Modern Mining June 2015

PRODUCT News

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MODERN MINING

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June 2015

Integrated Pump Rental has proactively

addressed the need for easier removal of

silt and built-up sediments from process

water ponds, return water ponds and other

water storage areas. The introduction of

the SlurrySucker dredge units into the

company’s short- and long-term hire fleet

will assist mines in on-going maintenance.

“Severely silted up ponds and reservoirs

can impact on the water storage capabili-

ties of a mine or plant, negatively affecting

downstreamprocesses. Designed and engi-

neered locally by Integrated Pump Rental,

the SlurrySucker dredge unit is capable of

extracting high tonnages due to the design

and engineering of the dredge head,” says

Lee Vine, GM at Integrated Pump Rental.

During the developmental stages,

Integrated Pump Technology made use

of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to

optimise and validate the design. This pro-

vides customers with the assurance that

the performance of the SlurrySucker and

its engineering integrity are maximised.

Vine says that two standard units are

available. The smaller or SlurrySucker

Mini is capable of extracting 120 m

per

hour of slurry/water mixture, equating to

30 to 40 dry tons per hour. Double this

extraction volume can be achieved with

the SlurrySucker Maxi, which will remove

between 70 to 80 dry tons per hour. The

SlurrySucker Mini has a 100 mm discharge

and the SlurrySucker Maxi has a 150 mm

discharge.

Manufactured using locally pro-

duced components, the SlurrySucker

dredge units incorporate pumps from the

respected Grindex slurry and dewater-

ing range. Selection of the pump will be

determined by the dredging operation

at hand and could include either Grindex

dewatering pumps where agitation of the

SlurrySucker allows easier removal of silt and sediment

The SlurrySucker dredge unit is capable of extracting

high tonnages due to the design and engineering of the

dredge head.

slurry is required, or Grindex slurry pumps

where there is a need to remove slurry

from ponds or dams.

“The biggest advantage of this new

dredging unit is that the pumps can be

changed to accommodate specific cus-

tomer applications. An example of this

would be where the customer needs to

remove 160 dry tons per hour. In this

instance, the dredging unit would be cus-

tom engineered to handle the required

flow,” says Vine.

“The SlurrySucker dredge unit can be

used on plastic lined dams without any

damage to liners. This is very important

from an environmental perspective as

there is no risk of the liner being cut and

water leaking out,”Vine adds.

Galvanised steel is used for the con-

struction of the dredging unit framework

and for use in highly corrosive applications

it can be fabricated from stainless steel.

Engineered as a robust, compact dredging

unit, the SlurrySucker can be easily trans-

ported on a standard road trailer, making

it simple to move from pond to pond on

a mine site.

Lee Vine, Integrated Pump Rental, tel (+27 72) 627-6350

Lighting tower sales show robust growth

The range of TowerLight lighting towers

produced in Italy by Generac Towerlights,

the world’s largest producer of lighting

towers, and imported by local crushing

and screening specialist Pilot Crushtec

International, provides powerful lighting

solutions for commerce and industry.

TowerLight systems contain on-board

diesel generators that produce sufficient

electricity to power a battery of four or

more metal halide flood lights mounted

on telescopic towers.

The telescopic tower mast completely

eliminates the safety hazards associated

with scissor-type masts. Depending on

the model, these telescopic masts are

either hydraulically elevated or elevated

by means of a hand winch. They are easily

transportable and have the option to be fit-

ted to a locally manufactured trailer to be

towed on public roads, allowing operators

to react rapidly to power outages when

and where they occur.

“The introduction of the range has

proven to be a far-sighted marketing deci-

sion appearing as a classic case of having

the right product at the right time,”explains

Pilot Crushtec International CEO Sandro

Scherf.

“When we originally introduced the

range, our intention was to help our cus-

tomers grow their businesses by making

it possible for them to work around the

clock. In industries like mining, where the

critical denominator is cost per tonne, the

extra hours gained give users a significant

competitive advantage. However, with the

current irregularity in power supply, these

products have become indispensable to the

sustainable operation of their businesses.”

Scherf explains that operators in the

mining and construction industries had

traditionally been opposed to working two

or three-shift operations owing to concerns

over the physical safety of their employees

as well as potential damage to essential and

costly equipment. However, these barriers

have been removed.

“When lighting of this intensity is avail-

able, it immediately removes another major

concern around the operational health

of equipment. Under darkness it is very

difficult to spot an operational problem;

however, with lighting of this quality, work-

ing conditions are virtually the same as in

daylight hours,” he says.

A number of Pilot Crushtec Interna

tional’s customers have discovered that

TowerLights can be used to render an addi-

tional service. Many site offices utilise its

generators not only for lighting but also

to power computers, air conditioners and

refrigerators, a real boon when operating

in remote areas.

Scherf reports that sales have grown

by 30 % year on year since the range was

launched locally in 2012.

The TowerLight range currently extends

to six products. Top of the range is the

VT8000-FH, which is capable of hoisting

four 2 000 W metal halide floodlights to a

height of 9 m. It is equipped with a fully

hydraulic lifting system for legs, mast and

lamp adjustments and is certified stable at

wind speeds of up to 110 km/h. A single

unit is capable of illuminating an area of

24 500 m². Equipped with a rotating beacon

light, this product is purpose built to suit

the needs of opencast mining operations.

Pilot Crushtec International, tel (+27 11) 842-5600