https://www.miningweekly.com

Local company conducts site survey at Namibian mine

3rd October 2014

By: David Oliveira

Creamer Media Staff Writer

  

Font size: - +

Germiston-based imported bearings and transmission products supplier Bearings International (BI) conducted a site survey in May on its transmission and bearings products currently being used at diversified natural resources group Vedanta Resource’s subsidiary, the Skorpion zinc mine, near Rosh Pinah, in Namibia.

“The purpose of the survey was to identify the transmission and bearing supply needs of the plant by determining the amount of material currently being processed by the plant’s crushing and milling processes, and the effects this had on the gearbox systems of the equipment,” explains BI sales director Shuttleworth Ntsie.

BI monitored the maintenance frequency of transmission and bearing equipment on crushers and millers at the plant and determined whether maintenance was scheduled as a matter of routine or as a result of a breakdown in equipment and how breakdowns could be avoided.

It was found that the high maintenance frequency rate at the mine could be reduced by using better-quality components. “BI’s philosophy is to understand brands and speciality application components, as well as cost effective maintenance in the aftermarket space, which may reduce downtimes and frequencies thereof. We pride ourselves on not opting for cheaper brands, which ensure that we are a respected partner in delivering solutions. We look at the total cost of operations when providing services for clients.

“Cheaper transmission and bearing brands that cost a third of the price need to be replaced a lot more frequently than premium brands,” states Ntsie.

He tells Mining Weekly that BI prides itself on being part of the process its clients are involved in and the company has successfully proven that it understands the quality of the brands it supplies and how these can be beneficial and effectively supplied to its customers.

“Over the years, the success of our business has centred on understanding the processes of our customers,” says Ntsie, adding that this is particularly true regarding crushing and milling applications, especially at sites, such as iron-ore mining company Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen mine, in the Northern Cape, “where suppliers have approached BI to develop site-specific solutions, as they know BI understands the process and not just what products to supply.”

He adds that BI is focusing on providing its customers with application-specific solutions, which requires an understanding of what clients’ application needs are and how BI can assist them in achieving their goals.

“One of these areas is bearing-unit maintenance. Clients often require replacement bearings, but to limit our clients’ spend on new bearings, we help them maintain bearings properly. This involves applying the correct lubrication and employing condition-monitoring systems that will enable customers to determine when a bearing needs to be replaced before the equipment fails, thereby reducing equipment downtime,” he says.

Contracts
BI aims to secure additional supply contracts to the mining industry to consolidate its preferred supplier position in the industry.

To this end, a supply contract for products such as motors, gearboxes, industrial roller bearings and link belts for use in crushing and milling equipment is being considered by mining major Anglo American Thermal Coal.

“Mines are inclined to grow and will spend more money on supplies when they do. While business in the platinum sector was not too attractive this year, owing to the almost six-month-long strike, we have found that other sectors have grown significantly, particularly coal,” Ntsie says.

He maintains that there will be a lot of spend in the local coal sector, owing to the identification of new coalfields and the development of new mines.

He tells Mining Weekly that BI also supplies mining major Anglo American Platinum, which has a contract currently running in the sector for aftermarket-related products.

Edited by Samantha Herbst
Creamer Media Deputy Editor

Comments

Showroom

Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Showroom image
Alcohol Breathalysers

Supplier & Distributor of the Widest Range of Accurate & Easy-to-Use Alcohol Breathalysers

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
27th March 2024
Resources Watch
Resources Watch
27th March 2024

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.169 0.211s - 174pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now