MBE Coal and Minerals Technology has steadily introduced significant technological developments to its iron ore offering, positioning the company as one of the leading machine and system suppliers in the industry. The company’s BATAC jig technology is gaining increasing recognition for delivering higher efficiencies, huge economic benefits, better product quality, better machine availability and higher throughput rates than other technologies. The system also has excellent separation accuracy, is relatively small in footprint and has a comparatively low capital cost. Every benefit the technology offers has been field proven through extensive and diverse test work.

Stratification by means of jigging is one of the oldest separation methods in the history of mineral and coal beneficiation and today this environmentally-friendly and cost efficient water-only technology is still considered among the most important sorting approach for beneficiation plants. Since the first unit was introduced in 1964, more than 300 BATAC Jigging systems have been commissioned worldwide for coal preparation, processing of iron, tin and manganese ores and recovery of metal losses from alloy slags, 15 of them in southern Africa. BATAC jigs not only excel in their high separation efficiencies but also in terms of ease of operation, robust designs and minimised maintenance costs, making them the preferred technology for numerous beneficiation plants worldwide.

Jones WHIMS
MBE’s robust Jones Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separator (WHIMS) offers a high throughput capability coupled with simple maintenance and lower energy consumption and can operate at up to 13 000 Gauss. The Jones is ideally suited to treating feebly magnetic minerals with a particle range from 20 microns up to 1 mm, while its compact design allows the system to be used in operations that call for a small footprint. In actual operation the Jones WHIMS upgrades iron ores and other mineral raw materials. More than 180 Jones separators of different sizes have been supplied throughout the world, primarily separators of the type DP 317 designed for a capacity of nominal 120 tph. Five different models for throughput rates from 200 tph to 400 kg/h (for laboratory and pilot tests) are available.

PERMOS MIMS
MBE’s PERMOS Medium-Intensity Magnetic Separator (MIMS) for dry and wet separation of ferromagnetic and paramagnetic ores and minerals, has a broad working range outside the drum that allows for dry and wet magnetic separation of coarse and fine ores and minerals, particularly high grade ores of medium and high susceptibility at high throughput rates. The PERMOS operates at field intensities of 5 000 Gauss on the drum surface and meets the demand for cost effective solutions for many applications which are outside the scope of traditional low-intensity permanent magnetic separators, that reach only a magnetic intensity of up to 2 000 Gauss on the drum surface.

Pneuflot
The company’s Pneuflot technology is attracting worldwide attention as a flotation technology of the future. The flotation cell improves product quality and recovery, delivering lower capex and opex as well as significantly lower wear costs and higher efficiencies. The biggest advantages of Pneuflot are its reduction in required footprint and ancillary equipment. The diminished process complexity also makes Pneuflot much easier to manage than conventional agitator cell circuits, while offering a genuinely economic solution not only for new plants, but also for existing plants and expansions.

Screens
MBE’s vibrating screens have been operating in the African mining industry for the past 40 years. With products for sizing, scalping, dewatering and media recovery, these screens feature an innovative side plate mounted drive, making them lighter than those utilising vibrator motors. The company also supplies screens with vibrator motors where required, while its resonance screens offer the benefit of low power consumption. Each screen is designed with sound mechanical features including vibration damping, side plates, cross members and the appropriate feed and discharge chutes. All types of screening surfaces can be accommodated.

In addition, maintenance of the screen is simplified with easy access to motors and drives. Power consumption is low as a result of the use of resonant motion. This “softer” motion keeps wear and tear and therefore maintenance costs, down to a minimum. Equipment is supplied either as a one-off unit or as part of a comprehensive process engineering contractual package encompassing conceptualisation, design, manufacture, installation and support.

Feeders
MBE’s range of vibrating feeders, designed in Germany and manufactured locally, is available with feed capacities of 100 tph up to 3000 tph. These feeders are suitable for all applications where controllable discharge of bulk materials is required. Replaceable bolt-on wear liners are fitted to the feeder troughs to prolong feeder life. In addition to the low power consumption, RF Series resonance type feeders, twin vibratory motor type feeders are available.