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Posted by Paul Moore on third September 2021
Australia’s Mineral Assets Ltd (MRL) says it’s at all times methods to work safer, create efficiencies and cut back its environmental impression. On the coronary heart of this method is innovation, which has seen the corporate reveal quite a few mining firsts. One in all these is the NextGen 2 crusher – a ground-breaking, relocatable modular crushing and screening plant which is working efficiently for a MRL shopper within the Pilbara area of Western Australia.
“The advantages prolong past pace of set up, decrease working prices and the necessity for restricted website works. Since IM last reported on the NextGen2 crusher some early efficiency outcomes have come by way of. The NextGen 2 is demonstrating its functionality to course of ore with each a low moisture content material and with a better moisture content material, similar to marra mamba ore. Initially designed for ore with moisture ranges of round 4-6%, the NextGen 2 is processing ore with moisture as much as 15-16%, and averaging between 10-12%. Ore with a better moisture content material would normally require a under water desk type plant (moist plant), which has a better value than an above water desk type plant (dry plant). Having the aptitude to course of each a decrease moisture ore and a better moisture ore with the one plant is an thrilling prospect and has the potential to open up alternatives to decrease the processing value of upper moisture ore our bodies.”
MRL additionally says unbiased testing has additionally verified that the NextGen expertise is healthier for individuals and the atmosphere, with the plant emitting much less mud and noise than conventional crushers. Because the world’s largest crushing and screening contractor, MRL says it sees NextGen forming an enormous a part of future crushing methods for iron ore mines, in addition to different commodities similar to gold, copper and lithium.
Nonetheless, MRL’s improvements additionally prolong to carbon fibre expertise. In what it says is a world first, MRL has efficiently developed carbon fibre vibrating screens for its crushing and moist processing crops, which look set to take the place of conventional metal vibrating screens and produce a bunch of life-of-plant value and productiveness advantages.
Always on the transfer as they classify ore into completely different dimension fractions, vibrating screens manufactured from metal are vulnerable to fatigue corrosive cracking. In distinction, carbon fibre screens are light-weight, corrosion resistant and have a considerably larger structural energy than carbon metal. With a service life its says 3-5 instances longer than metal screens the carbon fibre screens provide important value advantages, with MRL capable of manufacture them in-house at its personal facility in Bibra Lake, Western Australia. MRL has commenced in-field testing, changing a conventional metal display screen with a carbon fibre display screen in an current processing plant at one in every of its lithium mine websites.
Lastly, MRL says ceramic liners are one other crusher element which look set to be revolutionised with carbon fibre expertise. MRL is exploring the in-house manufacture of composite ceramic liners in a polyurethane matrix, which shall be used to guard materials dealing with tools similar to giant vibrating screens from abrasion and impression put on. Ceramic is extraordinarily sturdy and gives anticorrosion properties. In line with MRL, a transition from conventional metal liners offered by exterior suppliers to composite ceramic liners manufactured in-house has the potential for a bunch of security, value and environmental advantages. Ceramic liners last more in order that they don’t have to get replaced as usually, that means much less human interplay required to interchange liner methods inside materials dealing with property, decrease quantity of spent liners and decreased environmental impression.