveyor can be removed
for operations, instantly saving fuel,
wear and tear, and — from a safety
perspective —removing the possibility
of unnecessary entanglement with
non-productive moving parts.
existing MineARC Refuge Chamber
technologies, including these critical
features:
MineARC’s Aura-FX Digital Gas
Monitoring System is a proprietary
fixed gas monitoring unit, designed
specifically for use in MineARC
refuge chambers and safe havens.
The MineARC Compressed Air
Management System (CAMS) is
a dedicated air management unit
explicitly designed for use in refuge
chambers.
MineARC System Intelligence will
not be limited to refuge chambers.
With personnel safety a top priority,
MineARC is currently in the early
stages of expanding the GuardIAN
network to include tracking and navigational technology; providing
digital integration across a range
of personal protective equipment.
First to be released is MineARC’s
new premium SiriUS Cap Lamp.
Providing top of the line visibility
for the unforgiving underground
environment and offering features
such as automatic light adjustment, a
superior colour rendering index, and
power conservation, one of the most
exciting benefits of SiriUS lies in the
capacity for integrated GuardIAN
tracking software. With the addition
of this software, personnel can be
located remotely from the control
room via GuardIAN, providing vital
information for search and rescue
teams in the event of an emergency.
Safety the main concern
Safety systems need to go beyond
basic protection to provide a complete
management solution; monitoring
operations, evaluating faults, and
providing immediate alerts. Having
an integrated safety network that
provides real-time communications
and reporting can increase the
effectiveness of safety and emergency
response teams in the event of an
emergency — ultimately saving lives.
MineARC’s GuardIAN forms
the hub of the System Intelligence
Network. GuardIAN enables
real-time monitoring of all vital
refuge operating systems via an
online interface accessible from any
computer, tablet, or smartphone.
GuardIAN integrates with many
[60] MINING MIRROR SEPTEMBER 2018