Quick start-up time for Umcebo coal mine
As demand for coal increases, both for export and the local market,
mining companies starting new operations demand a quick start-up time
and cost effective equipment.
These objectives have been met by the BEE company, Umcebo Mining (Pty)
Ltd, at its new opencast mining operation, Grootpan, in the Belfast
district of the Mpumulanga province. Grootpan achieved its target
production of 130 000 t/m within a few months by choosing the latest
modular and mobile crushing equipment from Jet Park-based, Pilot
Crushtec.
The choice of modular and mobile equipment for Grootpan has maintained
optimum operating efficiencies at the mine, according to Mr. Willie
Humphries, a director of Xantium and a veteran with 30 years experience
in mining.
“The equipment purchased is cost effective. As we progress with our
mining operations we are able to move the crushing and screening
equipment to the stockpiles, instead of having to transport coal from
the stockpile to the crushing equipment,” he said.
Mr. Humphries added that the equipment is working well, operating for
350 hours a month, providing constant results and meeting market
requirements. Coal from the crushers is produced at minus 120mm in size.
“We chose Pilot Crushtec because I know the back-up support provided by
this company is among the best,” he went on to add. “Their delivery time
was also good, and when the equipment arrived on the mine we were able
to start crushing almost immediately.”
The purchase by Xantium included two giant diesel-powered J1175 mobile
Finlay jaw crushers introduced to the South African market last year, as
well as the recently introduced Finlay 694 three-deck mobile screen that
has four on-board stockpiling conveyors and a high-capacity belt feed
hopper.
The new single toggle Finlay J1175 jaw crusher is fitted with a 1070mm x
760mm Jacques crusher chamber on a heavy-duty undercarriage. The modern
hydrostatic driven machine has a 9m3 hopper and provides a high
throughput and large reduction ratio.
The operations director at Pilot Crushtec, Mr. Frank Scherf, said that
while electrical powered modular equipment is cheaper to operate, mobile
diesel-powered equipment is necessary in more remote locations.
Equipment provided meets all the needs at Grootpan.
“We try to deliver ex-stock which means a few days or a weeks’ delivery
time on a big plant. In this instance we were able to provide all the
equipment within weeks.
“Pilot Crushtec has a customer support division and we have five Support
Link and plant erection teams on the road to provide the best back-up
service possible,” he concluded.
