Mining Matters WA

It’s not the most common form of engineering, but ropeway engineering holds an important place in the mining industry. It is used to transport materials in bulk in terrain that is difficult to access. Definition of Rope Before we can discuss ropeway engineering, we must understand what ‘rope’ is to the mining industry. In mining, the definition of rope is strands of metal wire twisted to form a composite rope. Wire rope is usually made of steel and has a diametre of more than 9.52 mm. Smaller gauges are considered to be cable or cord. Wire ropes have been around for almost 100 years, starting out as mining hoist applications. Today wire ropes are still used for hoisting in elevators, cranes and transmitting mechanical power.  The strength of rope wires means ropes can hold large tensile forces. One of the greatest benefits of wire ropes is that if a flaw occurs in one of the wires, the other wires can take on the load. If a flaw occurs in a chain link, the failure can result in

The earth’s surface is made up of compounds which are extracted for commercial gain. Iron ore is the most important for producing building materials. Not all iron ore is created equal. The grade of iron is determined by the Fe content in the ore. Profitable elements of the ore are then separated through physical techniques. Ores with greater than 60% are considered ‘natural ores’ and can go straight into the blast furnace. It is also called ‘direct shipping ore’ and is ready for export. For ore that has a less than 60% Fe content, it is considered low grade and can’t be used for the production of iron and steel. It needs to be upgraded to reduce its gangue content and increase its Fe content. The process of improving the value of ore by removing certain minerals is called beneficiation. With over a billion tonnes of steel required worldwide in 2016, the beneficiation process is needed to keep up with demand. Beneficiation technology is improving all the time to maximise the value

The effectiveness or otherwise of your onsite rotating process equipment will have an impact on your mine’s overall operations. The right equipment can increase the tonnes per hour output which leads to a better return on investment (ROI) for your equipment capital outlay. The following are the steps you should take to gain the best results from your rotating process equipment. Designed and Built by Specialists Acquiring an ‘off the shelf’ product is unlikely to deliver you the best output result. A specialist who can analyse the properties of the material such as the type and size being fed into a scrubber and trommel will ensure the right screen is used. Robust and efficient for lower power draw All rotating process equipment has heavy electricity requirements. The right design and materials used in the equipment can ensure the design is right for the lowest possible draw on electricity ensuring running costs are kept to a minimum. Testing Rotating mining equipment is

China and India’s burgeoning middle class has changed the way the two nations consume goods. With 1.3 billion people in China alone even a small change in purchase decisions can impact the demand and prices of mineral sands output needed to manufacture these goods. One change in consumer demand was for more Western-style porcelain toilets five years ago. The quantity of toilets required saw the demand for the whitening agent zircon increase to the point that a previously closed Australian zircon mine swung into production. The prime locations for zircon include the Murray basin which extends from the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia to Mildura in Victoria. South Australian miner Murray Zircon reopened its mine at Mindarie, about 150 kilometres east of Adelaide. Mindarie is a joint venture with a Chinese company that requires a quantity of zircon for use in China and for selling off to overseas markets. Often demand causes a spike in mineral prices for a short time then

Australia holds the third largest resource of rare earth in the world and is the fifth largest producer. Deposits are located in most states of Australia. The two main types of mineral sands are titanium dioxide minerals and zircon. Western Australia is a prominent producer of mineral sands including titanium and non-titanium minerals. Titanium dioxide is used in manufacturing paints, plastics and coatings, cosmetics, fibres and pharmaceuticals. Zircon is predominantly used as a whitening agent for ceramic products such as tiles and toilets. Output of Mineral Sands The revenue per year from mineral sands mining is an estimated $3 billion. Pricing movement and changing demand for the product impacts on output. With time, the premium reserves become depleted and so the industry is forced to mine lower grade mineral sands at a higher cost. Rehabilitation of Australia’s Sites Australia ensures its mineral sands sites are rehabilitated after mining. Seeds of native plants are

To process precious and base metals, gravel, minerals and sand, most sites will need a scrubber and trommel. When the mineral sand is trapped inside balls due to a high clay content, the material is passed through a rotating screen known as a scrubber. As the scrubber rotates, it breaks up alluvial, clay and sand. A trommel is used to separate the materials. Elevated at an angle a cylindrical drum has the material fed in one end. The under-sized material passes through the screen while the oversized material exits the drum at the other end. A vibrating screen does a similar job to the trommel, however, is not as robust and won’t last as long when working under stress. The vibrating screen can evaluate more material at one time than the trommel. The Right Specs Selecting the right scrubber for your project needs to take into account some considerations. By informing your supplier of the following information, you can ensure that you will receive the ideal scrubber for the job. N