Kinsenda mine’s R9.5-million laboratory installation completed
KINSENDA LABORATORY The installation of the laboratory started in late September 2014 and was completed in March this year
HANNELIE DE BEER Qotho expanded its range proficiency testing schemes last month, and is now offering programmes for copper and cobalt concentrates as well as copper cathode impurities
Mining laboratory quality-control and services provider Tramecon completed the installation and cold commissioning of a R9.5-million laboratory at midtier mining group Metorex’s Kinsenda copper mine, in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC’s) Katanga province, in March.
According to Metorex, the Kinsenda project currently ranks as one of the world’s highest-grade copper deposits, with declared mineral resources of 20.7-million tons with a copper grading of 5.6%.
Tramecon MD Dr Hannelie de Beer tells Mining Weekly that the installation of the laboratory started in late September 2014.
The laboratory comprises four containers that were designed by Tramecon. The company oversaw the container conversions and the acquisition of laboratory testing equipment, spares and consumables.
Once the plant becomes operational in 2016, hot commissioning of the laboratory and training of the staff will be done by Tramecon as well.
De Beer adds that Qotho Laboratory Services, a subsidiary of Tramecon, expanded its range of proficiency testing (PT) schemes last month and is now offering programmes for copper and cobalt concentrate as well as copper cathode impurities.
The PT schemes for the copper and cobalt concentrates involve providing samples of the concentrate, which are milled, crushed and homogenised, for participating laboratories that will, in turn, test and analyse these metal concentrate samples and report the results and their methods used to Qotho.
“These testing programmes are truly global, as we have participants from North America, South America and the UK,” she enthuses.
Using statistical techniques and Prolab Plus statistical software, Qotho analyses the results and performances of the participating laboratories and issues a report to the participants, who can subsequently compare their results with those of the other laboratories, explains De Beer.
Further, she informs Mining Weekly that the company is also working on a prototype for a trailer laboratory that can be used by geologists in the field.
De Beer says the benefit of these mobile laboratories is that the geologists can generate results to about 95% accuracy very quickly while on site.
The first roll-out of these mobile laboratories will take place in the fourth quarter of 2015, she states.
Industry Observations
De Beer says the global mining services sector is currently highly challenging.
“With the pressure on cost reduction, there is more focus on product and process quality and optimisation. If we cannot do it cheaper, then we have to do it better.”
She says that it is in this regard that Qotho is doing very well.
With the focus on quality, more mine laboratories are joining Qotho’s PT schemes, “as it is an excellent gauge of the quality of their results, compared with that of the rest of the industry”, De Beer states.
She highlights that, to assist with the quality drive, Tramecon has been involved in process and product sampling, sample preparation and detailed laboratory audits for clients.
“The feedback from the audits is invaluable to clients, as it helps them to improve their in-house quality processes. Over the past 12 months, we have been involved in audits for clients in the Northern Cape, Botswana, Zambia, the DRC, Eritrea and Turkey,” she concludes.
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