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March 2015
MODERN MINING
15
MINING News
Technical paper by AEL
employee wins recognition
The International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) has awarded
Ashlin Pillay with the sought after Paper of the Year award at this
year’s ISEE conference held in New Orleans in the US. The conference
is a gathering of explosives users, manufacturers of explosives and
drilling equipment, researchers and professionals involved in quarry-
ing, mining, demolition and construction.
Pillay, an Electronics Field Technician with AEL Mining Services,
a South Africa-based supplier of commercial explosives initiating
systems and blasting services, presented a paper that gave insight
into a project at Ho Man Tin Station in Hong Kong. The station is a
cross-cut interchange station between the Kwun Tong Line Extension
and Shatin Central Link which carries over 8 million passengers daily.
The project needed to deliver on the construction of a sub-surface
transportation network at this interchange. Due to the high volume
of passengers, the project had to be executed safely and under strict
physical constraints and city regulations.
Pillay’s paper gave insights on innovative means of tunnelling and
blasting applications that AEL offers. “The blasting and explosives
industry, like the mining industry we serve, is continuously innovat-
ing. Blasting operations in both surface and underground mining
continue to be receptive to new technology as it enhances produc-
tivity and employee safety. My paper spoke directly to those issues,
how AEL responds to them and the kind of solutions we deliver as a
result. The paper made special reference to the Ho Man Tin Station
and sharing best practice and how these techniques can add value
to our industry,” said Pillay.
SINOMA to partner with
Magnis on graphite project
ASX-listed Magnis Resources Limited reports it has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SINOMA as the first step
in proceeding to a formal binding agreement covering financing, pro-
cess engineering and construction of the Nachu graphite project in
Tanzania. This follows the recent 80 000 t/a binding agreement with
China-based SINOMA for graphite offtake.
Chairman Frank Poullas commented: “A leading role by SINOMA in
financing, design and construction will substantially de-risk the Nachu
project.” He added that SINOMA was one of the largest and most rec-
ognised integrated graphite companies internationally with world
leading expertise in graphite process engineering and plant design.
Magnis recently announced the completion of a positive PFS
on the Nachu project, based on an open-pit operation produc-
ing 180 000 t/a of graphite concentrate with an average ore grade
of 5,1 % graphite. The PFS put the capex at US$171,4 million with
a capital payback period of 1,4 years. It estimated the after-tax NPV
at US$1 040 million and the IRR at 84 % (at a 10 % discount rate).
Operating costs for the first three years of mine life are projected at
US$448 per tonne of product.
The plant design is based on a relatively standard crushing, rod
mill grinding and flotation process. Several stages of regrind and
cleaner flotation have been included.