As African mining companies focus on improving plant availability while controlling operating costs, aftermarket optimisation is emerging as an increasingly important strategy for extending equipment life and improving comminution performance, says mining technology company Weir.

Weir aftermarket manager: comminution Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Natalie Makhanya says the company is helping mines achieve these objectives through the application of ESCO crusher liners and ENDURON screen panels, supported by local technical expertise and global engineering capability.

"Where customers are dealing with highly abrasive applications, we have been able to extend crusher liner changeout cycles to four to six weeks, while in less demanding environments liner life can extend to four to six months," Makhanya says. "ENDURON screen media has delivered equally impressive results with wear life ranging from two to four weeks in high-impact feed zones and up to 24 weeks in dewatering applications."

She explains that the longer service life translates into higher plant availability, lower maintenance costs, more predictable shutdown planning and improved safety by reducing maintenance interventions.

The company says that the growing success of aftermarket solutions has led to increasing demand for ENDURON crushers and ENDURON Elite screens across Africa. Weir comminution director EMEA JD Singleton notes that the latest ENDURON Elite screens incorporate high capacity exciter technology capable of generating up to 1.28 mega-newtons of force, allowing large screens to operate with only two exciters where competing designs often require three, reducing maintenance requirements by approximately 30%.

To support growing demand, Weir has expanded its South African ENDURON screen media manufacturing operation from an initial 150 m² facility to a 3 500 m² production plant, with further expansion set to double production capacity and reduce lead times across the continent.

"Our focus is on working collaboratively with customers to optimise plant performance, reduce maintenance costs and create long-term operational value," Makhanya concludes.