Modern Mining April 2017

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April 2017MODERN MINING47
PRODUCT News
Pump manufacturer invests in Zambia
The ability to engineer transfer points for
individual application requirements within a
plant is a major differentiator for Weba Chute
Systems, and it is this capability that enabled
the South African OEM to supply a total of 13
custom chute systems to a diamond mine in
Botswana. The 13 new Weba Chute Systems,
which will replace existing aging transfer
points, have been designed taking all opera-
tional factors into account.
According to Werner Baller, founder and
CEO of Weba Chute Systems, these transfer
points are engineered for optimum material
throughput as well as reliability. “The replace-
ment chutes form part of an upgrade being
done to the plant and will assist the operation
to increase production,” he says.
“When designing the new Weba Chute
Systems, our engineers placed emphasis on
the longevity of the transfer points which
are operating in harsh wet conditions,” Baller
explains. All the chutes will be manufactured
from 3CR12 stainless steel.
Weba Chute Systems specialises in the cus-
tom design of transfer point solutions and,
regardless of belt speed, belt width, material
size, shape or throughput, the final chute sys-
tem solution eliminates problems associated
with conventional transfer chutes.
Custom chute systems supplied to
diamond mine
An illustration
of the secondary
screen chute.
Of the 13 chutes, six will be installed in the
screening house where these transfer points
will handle the oversize material at a rate of
between 1 200 and 1 500 tph. The undersize
product reports via conveyor from the screen-
ing house to a 600 t bin which feeds the DMS
plant. This minus 30 mm product is transferred
at a rate of 600 tph.
The final three chutes feed the tailings
plant; two of which are split chutes allowing
material to be fed either to the tailings plant
or to a pilot plant on the mine. The third chute
feeds only the tailings plant.
Mark Baller, Weba Chute Systems, tel (+27 11) 827-9372
Global pump manufacturer KSB Pumps and
Valves has established an independent oper-
ation in Zambia to ensure that its rapidly
expanding customer base has full access to
the company’s sales and support services. It
was previously represented by a network of
agencies and dealers throughout the country.
According to KSB Pumps and Regional
Sales Manager, David Jones, the formal estab-
lishment of KSB Zambia is aimed at taking the
market to an entirely new level with improved
stock holdings, shorter lead times for the pro-
curement of pumps, improved price stability
and onsite service and support for customers.
“We rather elected to buy a control-
ling share in Kitwe-based pump company,
Aqua Africa, that is well-established in the
Copperbelt and is a well-liked company in
Zambia,” he says.
“Simultaneously we also established a
branch in Lusaka that will cater largely for
the agricultural market, as well as being well
positioned to support water and infrastruc-
tural requirements of the residential and
industrial markets. Now that the bricks and
mortar are in we are planning to double our
efforts and reach out to existing and new cus-
tomers and we think the market is going to
like what they see.”
KSB Zambia MD Alf Jacobsen says that
when KSB approached him it was an easy
decision to make as it was a move in the right
direction for his company, as well as for the
Zambian pump market. “Right now agricul-
ture is in a strong position and there is a lot
of room for us to grow that part of the market.
Similarly, mining will always be a strong focus
here in the Copperbelt and with full access
to the entire range of KSB pumps and slurry
pumps it bodes well for us to grow this sector
in future.”
KSB, tel (+27 11) 876- 5600