JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Mintek has invited proposals from qualifying bidders to design, engineer, procure, build and supply a modular coal X-ray transmission (XRT) sorting demonstration plant on a lump sum turnkey basis.

The standalone plant, which should comprise two XRT sorters, would be used by Mintek’s Minerals Processing Division (MPD) to test the ore-sorting capabilities of coal using XRT technology and would be required to be complete and ready for commissioning by December and remain available until May 27, 2016.

The research and development group outlined in tender documents issued this week that the plant would need to offer a screening capacity of 250 t/h, as well as a 125 t/h sorting capacity for plant feed of between -100 mm and +25 mm.

The contractor would be required to make provision for a generator to provide power to the plant, which would be in operation for between eight and ten hours a day, five days a week.

Noting that the site for the demonstration plant had yet to be established, Mintek said in tender documents that the plant could be built at the State-owned African Exploration Mining and Finance Corporation's Vlakfontein mine, in Mpumalanga, should the existing plant infrastructure and space be sufficient for the plant arrangement proposed by the contractor.

Should the existing infrastructure at Vlakfontein be deemed inadequate, the contractor could recommend an alternative site with appropriate infrastructure.

Tender deliverables included the detailed engineering required for construction of the plant; the procurement and supply of equipment; the building, installation and construction of the modular plant; covering the labour costs related to plant building; and preparation of the plant laydown area, which should, in addition to the proposed plant, make provision for five stockpile pads.

The successful contractor would also be responsible for electrical supply and distribution for the plant, transportation and logistics to site during the plant building phase, quality assurance inspections, assistance during plant commissioning, the handover after commissioning and maintenance and support in case of equipment breakdown.

Interested parties were invited to attend a briefing session at the Vlakfontein mine and would be required to submit applications by August 14.