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Introduction of sensor sorting technology in the coal industry imminent

5th July 2013

By: Sashnee Moodley

Senior Deputy Editor Polity and Multimedia

  

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Materials and minerals processing technology provider IMS Engineer-ing aims to introduce the dual-energy X-ray sorting system transmission (XSST) sensor-sorting technology to the local coal industry, following a batch test on the machines, which it hopes to complete soon.

IMS Engineering business development manager Shannon McEwan says the technology was acquired from German separation technology expert Steinert Elektromagnetbau a year ago, following a formal joint venture (JV) agreement between the companies two years ago.

IMS Engineering MD Paul Bracher says the JV was formed with Steinert Elektromagnetbau to undertake research in the local minerals industry to better develop applications for the technology.

“We look forward to significant growth in the Southern African market, which is ideally suited to this technology,” he says.

The technology can generally be used in a variety of applications, but IMS Engineering is investigating the best application for the best efficiencies before it is industrialised locally.

IMS Engineering assembled a test plant at its Kempton Park premises, in Ekurhuleni, to study the technology’s coal applications. Tests included the destoning of coal by separating the minerals from shale and stone. The technology also detects the pyrite or sulphur content of the coal.

“We send the product and waste through the sensor to check if it can detect the differ-ence. If it can, we know that more extensive testing, which may entail the installation of a machine on site, can be undertaken,” Bracher states.

McEwan adds that the technology has been extremely successful during the test runs and the company is demonstrating the machine’s capability to its clients.

Unlike conventional methods, the sensor-sorting technology sorts at the point of extraction and does not measure a particle’s density. The XSST scans the particle and takes into account the approximation of the atomic weight of the particle, as opposed to scanning the density.

“In mining processes, the mineral is often small in mass and volume, compared with the orebody that contains it; and the fundamental element of mining processes is that you want to separate the product from the waste material. Traditional technology involves some sort of gravity or density separation,” Bracher says.

He adds that there are significant advantages of using sensor-sorting technology, compared with using traditional methods.

The technology does not use water in its operations, eliminating the possibility of creating acid water. It is also energy efficient, as it accurately detects the location of the mineral in the ore and ejects the waste, reducing the amount of material that must be crushed and hoisted and this, in turn, uses less energy.

Further, only the ore containing the mineral needs to be transported, which contributes to significant savings on transportation costs.

McEwan explains that material is fed into the machine on a conveyer belt, where it moves across the sensors, which recognise the position and size of the material to be separated.

A computer analyses the material and the sensor signals the valves, which are positioned on compressed-air platforms that open to eject and separate the waste from the products.

“Every single particle in the material flow is recognised and classified. The long fast-running belt ensures that the particles are singulated and homogeneously distributed. As it passes the X-ray source and camera, it is recognised and classified in a fraction of a second according to preset criteria programmed in the flexible system software,” McEwan explains.

Bracher says the technology has the potential to produce better quality and more consistent coal in the industry, adding that the mineral does not need to be seen in the ore by the naked eye, as the machine will detect it.

He says the technology adds a new dimension to processing technology in the minerals industry and it will unlock reserves that have never been unlocked before.

“Coal is an application in which the technology works well. The sensor-sorter can detect ash and bedrock and this will allow miners to upgrade their coal quality and they can meet or beat the grade that is expected. State-owned power utility Eskom can also gain quality coal that is much more consistent,” he states.

McEwan agrees and says projects can also be brought onto the market faster and that junior coal miners and small coal operators have the opportunity for a quick start-up and will be able to bring their coal up to the specifications of Eskom.

Bracher says there are many smaller, newly incubated coal mines for which the benefits would be enormous.

“In general, though, we will offer solutions for run-of-mine sorting and dumps, which can become profitable using our technology,” he notes.

McEwan stresses that this technology is not a replacement for conventional technologies, but it may work in conjunction with traditional technologies to provide an additional step in the mining process and assist in reducing operating costs.

The machine can be modified and the software used will be unique to each application.

IMS Engineering appeals to the mining industry to stimulate discussions on the technology to assess particular process problems.

Edited by Megan van Wyngaardt
Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

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