Machines that sparkle in South African diamond
mining
Diamond mining in the arid regions of South Africa is tough going, but
the rewards are reaped if the correct equipment is used to help improve
the recovery of diamonds.
Innovative equipment from Pilot Crushtec, the South
African
based manufacturer of scalping and screening equipment and the
representative in South Africa for Terex Finlay, is being used with
rewarding results in the diamond mining industry, stretching from
Kimberley and Barkley West in the Northern Cape, to the western regions
of the North West Province, and from Douglas – near the confluence of
the Vaal and Orange Rivers – to the Atlantic coast.
During the past year, equipment worth more than R10-million has been
sold into the diamond mining industry, according to Mr Wikus Kleynhans,
sales engineer of Pilot Crushtec.
A Finlay 595 scalping machine was recently put into operation by the
Gariep Diamond Mining Company at an open pit mining operation at
Witvoorkop, Alexander Bay on the Atlantic coast. The machine is being
used to separate the minus 40mm diamond bearing gravel from the host
material.
“The tracked Finlay 595 machine is popular in the diamond mining
industry and at Witvoorkop, the machine is handling about 300 t/h.” said
Mr Kleynhans.
“This machine is similar to the tracked Finlay 883 Megatrak
Mark 2 heavy duty scalping machine introduced to the diamond mining
industry about 18 months ago. Throughput is greater, and I have seen a
30t ADT being loaded in under three minutes with fines from the Finlay
883 Megatrak Mark 2. Three of these machines are already at work in
diamond mining” he said.
The Finlay 883 Megatrak Mark 2 incorporates improvements recommended by
Pilot Crushtec to increase both the throughput up to 600 t/h and the
height of delivery from three separate conveyors. The engine power has
been increased and the hydraulic motors of the conveyors have been
upgraded to provide more torque.
Much of the other equipment sold went to small to medium-size miners in
the Northern Cape. Most are open pit operations, close to the Orange
River, Mr Kleynhans explained. However, because of the mobility of the
mobile scalping and screening machines, these are also being used in
exploration work to test smaller samples of minus 40mm gravel.
Three skid-mounted Pilot Crushtec Twister VS AC06 were also purchased
recently. The vertical shaft autogenous crusher, part of Pilot
Crushtec’s modular range designed primarily for stone shaping and sand
making, is being used successfully to crush oversize kimberlite without
damage being done to diamonds.
Mr Kleynhans said Finlay screens are popular and recently a Finlay 693
screen went to Kleinzee on the Atlantic coast. In another purchase, a
Finlay 693 double-deck vibrating grid is soon to be put to use by the
Sagtru Diamond Mining Company, sub-contracting to Alexcor, at Alexander
Bay.
“I can see continuing success for Pilot Crushtec and Finlay equipment in
diamond mining. We have a long association with the industry, our
equipment is ideally suited and we provide a first-rate back-up
service,” he said.
