MMD’S 1150 MINERAL SIZER
MMD Mineral Sizing Africa completed factory testing on two of its 75 t 1150 mineral sizers, which will be installed at a Zambian mine later this year
Photo by: MMD Mineral Sizing Africa
Having completed factory tests on two of its MMD 1150 mineral sizers last month, mineral-sizing technology group MMD Mineral Sizing Africa will deliver two units to a major copper mining operation in Zambia, later this year.
MMD technical director Janis Lombard tells Mining Weekly that the two mineral sizers will be installed next month, 205 m and 250 m below ground respectively. The installation will be supervised by MMD and the units will be commissioned at the end of the year.
Lombard explains that the MMD 1150 mineral sizer contract was approved following proof of concept of the MMD 850 mineral sizer installation, which has successfully been breaking hard, competent copper ore bodies at the Zambian mine since it was commissioned in December last year.
“Installing the units underground is a significant challenge. The MMD 1150 mineral sizers weigh 75 t each, while the MMD 850 mineral sizer weighs about 46 t, and to transport and install heavy equipment underground is difficult.
“This is unlike a mineral sizer installation for opencast mines, where cranes can be used to put units in place. “To successfully install the MMD 850 mineral sizer, which was installed 75 m below ground, small overhead cranes and chain blocks had to be used and will be used again for the MMD 1150 mineral sizer installations,” explains Lombard.
He adds that, owing to the challenges of installing heavy equipment underground, MMD had to purposefully design the mineral sizers and the structures in South Africa to be amenable to underground handling, resulting in a lower profile and lighter design.
“The MMD 850 installation was a turnkey project requiring the company to complete the design, structural steelwork and manufacture locally of the sizer equipment. MMD was also contracted to design the MMD 1150 sizers and sizing stations,” Lombard notes.
Project Highlights
Lombard maintains that these contracts have helped the company improve its Zambian footprint.
“We have supplied machines and equipment to other Zambian mines, but through our success with the latest projects, we have been in discussions with our client about possibly doing more installations as the mine develops.”
Lombard cites the sizers’ ability to improve production at the Zambian mine as another project highlight, particularly since mineral sizers are competently handling the hard rock.