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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
NOVEMBER 2016
15
MINING NEWS IN BRIEF
Reliable gas detection for mining
Towards new mining solutions
Regarded as the
most cost-effective,
sophisticated and
low maintenance gas
detection device in
the mining industry
today, the new
generation IP68 rated
Sentient handheld,
available from Booyco
Electronics, was
developed specifically
to improve safety in
underground mining and
in any confined spaces
in surface plants.
It is said to be the first multi-gas
instrument in South Africa that also
measures relative humidity as a standard
offering. The Sentient is also available with
Fire Patrol capabilities. Distinguished by its
bright red seal, the Fire Patrol Sentient is
inserted into outstations located in specific
areas underground, where it records date,
time, gas and humidity measurements.
A downloading network configuration is
capable of gathering information from up
to 500 Sentient devices in a matter of min-
utes. All this equipment is connected via
a network to a downloading server, where
specialised BEAMS software enables
various reports to be generated, such as
detailed information on gas detected in
the underground environment, peak val-
ues, TWA values, pre-shift tested values,
calibration reports and “no movement re-
ports”. BEAMS software is web-based,
making it possible to email these reports
to relevant personnel automatically.
b
Powermite rolls in AMPgland at EMA
Powermite, a Hudaco company that spe-
cialises in components, equipment and
systems, used this year’s Electra Mining
Africa to show its range of products includ-
ing new cable glands, couplers, reflective
mining cables and a host of electrical
components. “Electra Mining presented us
with the perfect platform to showcase our
Orion AMPgland,” says Donovan Marks,
marketing director of Powermite. “We ex-
pect this state-of-the-art cable gland which
features a unique double-compression
O-ring to be well received by the mining
and oil & gas industries in particular due to
its ability to secure and seal cables safely
and efficiently.”
Boosting mining equipment
operator performance
Software developers, data scientists,
engineers and entrepreneurs recently
convened in San Francisco for a 54-hour
hackathon sponsored by Caterpillar and
Unearthed, an Australia-based open
innovation organisation for the global
resources sector. The hackathon format
brought together creative problem solvers
and industry experts who work in teams
under intense time pressure to propose
prototype solutions to industry challenges.
Caterpillar challenged hackathon partici-
pants to propose innovative ways to use
telematics data and real-time coaching
to improve surface mining truck operator
performance. “Operator technique has
a profound effect on productivity, fuel
efficiency, component life and operating
costs,” explains Tony Johnson, marketing
manager for Caterpillar Global Mining,
Surface Mining & Technology Division.
Why Doosan sold Montabert to
Joy Global
Last year, Doosan sold its French
hydraulic breaker maker Montabert to Joy
Global. Explaining the background to that
divestiture, Martin Knoetgen, president
of Doosan Bobcat in Europe, Middle East
and Africa (EMEA), says the hydraulic
breaker and drilling equipment ranges at
Montabert did not offer good synergies
with Doosan’s core operations.
“As a result, we decided to sell the
business to Joy Global, where Montabert
is an excellent fit with Joy’s core business
of designing, manufacturing, distributing
and servicing high productivity equipment
for the global mining industry. This
evolution provides Montabert and its
employees with the opportunity to work
for a global mining equipment business
that is active in all major mining regions
in the world,” says Knoetgen.
b
Technology is a key driver in engineering
and mining innovation, and it is being
steered by the commodity downturn. This
year’s Electra Mining Africa saw a host of
innovative technologies being showcased,
demonstrating the mining industry’s dire
need for products and services that provide
a safer mining environment that is more
efficient in terms of production, but also
more adaptive.
Raymond Padayachee, head of Process
Industries and Drives at Siemens, says it
is important that the mining industry looks
up to new technological solutions because
the environment it operates in is changing.
“Traditional technologies can no longer
keep up with the demands of our changing
world. This is the age of digitalisation and
mass custom production. Siemens is at the
forefront of driving the age of digitalisa-
tion via Industry 4.0.”
In a complete break with tradition, this
year saw Sandvik’s stand empty of equip-
ment. Simon Andrews, vice-president of
Sandvik Mining Sales for Southern Africa,
explains that the break with convention
showcases the company’s new approach.
“Previously we sold products. Today we
are selling solutions, because this is what
the industry is asking for.”
Sandvik’s stand hosted a Virtual Reality
experience as well as a mining tunnel.
“This way of exhibiting enables us to
demonstrate our solutions, from cradle to
grave, and a different way of working that
is of more benefit and adding more value
to the industry.”
3D Printing is a great solution when
a company has a strong technical and
business case as it can produce at a lower
cost in a shorter time. Mass customisation
and complexity are two things that 3D
printing does well, explains David Sean
Bullock, owner of Rapid 3D. “In the mining
industry 3D printing is being used to create
models and designs for display and training
purposes. In future, 3D printing will mean
that engineers and designers will not be
held back by conventional techniques.”
A major highlight was the locally
produced Continuous Miner (CM) from
JA Engineering (JAE). The development
of the CM is all about contributing to the
industry and keeping the mining industry
in South Africa sustainable, says JAE
chief executive Danie van Wyk. “It has
also brought about more employment
opportunities in the country. JAE alone has
already doubled its production capacity
and added additional factory space. We
want sustainable long-term employment
through sustainable growth.”
b
The Sentient is meant
to improve safety in
underground mining
and in any confined
spaces in surface
plants.