• Latest
  • Trending
Chute ‘Pigeon-Holes’ Allow Easy Inspection, More Uptime

Chute ‘Pigeon-Holes’ Allow Easy Inspection, More Uptime

April 19, 2022
South Deep mine’s latest results show a sustained improvement in its turnaround

South Deep mine’s latest results show a sustained improvement in its turnaround

May 20, 2022
Green mining is not only the industry’s new frontier, it is its only frontier

Green mining is not only the industry’s new frontier, it is its only frontier

May 20, 2022
Cat® Electric Rope Shovel lower works design enhancements reduce total cost of ownership, improve availability

Cat® Electric Rope Shovel lower works design enhancements reduce total cost of ownership, improve availability

May 20, 2022
The Democratic Republic of Congo Seeks To Review China Mining Contracts

Infrastructure, rather than regulations, are now a bigger obstacle to mining in SA—Deloitte

May 20, 2022
Respirable Dust Particulate Data Delivered in Real-time, Accurately and Continuously

Managing ESG Critical to the Future of Mining in Africa

May 19, 2022
South Africa Remains a Leader in the Evolution of Cooling in Underground Mining

South Africa Remains a Leader in the Evolution of Cooling in Underground Mining

May 19, 2022
Reduced-temperature asphalt

Reduced-temperature asphalt

May 18, 2022
ASPASA releases comprehensive best practice guideline on dealing with accidents

Unclaimed Retirement Benefits in the Mining Industry

May 18, 2022
Seven Ways Smart Pump Systems Reduce Costs And Maximise Budgets

Seven Ways Smart Pump Systems Reduce Costs And Maximise Budgets

May 18, 2022
Approved Solar System at Mozambique’s Balama Mine Reflects Priority of Energy Transition for Mining in Africa

Approved Solar System at Mozambique’s Balama Mine Reflects Priority of Energy Transition for Mining in Africa

May 17, 2022
New range of double diaphragm pumps from Verder

New range of double diaphragm pumps from Verder

May 17, 2022
The energy transition – what future skills will be required to make it a reality?

The energy transition – what future skills will be required to make it a reality?

May 17, 2022
Africa Mining Brief
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Home
  • News
  • Events
  • Industry
  • People
  • Projects
  • Press Releases
MAGAZINE ARCHIVE
ADVERTISE
  • Home
  • News
  • Events
  • Industry
  • People
  • Projects
  • Press Releases
No Result
View All Result
Africa Mining Brief
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Events
  • Industry
  • People
  • Projects
  • Press Releases
Home Equipment

Chute ‘Pigeon-Holes’ Allow Easy Inspection, More Uptime

Dennis Ayemba by Dennis Ayemba
April 19, 2022
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Chute ‘Pigeon-Holes’ Allow Easy Inspection, More Uptime

A view of the liners at the bottom section of the chute with no wear.

A Limpopo platinum mine was struggling to monitor and maintain the lining on one of its most important chutes – which took run-of-mine ore from the concentrator plant’s primary crusher. A breakthrough idea from Weba Chute Systems now allows liner inspections to take place quickly, easily and at any time during production.

RELATED POSTS

Managing ESG Critical to the Future of Mining in Africa

Reduced-temperature asphalt

Seven Ways Smart Pump Systems Reduce Costs And Maximise Budgets

“The chute in question channelled ore from the rock box under the primary crusher, onto an apron feeder, and is choke-fed at all times – making access difficult,” says Hilton Buys, regional manager at Weba Chute Systems. “Another challenge was that the wear on the liners could not be visually inspected unless there was a shutdown.”

Even then, liner monitoring was a difficult job, where the spiel bars needed to be pushed in and the area of the transfer point place made safe to inspect and change liners. Liners then had to be cut to size once inspection was done and the worn liners identified, says Buys.

“Our innovation was to cut ‘pigeon-holes’ in the chute through which the liner is always visible,” he says. “This allows us to apply a thickness tester – or probe – to the liner from the outside of the chute while the plant is running.”

Through the regular testing of liner thickness, it becomes much easier to plan maintenance ahead of time, he explains. By tracking the extent of wear through regular and continuous testing, the expected life of the liners can be accurately predicted. This is done by building the mine’s throughput figures into the wear life equation. If throughput remains roughly the same, the wear levels can be forecast so that maintenance can be planned proactively. This in turn allows the necessary spares to be procured, in time for the next planned shutdown.

Read: Sandvik’s upgraded Toro™ LH208L low profile loader

Enthusiastic reception

“So successful was our first application of this idea in August 2020, that we are now in the process of manufacturing a second unit like this,” he says. “The enthusiastic reception of the plant management suggests that there are great things to come for this innovation.”

ADVERTISEMENT

He highlights that there is potential for the pigeon-hole concept to be applied to the chutes at all nine apron feeders on this site, and possibly even more in another section of the mine. Among its benefits is the enhanced safety factor, as maintenance technicians do not have to work under the rock box with a stockpile above. These liners can be replaced from outside the chute and there is no real need to get inside the chute itself.

“Even with the use of spiel bars, the working environment is not ideal, and mines are increasingly committed to achieving zero harm,” he says. Cleaning the silos and rock boxes so that inspection take place inside the chute also takes two to three days, so it is an onerous and time-consuming activity – which can be dispensed with using the pigeon-holes to measure liner thickness.

Tags: ChuteWeba Chute Systems
ShareTweetPin
Dennis Ayemba

Dennis Ayemba

Related Posts

Respirable Dust Particulate Data Delivered in Real-time, Accurately and Continuously
Equipment

Managing ESG Critical to the Future of Mining in Africa

May 19, 2022
Reduced-temperature asphalt
Equipment

Reduced-temperature asphalt

May 18, 2022
Seven Ways Smart Pump Systems Reduce Costs And Maximise Budgets
Equipment

Seven Ways Smart Pump Systems Reduce Costs And Maximise Budgets

May 18, 2022
Crushing Performance Starts With Aligned Priorities
Equipment

Crushing Performance Starts With Aligned Priorities

May 11, 2022
Managing Conveyor Belt Carryback
Equipment

Managing Conveyor Belt Carryback

May 4, 2022
Managing and Disposing of Processing Mine Waste Safely and Effectively
Equipment

Managing and Disposing of Processing Mine Waste Safely and Effectively

April 20, 2022
Next Post
Liebherr’s New Partnership with BHP to Help Standardise Parts Capability

Liebherr's New Partnership with BHP to Help Standardise Parts Capability

Wind industry celebrates opening of Bid Window 6

Wind industry celebrates opening of Bid Window 6

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

April – June 2022 Magazine

South Deep mine’s latest results show a sustained improvement in its turnaround
Mining News

South Deep mine’s latest results show a sustained improvement in its turnaround

by Dennis Ayemba
May 20, 2022
Green mining is not only the industry’s new frontier, it is its only frontier
Commentary

Green mining is not only the industry’s new frontier, it is its only frontier

by Dennis Ayemba
May 20, 2022
Cat® Electric Rope Shovel lower works design enhancements reduce total cost of ownership, improve availability
Press Releases

Cat® Electric Rope Shovel lower works design enhancements reduce total cost of ownership, improve availability

by Dennis Ayemba
May 20, 2022
The Democratic Republic of Congo Seeks To Review China Mining Contracts
Commentary

Infrastructure, rather than regulations, are now a bigger obstacle to mining in SA—Deloitte

by Dennis Ayemba
May 20, 2022
Respirable Dust Particulate Data Delivered in Real-time, Accurately and Continuously
Equipment

Managing ESG Critical to the Future of Mining in Africa

by Dennis Ayemba
May 19, 2022
Africa Mining Brief

© 2021 African Mining Brief - Powered By Clivo.

Navigate

  • About AMB
  • Advertise
  • Announcement
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Events
  • Industry
  • People
  • Projects
  • Press Releases

© 2021 African Mining Brief - Powered By Clivo.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In