Tag Archives: Weir Minerals Africa

HOLISTIC AI SYSTEM FROM WEIR LEVERAGES POWER OF DATA 

Mining technology group Weir is integrating its digital innovations to deliver more powerful and holistic solutions for customers to optimise their productivity.

According to Ole Knudsen, Senior Director for Digital at Weir, this is a natural step in the company’s digital journey, building on years of strategic investment in developing new technologies. Knudsen highlights that digital technology and innovation has risen to position number five in EY’s top 10 business risks and opportunities for mining and metals.

“As the EY report points out, mines are looking to digital solutions as a key enabler for reducing their costs while improving productivity, safety and ESG outcomes,” he says. “Weir is supporting this strategic imperative by developing a holistic solution that addresses not just equipment optimisation but the optimisation of the whole flowsheet.”

He points out that a key challenge for digital solutions in the market is overcoming the separate and siloed functions within a mining operation. The respective decisions of the maintenance and operations teams, for instance, will impact each other in ways that are traditionally difficult to track or control. 

“A more holistic approach to digital solutions gives us better insights into both the impact of equipment wear on production performance, and into how changes in production affect the wear life of equipment,” he says. Importantly, Weir’s new intelligent solution uses machine learning to generate specific recommendations in line with customer priorities. 

Weir’s Director of Digital Product Strategy, King Becerra, highlights that these recommendations are based on the customer’s operating data, as well as on many years of data and modelling that Weir has collected on each product. Becerra emphasises that each customer will have their own conditions to consider and priority areas to target. While the cost of energy may be the primary challenge on one site, another might need to reduce its tailings to give the storage facility longer life.

“Leveraging the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning, Weir can provide customers with systems that generate specific recommendations to meet their goals,” he says. The value of these digital solutions has already been well proven. Working with a copper mining customer in South America, Weir was able to facilitate important recovery improvements through digital interventions. In an operation with 12 processing lines, the recovery during the first pass was raised by 30%; this reduced the recirculating load considerably, adding to overall system efficiency.

Over the years, Weir has invested heavily in its digital tools, initially through the Synertrex® intelligent platform focused on condition monitoring. Weir’s digital offering has now evolved and their new intelligent solution includes AI capability which optimises on a process-level and predictive maintenance, facilitating the improvement of uptime and making maintenance more cost-effective. 

Strategic acquisitions in the software and artificial intelligence (AI) space have included Motion Metrics™ technology, in addition to SentianAI, which uses advanced AI algorithms that continuously learn and adapt to the dynamic mine processes – thereby facilitating continuous optimisation.

“Mines are generally very rich in data, but are not always able to manage this data effectively to capture the hidden insights,” concludes Knudsen. “Our new holistic solution will overcome this challenge and allow mines to gain full value from the data they generate.”

UNPLANNED MINE DEWATERING CALLS FOR WEIR’S CUSTOM SOLUTIONS 

In both opencast and underground mines, unexpected water ingress can severely disrupt production unless an effective dewatering solution can be quickly applied; some forethought will go a long way in making this happen.

According to Marnus Koorts, General Manager Pump Products at Weir, one of the key challenges is that unplanned dewatering usually requires sizeable equipment to be retrofitted into locations where there is often no infrastructure to support it. 

“In many open pits, for example, the voltage in the power network is different to normal motor voltages,” says Koorts. “This therefore calls for the application of transformers to achieve the right supply voltage.”

The underground environment may have its own restrictions, such as the need for any equipment and motors to be flameproofed. It quickly becomes apparent, he explains, that any solutions provider needs not only an in-depth knowledge of the pump duty requirement. They also need to understand the various peripheral equipment that will render the pump suitable for the application. 

“Satisfying these elements will allow the challenge to be more effectively addressed, but what about similar incidents in the future?” he asks. “The next important step is to look ahead and ask what the mine will be doing – and where mining will be taking place – in a year from now.”

He highlights the risk that water might be pumped during an emergency to a nearby holding location, where it creates an obstacle for future operations on the mine. With a bit more planning, the dewatering process can ensure that water is removed further away at the outset. This, he suggests, could require the use of booster stations. 

“There are not many pumps that can dewater a deep underground mine or open pit in a single lift,” says Koorts. “This means finding suitable places to install booster pumps, and ensuring that the appropriate power supply is available there. This may not always be easy, if certain levels of an operation have been mined out and no longer have active infrastructure.”

With a forward-looking approach, a mine can also identify the depths at which dewatering may be required in two to three years’ time, and when more booster pumps will need to be installed to cater for deeper operations. 

“At this point, the situations can start becoming quite complex, and every site demands a highly customised solution,” he says. Among the more innovative solutions, he notes, is the use of pontoons for opencast mines – with technology to automate their operation. A pump mounted on a pontoon can be positioned in an open pit, and can float if the area starts to flood. Fitted with the relevant sensors, the pump will pick up the rising water levels and begin dewatering.

“The pontoon solution is also useful for emptying holding dams, especially since it can draw water from the middle of a dam, where it is cleaner and easier to pump,” Koorts explains. “Of course, the quality of the water will determine the pump type to be employed, as clean and dirty water present very different demands for a dewatering pump.”

“In the SADC region, a diamond producer procured a bespoke dewatering solution to facilitate the removal of accumulated water in the pits. This was achieved through a series of diesel-powered booster pumps, enabling uninterrupted operations throughout the rainy season” elaborates Koorts. “Another example is a copper producer in Central Africa that procured a bespoke solution to aid in the dewatering of surplus water accumulated during their operations. This measure not only complied with their environmental commitments but also ensured the safe and sustainable relocation of water away from operational areas.”

He concludes that customers can save considerably on finding the right solution in advance. With its well-known pumps such as Multiflo®, Warman®, Envirotech® and GEHO®, Weir can contribute in-house design capacity and niche expertise, even in less familiar fields such as buoyancy.

LOWER TCO FROM OEM MAINTENANCE

Achieving the best return on their plant investment is a primary goal for mines, and partnering with OEMs like Weir is a strategic way to enhance equipment performance while reducing the total cost of ownership. The company is at the forefront of helping mines transition from reactive to prescriptive maintenance approaches, ensuring sustainable and safe operations through the optimisation of technology and equipment.

“We have an extensive footprint of equipment around Africa, and focus on adding further value to these assets through the correct maintenance strategy,” says Grant Potgieter, Strategic Services Manager at Weir. “This means a constant monitoring process, where we can track performance while looking for opportunities to raise our customers’ plant availability for greater productivity.”

Plant monitoring will invariably include a regular wear analysis of components, to monitor whether such wear is in line with expectations, explains Potgieter, as well as to predict future wear and component life. Analysing this wear, however, involves a considerable amount of data from the plant operation itself, such as ore characteristics and throughput. 

“Here is it important to remember that each site will have its own variables, so it is not possible to apply a standard template without understanding the specific plant,” he says. “Operating conditions may also change over time, so the assessment requires close collaboration between our team and the plant personnel on the mine.”

This allows a foundation of data to be established, on which to base the relevant corrective action, whether this is through technology, training or other interventions. Such action may be initially prompted by data that Weir picks up in its procurement process. 

“Our years of experience in this market, and our careful documentation of component wear life, including historical and process information, allows us to estimate how long a certain component will last under predefined conditions,” he says. “By generating strategic reports from our procurement system, we can see if a customer is ordering components more frequently than they should be – suggesting that there is wear taking place.”

Technicians from Weir can then visit the site and examine the conditions more closely as part of a root cause analysis. This is most effectively done with a multidisciplinary team including process engineers and mechanical experts, to identify first-hand what the challenge is, and how best to address it.

Potgieter highlights the role of accurate measurement of equipment performance and condition, pointing to the fact that this is not always constant when conducted manually. To provide a platform that would overcome human error, Weir offers its own digital platform to harvest data continuously, accurately and objectively. 

“It is significant that we developed our own system to do this, as we understand our equipment solutions better than anyone,” he explains. “Our digital platform allows us not only to gather and process the data from our equipment, but also generates recommendations which identify the actual cause of anomalies.”

As an example, if a sensor transmits a certain vibration signature from an item of equipment, a trained Weir Minerals condition monitoring expert will be able to verify system notifications. 

While technology could be one part of the solution, he says, good communication is also crucial. To avoid any lack of communication through people working in silos, Weir arranges monthly quality meetings with customers – to ensure that all stakeholders are on board.

“This has proved to be a valuable way of getting all players involved and committed to the solutions  that are agreed,” he says. “In this round table environment, everybody can be allocated a clear role, with tasks and responsibilities agreed in a transparent and accountable manner.”

This format also brings in all the necessary disciplines – from electrical and instrumentation through to mechanical and process – to reflect on the proposed solutions and ensure that the one selected is optimal. 

“The key performance indicator that is shared by everyone in these meetings is cost optimisation, so this is really our focus with our discussion and solution,” he says. “We look holistically at safety, value and technology to ensure that whatever is spent on an intervention helps to lower the total cost of ownership.”

This often involves considerable change management, says Potgieter, as long term maintenance strategies may require mine personnel to adjust their procedures. Recognised for its expertise in its aftermarket services, Weir is frequently engaged by its customers to work on strategic shifts in their operating practices to optimise aspects such as equipment turnaround time and costs of refurbishment. 

“We collaborate with customers as they adjust their own maintenance strategies,” he says. “To optimise the maintenance of rotables, for instance, we are able to provide service exchange units at regular intervals, as the customer removes a unit from service after a predetermined time.”

This avoids the higher cost of running a unit to failure before repairing, and reduces the risk of any unscheduled maintenance for breakdowns. As the OEM, Weir is then also able to refurbish equipment to their original standard, and offer the appropriate warranty.

WEIR EXCITES ELECTRA MINING VISITORS WITH ESG AND AI SOLUTIONS

The latest technology to drive sustainability in mining – while achieving the ‘sweet spot’ in performance – was showcased by Weir at the recent Electra Mining Africa exhibition near Johannesburg. 

This sustainability focus underpins the company’s support for its customers’ strategic environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, according to Weir’s Process and Products Director, Mufaro Muzvondiwa. The event was another important opportunity to display Weir’s leading role in helping mines to reduce consumption of energy and water – and to reduce carbon emissions. 

“At Electra Mining Africa, we were able to remind visitors how seriously we take sustainability across all our products,” says Muzvondiwa. “We displayed our WARMAN pumps with innovative WRT impeller and throatbush combination – for improved hydraulic profiles, reduced turbulence, extended wear performance and lower power consumption.”

He notes that, while Weir’s WRT® upgrade for WARMAN® pumps is not new to the market, many visitors were still discovering the value that this technology could deliver on their operations. The WRT® parts are retrofittable in the WARMAN® AH® range of horizontal slurry pumps and delivers improved hydraulic profiles, reduced turbulence, extended wear performance and lower power consumption.

Water conservation was also a growing issue for many of the mining visitors to Weir’s exhibition stand, especially in water-scarce countries like South Africa. He points out there is more awareness that mines today must increasingly balance their water demands with those of communities and other local stakeholders. 

“This also created plenty of interest in our CAVEX 2 hydrocyclones, which offer up to 30% additional capacity and improved separation efficiency, while delivering water and energy savings in mineral processing applications,” he says. 

Alongside the ESG focus, visitors at Electra Mining Africa were as usual looking for ways to optimise their processes for greater productivity, Muzvondiwa explains. This is where Weir’s digital tools are playing a crucial role in facilitating smart mining.

“The only constant on mines is change; they are dynamic operations, with constantly changing geological and metallurgical conditions,” he says. “This makes it vital that the performance of our equipment is being continuously optimised – by modifying parameters to suit variables such as rock hardness, abrasiveness and chemistry.”

Building on its existing digital solutions, Weir is developing new capability to not only monitor equipment condition but to facilitate more real-time optimisation. This applies across the product range from WARMAN® pumps to ENDURON® HPGRs (High Pressure Grinding Rolls), he says. 

“We are using our deep knowledge of our equipment and processes – built upon decades of research, development and field experience – to take advantage of the latest analytical capabilities in digital technology,” he explains. “This will revolutionise how we run equipment and what the landscape of sustainable mining looks like.”

He highlights the virtuous circle that can be leveraged as equipment that is optimally run will, firstly, achieve a longer lifespan and, secondly, deliver the best throughput and recovery results. The challenge has always been that real-time optimisation must take into account many different factors, which are difficult to consolidate and analyse quickly. 

“With the advent of AI, it is now possible to gather the relevant data and process it rapidly, so that valuable and precise recommendations can be generated and applied,” says Muzvondiwa. “We have been working very hard to commercialise these solutions, and we will soon be able to share with customers the exciting opportunities which will be available to them.”

Weir’s proactive embracing of technology is enabled by pioneering skills initiatives which raise the bar for company staff and its customers. He points to the company’s Mill Circuit University, a resource which ensures that skill levels are keeping up with technological advancement. More than that, technical staff understand more about the operating context of their specific equipment range. 

“This enhances the quality of conversations between our frontline staff and customers, and improves the levels of collaboration we achieve,” he says. “While some courses can be done online, we also bring our teams together for training from around the globe; we also conduct regional training events for customers’ staff – even on their sites when required.”

In addition to learning about these services from Weir, Electra Mining Africa visitors were able to witness a modular wheeled plant solution – a fully mobile crushing and screening plant that can be transported by trailer.

“Visitors from the mines were also impressed by the extent of Weir’s local manufacturing capability, as this is an important ESG imperative for the mining sector,” he concludes. “With some 95% of our sales being supplied by our South African plants, we are proud to support the local economy and offer customers a secure supply chain.”

RUBBER LININGS RESIST COARSE PARTICLE ABRASION IN PUMPS

Weir has found that its customers dealing with large particle abrasion in their pumps can save significantly on components and maintenance downtime by using rubber linings.

According to Marnus Koorts, General Manager for Pump Products at Weir, these linings excel in applications where particles are being driven by a great deal of energy. 

“Rubber is very good at absorbing and transferring the energy from moving particles , whereas metal liners are more readily worn away by those impacts,” says Koorts. “This makes rubber linings ideal on the larger mill pumps and similar applications, which is where our customers get optimal value from this solution.”

He notes that Weir has spent decades developing its elastomer technology and trialling it in the field, giving it considerable advantage over competitors – many of whom have only recently begun introducing rubber lining on their pumps.

“We have helped customers to deal with some of the most abrasive applications to be found in mining. These conditions are commonly found where hard rock is mined, crushed, and milled, and the coarse particles leave the mill to be pumped further,” he says. “Among our case studies are installations where the pump’s wear life was improved significantly after it was lined with rubber.”

Another benefit of using rubber in these large pumps is that it is relatively lightweight compared to unlined metal pumps, enhancing safety and easing maintenance of rubber parts. 

“A mill pump is a mission-critical item of equipment, so maintenance really needs to be as fast and infrequent as possible,” emphasises Koorts. “The whole plant process often comes to a halt when the mill stops if there is no standby pump, what we call a Service Class 5 pump.”

Replacing a rubber lining on a pump can be done quickly, and less often – giving the plant optimal uptime. He points out that this also provides a higher level of safety against the risk of particle wear actually breaking through the shell of the pump. In cases where these incidents have occurred, the high pressure inside the pump can spray slurry up to a couple of hundred metres – presenting considerable safety and environmental hazards. 

“Where the rubber lining is present, it is encapsulated by a metal shell for added support,” he says. “Maintenance planning can be enhanced by using Weir’s Synertrex wear monitoring technology, which would alert the operators to the need for parts replacement, avoiding failures.”

He highlights that many of Weir’s pump ranges are available with the option of either rubber or metal liners. This has allowed many customers to easily trial the rubber lined option, as this can be done through a simple swap-in process during the plant’s shutdown period.

“We’ve seen a definite shift in the mining industry towards rubber lining on pumps, as mines recognise their value in these applications,” he concludes. “This is also a time when mining companies are starting to consider their upstream and downstream carbon impact. They can gain from the lower carbon footprint associated with rubber linings compared with steel.”

RUBBER LININGS RESIST COARSE PARTICLE ABRASION IN PUMPS

Weir has found that its customers dealing with large particle abrasion in their pumps can save significantly on components and maintenance downtime by using rubber linings.

According to Marnus Koorts, General Manager for Pump Products at Weir, these linings excel in applications where particles are being driven by a great deal of energy.

“Rubber is very good at absorbing and transferring the energy from moving particles , whereas metal liners are more readily worn away by those impacts,” says Koorts. “This makes rubber linings ideal on the larger mill pumps and similar applications, which is where our customers get optimal value from this solution.”

He notes that Weir has spent decades developing its elastomer technology and trialling it in the field, giving it considerable advantage over competitors – many of whom have only recently begun introducing rubber lining on their pumps.

“We have helped customers to deal with some of the most abrasive applications to be found in mining. These conditions are commonly found where hard rock is mined, crushed, and milled, and the coarse particles leave the mill to be pumped further,” he says. “Among our case studies are installations where the pump’s wear life was improved significantly after it was lined with rubber.”

Another benefit of using rubber in these large pumps is that it is relatively lightweight compared to unlined metal pumps, enhancing safety and easing maintenance of rubber parts.

“A mill pump is a mission-critical item of equipment, so maintenance really needs to be as fast and infrequent as possible,” emphasises Koorts. “The whole plant process often comes to a halt when the mill stops if there is no standby pump, what we call a Service Class 5 pump.”

Replacing a rubber lining on a pump can be done quickly, and less often – giving the plant optimal uptime. He points out that this also provides a higher level of safety against the risk of particle wear actually breaking through the shell of the pump. In cases where these incidents have occurred, the high pressure inside the pump can spray slurry up to a couple of hundred metres – presenting considerable safety and environmental hazards.

“Where the rubber lining is present, it is encapsulated by a metal shell for added support,” he says. “Maintenance planning can be enhanced by using Weir’s Synertrex wear monitoring technology, which would alert the operators to the need for parts replacement, avoiding failures.”

He highlights that many of Weir’s pump ranges are available with the option of either rubber or metal liners. This has allowed many customers to easily trial the rubber lined option, as this can be done through a simple swap-in process during the plant’s shutdown period.

“We’ve seen a definite shift in the mining industry towards rubber lining on pumps, as mines recognise their value in these applications,” he concludes. “This is also a time when mining companies are starting to consider their upstream and downstream carbon impact. They can gain from the lower carbon footprint associated with rubber linings compared with steel.”

NEW ENDURON® ORBITAL SCREENS FEATURE ALL-BOLTED CONSTRUCTION FOR LONGER LIFE

Weir, a global leader in innovative mining technology, has launched the all-new ENDURON® Orbital range of vibrating screens which feature an all-bolted construction for longer life. Engineered for sand and aggregate, construction and small tonnage mining operations, the new screens are designed to meet the most demanding of applications.

The all-bolted construction of the screens will significantly improve reliability by eliminating welding in high-stress areas, removing the leading mode of failure in vibrating screens. Locking bolts ensure structural integrity and durability, facilitating easy maintenance with quick replacement of individual components without the need for extensive downtime.

“Weir is excited to bring this revolutionary new screening technology to market. The team has worked hard for the past two years to bring our customers a product that is reliable with the lowest total cost of ownership,” Corné Kleyn, Global Product Manager for Vibrating Screens at Weir says. “Our first screen has been successfully installed and commissioned at a large global customer and we are gaining momentum with more units planned for both the European and North-America markets.”

The ENDURON® Orbital range is available in two screen types: the E series: Elliptical Motion Horizontal Screens and the C series: Circular Motion Inclined Screens. Both screen types are designed with a commitment to innovation and quality, incorporating the latest technologies to deliver exceptional performance in a broad range of sand and aggregate and mining duties.

A wide operating window provides flexibility to adjust screen settings in line with changing applications or feed conditions, without compromising the equipment’s structural integrity and minimising the risk of structural failure related to harmonic resonance.

The modular screen construction ensures that individual components can be easily replaced. Common interchangeable screen parts reduce inventory overflow and simplify maintenance. Both screens are digitally enabled, including our modular exciter technology, which senses and reports on the condition of the exciter. The exciter itself features a bolt-on/bolt-off design, meaning they can be easily changed on site and refurbished in a mechanical workshop.

All ENDURON® products are fully supported by the Weir service network, offering unrivalled service, support and local expertise across the globe. Weir continues to lead the industry in providing cutting-edge, high-performance solutions that are tailored to meet the unique requirements of our customers.

FROM SMART MINING TO PORTABLE CRUSHING FROM WEIR AT ELECTRA MINING AFRICA

At this year’s Electra Mining Africa exhibition, visitors will be attracted to the Weir stand by innovations such as the Weir Modular Wheeled Plant (WMWP), a fully mobile crushing and screening plant, as well as the latest in the company’s cutting edge digital solutions for smart mining.

Supporting customers to mine for a more sustainable future, Weir will showcase not only its leading range of equipment and solutions, but the digital technology to further optimise its performance and reliability.

“Our exciting Motion Metrics mine operation monitoring systems will be one of the main features at the show,” says Mufaro Muzvondiwa, Process and Products Director at Weir. “These systems provide mines with real-time particle size analysis of material carried on shovels, loaders, conveyor belts and haul trucks – helping to avoid blockages at the crushing stage and optimise the mine-to-mill value chain.”

Using stereoscopic vision combined with artificial intelligence (AI), Motion Metrics™ cameras leverage machine learning to enhance its predictive capabilities and provide actionable insights to customers, says Muzvondiwa. 

Another highlight will be Weir’s intelligent solution which features condition monitoring technology. This is portrayed through 3D conceptualisation, showing all associated benefits including safety, savings and maintenance optimisation. 

“Visitors to our stand can witness the value of real-time monitoring in enhancing plant performance and optimising uptime,” he explains. “This is where Weir is supporting our customers’ ambitions to be more cost effective by driving down their total cost of ownership of equipment while driving productivity and sustainability.”

In addition to the display of its latest pumps, screens, cyclones, valves, liners and ground-engaging tools, Weir will also have its recently launched mobile crushing and screening plant at its outdoor stand. With Weir’s WMWP fully mobile plant mounted on an on-road trailer, the plant can be moved to site and set up within a couple of hours – as a ‘plug-and-play’ solution.

“This innovation has already generated great excitement in the aggregates and small scale mining sector,” he says. “The design provides a fully mobile plant, making it ideal for road projects requiring aggregate crushing at various points along the route.”

Muzvondiwa highlights that Electra Mining Africa provides a useful forum to remind visitors of Weir’s concerted focus on partnerships for sustainable mining. This includes the extensive footprint of OEM service centres and partners across Africa, ensuring technical support is always available in close proximity to mines. 

“In addition to our South African presence, we are present in countries including Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Botswana, Namibia, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia,” he says. “Our three manufacturing centres in South Africa also ensure high levels of local manufacture, to promote African economies and to streamline the supply chain to our customers.”

The combination of quality products and dedicated service means that Weir can be confident in the warranties and predictions it provides to customers regarding the productivity of its solutions. “This is demonstrated by our ability to enter into cost per ton agreements with customers,” he says.

He adds that local skills development is also a priority for the company in building its service infrastructure, including its Mill Circuit University. 

Visit Weir in the Blue Zone Stand C20

NEW BRANDING SECURES AUTHENTICITY OF LINATEX PREMIUM RUBBER

To reinforce the authenticity of its Linatex® premium rubber and protect its customers from inferior counterfeits, Weir Minerals has introduced new branding to its red iconic rubber recognised globally for its unrivalled wear life and lower total cost of ownership.

Exclusively manufactured by Weir Minerals for the past 100 years, Linatex® premium rubber has become the benchmark in protecting equipment against erosive damage. Over the years, copycats have tried to imitate Linatex® with substandard red rubber. To a regular consumer, it may seem like a bargain to buy the pirated product at an incredible price. However, it incurs massive adverse effects on almost every aspect of their operations.

Boitumelo Zimba, Rubber Product Manager at Weir Minerals Africa, says the distinctive red colour has traditionally been the major identifier of the Linatex® brand. Unfortunately, in recent years, there has been a marked influx of counterfeits that are made in the same red colour, which is confusing for unsuspecting end-users who may not be able to differentiate between the original Linatex® rubber and the pirated product.

“Customers across the world are aware of the value that Linatex rubber brings to their operations,” says Zimba. “It is only when that expected value is not achieved that they realise they have been sold inferior red rubber products under the Linatex name.”

To secure the authenticity of the brand, all Linatex® premium rubber is now branded with four rows of black Linatex® logos strategically placed along the length of the rubber roll. Extensive testing has confirmed that the black ink does not affect the unparalleled abrasion resistant properties of the rubber that has been the industry’s first line of defence against abrasion for a century.

The introduction of this new branding will enable customers to instantly, visually, verify the authenticity of their rubber products. The presence of the black Linatex® logos will be a guarantee of superior quality and performance.

Linatex® premium rubber is made from 95% natural latex using a unique liquid-phase process patented in 1923. Remarkably, its formulation and manufacturing process have remained unchanged for a century, with Weir Minerals Malaysia proudly serving as the sole manufacturer of Linatex® premium rubber in the world.

In contrast, says Zimba, most of these counterfeit products are produced in unregulated conditions that make use of low quality materials. During manufacturing of these products, there is no guarantee that the rubber goes through mandatory quality checks to ensure superior quality and performance.

“With Linatex premium rubber, quality is guaranteed through our single-source manufacturing process. Where necessary, we can also provide certification to indicate the authenticity of the product, especially when it is sold through our authorised resellers. However, the new branding will be extremely visible, allowing customers to easily identify that the product they are buying is indeed Linatex premium rubber,” concludes Zimba.

WEIR MINERALS AFRICA INTRODUCES WHEELED PLANT CONCEPT

With the newly introduced Weir Modular Wheeled Plant (WMWP) concept from Weir Minerals Africa, crushing contractors in Africa can now move and transport their crushing and screening plants from one site to other with great ease, boosting productivity and reducing costs. 

According to Tiisetso Masekwameng, General Manager – Crushing and Screening Products at Weir Minerals Africa, the WMWP range has always formed part of the Trio® crushing and screening offering and makes use of Weir Minerals’ Trio® crushers, screens and material handling solutions. However, the solution has been completely redesigned to suit new market dynamics.  

These plants, she adds, have been deployed across the world in sand and aggregates applications by customers who require the flexibility of a mobile plant without the need for additional maintenance obligations of components such as diesel engines and tracks. 

“The concept fits the bill for the construction market, especially crushing contractors seeking to easily relocate their plants to infrastructure hotspots,” she says. “Equally, the WMWP is ideally suited for the mining sector, particularly where customers require short term solutions to help boost production rates during commodity upswings, without constructing a new static plant over a longer lead time.”

The plants are available in various configurations, starting from primary crushing solutions comprising a hopper, a vibrating grizzly feeder and a jaw crusher, to secondary crushing and screening stations consisting of a vibrating screen and a cone crusher. These solutions can be combined using simple mobile conveyors to configure a plant that can produce aggregates for various end-user requirements.  

Weir Minerals uses equipment that is within the dimensions and weights that can be accommodated on a multi-axle trailer, in line with legal road limits. Machines selected generally allow for the construction of plants in the 50 to 350 tonnes per hour (tph) range. 

“One of the major benefits of our wheeled plant concept is that it eliminates the complexity of having a diesel engine and tracks on the mobile unit itself, which requires additional maintenance over and above the crushers and screens themselves,” says Masekwameng. “Wheeled plants can also be transported on the highway depending on the size and road regulations within the customer’s jurisdiction. That means customers only need to hook the plant to the back of a truck and off they go.”