The design and execution of a materials handling system for coal miner Sasol Mining’s Tweedraai expansion project in Secunda, Mpumalanga, showcases mining and bulk handling solutions provider Tenova Takraf Africa’s ability to incorporate optimised steel structures and designs while utilising advanced technologies developed in-house over the past decade, says Tenova.

Sasol Mining awarded the materials handling contract for the expansion in December 2013 to Tenova Mining & Minerals South Africa, the black-empowered operating arm of the global Tenova Mining & Minerals Group.

The project is being carried out by Tenova Mining & Minerals South Africa’s trading division, Tenova Takraf Africa, and is scheduled for completion in December, explains Tenova Takraf Africa sales GM Philip le Roux.

“The project scope for the installation of the new conveyor system includes the design and installation of three conveyors, totalling 3 km, which will convey coal at a design capacity of 4 800 t/h,” says Le Roux, adding that the installation of electrical and instrumentation systems, bulk earthworks and civil foundations for the conveyor system and transfer towers also form part of the contract scope.

“The Tweedraai expansion project will see part of the Syferfontein mine being replaced. “It is one of Sasol’s projects currently under way to ensure that the company has modern replacement operations to replace some of its long-standing but depleting mines,” he details.

Industry Shift
Le Roux tells Mining Weekly that the materials handling industry is experiencing what Tenova refers to as the ‘new normal’, whereby potential clients are becoming more sophisticated in their debt/equity finance models. He adds that potential clients are also promoting projects in which suppliers are becoming shareholders in the potential projects.

“Within the changing economic environment there are numerous new possibilities and opportunities,” explains Le Roux, adding that Tenova Mining & Minerals is aligning its business strategies to resonate with opportunities that are being communicated by most international and local mining houses.

“While we have always aimed to provide optimal product offerings to the market with our pit-to-port solutions, our focus has now shifted more to the direct needs of our customers, to better align our organisation’s ability to respond to the needs of our customers.

“Times have changed in terms of how equipment suppliers approach doing business, which creates an abundance of new opportunities for those who can align themselves with this ‘new normal’,” Le Roux elaborates.

He adds that the change has provided Tenova Takraf with an opportunity to enhance its client relationships and to better under- stand its clients’ businesses, through providing client support services that assist operations, extending the lives of clients’ machines and getting more out of their existing capital outlay.

“With this in mind, we recently opened a second client support services regional office in the Northern Cape, in addition to our well established regional client support services office in Middelburg, Mpumalanga,” Le Roux says.

Other Projects Under Way
Tenova Takraf Africa has been working on several other materials handling projects in South Africa and the rest of Africa.

“In recent years, we have installed rapid train-loading systems at two mines in the Northern Cape, one for a manganese operation and another for an iron-ore operation,” says Le Roux.

“We are also supplying a second train-loading system for a coal project in Mozambique, having already delivered an initial system for the project. Train-loading stations are a specialised part of the materials handling industry, with loading accuracy – in terms of load and distribution within wagons – as well as the turnaround time for train loading, considered crucial,” he explains.

Le Roux further highlights that Tenova Takraf supplied a new ship loader for loading iron-ore at the Port of Nouadhibou, in Mauritania, which the company regards as an indication of the extensive in-house technology base that Tenova Takraf can offer its clients’ projects in Africa.

“We boast an experienced and fully operational engineering and project execution office in South Africa, supported by centres of excellence in Germany, Italy and India.

“This has enabled Tenova Takraf Africa to provide a full range of yard, plant, overland and port handling systems, including mobile and semi-mobile in-pit crushing systems, stacking and reclaiming systems, conveyor belts, wagon tipplers, rapid train-loading systems and ship loaders/unloaders for clients in Africa,” he details.

Service Improvements
Le Roux says Tenova Takraf Africa is committed to offering the best possible services to its Africa-based clients, adding that the company is working closely with centres of excellence around the world and within the Tenova group, to continuously advance its technology offering.

“Tenova Takraf Africa is working on several research and devel- opment projects which have put the company ahead of the curve. These include conveyor belt dynamic analysis – an improvement effort that delivers significant energy-saving advantages.

“We have also transitioned to three-dimensional design packages, allowing for equipment and structures to be modelled – making the transition of drawings to fabricators seamless – as well as enabling meaningful material control, which adds to our efficiency and competitiveness,” he explains.

Eskom Project
Le Roux mentions that Tenova Takraf Africa is continuing with the lump-sum turnkey materials handling project for Eskom’s Kusile power station. The project scope comprises the terrace handling system, the stockyard handling system and the limestone handling facility contracts.

“The scope of the project includes engineering and installation of the yard and in-plant conveyors, stockyards, stacking and reclaiming machines, civil works and electrical and instrumentation work.

“The three packages include the provision of 79 conveyors, totalling a distance of more than 16 km, and the installation of 13 pieces of equipment, including stackers, reclaimers and feeders for the coal and limestone stockyard packages,” Le Roux concludes.