The Futran rail transport system of local transport technology company Milotek could be in commercial use on a mine in Southern Africa by January.

Milotek CEO Andries Louw says, over the past two years, the system has developed from concept and design to testing and prototyping locally, and is being further improved on a 1 km test track in Brits, in the North West.

“Representatives of some of the largest mining companies in Africa have been to the site to evaluate the effectiveness of the system and are negotiating for the deployment of the system at several mining sites in Southern Africa,” he tells Mining Weekly.

Louw says, although the system was initially developed for running above ground, many of the mines are interested in adapting the system for use in their underground operations and believes that the system could change the way in which underground mines operate, as materials can be transported out of the stope without having to be rehandled. Workers, equipment and construction materials can also be transported into the mine and taken directly to the rock face.

Milotek, an Imperial Group company, is also in talks with companies in the agriculture sector, as the system will eliminate the need for large fleets of trucks on farms.

Louw adds that significant interest has been shown by developers from Tshwane, Cape Town, Sandton, Centurion, Durban and even Windhoek, Namibia, which has prompted Milotek to focus on the public transport market earlier than it initially expected.

“It is in the public transport space where we see the Futran system having the most profound impact.”

Meanwhile, the system has been recognised locally and abroad, as the company is currently one of the four finalists for the prestigious Swedish Steel Prize 2015. It acknowledges global innovation in engineering using steel, and the winner will be announced at a ceremony later this month in Stockholm, Sweden.

Previous winners of the award include companies, such as Lear Corporation, Mack Trucks, Fiat and John Deere. Belarusian haulage and earthmoving equipment manufacturer Belaz was the winner in 2014 for constructing the largest truck ever made.

“Being a finalist for this award is a great honour and testament to the engineering prowess and spirit of innovation present in South Africa,” Louw enthuses.

About Futran

The Futran system is the world’s first elevated fractional rapid transit system – a new mode of transport, where people and goods are moved along a grid-based guideway on automated pods that run from point to point on demand and not on schedule.

“There are no drivers, no moving parts on the track that can break and no stoppages between the starting point and the destination point. The system runs on top of existing right-of-way or over productive land, with a very small footprint on the ground,” notes Louw.

Electric batteries that can be charged using green energy sources are used to power the units. The system can be manufactured, maintained and operated locally using local resources, and at over 200-million tons a year, its capacity exceeds that of the heaviest haul railway line in the world.

Louw points out that the Futran track weighs 35 kg per metre and can carry up to 2 t per metre at a speed of 70 km/h, which equates to the system having the capability to transport bulk materials at more than 50 000 t/h when running at peak capacity.

“The entire Futran system can be serviced and repaired using only a No 8 Allen key,” he asserts, further highlighting that it can be adapted to the loading system at a mine without any alterations having to be made to the loading system.

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single motorised unit pulls the system’s lightweight containers and its narrow counter- balance bogie assists in ensuring a low-cost track structure.

Additionally, because the system can run from horizontal to vertical “and anything in between”, the Futran system is not affected by gradient constraints or cost and distance limitations associated with conveyor belt systems, Louw emphasises.

He adds that the Futran’s buckets are fully enclosed, thus preventing fugitive dust from escaping, unlike open conveyors that can impact negatively on the environment through the release of dust particulates.

Further, he highlights that the Futran’s openpit mine processing system allows for the automated haulage of run-of-mine, overburden, waste material and all bulk materials.

Louw points out that by spreading the load across multiple bogies, the system can also be used to transport larger loads, such as shipping containers. “Therefore, the Futran can also be used for long-distance bulk material, freight and containerised transit haulage.”