Modern Mining April 2017

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PRODUCT News
48 MODERN MININGApril 2017
Index to advertisers
ALCO-Safe 39
Allied Crane Hire 44
Atlas Copco IFC
Barloworld Power – Industrial 2
CDE Global Limited 45
ContiTech South Africa IBC
DetNet South Africa OFC
DRA Projects 32
FLSmidth 5
Fluor South Africa 13
Joy Global 9
Junior Indaba 16
Komatsu 41
Maelgwyn Mineral Services Africa 15
MMD Mineral Sizing Africa 47
Multotec Group 20
Mynbou Rigs Africa (Belaz Africa) 43
New Concept Mining OBC
Osborn Engineered Products 36
Powerbit Rocktools 10
Transcor Truck Hire 29
Weba Chute Systems 46
Winder Controls 7
WorleyParsons 17
Zest WEG Group 37
Essakane gold mine to get solar power plant
Sensor technology improves efficiency in gas detection
MSA Africa’s Altair 5X has been improved to
include XCell Sensor technology.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) can
pose serious health hazards if inhaled by
those working in harsh environments.
MSA Africa’s Altair 5X has been improved
to include XCell Sensor technology, which
plays an important role in significantly
reducing the risk of exposure.
MSA Africa respiratory and fire helmets
product manager Suraksha Mohun says
the Altair 5X has a fast sensor response,
which is 15 seconds faster than a standard
sensor. “The Altair 5X multigas detector
now includes XCell Sensor technology,
which enables faster response and span
calibration times. This multigas detector is
capable of detecting emissions of six dif-
ferent gases at a time; CO, H2S, O2, SO2, CI2,
NH3 and more.”
Additional features are MotionAlert and
InstantAlert, which are additional safety
alarms.
Mohun says the Altair 5X is agency
approved and holds an IP 65 rating cer-
tification. “The sensor will last for at least
four years and can survive multiple inci-
dental drops of up to 3 m onto concrete.
Our customers will also continue to benefit
from the fast sensor response of MSA XCell
combustible, toxic and oxygen sensors
currently used in the Altair 5X.”
A Photo Ionisation Detector (PID) can be
added to the compact instrument, which
can be worn all day unlike most PIDs. It
includes Bluetooth wireless technology
that can be used with Android devices and
the MSA app to wirelessly manage instru-
ment data and setup.
Suraksha Mohun, MSA Africa, tel (+27 11) 610-2719
EREN Renewable Energy (EREN RE) and
its partner, African Energy Management
Platform (AEMP), have signed a 15-year
power purchase agreement with IAMGOLD
subsidiary, IAMGOLD Essakane SA, which
operates the Essakane gold mine in
Burkina Faso.
The agreement will see a 15 MW solar
farm being developed to complement
the mine’s existing 57 MW heavy fuel oil
(HFO) power plant. The project represents
an investment of more than US$20 million
and will enable the mine to significantly
reduce its fuel consumption and carbon
emissions. Commissioning of the project –
which will rank as one of the largest hybrid
diesel solar PV projects in the world – is
expected by the end of this year.
“Hybrid power systems enable energy
intensive industries, such as mines, to
reduce fuel consumption, decrease energy
costs, protect against fuel price volatility,
as well as improve their social and environ-
mental footprint by cutting greenhouse
gas emissions and boosting local employ-
ment,” commented President and CEO of
IAMGOLD, Steve Letwin.
“This 15 MWp solar project may only
be the beginning for our Essakane mine,
but IAMGOLD is already well on its way to
increase the proportion of renewables to
15 % of its total energy needs within three
to five years. Switching power generation
to renewables has been on IAMGOLD’s
agenda for several years as evidenced
by the 5 MW solar power plant that was
installed in 2014 at the company’s Rosebel
gold mine in Suriname.”
Located 330 km from Burkina Faso’s
capital, Ouagadougou, and jointly owned
by IAMGOLD Corporation (90 %) and the
Government of Burkina Faso (10 %), the
Essakane gold mine – which produced
400 000 ounces of gold in 2015 – is report-
edly the largest privately held business in
the country.
Mining is by open-pit methods while
the ore is treated in a CIL plant. Nameplate
mill capacity was increased to 10,8 Mt/a
following a successful mill expansion com-
pleted in 2014.
For large industries such as mining
companies, which operate 24/7 and whose
energybudget represents up to30%of their
operating costs, the hybridisation of die-
sel power plants with a renewable energy
source reduces energy costs, improves both
the carbon and social footprint, and hedges
against oil price volatility.
EREN RE, website: