Having proven the efficiency of its consumable products in the local coal mining industry through several successful contracts, screening and vibrating equipment supplier Aury Africa will focus on supplying and proving the efficiency of its coarse- and fine-coal centrifuges to the South African market.

“The WSL coarse-coal horizontal centrifuge and ML fine-coal centrifuge machines, both manufactured in China, are significantly price competitive, as they are not only 20% to 30% cheaper than competing products but also on a par with competing products in terms of quality, display and notable longevity. “We are quite keen to supply them to the market,” Aury Africa MD Mark Houchin tells Mining Weekly.

Although the operational efficacy of the centrifuges depends on several factors, such as the moisture content of the coal particles and different particle sizes, Houchin says, the centrifuges can achieve a production rate of between 50 t/h and 200 t/h, while the WSL1500 centrifuge can achieve 300 t/h.

According to Aury Africa sister company Aury Australia’s website, the centrifuges are suitable for small granularity coal drainage. Other features include ease of operation and high drainage efficiency, as well as low maintenance and power consumption.

Product Efficiency
Aury Africa supplies a wide range of consumables, including poly- urethane and rubber panels, woven wire screens, woven wire mesh, wedge wire products, pipes, pumps, belt scrapers, ceramics and coal centrifuge baskets to the local mining market.

Houchin tells Mining Weekly the company has been supplying centrifuge baskets to several original-equipment manufacturers’ machines for the past three years. He highlights that, in addition to the competitive pricing of these baskets, they can also last 30% to 40% longer than competing products and have proven to outlast other products available on the market.

Aury Africa sales director Derrick Cochrane cites documented cases where Aury Africa products have lasted longer. “One such case was a test conducted at Brazilian major Vale’s Moatize coal mine, in Mozambique’s Tete province, where polywedge panels lasted three weeks longer than a competing product. “This is a major achievement and proves that we are committed to product quality and service delivery excellence in Africa,” he adds.

Although Aury Africa imports most of its products from China, Houchin says, the company has successfully distanced itself from this stigma of inferior products and services associated with the Chinese manufacturing sector. “This is because of its competitive price-to-quality ratio and after-sales and technical support services.

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Mozambique Supply
Houchin tells Mining Weekly that the Mozambique coal industry remains the biggest user of Aury Africa’s consumables. He highlights the company’s contract with Vale – involving the supply of various mining consumables, including all screening media to the Moatize coal mine – as a significant contributor to Aury Africa’s sustained growth.

The Moatize mine produced about four-million tons of coal last year, its second full year of operation, as stated by the group’s subsidiary, Vale Moçambique, in its recently published sustainability report of 2013.

Aury Africa’s contract is currently in its third year and includes the supply of polywedge (610 mm × 610 mm) and polyperforated plates (610 mm × 305 mm) panels, as well as additional screening consumables such as polyurethane sideliners, polycross dams and coal centrifuge baskets.

The vibrating screens, feeders and centrifuges are manufactured at the Aury Tianjin plant, in China, which is ISO 9000-certified. While screen media and other consumables are manufactured by sister company mining equipment manufacturer Tianjin Weide, Aury Africa also started the manufacture of all woven wire screens last month at its new facility in Jet Park, Boksburg.

While about 50% of the com- pany’s business is generated from the coal industry, Houchin highlights that Aury Africa has achieved a tenfold increase in revenue since its establishment in 2010.

The company initially started with a turnover of R5-million, which has increased to R50-million currently. Houchin expects this to increase to R100-million in the next few years.