WINNING
Association for Clean Air award following the
installation of a bag filter: a device that reduces
air pollution by removing particulates released
from commercial or combustion processes.
AfriSam also introduced an energy
policy aimed at actively further reducing its
consumption of non-renewable energy, and the
installation of the Cement Mill 6 (CM6) separator
at Ulco forms part of this. This will change
the mill to a closed-circuit mill, allowing the
company to mill cement more efficiently. The
project is anticipated to result in a 10% energy
efficiency improvement for the mill. The Ulco
operation also utilises the co-processing of tyres
in kilns as part of the manufacturing process,
reducing the use of traditional fossil fuels.
Another project currently in the pipeline
at the Ulco operation is a waste heat recovery
system. High temperature gas, normally vented
through the kiln stack, is utilised to generate
electricity that will be recirculated for use in
the plant. “AfriSam will continue to research
and implement measures that lead to less
dependence on non-renewable resources. We
encourage other businesses to carefully consider
the impact that their manufacturing operations
have on both the local and global arena and to
adjust methodologies to align with future energy
conservation expectations,” says Meyer. n
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Facts and figures
AfriSam is the largest aggregates and
ready-mix (construction materials)
supplier in southern Africa.
Construction materials
•
National footprint: 17 aggregates
quarries (Gauteng: 7, Mpumalanga: 1,
KwaZulu-Natal: 6, Western Cape: 3)
•
Annual production capacity: >10
million tonnes of aggregate.
Ready-mix
•
National footprint: 40 ready-mix
operations (Gauteng: 18, Mpumalanga:
5, North West Province: 3, KwaZulu-
Natal: 8, Western Cape: 6)
•
Annual production capacity:
>4 million cubic metres of ready-mix
concrete.
1. Various capacity and efficiency
upgrades have been carried out at
Ulco since 1984, including installation
of a raw mill separator and bag filter,
and upgrades of the cascade fan and
clinker cooler.
2. Cement is stored in silos until
packaged or loaded into bulk tankers
for transport via rail or road.
3. Cement can be packaged and
palletised, or shipped in bulk via rail
or road.
18 _ QUARRY SA | NOVEMBER 2017
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