Mining News Africa Magazine Aug/Sept 2016

MINING NEWSAfricaIssue 11/8 R45 On-site generator supplies EMergency Shower Stations The Kapulo Copper Mine - DRC



InnovativeProductspackaged withServiceExcellence • CNC flame and plasma cutting • Eutectic special electrodes • Locally manufactured electrodes • Steelmill torches • MIG/TIG machines • Oxyfuel torches and regulatorsMesser – Eutectic SA (Pty) Ltd. Cutting SystemsThe reliable manufacturer for all your welding and cutting requirements.Cnr Elsecar and Electron Close, Kya Sands, GautengTel: (011) 708-1042 Fax: (011) 708-2158E-mail: sales@messer-eutectic.co.za www.messer-cs.co.za

Content Our PublicationsMine Shaft safety netting solutions 4 CONSTRUCTIONSplit Roller Bearing technology 10Water Storage solutions 12 design magazineTemperature measuring and Monitoring solutions 15Concrete Retaining Walls solutions 20 R20.00 Other Countries $5.00 Issue 05/11Noise and Hearing Protection solutions 22Kapulo Copper Mine, DRC 43On-site gas generator supplies solution 26Plasma Cutting Equipments 28Condition Monitoring Solutions 30Collision Avoidance Systems 32Material Conveying Systems 36Fatigue Monitoring Systems 44Advertisers The New Telesure HeadquartersAbeco Tanks The New Natalspruit HospitalAtlas CopcoBearing International 13 New KPMG Office Block PolokwaneBecker Mining South Africa 46 Vapre Water Bottling Plant HeidelbergEfamatic Machine ToolsGenerac Mobile Products 11Hass IndustrialHempel 33 Visit us on www.constructiondesignmagazine.comManitou Group 29Maverick GeneratorsMesser - Eutectic SA (Pty) Ltd 47New Concept MiningNosa 23 MINING NEWSOldham 42Plasser South AfricaProwermite IBC AfricaReMaCon Products 27SperosenSpray nozzle (Pty) Ltd 1StahlVin Site Safe OBCWeatherSolve Structures 52 3 40 7 21 The Motor Protection Solutions IFC Geographical Information System (GIS) 51 The Crushing and Screening Solutions 24 34 8The Editors welcome the press releases, editorials, MINING NEWS AFRICA PUBLISHED BY CLASSIC PUBLISHERSnews relating to developments in mines For More Information Contact Us Tel: +27 11 440 6725SUBSCRIPTION AND ADVERTISING MATERIAL Email: info@mnafrica.co.zaContact Petty G. Email: info@mnafrica.co.za www.mnafrica.co.za © All rights reservedFind us524 Louis Botha Road & Athol Road,Unit 22&23 Highlands Centre2

Wireless gas detection solutions MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR OLDHAM launches the MX 40 controller As we progress through the second half of 2016, it'sAfter introducing the wireless BM 25 work site system, Oldham is clear to see that we can anticipate a rapid hype ofexpanding its product range and today introduces the new MX 40 activity within the Mining Industry. With variousgas detection controller. exhibitions earmarked for the second half, this shows that there is a greater aim at solidifying theThe MX 40 controller was designed to centralize the information importance of mining activities and partnerships totransmitted by the BM 25 over a wireless network and can display ensure that growth within the region is ongoing and isup to 32 measurements in real time. When a BM 25 signals an felt within each sector. One of the most interestingalarm, the MX 40 also goes into alarm mode and can, for example, exhibitions to watch out is Electra Mining Africacontrol internal relays and order other monitors to transmit the Johannesburg in South Africa from the 12th to 16thalarm as well. of September which follows a series of many successful years of the event's bi-annual showcase inThe MX 40 can connect to up to 16 BM 25 units on the same South Africa, which is now recognizing a need towireless network and up to 16 different networks can be used meet Africa's growing mining needs particularly inindependently. Sub SaharanAfrica.The wireless technology used allows for fast, easy and safe Gold mines in South Africa have long featured andeployment, in addition to easy upgrades for coverage and high interesting low geothermal gradient, which makesfault tolerance, significantly reducing network installation and the temperatures at depth not nearly as hot as theyoperation costs. would be anywhere else on earth, allowing for deeper mining. This has also brought massive innovationUsing the Sitewatch option, the MX 40 can be accessed remotely from major industry players to provide equipmentsvia Ethernet or GSM. A web page displays measurements and that can sustain such depth and conditions. Fromchannel statuses in real time, and is accessible from any computer collision avoidance devices to long range radioor wireless phone connected to the internet. This option also frequency innovations, there has been no shortage ofallows you to have SMS or email messages sent in the case of an innovation from mining companies eager toalarm. capitalize on the competitive niche that the industry in SouthAfrica provides.For more information on the BM 25 Wireless,please visit the pages MX 40 & BM 25 on our web site Diamond and gold discoveries played an importantwww.oldhamgas.com. part in the growth of the early South African Republic. A site northeast of Cape Town wasAbout Oldham SAS: discovered to have rich deposits of diamonds, andOldham SAS has more than 100 years of experience in safety, gas thousands rushed to the area of Kimberley as a resultand fire detection systems. Oldham SAS is headquartered in of the discovery. With the discovery of Gold in theArras, France, and is a subsidiary of Scott Safety, a company of area known as Witwatersrand, it triggering whatTyco Group. Oldham employs hundreds of people globally with would become the Witwatersrand Gold Rush ofoperations in France, USA, China, India and Germany. Oldham’s 1886. Like the diamond discoveries before, the goldmission is to be the best provider of fixed-point gas detection rush caused thousands of foreign expatriates to flocksystems worldwide. Its wide range of application-driven products to the region. The gold mining industry continued toand expertise embody performance, quality and reliability. For grow throughout much of the early 20th century,more information, visit www.oldhamgas.com. significantly contributing to the tripling of the economic value of what was then known as theContact Media: Union of SouthAfrica.EMEAMarketing ManagerDequeant Natacha In particular, revenue from gold exports providedPhone : +33 3 21 60 80 37 sufficient capital to purchase much-neededFax : +33 3 21 60 80 00 machinery and petroleum products to support anNatacha.Dequeant@oldhamgas.com expanding manufacturing base. South Africa continues to produces more platinum and similar metals than many other nations. Chromium is another leading product of South Africa's mining industry. The metal, used in stainless steel and for a variety of industrial applications is mined at various sites around the country. With the country's Mining prospects still vibrant, 2016 is pegged to be vibrant with activity and i believe that the mining sector is moving towards an upward flow. With more and more interest from foreign investors, this is a clear indication of a more feasible environment within the mining industry. Regards 3

MINE SHAFT SAFETY NETTING SOLUTIONSShaft mining or shaft sinking typically refers to the consists of a net mesh panel, a net periphery, reinforcement method of excavating a vertical or near-vertical tunnel ropes and net attachment loops. All of these structural from the top down, where there is initially no access to elements, correctly matched to each other and working in the bottom. Shaft sinking refers to the general activity synergy, are vital to the optimal performance of the safety net.but shallow shafts typically sunk for civil engineering projects If any one of those elements fails, the effectiveness of the entirediffer greatly in the execution method from deep shafts net is compromised. In use, the net is suspended against thetypically sunk for mining projects. When the top of the hanging wall on mine support elements such as rock anchors,excavation is the ground surface, it is referred to as a shaft but mechanical props, or prestressed elongates. In the event of awhen the top of the excavation is underground, it is called a rockfall, the dynamic and static forces exerted by the arrestedwinze or a sub-shaft. Small shafts may be excavated upwards rock on the net are initially absorbed by the net mesh and thefrom within an existing mine as long as there is access at the reinforcement ropes, deforming them in the process and arebottom, in which case they are called Raises. A shaft may be then transferred in part directly to the net suspension points,either vertical or inclined although most modern mine shafts and in part to the net perimeter and along that to the netare vertical. If access exists at the bottom of the proposed shaft suspension points on the rock anchors and mechanical props.and ground conditions allow, then raise boring may be used to The full performance potential of the net is, therefore, onlyexcavate the shaft from the bottom up, such shafts are called realized if all the net elements work together to transfer theborehole shafts. rock's impact and gravitational forces to the mine support units.Shaft Sinking is one of the most difficult of all developmentmethods because of restricted space, gravity, groundwater and Even though the basic structural elements are common to mostspecialized procedures which make the task quite formidable. safety nets, these elements can differ substantially in their formHistorically mine shaft sinking has been among the most and specifications. Therefore, the configurations anddangerous of all mining occupations and the preserve of performances of safety nets designed for diverse applicationsmining contractors. As a security and precautionary measure, can be quite dissimilar. The net mesh panel is the centralMine Shaft Safety Nets need to be implemented to protect component of the mine safety net. To a large extent, itworkers from falling debris and accidental damages from determines the overall strength of a well designed net. Sincehappening within the shafts. the net mesh forms the main part of the net's area, it is the component most likely to be subjected to the initial impactThere are various companies who manufactures an extensive force of a falling rock. The mesh panel absorbs the dynamicrange of safety nets for the mining industry, where they are and gravitational loads and distributes them across the net,generally used to protect personnel from falling rocks in partially to the net perimeter, along the perimeter to thetemporarily supported development ends, stopes and advance attachment points as well as partially directly to the attachmentstrike gullies, as part of permanent tunnel support systems, points. If the mesh panel is too weak, or damaged, its ability toincluding tunnel side walls, and as protective netting along absorb and distribute load is restricted, in bad cases causing theconveyor belts. Each of these diverse applications require rock to break directly through the net. There are a number ofspecific types of nets, resulting in a wide product range with parameters which determine the strength and performance ofnets of different strengths, configurations and materials. the mesh. One parameter is the Mesh strands, which is the typeSafety nets have been used selectively in several South African of tendon of which the net mesh is constructed.mines over the years. Recently an increased emphasis on minesafety has seen a resurgence of theirutilization underground. This renewedinterest has raised questions about the designand performance of these nets and theirpractical applications underground.Mine safety nets need to carry specified staticor dynamic loads with the least possibledeformation.Because of the application-specificcharacteristics of mine safety nets, there is noSouth African national standard for them. Allthe structural elements of a safety net need towork together to transfer the imposed loadfrom the net panel, through the reinforcementropes, to the net attachment points.Depending on a range of diverse applicationsand site-specific conditions in miningexcavations, a wide variety of mine safetynets is being used underground. All of thesenets, however, show a number of commondesign features, born out of their commonpurpose which is to safely arrest rocks fallingfrom the hanging wall with the least possibledeformation. Basically, a mine safety net4

There are three major types of polymer strands, transfer.braids, twisted twines and webbing. Braiding isthe most common type of net strand, typically The net mesh is the largest component to be exposed to theranging in size from 4 mm to 8 mm diameter, the initial impact of a falling rock. To enhance the net's resiliencelatter forming the base of the strongest standard against this impact force, the mesh is often reinforced withtypes of mine safety nets. Twisted twines are ropes, threaded across the net and fastened at both ends to thegenerally used for low performance nets, which perimeter rope, preferably at the net attachment points. Themight be used for sidewall netting or protective formation of smaller area compartments in the net panel as anetting along conveyor belts. Webbing straps are result of inserting reinforcement ropes serves two mainwoven tapes of polymer fibres. They are purposes. The internal reinforcement ropes are likely totypically 50 mm wide and their strength is intercept, at least partially, a large mass of rock falling onto thedetermined by the webbing thickness. Webbing net. A large portion of the impact load is, therefore, transferredis normally used for medium to high strength net by the internal ropes to the perimeter or preferably directly tomeshes with low deformation under. The next the net attachment points, reducing the stress on the net mesh.parameter which determines the strength and The main impact force of the rock spreads only to the nearestperformance of the mesh is the Mesh strand reinforcement and perimeter ropes which transfer it to the netmaterials, which comprise of the type of polymer attachment points, rather than across the entire mesh panel.making up the mesh strands. The reduction in the cell size results in a marked reduction in net sag which is an important safety factor in low miningThe great majority of safety net meshes are made excavations.up of two materials. Braids and twines normally consist of highdensity polyethylene (HDPE), while webbing is normally Two different configurations of internal reinforcement ropesmade of polyester (PET). Other materials can be considered are typically used which are orthogonal ropes which run acrossand used for special applications, e.g., polyester or nylon the mesh from one perimeter rope to the opposite perimeterbraids may be used for very high strength netting. Mesh rope, and diagonal ropes which run diagonally across theconstruction consists of nets made of braid or twisted twine are mesh. Reinforcement ropes which terminate at other ropes,which are (machine) knotted and subsequently stretched in a with no direct connection to a solid net attachment point,frame to tighten the knots. This knot-fastening process is an merely transfer loads to those ropes; such 'floating' ropes are ofimportant step in the fabrication of nets, as it pre-tightens the limited effectiveness. It is best practice, therefore, to terminateknots, thereby substantially reducing initial net sag under load. internal reinforcement ropes at primary support units, such asKnot fastening is generally confined to machine-made nets. props or rock anchors, so that they can transfer loads directlyThe webbing of web-nets is woven and the webbing tapes are into these units.sewn together at their intersections. The main purpose of the safety net reinforcement ropes is toWhen it comes to the Mesh size, manufacturers often look at absorb a portion of the impact load and to help transfer thatthe open distance between two parallel mesh strands, shared load, ultimately, to the net attachment points on theinvariably for both directions because machine made meshes mine support units. The optimization of this load sharing andare normally square. Since mesh size is a measure for the net transfer duty requires a load-binding connection between thedensity, it stands to reason that for any given strand size, a rope and the net mesh. Reinforcement ropes which aresmaller mesh size provides for a stronger mesh. In knotted threaded into the net mesh can effectively absorb loads at rightnets, mesh sizes typically range between 50 mm and 125 mm. angles to the direction of the rope, but fail to do so withIn web-nets, the mesh size is usually set at 150 mm. The obliquely applied loads, or loads in the direction of the run oforientation of the mesh strands is relative to the mesh the rope.perimeter. If the mesh strands are parallel to the perimeter, themesh panel is said to be in 'square' orientation; where the 5strands are at a 45° angle to the perimeter, the mesh panel is inthe 'diamond' orientation.For the normal rectangular net configuration, 'diamond'meshes transfer loads more efficiently to the corner attachmentpoints than 'square' meshes do; this has been confirmed in tests.The net perimeter is an essential structural pathway to transferloads from the net panel to the net attachment points. Itsstrength contributes greatly to the overall performance of thenet. When a net is knotted on a loom, the longitudinal edges areformed by continuous mesh strands and are stable. When thenet is cut to size, the edges formed by cutting across the netneed to be stabilized to prevent the exposed knots fromunraveling. This is usually done by knotting an additionalstrand onto the cut edge. The finished knotted net panel,therefore, has at least a double strand edge all around. Onwebnets, the perimeter is formed by the outermost webbingstrands. Because of the importance of the net perimeters in thetransfer of loads from the net meshes to the net attachmentpoints, the perimeters of high performance safety nets areinvariably reinforced with ropes. The perimeter reinforcementropes are threaded along the entire net periphery and are closedby splicing the ends of the ropes together. The ropes, togetherwith the net panel perimeter, should be directly attached to theprimary mine support elements to ensure maximum load

In order to make a load-binding connection from the rope to the The size of the largest rock likely to fall from the hangingwallnet mesh, which allows oblique and in-line forces to be at a particular location will be determined by the rock engineer,transferred, the rope is physically tied to the net mesh by means who will use his expertise and knowledge of the site for thisof nylon braids. This tight, wrapped and knotted connection is estimate, meaning that the largest likely mass will then beso effective in practice, that even upon failure of the multiplied with the applicable safety factor. In addition to thereinforcement rope, the nylon tie-braids continue to carry maximum static load, the dynamic load of the falling rock willsubstantial reinforcement loads. Tests have shown also have to be determined which will ultimately depend on theconclusively that the tie-in of internal reinforcement ropes is free fall distance of the rock into the net.imperative, whereas the tie-in of perimeter reinforcementropes is less critical to net performance. Additional dynamic loads may apply under seismic conditions when rocks may be ejected from the rock face at velocitiesMost of the energy of a fallen rock, which has been arrested by higher than the mere gravitational acceleration. These entirea mine safety net must ultimately be dissipated safely via the load factors are conveniently expressed in terms of theprimary support units, into the mining excavation's rock mass. maximum kinetic energy a net needs to safely absorb andThe load transfer from the safety net to the mine support unit is dissipate into the mine support units. A nets deformation underof critical importance. This task is performed by the that maximum load will also have to be considered because aattachment loops of the net. Dedicated attachment loops are safety net installed in a production stope cannot be allowed toprovided at each corner of a safety net. Large nets also need to sag in the event of a rockfall because this would provide littlebe suspended along their sides as well. protection to miners caught under that rock. In practical net design, the acceptable deformation under load is an importantThe number of attachment points and their distances along the issue, as it may afford more choices for net configurations andsides of the net are usually determined by the spacing of the therefore may result in more cost-effective solutions.primary support units in the mining excavation. Thesedimensions typically range between 1.5 m and 3 m. If the net is Another aspect of safety net performance which should befitted with internal reinforcement ropes, it is best to terminate considered when reviewing test results and draftingthese ropes at those net attachment points on mine support specifications is the actual free-fall distance of rocks in theunits. Each high performance safety net is fitted with a planned installations. In typical safety net applications, theperimeter reinforcement rope. overhead net is installed as close to the hangingwall as possible usually between about 10 cm and 30 cm from the hangingwall.The rope forms a closed loop around the entire periphery of the That distance reduces the dynamic load on the net by a fallingnet and a large portion of the forces exerted on the net by a rock significantly, when compared to the net's full loadfalling rock is transferred from the net to the perimeter rope and capacity.along the rope to the attachment points. To ensure that the loadsare transferred fully from the rope to the mine support unit, it iscrucial that the perimeter rope is attached directly to thesupport unit.With simple corner attachment loops, this can done by hookingthe loop onto a prop's headboard hook, or attaching it to thewasher of a rock anchor by means of a suitably dimensioned S-hook. When attachment points coincide with reinforcementrope terminations, both the perimeter rope and thereinforcement rope termination loop should be hooked to themine support unit. Along net edges without reinforcement ropeterminations, the perimeter reinforcement rope should behooked to the mine support unit by itself.Some mine safety nets are fitted with chain links at theattachment points, but this is not a pre-requisite as it is usuallydone upon request by a client. At the attachment loops orpoints, the perimeter rope is threaded through the chain linkand that chain link is then hooked onto the mine support unit.Chain links have no effect on net performance; they act merelyas flexible extensions of the support units' steel hooks and addno strength to the net attachment loops or points. A mine safetynet is designed for a site and application specific duty thereforeits performance criteria is defined by specifications issued by amine's rock engineering department. Since, in general, a netshould be able to safely arrest a falling rock mass with the leastpossible deformation, a minimum performance specificationwill normally encompass a maximum load bearing capacity ofthe net, as well as the largest acceptable deformation of the netat the maximum sustained load. Since the sag of a safety net isstrongly correlated with the density of mine support units, rockengineers should consider the use of safety nets in their supportplanning. This is particularly important in low stoping widthenvironments.6

EKD Kolibri Energy Chain from Powermite delivers seamless,cost-effective protection of cables & hosesEKD Kolibri energy chain from electrical and mechanical Marks points out that customer education remains one of theirequipment and energy supply systems specialist, Powermite, biggest challenges when it comes to energy chain application.has been delivering high quality, reliable, cost saving solutions “It is vital that we recommend the best, most optimum solutionfor seamless operation of mobile equipment across Southern for our customers but in order to do so, we are reliant on theAfrican industry for more than 3 decades. information that customers provide. However, we often find that this information is not sufficient for us to make the bestProduced in Germany by leading global energy chain recommendation. We therefore continue to educate ourmanufacturer, EKD, the high quality energy chain, also customers through regular interaction which is a fundamentalreferred to as drag chain, complements Powermite's portfolio part of establishing and maintaining strong long-termwhich comprises best-in-class product and service solutions. customer relationships and ensuring the best and most“Alongside EKD, we share a combined knowledge of over 50 sustainable solution.”years of drag chain application in industry,” affirms PowermiteMarketing Director, Donovan Marks. Powermite, a division of Hudaco and ISO 9001:2000 certified, was established in the late '60's with the objective to serve theUniquely engineered to prevent snags and premature local market as a 'one stop' supplier of electrical cranebreakdowns, EKD Kolibri energy chain assists in keeping materials and flexible cables. The company has sinceoperating costs to an absolute minimum. The extremely wear expanded and is positioned as a specialist supplier of aresistant chain extends component life, reducing the need for comprehensive range of industrial and mining cables,spares. Additionally, this exceptionally reliable chain requires industrial and mining plugs and sockets, cable reelingvery little maintenance. The energy chain is able to operate equipment and energy supply systems such as Downshop leadlong term in extreme temperatures ranging between -20°C and systems, Insulated conductor rails, etc.+100°. Subsequently the rugged energy chain finds wideapplication in industries such as ports, harbours, materials Powermite's wide African footprint spans approximately 15handling, industrial and water treatment plants where the countries outside South Africa, including Mauritius. “Ourprotection of cable, hose or hydraulic supply on a fixed plane route to market for EKD Kolibri drag chain is directly to bothover a required distance at a fixed or variable speed is needed end-users and wholesalers via our strategic country-wideon equipment such as cranes, milling and boring machines. branch and distribution network,” states Marks. “We have the necessary infrastructure to carry a full range of spares for theThe comprehensive EKD range from Powermite includes entire range at our branches in Johannesburg, Witbank, Capegalvanised steel, stainless steel and carburised (hardened) Town, Durban, Witbank, Richards Bay, and Rustenburg.”steel. According to Marks, Powermite's energy chain productportfolio also extends to a plastic range consisting of self- Powermite (a division of Hudaco)extinguishing,ATEX,Anti-Static, steel-coated and Robotic bi- Tel: +27 11 271 0000directional chain. He adds that all the plastic chains are www.powermite.co.zaequipped with integrated connectors and thus require very fewspare parts. “In addition, we offer chains designed for ultra- EKD Kolibri energylong distances. Known as the Marathon System, these chainsuse roller sets and are capable of maintaining speeds of up to200m/minute.”Powermite supplies three different types of EKD Kolibrienergy chains to the African market, namely the one part linkor flap-open link range, various bending radii, as well aschain with separate end-connectors or each link canbe used as an end-connector. “The patentedopening delivers superior rigid torsionbehaviour and handling, the flap-openbars ensure easy access for on-siteinstallation of hoses or cables andthe wide range of bending radiifacilitates larger cables,”explains Marks. The EKDKolibri ranges from externalsizes of 15mmx15mmthrough to 65mmx225mmwhile the EKD PKK range canhandle external sizes up to100mmX340mm. Steelexternal sizes start from50mm high x up to 1500mm wide. 7

Environment and Industrial Dust Control Steel top clips in place. Lower hem cable broken and fabric has pulled out ofWhen machinery is working and the wind blowing, dust is lockstrip on poles. Some ripping mayeverywhere. Control the wind and control the dust. A typical occur requireing fabric replacement.WeatherSolve wind fence is 80% efficient, and it works 24 hours a Please remember that all systems areday, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. That is a huge amount of custom designed, this includes settingcontrol. And with minimal to no maintenance at all, that's an easy the release wind speeds to match yoursolution! requirements.So how does a wind fence work? 100% wind and dust Reliable & durable: WeatherSolve Structures wind fences are functional in all weather conditions with minimal100% Upwind Downwind maintenance. WeatherSolve Structures wind fences can bewind fence fence found in the extreme cold of northern BC to the sweltering Saudi Arabian sun. Their fences have gone through wind under 40% Dust under 16% devastating storms such as Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and many after it. To ensure durability WeatherSolve StructuresA.Wind accelerates up the side of a pile eroding dust off the does extensive in-house cyclical load testing. They stand upsurface. Smaller particles rise in the air, larger ones bounce down and WeatherSolve stands behind their product.the other side and along the ground. With a wind fence in front ofthe pile, wind speed is reduced so only a fraction of the smaller Effective: The fences have been studied by computerparticles erode. Some of these rise in the air; others bounce down simulation, wind tunnel research and in real life to design andalong the ground. check their effectiveness. To help ensure the optimum design WeatherSolve works with Midwest Research Institute Global,B.With both downwind and upwind fences, particles moving a not-for-profit, independent research organizationalong the ground stop at the fence. Many of the airborne particles internationally recognized as an expert in the field of fugitiveare filtered out by the fence. Others go through and some go over. dust emissions. The fence designs are optimized byMost going over drop in the sheltered area behind the fence. considering turbulent wind flows and dust patterns thenThe experts at WeatherSolve Structures have been building wind analyzing this information using computational fluidfences worldwide for over 30 years. With that expertise we can dynamics run on high performance computers.offer you a wind fence with some unique features and benefits. Flexible: All of WeatherSolve Structures fences areInnovative: WeatherSolve Structures fences can have poles customized to fit the individual needs of the customers. Theyspaced up 30m apart. With heights of over 30m and spans of are able to accommodate large or small machinery, conveyors,many kilometers it makes them some of the largest fences in the topographic variations, and have gates and access ways forworld. WeatherSolve Structures has created some unique people or vehicles. They even have retractable systems forcomponents for their fences such as the over-load release system. areas that require regular access.This system allows the faric to release from the bottom panels inthe event of an extreme wind and later re-clipped. The fabric They are able to work around your needs.always stays connected at the top so it never becomes a saftey Economical: WeatherSolve Structures wind fences areissue. economical because of their construction, and also because the dust (which would otherwise be blowing away) is often Normal operation valuable. For example ore dust assays many times higher than All clips in place. Shock loads are ROM and it's blowing away! It makes sense to keep it on the absorbed by fabric, cable and clips. pile. Also with pole spacing being 30m apart and the poles being the largest cost of the structure it lowers the overall cost Up to 30% overload of the product thus saving you money. Not only is a wind fence Steel clips in place. Nylon bottom clips good for the environment its good for your bottom line. have released allowing lower hem cable to bow out and spill 30% of the load. Adaptable & convenient: With a custom designed fence, both structurally and aerodynamically, it can be adapted to suit available construction materials and equipment. As there are less poles to erect than other systems there is minimal operational disruption during the construction of the fence. Portable: Although most fences are designed to be permanent, portable fences are also available. Typically they are 6-9m high in modules 10m long. They are linked together like a train so they can be towed around your site. This makes them ideal for gravel crushing and shifting of small stock piles with portable conveyors.8

WeatherSolve recognizes Atlas Copco Hydraulic Breakers hammers lighter applications!that every situation isunique. We take pride in Atlas Copco Construction Technique's EC and ES rig-mounted hydraulicfinding the best solution for breakers are durable, reliable and efficient workhorses specifically designedyou. Tell us the problem and and engineered for lighter applications and day-to-day tasks.we will WeatherSolve it! “Our premium range of SB, MB and HB hydraulic breakers are well-known and respected byNew CM Clip! mining and industry for their reliable performance, working uninterruptedly for long hours inHigh strength plastic punishing applications and under extreme conditions,” says Neville Stewart, Business LineBreak strength approaching Manager Construction Tools Division,Atlas Copco.½ ton!Environmentally stable – “End-users who do not have a need for hammers 24/7 will find it difficult to get a return ontested in extreme high and investment on our premium range which has been engineered to deliver high productivity andlow temperatures improved efficiencies over extended working hours,” notes Stewart. “So we saw a definite needThe clip will be replacing in the market for a hammer that is suitable for light applications such as construction,steel shackles demolition, trenching, quarrying, earthworks, renovating, gardening or landscaping that do notFaster to install require continuous or full time use.”New Clip Clicker! While the EC and ES hammers offer the same unparalleled reliability customers have come toClip closes with a louder expect fromAtlas Copco's premium range, they incorporate fewer features. Stewart says that the“click” subsequent reduction in the number of working parts leads to lower maintenance and serviceMore leverage to make it a costs. “The hammers' good price-performance ratio results in a better return on investment for“click” to close. the end-user.”A holding chute on the clipclickers creates the correct The integrated nitrogen piston accumulator, a feature on both the EC and ES ranges, allows foralignment and makes work at a constantly high impact energy, safe start-up and low vibration for smooth operation.installing the clips The four different working tool options available for the EC and ES hammers ensure optimumparticularly easy versatility in the breaking of a wide variety of materials ranging from sedimentary, soft-medium hard, medium hard and igneous metamorphic rock, non-reinforced and reinforced concrete,WeatherSolve Structures asphalt and frozen ground.3127 248th st. Langley B.CV3G 1X6 Canada The Atlas Copco EC hydraulic breakers are available in three ranges: The small EC 40T – 80TT: +1 604 607 7781 range is ideal for construction, renovating, gardening or landscaping; the EC100T – 135T rangeF: 1 604 909 1914 for medium to heavy day-to-day breaking tasks typically found in demolition, trenching,E: Info@WeatherSolve.com quarrying and earthworks applications and the T140T – 155T range for heavier applications.www.weathersolve.com The complete EC range boasts a number of features that offer end users the benefits of low operational costs and operator safety and comfort: Advanced control technology: Integrated control valve optimises efficiency. EnergyRecovery system increases operating efficiency Monoblock design: A combined cylinder and tool holder section eliminates the need for tie rods and improves reliability. VibroSilenced Plus: Non-metallic suspension arrangement isolates percussion mechanism from breaker box and seals all openings for lower noise and vibration levels for increased operator comfort. The heavy range T155 boasts a noise level of only 122 dB(A). The EC medium range also features a built in check valve that reduces dust intake into the tool guiding area and percussion chamber and an optional self-bleeding automatic lubrication device for optimised grease consumption and continuous lubrication that leads to improved uptime. The simple, slim and compact design of the ES Hydraulic Breaker range (ES60, 70 and 80) speeds up day-to-day production by providing easy handling, good visibility and higher manoeuvrability. A solid block of special casted material eliminates the need for a separate guiding system as well as tie rods or stud bolts, thus reducing total number of parts compared to conventional hydraulic breakers. The removable piston liner increases serviceability and maintenance is made easy by a central lubrication point and full length floating bushing. In addition, a quick exchange of tools ensures less downtime and thus faster production. Stewart points out that due to their ease of operation, experienced operators do not need training on the EC and ES hammers but he adds that training is available fromAtlas Copco on request. Atlas Copco's EC and ES rig-mounted hydraulic breakers deliver on reliability, technical innovation, versatility and ease of use. “The resultant low maintenance and operational costs, increased productivity and higher profitability render these hammers ideal for a wide range of lighter applications, takingAfrica's tough conditions in their stride,” concludes Stewart. 9

Split Roller Bearing TechnologySplit roller bearings are manufactured in progressively heavier duty ratings to best suit theloads, speeds, and life requirements of a given application. Current materials andmanufacturing methods ensure the reliability and long life of split roller bearings with theirsolid counterparts.Split roller bearings are roller bearings where all maintenance and repair, whether scheduled or unscheduled the main components are engineered and have been proven to be significantly reduced by utilizing split made in halves. The inner race, roller and roller bearings. They are commonly found running where a cage assembly, outer race, housing or high degree of reliability and a minimum of maintenance andflange support structure, and seals, are all downtime are absolute requirements. Because of the numbermanufactured as separable components. of component parts (compared to sleeve or spherical types),The first split roller bearing was invented in installation, requires more care and understanding compared1907 and the basic design is still used in to solid or sleeve bearings. When assembled methodically andheavy industry around the world today. following the recommended assembly procedure, a split bearing will provide optimum service over many years andSplit bearings combine all the features of may exceed the expected L10 bearing life when theconventional solid roller bearings with the manufacturer's maintenance guidelines are followed.added benefit of being easily assembled Housings are produced and machined in a variety ofaround a shaft. The complete assembly, configurations and in a variety of materials, e.g.; grey cast ironbeing engineered and manufactured in halves, grade 250, nodular iron, steel, aluminum and stainless steel.allows for the installation and inspection of thebearings without disrupting other elements of the The most commonly used Split roller bearing is the Splitmachinery. Equipment design can be focused on objectives spherical roller bearings which are primarily used for bearingwithout having to accommodate bearing types, drive systems, positions which are difficult to access such as on long shaftscouplings, gears, and so on, during bearing inspections or which require support at several positions, or on crankedmaintenance. Standard straight shafting can be used to shafts. Their use is also beneficial where non-split bearingseliminating the need for special shaft designs and tooling, press would require considerable time and effort for maintenancefits, etc which is often associated with solid bearings. and more particularly for replacement which would also cause long and expensive, or perhaps even inadmissibly longUnnecessary damage to adjacent equipment through removal machine downtime. Split spherical roller bearings often offeror replacement, and time consuming re-alignment of the optimum solution to such problems. The main applicationmachinery is greatly reduced or eliminated, as positioning of areas include conveyor equipment, long multiple-supportedcouplings, motors, gear boxes, etc is not disturbed. The shafts and large ventilation plants.personal safety of mechanics performing the work is alsogreatly improved for the same reasons. Simple hand tools are In most companies who manufacture the split spherical rollerall that are required to install, inspect, or change split bearings. bearings, they are usually produced to order and per client'sDesign, maintenance and downtime are less costly for the life specifications. The design is tailored to the particularcycle of the machine. In many applications such as large dual application and, for cost reasons, is generally based ondrive conveyors, a downtime of days can be reduced to hours, available bearings of standard design. Before finalizing aand hours to minutes. Savings are transferred directly to the bearing arrangement design incorporating a split sphericaluser's bottom line. roller bearing it is usually advisable that a client consult the manufacturing company's application engineering service forSplit roller bearings are used in all major industries although specifications and order purposes.applications in mining, cement making, steel and otherprimary metals, power generation, water and wastewatertreatment, food, chemical and petro-chemical, the marineindustry, lumber and veneer manufacturing, and glass makingare some of the industries that benefit from split rollerbearings. Single and double inlet fans, bucket elevators, minehoist gearing, crushers, pulverizers, pinion and trunnionshafts, cage and hammer mills, reciprocating screens, dieselgen sets, horizontal and vertical hydro-electric generators,engine test stands, marine propulsion shafting, clinkercrushers, clinker collars, mixers, agitators, mechanicalflocculators, RBC's, CBC's, tank scrapers, sludge presses, lineshafts, vacuum dryers, ribbon and paddle blenders, dryer rolls,pulp washers, log decks, veneer dryers, lumber drying kilns areamong the numerous applications.The industries and applications of split roller bearings are asbroad as industry's needs with similar benefits as well. Mostmanufacturing plants operate 24 hours per day, 7 days perweek. Loss of production and profits due to equipment10

Split roller bearings enhance proactive maintenanceMaintenance is an essential requirement in a range of industries where machine availability is key. Rapid and cost-effectivechangeout of bearings is a critical requirement in preventing downtime and loss of productivity.Split roller bearings are designed specifically for proactive Cooper split roller bearings can even be replaced onsite by anymaintenance requirements. The globally-recognised range of fitter with experience in an industrial environment. “We giveCooper split roller bearings is distributed locally by Bearings our customers the assurance that when their plant goes down,International. Cooper Bearings product manager for Southern they will recoup a significant quantity of that lost production inAfrica Matthew Tyler states that there is an industry-wide trend terms of reduced maintenance time. Industries ranging fromwhereby companies are reducing their maintenance budgets cement to marine, food and beverage, mining, sugar, pulp andand staff to cut costs. paper and materials handling can all benefit from the Cooper split roller bearings range,” Tyler continues.“The prevailing trend is simply to replace components as and “The strategic location of our more than 40-strong branchwhen they break or malfunction. What's more, the skills network situated across Southern Africa enables us to offershortage facing the SouthAfrican industry also means there is a quick turnaround support to meet the various product andneed for products that are easy to install, with minimum service requirements for our various customers.”training requirements. This is where Cooper split rollerbearings add measurable value,” he explains. Every Cooper split roller bearing is supplied with a handy step- by-step installation guide for ease of use. The bearings areTom Black, director of sales for Europe and the Middle East, made from carbon chrome steel for added robustness, with therecently visited South Africa from principal supplier Cooper outer housings and cartridges made from cast iron. BearingsKaydon. “We continue to enhance our products through International carries local stock of up to 300 mm to cater for theongoing investment in new machine tools and modern bulk of shaft applications, and can customise products formanufacturing techniques. In addition, continuous advances in specific applications. Existing installations can be converted tomaterials science allows us to produce bearings with higher Cooper split roller bearings by means of minimalcapacities in accordance with the changing requirements of the modifications.market.” He adds: “We introduced a new brass cage bearing, inconjunction with enhanced axial and radial load capacity. This The products are manufactured in the UK according to strictmeans Cooper is now manufacturing the highest-capacity split quality and manufacturing standards. A feature that makescylindrical roller bearing available on the market.” Cooper split roller bearings suited for the harsh operating conditions in Africa is the sealing arrangement. “The seal isA major advantage of the new cage is that the envelope contained in the outer swivel cartridge. This means that, in thedimensions are the same for both the old and new designs. This event of any shaft misalignment, the seal remains concentric tois because the main modifications, namely longer rollers with the shaft itself,” adds Tyler.larger diameters, are all internal. These enhancements canincrease the average lifespan of a split roller bearing by up to In a traditional solid bearing, the seal is contained in a static240 percent on a capacity basis. housing, which causes a gap in the event of any shaft misalignment. This gap allows the ingress of contaminantsBlack stresses that Cooper is a global leader in split roller such as dust, dirt or water, which is a major cause of bearingbearings. “Our estimate of our share of the global split roller failure. The sealing arrangement and split nature of the rollerbearing market is about 85%. Thus we are the world leader by a bearing is what gives Cooper its extended lifespan, even underconsiderable margin, and certainly in Africa we have the the harshest operating conditions.largest installed base of split roller bearings of any othermanufacturer.” Tyler observes: “We usually design for a L10 life of 100 000 hours, which equates to approximately 12 years' continuousThe main advantage of Cooper split roller bearings is that they operation on a 24/7 basis. This is where Cooper reallyare split right to the shaft. “The reason for this is to allow the outshines the competition, as its products are easy to maintainbearing to be changed out when the life of the bearing is and inspect, due to the fact that the lubrication enters theachieved; this can be done much more easily than a solid bearing directly, as opposed to the cavity alongside the bearing.bearing,” Black asserts. “This means that the machinery in Cooper pioneered the split roller bearing in 1907, and hasquestion is back up and running extremely quickly.” continued to advance the technology ever since.”Another advantage over solid bearings is that Cooper split Tyler concludes by adding that Cooper and Bearingsroller bearings can be removed without dismantling any International have a very close working relationship that datesancillary equipment. “The bearing can be opened up, taken out back 78 years, making it Bearings International's longest-and replaced to ensure that machinery is up-and-running standing supplier relationship.quickly,” says Tyler.The traditional solid-type bearing, on the other hand, typically Bearings International Contact Detailsrequires that a gearbox be uncoupled and the coupling Matthew Tylerremoved. Depending on the size of the bearing, such a change Cooper Bearings Product Managerout could take days, as opposed to a few hours for a Cooper Tel: +2711 899 0000split roller bearing. Email: matthewt@bearings.co.za Web: www.bearings.co.za“From a maintenance point of view, downtime is critical in amanufacturing environment. Major industries can stand to losemillions of rands due to machine shutdowns. Cooper Bearingsis an ideal solutions provider for such total maintenancerequirements,” Tyler asserts. 11

WATER STORAGE SOLUTIONSMining operations use Another type of storage in Mining is soil moisture storage. This water for mineral is the water held between soil particles in the root zone of processing and metal plants, generally in the top 200 cm of soil. Water storage in the recovery, controlling soil profile is extremely important for mine sites especially indust, and meeting the needs of locations that rely on rainfall. Although not common inworkers on site. The amount of Mining practices, Wetlands span the surface/sub-surfacewater required by a mine varies interface, storing water at various times as groundwater, soildepending on its size, the mineral moisture and surface water. They are vital ecosystems thatbeing extracted, and the extraction perform valuable ecosystem services, such as flood protectionprocess used. For instance, metal and water cleansing. They also provide livelihoods formines that chemically process ore millions of people who live within and around them. Ponds andto concentrate metals such as tanks are also commonly used storage solutions which arecopper and gold use much more mostly filled by rainwater, groundwater infiltration or surfacewater than non-metal mines such runoff. They are usually open, and therefore exposed to highas coal, salt, or gravel mines. The levels of evaporation.use of water in mining has thepotential to affect the quality of In the past, large dams have often been the focus of waterthe surrounding surface water and storage efforts in Mines. Many large dams have broughtgroundwater. In response to significant social and economic benefits but can also haveenvironmental concerns and great negative impacts because when sediments are trapped,various government regulations, nutrients are no longer delivered in large quantities to thethe mining industry worldwide floodplain.increasingly monitors waterdischarged from mine sites, and Laws regulating water vary around the world, but it is fair tohas implemented a number of say that the mining sector can be expected to demonstrate amanagement and storage leadership approach to water use and storage management. Asstrategies. Water issues and management vary from site to site water plays an essential role in most mining and extractiveand must be addressed locally, but in general, the mining processes, responsible water use is a critical business issue thatindustry seeks to minimize its impact on water quality and affects the ability of individual mines to establish, operate andavailability through various storage solutions. close. The mining industry's use of and impacts on water can result in a range of environmental, social and economic risks.Although a large mining operation may use a considerableamount of water, the minerals industry overall consumes arelatively small quantity of water at national and global levels.The rate of water reuse and recycling in mineral processing isoften very high at mine sites, especially in areas with aridclimates. A number of innovative water conservation practicesare being developed and implemented to reduce water use.Tailings for example are finely ground rock and mineral wasteproducts from mineral processing operations. They are usuallydeposited in the form of water-based slurry into tailings ponds,which sedimentation lagoons enclosed by dams are built tocapture and store the tailings. Tailings ponds were firstintroduced in order to prevent the direct discharge of minewater into surface waters. There are a number of cases in drierclimates where no water is directly discharged from tailingsponds because evaporation is the major water removal process.Groundwater storage is usually located beneath the groundsurface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rockformations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit iscalled an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water.The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids inrock become completely saturated with water is called thewater table. There are two broad types of aquifers, confinedand unconfined. An unconfined aquifer is where the surface isnot restricted by impervious rocks, so the water table is atatmospheric pressure. In a confined aquifer, the upper surfaceof water is overlain by a layer of impervious rock, so thegroundwater is stored under pressure.12

The mining sector has developed innovative ways to ABECO. A leadingrespond to water issues in differing circumstances and, innovator in commercialin some cases, this has illustrated the ability to turn risk water storage solutions.into opportunity. Access to a secure and stable watersupply is critical to mining operations. Without water, a GROUNDmine cannot operate. Water sources often need to be LEVEL TANKSshared by multiple users, while leaving enough water forecosystem functioning. In most mining operations, CIRCULAR TANKSwater is obtained directly from groundwater, streams,rivers and lakes or through commercial water service ELEVATED TANKSsuppliers. In many countries, water abstraction is highlyregulated, and permits specify the amount of water that Established in 1983 ABECO TANKS went aboutmay be used. developing the most cost effective solutions to water storage needs without compromisingGovernments therefore play a key role in determining safety, hygiene, quality or durability.and allocating water among various users which is why Our tanks are used in various sectors froman effective storage solution is vital in mines. In mining mining, to power generation, processing &operations, the most important use of water is typically manufacturing.in mineral processing. Water is required inhydrometallurgical processes (for example, to recover Contact us (+27) 11 616 7999gold and copper from a solution of chemicals). Water is E-mail: info@abecotanks.co.zaalso required in pyro-metallurgical processes (forexample, in platinum and copper production) for cooling www.abecotanks.co.zaand other parts of the process. Significant amounts ofwater may also be needed for dust control on haul roadsand waste dumps. This water can be lower-qualityindustrial water or mine water, provided there are nocontamination risks. In contrast, high-quality potablewater is required for domestic purposes in the office andadministration buildings and in camps associated withremote mines. Using pipelines to transport ore in slurrycan reduce both costs and energy demands comparedwith more conventional transport forms such as rail andtrucks. This can make remote deposits economicallyfeasible. The use of pipelines does require significantamounts of water to keep the slurry material in liquidform.With the ever increasing global demands on waste waterand clean water storage, various providers now offer anumber of storage tank solutions to suit a wide range ofapplications. These tanks are capable of meetingspecification requirements from municipal sewagetreatment through to ultra-pure de-mineralized water.Some providers also manufacture the required tankancillaries to suit any type of installation. These can be inthe form of roofs tanks, access steelwork, connectionsand other associated tank equipment that waste waterand clean water specifications can demand. These alsocover debris type roofs through to fully sealed, gas tightconstructions. 13

Radio communications and mine safetyDigital Radio to improve mine safety Some of the new features of DMR include the recording of resourceWhen man and machine work close together confined spaces like, it tracking, which allows a replay of incidents to recreate scenarios andtakes high levels of consistent vigilance to ensure safe and profitable better prepare for future events.mining operations. “With real-time tracking and biometric sensors connected to digitalTo implement a credible safety methodology balanced with an efficient handheld radios, you can even define whether a person is standing, lyingand profitable production plan, a mission-critical radio communications down or sitting in an upright position,” said Sibanda.network is a pre-requisite. Without radio communications everything “You can further integrate technologies like Bluetooth into radio tostops. interface with devices like heart rate monitors to monitor in real time the breathing and heart rates of users.”Just recently South Africans endured a 5.5 magnitude earth tremor that Mine operators have always needed to be highly creative in finding waysshook large parts of the country, causing one death and the evacuation of to communicate essential information to workers down in the pit orthousands of miners from the Great Noligwa and Moab Khotsong mines tunnels.in the North West province. Whilst tremors such as these are not frequentoccurrences in South Africa, seismologists have warned of more In the late 1800s in Kimberley, hundreds of communication lines criss-frequent seismological events as a result of underground mining. crossed the big hole, and a morse-code-like bell or knock system was deployed to relay messages.A deep-mine cocktail of explosives, man and machinery working inconfined tunnels with limited air, reduced visibility, amidst often- Radio has today evolved to such an extent where the technology makes itunstable rock faces becomes particularly dangerous should an possible to integrate radio with other wireless and wiredunscheduled seismic event occur. Recent labour protest action and communications mediums such as cellular telephony, PABX andconfrontations with illegal miners underground has further added landline. A radio operating off a suitable designed network is able to callinstability to an already volatile mining environment. a GSM phone or PABX extension, and visa versa.While most mines take extreme caution during operations, crisis In a disaster, a miner underground can be linked to a medical emergencysituations do occur, and in these instances good, quick and efficient centre hundreds of kilometres away for instant assistance through thecommunication is imperative. radio network. “We need to ensure our communications backbone and“In a crisis situation, every second is crucial,” said Tony Sipho Sibanda, infrastructure is ready for events such as the recent quake and associatedBusiness Development Executive for Emcom Wireless, who has been aftershocks and not be caught on the back foot should a big one comeassisting several Southern African mines in upgrading their radio along. It should not have to be a quake or loss of further lives that shakescommunication systems. us to action,” said Sibanda.“Disastrous incidents like the collapse of an underground tunnel isalmost always associated with panic, shock and confusion that often Sibanda said he has often come across situations where the managementleads to impulsive actions. This is where injury and loss of life can of a mine forgot to upgrade and consider the evolvement of their radiooccur.” communications, only to notice the critical importance of radio communications when the system goes ‘off air’. “And then they expectAccording to Sibanda, clear, efficient, managed and controlled radio miracles!” he said.communication mitigates the risks associated with mining activities as itfacilitates a seamless flow of information and data, thus enabling Mine radio communications networks are critical infrastructure, anddecision makers to continuously monitor, take immediate action and should be subject to the same attention as other key tools, plant,allocate appropriate resource for the situation at hand. technologies and equipment. “It a well known fact that mine operators will allocate more budget to one large hauler truck than to a radio“In a crisis, you want to know where every personnel member is at that network,” said Sibanda.exact moment, their status, whether they are secure, trapped or injuredand what resources are available to be deployed to attend to them,” he DMR technology facilitates an always on, always available, bespoke,said. integrated solution, better audio quality, better walkie-talkie battery life and lower infrastructure costs over wide operational areas.In the tremor that originated in Orkney in the North West recently,AngoGold Ashanti managed to evacuate 3300 workers from their two In addition, legacy analogue two-way radio systems can be migrated tomines safely, and while there were 28 miners with minor injuries, radio DMR on the same licensed frequencies, without significant disruptioncommunication aided in prioritising resources and getting everyone to of critical operations.safety on time.“Safely hoisting all 3,300 people to surface after an earthquake of this About Emcomsize is an achievement of which we’re immensely proud,” said Mike EMCOM Wireless provides integrated professional mission-criticalO’Hare, AngloGold Ashanti’s Chief Operating Officer: South Africa, in radio communications solutions. Along with our strategic partner, Taita statement. “Our infrastructure responded as it was designed to, and our Communications in New Zealand, EMCOM are at the forefront of thesafety protocols worked as they should.” Sibanda says, however, that design, development and deployment of DMR technology inAfrica.while all mines in the country are mandated by legislation to be equipped Growth in global demand for DMR solutions is evidenced by a steadywith necessary radio communications systems, some are still relying on increase in implementations across the utilities, mining, transport,old outdated analogue radio communications technology, which could public safety and security, defense, national and Govt security marketscompromise workers safety in the event of a crisis specifically when to name a few. EMCOM is active in over 39 African countries and boastsstretched beyond their normal operating limits. Like most evolving an enviable track record over 43 years’African experience in the criticalcommunications technologies, radio communications too is undergoing communications industry. EMCOM is a trusted partner in theits own digital revolution. Much like cellular phone technology, DMR conceptualisation, design, deployment, integration, management and(Digital Mobile Radio) has seen the introduction of applications and financing of mission-critical radio communications solutionsdevices that go beyond pure ‘walkie-talkie’ voice communication. throughout the continent. EMCOM as a result of its entrenched belief inModern digital radio communications solutions now integrate data and empowerment through skills transfer, remains dedicated to growingother applications into one device. African competency forAfricans byAfricans. To learn more about how DMR can benefit you and your organisation,“Digital Mobile Radio (DMR), an international non-proprietary contact Emcom Wireless Business Development Executive, Tony Siphostandard for digital radio communications, facilitates access to Sibanda at tony@emcom.co.za.applications developers so that bespoke cost-effective solutions andservices can be provided,” said Sibanda.14

Temperature Measuring & Monitoring SolutionsMining operation involves a variety of heavy machinery that is used for exploration and processing of metalsand minerals extracted from the ground there is vital to temperature measurement techniques to monitorequipment, the system detects faults such as Loose parts, Unbalance, Bearing damage, Lack of lubrication,High temperaturesTemperature monitor, is a portable measurement Data loggers are often small enough to be placed inside an instrument that is capable of autonomously recording insulated shipping container or directly attached to a temperature over a defined period of time. The digital product inside a refrigerator truck or a refrigerateddata can be retrieved, viewed and evaluated after it has been container. These monitor the temperature of the productrecorded. A data logger is commonly used to monitor shipments being shipped. Some data loggers are placed on the outsidein a cold chain and to gather temperature data from diverse field of the package or in the truck or intermodal container toconditions. monitor the air temperature. Placement of data loggers and sensors is critical: Studies have shown that temperaturesA variety of constructions are available, most have an internal inside a truck or intermodal container are strongly affectedthermistor or thermocouple or can be connected to external by proximity to exterior walls and roof and to locations onsources. Sampling and measurement are periodically taken and the lading.digitally stored. Some have a built in display of data or out-of-tolerance warnings. Data retrieval can be by cable, RFID, Modern digital data loggers are very portable and record thewireless systems, etc. They generally are small, battery actual times and temperatures. This information can bepowered, portable, and equipped with a microprocessor, used to model product degradation and to pinpoint theinternal memory for data storage, and sensors. Some data location and cause of excessive exposure.loggers interface with personal computers or smart phones forset-up, control, and analysis. The measured data reveals whether the goods in transit have been subjected to potentially damaging temperatureSome include other sensors such as relative humidity, wind, extremes or an excessive Mean kinetic temperature. Basedlight, etc. Others may record input from GPS devices. on this data, the options may be:Depending on the use, governing quality management systemssometimes require calibration to national standards and If there have not been out of tolerance temperatures forcompliance with formal verification and validation protocols. critical times, continue to use the shipment, without special inspectionChoices of temperature data loggers can be based on manyfactors, such as: If potentially damaging temperature hazards haveŸ Cost occurred, thoroughly inspect the shipment for damage orŸ Reusability degradation. Possibly accelerate sale and use because ofŸ Battery life reduced shelf life.Ÿ Ease of use; set-up, readability, download data, analysis, etc.Ÿ Temperature range The consignee may negotiate with the carrier or shipper orŸ Accuracy and precision - degree of agreement of recorded even choose to reject a shipment where sensors indicatetemperature with actual severe temperature historyŸ Response time – the time required to measure 63.2% of thetotal difference between its initial and final temperature when The time of the temperature extreme, or GPS tracking, maysubjected to a step function change in temperature; other points be able to determine the location of the infraction to directsuch as 90% are also used. appropriate corrective action.Ÿ shock and vibration resistanceŸ Water resistance – humidity, condensation, etc. Multiple replicate shipments of data loggers are also used toŸ Size, weight, mounting compare modes of shipment (routes, vendors) and toŸ Certifications, calibrations, etc. develop composite data to be used in package testingŸ Software protocols.Environmental monitoring 15Autonomous data loggers can be taken to diverse locations thatcannot easily support fixed temperature monitoring equipment.These might include: mountains, deserts, jungles, mines, iceflows, etc. Portable data loggers are also used in industry andlaboratory situations where stand-alone recording is desired.Monitor shipmentsTemperature sensitive products such as foods, pharmaceuticals,and some chemicals are often monitored during shipment andlogistics operations. Exposure to temperatures outside of anacceptable range, for a critical time period, can degrade theproduct or shorten shelf life. Regulations and contracts maketemperature monitoring mandatory for some products.

Temperature monitoring relays over snap-action types is their speed of response to any changesThese relays are able to measure temperatures of solids, in temperature, accuracy and repeatability.liquids and gaseous media using different types of sensors.Overtemperature and undertemperature monitoring as well Most types of thermistor's have a Negative Temperatureas open- or closed-circuit principle is supposed to be Coefficient of resistance or (NTC), that is their resistance valueconfigurable for all devices. As soon as the temperature falls goes DOWN with an increase in the temperature, and of coursebelow or exceeds the set threshold value the output relays there are some which have aPositive Temperature Coefficient,change their positions according to the configured (PTC), in that their resistance value goes UP with an increase infunctionality and the front-face LED's display the current temperature.status. Thermistors are constructed from a ceramic type semiconductorMain benefits material using metal oxide technology such as manganese, cobaltDown-time and commissioning time reduced and nickel, etc. The semiconductor material is generally formedEngineering time savings into small pressed discs or balls which are hermetically sealed toSelection time reduction give a relatively fast response to any changes in temperature.Temperature Sensor Types Thermistors are rated by their resistive value at room temperatureThe most commonly used type of all the sensors are those (usually at 25oC), their time constant (the time to react to thewhich detect Temperature or heat. These types of temperature temperature change) and their power rating with respect to thesensor vary from simple ON/OFF thermostatic devices current flowing through them. Like resistors, thermistors arewhich control a domestic hot water heating system to highly available with resistance values at room temperature from 10's ofsensitive semiconductor types that can control complex MΩ down to just a few Ohms, but for sensing purposes thoseprocess control furnace plants. types with values in the kilo-ohms are generally used. Thermistor temperature control circuit can be used in room temperature toThere are many different types of Temperature Sensor approximately 85° C. or higher.available and all have different characteristics dependingupon their actual application. A temperature sensor Thermistors are passive resistive devices which means we needconsists of two basic physical types: to pass a current through it to produce a measurable voltage output. Then thermistors are generally connected in series with aContact Temperature Sensor Types: These types of suitable biasing resistor to form a potential divider network andtemperature sensor are required to be in physical contact with the choice of resistor gives a voltage output at some pre-the object being sensed and use conduction to monitor determined temperature point or value for example:changes in temperature. They can be used to detect solids,liquids or gases over a wide range of temperatures. Resistance Temperature Detector or RTD are precision temperature sensors made from high-purity conducting metalsNon-contact Temperature Sensor Types: These types of such as platinum, copper or nickel wound into a coil and whosetemperature sensor use convection and radiation to monitor electrical resistance changes as a function of temperature, similarchanges in temperature. They can be used to detect liquids to that of the thermistor. Also available are thin-film RTD's.and gases that emit radiant energy as heat rises and cold These devices have a thin film of platinum paste is deposited ontosettles to the bottom in convection currents or detect the a white ceramic substrate.radiant energy being transmitted from an object in the form ofinfra-red radiation (the sun). Resistive temperature detectors have positive temperature coefficients (PTC) but unlike the thermistor their output isThe two basic types of contact or even non-contact extremely linear producing very accurate measurements oftemperature sensors can also be sub-divided into temperature. However, they have very poor thermal sensitivity,the following three groups of sensors, Electro-mechanical, that is a change in temperature only produces a very small outputResistive and Electronic change for example, 1Ω/oC.The Thermostat The more common types of RTD's are made from platinum andThe Thermostat is a contact type electro-mechanical are called Platinum Resistance Thermometer or PRT's with thetemperature sensor or switch, that basically consists of two most commonly available of them all the Pt100 sensor, which hasdifferent metals such as nickel, copper, tungsten or a standard resistance value of 100Ω at 0oC. The downside is thataluminium etc, that are bonded together to form a Bi-metallic Platinum is expensive and one of the main disadvantages of thisstrip. The different linear expansion rates of the two type of device is its cost.dissimilar metals produces a mechanical bending movementwhen the strip is subjected to heat.The bi-metallic strip can be used itself as an electrical switchor as a mechanical way of operating an electrical switch inthermostatic controls and are used extensively to control hotwater heating elements in boilers, furnaces, hot water storagetanks as well as in vehicle radiator cooling systems.The ThermistorA thermistor is a special type of resistor which changes itsphysical resistance when exposed to changes in temperature.Thermistors are generally made from ceramic materials suchas oxides of nickel, manganese or cobalt coated in glasswhich makes them easily damaged. Their main advantage16

Like the thermistor, RTD's are passive resistive devices and by There are also a variety of electrical and electronic devicespassing a constant current through the temperature sensor it is which are classed as Output devices used to control or operatepossible to obtain an output voltage that increases linearly with some external physical process, commonly calledActuators.temperature. A typical RTD has a base resistance of about100O at 0oC, increasing to about 140O at 100oC with an Actuators convert an electrical signal into a correspondingoperating temperature range of between -200 to +600oC. physical quantity such as movement, force, sound etc. An actuator is also classed as a transducer because it changes oneBecause the RTD is a resistive device, we need to pass a current type of physical quantity into another and is usually activatedthrough them and monitor the resulting voltage. However, any or operated by a low voltage command signal. Actuators can bevariation in resistance due to self heat of the resistive wires as classed as either binary or continuous devices based upon thethe current flows through it, IR, Ohm's Law causes an error in number of stable states their output has. For example, a relay isthe readings. To avoid this, the RTD is usually connected into a a binary actuator as it has two stable states, either energised andWhetstone Bridge network which has additional connecting latched or de-energised and unlatched, while a motor is awires for lead-compensation and/or connection to a constant continuous actuator because it can rotate through a full 360ocurrent source. motion. The most common types of actuators or output devices are Electrical Relays, Lights, Motors and Loudspeakers.Light SensorsA Light Sensor generates an output signal indicating the Electrical Relays can also be divided into mechanical actionintensity of light by measuring the radiant energy that exists in relays called “Electromechanical Relays” and those which usea very narrow range of frequencies basically called “light”, and semiconductor transistors, thyristors, triacs, etc, as theirwhich ranges in frequency from “Infra-red” to “Visible” up to switching device called “Solid State Relays” or SSR's.“Ultraviolet” light spectrum. The Electromechanical RelayThe light sensor is a passive devices that convert this “light Relay generally refers to a device that provides an electricalenergy” whether visible or in the infra-red parts of the connection between two or more points in response to thespectrum into an electrical signal output. Light sensors are application of a control signal. The most common and widelymore commonly known as “Photoelectric Devices” or “Photo used type of electrical relay is the electromechanical relay orSensors” because the convert light energy (photons) into EMR.electricity (electrons). The most fundamental control of any equipment is the abilityPhotoelectric devices can be grouped into two main categories, to turn it “ON” and “OFF”. The easiest way to do this is usingthose which generate electricity when illuminated, such as switches to interrupt the electrical supply. Although switchesPhoto-voltaics or Photo-emissives etc, and those which change can be used to control something, they have theirtheir electrical properties in some way such as Photo-resistors disadvantages. The biggest one is that they have to be manuallyor Photo-conductors. This leads to the following classification (physically) turned “ON” or “OFF”. Also, they are relativelyof devices. large, slow and only switch small electrical currents.Photo-emissive Cells: These are photodevices which release Electrical Relays however, are basically electrically operatedfree electrons from a light sensitive material such as caesium switches that come in many shapes, sizes and power ratingswhen struck by a photon of sufficient energy. The amount of suitable for all types of applications. Relays can also haveenergy the photons have depends on the frequency of the light single or multiple contacts within a single package with theand the higher the frequency, the more energy the photons have larger power relays used for mains voltage or high currentconverting light energy into electrical energy. switching applications being called “Contactors”Photo-conductive Cells: These photodevices vary their Relay manufacturers data sheets give maximum contactelectrical resistance when subjected to light. ratings for resistive DC loads only and this rating is greatlyPhotoconductivity results from light hitting a semiconductor reduced for either AC loads or highly inductive or capacitivematerial which controls the current flow through it. Thus, more loads. In order to achieve long life and high reliability whenlight increase the current for a given applied voltage. The most switching alternating currents with inductive or capacitivecommon photoconductive material is Cadmium Sulphide used loads some form of arc suppression or filtering is requiredin LDR photocells. across the relay contacts.Photo-voltaic Cells: These photodevices generate an emf in Extending the life of relay tips by reducing the amount ofproportion to the radiant light energy received and is similar in arcing generated as they open is achieved by connecting aeffect to photoconductivity. Light energy falls on to two Resistor-Capacitor network called an RC Snubber Networksemiconductor materials sandwiched together creating a electrically in parallel with an electrical relay contact tips. Thevoltage of approximately 0.5V. The most common voltage peak, which occurs at the instant the contacts open,photovoltaic material is Selenium used in solar cells. will be safely short circuited by the RC network, thus suppressing any arc generated at the contact tips.Photo-junction Devices, These photodevices are mainly truesemiconductor devices such as the photodiode or 17phototransistor which use light to control the flow of electronsand holes across their PN-junction. Photojunction devices arespecifically designed for detector application and lightpenetration with their spectral response tuned to thewavelength of incident light.Actuators convert an electrical signal into a correspondingphysical quantity such as movement, force, or sound. One suchcommonly used output device is the Electromagnetic Relay.

SPEROSENS, DISTRIBUTED TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT OVER FIBRE OPTIC CABLE (UP TO 10KM)IMAGINE 10 000 TEMPERATURE READINGS MONITORED AT ONE CENTRAL POINT USINGONE FIBRE OPTIC CABLE!Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) utilizes laser light and Field test resultsfiber optic cables to measure temperature. An infrared laser Example 1: The thermal camera shows that when heatpulse is sent through the fiber. The incident energy is back- originates from the outside of the roller (left), the inside of thescattered from the glass molecules throughout the entire length roller (where the sensor cable is located) becomes hot enoughof the fiber. These minute light signals contain information within minutes to detect the change, as shown in the DTS traceabout the temperature of the glass at any given point in the below:fiber, in accordance with the Raman Effect. The back scatteredlight is measured and then analysed for temperature. t = 20 min t = 10 minThe position of the temperature reading (along the fiber length) Example 2: In this thermal camera picture the roller has beenis determined by measuring the time delay of the returning uniformly heated while being rotated. As a result thelight pulse, similar to a radar echo. accompanying DTS trace shows a significant maximum peak:Up to 10km of Fiber Optic Cable can be used to sense heat on Test peakeach 1m section to 1°C accuracy enabling users to monitor 10000 temperature readings from one central point using one10km fiber optic cable.DTS can monitor temperature under harsh conditions over AP Sensing's hot roller application is well-suited to detectlong distances to optimize maintenance, detect fires and roller temperatures starting at 80°C, as well as small firesoverheating, and measuring environmental temperature. originating near the conveyor belt.Fire Prevention: Detecting Hot Rollers on Heavy-DutyConveyor BeltsRollers on conveyor belts can become overheated and a source AP Sensing's linear heat series minimizes your operationalof danger when bearings suffer enhanced friction due to usage costs and performs extremely reliable by using a standard fiberover time. Conveyor systems that transport heavy loads and/or optic cable which has no active components or electronicwork at high speeds are more likely to overheat. These systems sensors within the exposed zone. Fiber optic cable is alsoare often used in harsh environments where hazardous immune to electromagnetic interference.materials, dirt, dust, and vibration are present. Apart from thedanger of personal injury and asset damage should a fire occur, Depending on cable grade, the fiber cable can also be directlythe down-time of the line represents a significant financial risk. exposed to flames while still measuring accurately. Firefighting effectiveness can hence be monitored throughoutThe DTS solution for detecting hot rollers consists of the DTS the fire event.evaluation unit and sensor cable that needs to be correctlymounted in order to detect heat changes in the rollers. Applications include temperature monitoring along conveyor belts, inside sub-stations, switchgear cubicles and MCCLaboratory testing rooms, inside coal bunkers, inside power cables, in miningA quantum mechanical effect first discovered by CV Raman in tunnels and on cable racks plus many more.1922. Wavelength of light scattered from optical crystalschanges and varies as per the temperature of the crystal. Advantages are accuracy, ease of installation, immunity to EMC, dirt, dust and humidity and very little maintenance overAP Sensing has carried out extensive laboratory and field tests an exceptionally long lifetime. The solution integrates easilyfor hot roller testing, in addition to our experience gathered into your existing management platform (SCADA systems) byfrom a wide range of conveyor belt system installations dry contacts and/or communicating directly over Ethernet (TCP/IP), using standard protocols.Cable placement and cable mountingWhen the DTS solution is used to detect hot rollers on the The system offers many benefits including fast activation andconveyor belt, the placement of the sensor cable becomes good control capability. This allows easy access for rescuecrucial. services and enables effective firefighting.AP Sensing's Linear Heat Series was installed as the fire monitoring system ofAP Sensing has developed a solution to mount the sensor choice taking road and rail tunnel safety to a new level.cables that ensures a simple and secure installation. Onceinstalled, rollers can still be accessed for maintenance or Sperosens was appointed as the sole distributor for the APexchange without affecting the sensor cables (patent pending). Sensing temperature measuring solutions product range for South Africa. Sensor cable placement along the rollers For more product information for your own use or re-sell opportunities please contact: Marihette Hattingh Marketing & Trading Executive Fax:+27 (086) 562 6511 Cell: +27 82 557 3463 E-mail:marihette.hattingh@spero.co.za www.spero.co.za18

Caterpillar China Manufactures First Complete LongwallArmored Face Conveyor and Delivers to Datong Coal Mine GroupCaterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co.recently manufactured its first full armored faceconveyor (AFC) system for longwall mining.Previously the facility, located in HebeiProvince, China, had produced only line pansfor AFC systems. Producing the first full AFCsystem marks a milestone in the facility'sevolution as a key mining equipmentmanufacturing plant for Caterpillar and theregion. Langfang premium longwall productswill serve mining companies worldwide.The new Cat® AFC has been delivered to the Cat stageloader and drivesDatong Coal Mine Group (Tongmei) for use inthe Dongzhouyao mine in Shanxi Province.Datong is the third largest state-owned coalmining enterprise in China. Tongmei Group, theparent of Datong, first acquired an AFC in 2004from the company that is now Caterpillar.Tongmei is the largest AFC customer globallyfor Caterpillar. The new AFC system marks the39th delivered to Chinese mines by Caterpillarand its predecessors in the longwall equipmentline.The new AFC system is designed for longwall Cat conveyor components in factorytop coal caving (LTCC) to mine a coal seam asthick as 8 m. Face length will be 260 m. TheLTCC mining method enables recovering thickseams economically by cutting the lowerportion of the seam as is normally done and thenrecovering coal that caves as the face movesforward.The premium face conveyor is composed of CatPF6 line pans. The innovative modular designseparates wear-resistant hardened steel partsand the substructure made of high-strengthsteel. The design enables easy replacement ofwear parts without damaging the substructure.The front AFC has transport capacity of 2500tonnes per hour, and the rear AFC has capacityof 3000 tonnes. Each of the conveyors has totalinstalled power of 2 x 1050 kW. The beam stageloader is a Cat BSLPF6 with capacity of 3500tonnes per hour and 600 kW installed capacity.WesTrac China, the Cat dealer in northern andnortheastern China, delivered the system andwill provide service and support through itsfacilities and personnel based in the region.WesTrac China's network encompasses morethan 60 branches, including a world-classrebuild facility in Tianjin. Total staff is nowmore than 1500 in China.CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, Cat transfer station for longwall system“Caterpillar Yellow” and the “Power Edge”trade dress, as well as corporate and productidentity used herein, are trademarks ofCaterpillar and may not be used withoutpermission. 19

Concrete Retaining Walls SolutionsMade from precast concrete, Concrete Retaining In designing a wall, the destabilizing force on the wall due to Walls are a construction product produced by active earth pressures and the weight of the wall counteracting casting concrete in a reusable mold or \"form\" which this force, are calculated based on the assumption that the is then cured in a controlled environment, stacked precast concrete blocks and soil infill, act together as atransported to the construction site and lifted into place. In single body. Having thus computed these two forces, it iscontrast, standard concrete is poured into site-specific forms customary to ensure that the geometry of the wall is such thatand cured on site. Precast stone is distinguished from precast the factor of safety both against overturning and block-on-concrete by using a fine aggregate in the mixture, so the final block sliding exceeds 1.5. Often no check is carried out toproduct approaches the appearance of naturally occurring rock ensure that the line of action of the resultant external forceor stone. By producing precast concrete in a controlled passes through the middle third of the base of the wall (i.e. theenvironment (typically referred to as a precast plant), the bottom row of blocks), which is common practice in the designprecast concrete is afforded the opportunity to properly cure of gravity walls. This middle third condition is incorporated inand be closely monitored by plant employees. Utilizing a gravity wall designs in order to ensure that no tension existsPrecast Concrete system offers many potential advantages within the structure. While this requirement is perhaps notover site casting of concrete. essential in dry stack systems, what is considered to be of critical concern in this regard, is that in many instances the lineThe production process for Precast Concrete is performed on of action of the resultant force passes behind the back of theground level, which helps with safety throughout a project. bottom row of blocks. Under such conditions there can be noThere is a greater control of the quality of materials and certainty as to the forces that exist between the rows of blocks.workmanship in a precast plant rather than on a construction Such conditions also bring into question the assumption thatsite. Financially, the forms used in a precast plant may be the wall acts as a single body, regardless of its height and itsreused hundreds to thousands of times before they have to be backward slope.replaced, which allow cost of formwork per unit to be lowerthan for site-cast production. Precast concrete provides the It is considered that in cases where the computed line of actionmanufacturers with the ability to produce a wide range of of the resultant force passes behind the bottom row of blocks,engineered earth retaining systems. Products include the effective weight of the wall should be reduced by ancommercial retaining wall, residential walls, sea walls, amount sufficient to ensure that the line of action of themechanically stabilized earth (MSE) panels, modular block resultant force passes within the base of the bottom row ofsystems, segmental retaining walls, etc. Retaining walls have 5 blocks. In this way it is assumed that the uppermost portion ofdifferent types which include: gravity retaining wall, semi- the wall is in essence supported on the slope behind the wallgravity retaining wall, cantilever retaining wall, counter fort and that it has no influence on the sliding resistance at the baseretaining wall, and buttress retaining wall of the wall and the resistance to overturning about the toe of the wall.In recent years dry stack concrete block retaining systems havecome into common usage, and in many instances are being There is more than one approach to the design of Concreteused in preference to conventional reinforced concrete walls. Retaining Walls or Blocks, and one cannot be entirelyThe dry stack concrete block retaining walls will hence be prescriptive as regards the design procedure. It's important toreferred to as CRB (concrete retaining block) walls. Such walls decide on soil parameters for both the material to be retained byare also referred to as segmental retaining walls. The CRB the wall and the material in front of the wall, the wall friction,walls can be divided into three groups of Retaining walls. In the foundation wall friction and the position of any groundcoal mining and handling, coal of different grades have to be water. It will also be necessary to know the weight per squarestored in separate areas. Use of Retaining Walls is more meter of wall face of the blocksconvenient, flexible and in every other way more suitable than filled with soil, the block-on-blockthe traditional methods used. They are normally manufactured friction, and in cases where theto order in heights ranging from 1,2 m to 4 m. Concrete blocks possess nibs, the shearRetaining Walls have a 28-day strength exceeding 50 MPa to strength of the nibs per meter run ofensure rapid early de-molding strengths and the product can wall. Next it's important to select awithstand abrasive construction machinery handling. Most trial wall slope and inRetaining Walls can be bolted into the floors of warehouses cases where theand other storage areas for extra stability. The construction of ground slopes upretaining walls at 86° angles to over 20 m in height is mostly away from the top ofsuitable for mine tip walls, bridge abutments and any steep and the wall, determinetall wall requirement. the height of the wall.Essentially Concrete Retaining Walls comprise precastconcrete blocks, which are stacked row upon row with aprescribed backward offset to form a retaining wall with aspecified backward slope. Typically the slopes of theconventional CRB walls range between 55 and 70 degrees tothe horizontal. During construction, each row of blocks isfilled with soil in conjunction with the placement andcompaction of backfill behind the wall. It is current practice todesign these walls as composite gravity retaining walls, whichare reliant on both the weight of the blocks and the weight ofthe soil fill.20

Also one must calculate the destabilizing forces acting on the The founding depth specified for a Concrete Retaining Wallrear of the wall applied by the retained soil and any external should take into account the lowest depth of any excavationloads such as a line load or a uniformly distributed load (UDL) that is to take place immediately in front of the wall. Forbehind the wall. One must calculate the resultant destabilizing example, if a road pavement is to be constructed in front of aforces and the self-weight of the wall for the proposed block wall after the installation of the wall, then the founding depthtype and size. It's also necessary to check that the line of action should be specified below the underside of the road pavement.of the resultant force passes behind the front third of the bottom Another situation in which care should be exercised whenrow of blocks, and that it passes within the blocks. If the line of specifying the founding depth is when service trenches are tothe resultant force passes within or ahead of the front third then be excavated immediately in front of the Concrete Retainingthe rear of the wall would be in tension. In the design of gravity Wall. In such instances the specification of the founding depthwalls, it is generally considered that such a condition should should take cognisance of the anticipated maximum depth ofnot be allowed to arise. If the line of action of the resultant force the service trench excavation. Founding depths shouldpasses behind the bottom row of blocks then reduce the generally be specified as minimum founding depths, and theeffective height and corresponding effective weight of the wall final founding depths for a wall should be confirmed by theuntil it passes within the blocks. engineer on site. The minimum concrete strength, the minimum foundation thickness and the minimum foundationThe effective height and weight of the wall being that portion Width should be specified for the wall.of the wall which is considered to be contributing to theresistance of the wall to both overturning about the toe of the By their very nature conventional Concrete Retaining Wallswall and to sliding at the base of the wall. It's also necessary to are free draining and therefore generally do not require weepcheck the factor of safety of the wall against overturning using holes. However in areas of high subsoil seepage, the seepagethe effective weight of the wall. Generally acceptable if it's can result in leaching out of the backfill within and behind theabove 1.5, one must check the factor of safety of the wall CRB blocks, and the seepage may lead to excessive saturationagainst block-on-block sliding between the lowest two rows of of the backfill. In circumstances where there is relativelyblocks. One must determine the minimum founding depth that strong ground water seepage, or a potential for such seepage,will provide the required factor of safety (usually 1.3) against subsoil drains should be installed behind the CRB wall.sliding of the wall at the level of the base of the foundation. For Depending upon the potential severity of the subsoil seepage,each trial founding depth, this involves the computation of the the subsoil drainage should comprise an agricultural/subsoilpassive earth force that, if mobilized, acts together with the drain behind the base of the wall, or an agricultural/subsoilfrictional resistance developed along the underside of the drain connected to a drainage blanket that runs up the back offoundation to provide the resistance to sliding. the wall along the interface of the backfill and the original ground.YFEL - Freestanding Modular ConcreteWall systemsStorage solutions for different types of dry bulk materials Dry bulk materials such as: • Sand and Stone • Waste, fertilisers and compost • Coal and mineral ores • Scrap metal • Silage etc, require separationThe YFEL is highly tolerant From 1.2m to 4m tall Use the phone — it’s quicker !to machine damage due STANDARD ANTI-CLIMBto the high 45 MPa plus ReMaCon Products CCconcrete strength. Contact: Christopher Cosgrove As permanent as you need it to be. Cell: 082 880 0184 A proudly South African product Fax: (011) 393-5502 available nationwide. Email: christopher@remacon.co.za Website: www.yfel.co.za 21

Noise and Hearing Protection SolutionsWhen faced with noise that is Tec too loud or annoying, the hnically first thing most people , white noise think of is ear plugs! Ear is a very particular type of sound, and strictly speaking, manyplugs are a marvelous invention, a \"white noise\" generators don't generate white noise at all. Truetried-and-true device for blocking white noise has a \"hissy\" quality to it, and many people findnoise, whether the goal is to protect \"pink noise\" or \"brown noise\" more relaxing, so these are oftenyour hearing or simply to find some used instead. In addition, some \"white noise\" generators letprivate peace and quiet. They're you choose sounds that are recorded or simulated from natureconveniently small, they're (rain, wind, ocean waves, a babbling brook, a crackling fire, aaffordable, and you can pop them waterfall). All of these are sound masking devices, sometimesin or out whenever you need to. called sound conditioners, but the name \"white noiseBut sometimes ear plugs aren't generator\" or \"white noise machine\" is commonly used for allenough, or just aren't the best of them.solution for a given situation.Fortunately, there are plenty of White noise is popular for helping people sleep, and but is alsoother approaches you can use, useful in helping construction teams concentrate of specificdepending on the kind of noise tasks while dorwning out the unnecesary noise emanatingproblem you're dealing with. from the surrounding machines or equipments. This is alsoThese are general solutions that particuarly useful for underground mine workers who endureare applicable to a wide variety of constant noise and sounds from different angles which cannoise problems particularly in the help workers concentrate by drowning out these unwantedwork environment. sounds. Many office environments install white noise systems to help minimize distractions for office workers, and also toHearing protection devices are maintain speech privacy.commonly used in the workenvironment particularly in Mine sites as Most workers and visitors never notice the white noise (and ifwell as industrial settings. These work by reducing the level of they do, they attribute the sound to the building's ventilationsound that reaches your ears and include conventional Ear system), but if it is turned off, a multitude of small soundsplugs, Ear muff style hearing protectors as wel as ZEMs, which suddenly becomes noticeable in the unsettling silence. Wateris a new type of hearing protection device. Ear Plugs are most fountains in hotel lobbies and other public areas serve a similarconnonly found in work endironments where noise is constant. purpose, besides adding aesthetic beauty. Since you are addingThese plugs go directly into the ear canal. They are typically to the total sound in your environment when you use whitemade of foam, wax, or silicone while some ear plugs are noise, obviously this is not a good technique for protectingindividually molded for a custom fit. Over-the-ear (\"ear muff\" your hearing from sounds that are dangerously loud.style) hearing protectors. Are also commonly used whichsurround the outer ear and block out noise by acousticisolation. Some also come with circuitry that lets you hear low-level sounds such as speech, or an active noise reductionsystem that electronically cancels out noise. A recent inventioncalled ZEMs work by artificially extending the ear canal,drawing sound away from the ear itself and reducing noiseevenly across all frequencies.All of these devices are designed to reduce the noise reachingyour ears, thereby protecting your ears from damage andpreventing hearing loss. They are all similarly effective, soyour choice of which types to use can be based on your ownneeds and preferences. For extra noise reduction, one candouble up and wear ear plugs and ear muffs at the same time.They are recommended for a wide variety of settings andactivities where hearing safety is an issue, including Factories,Mine Sites and Construction work. Even in situations wherethe sound does not reach levels that endanger your hearing,these devices are very handy if you just want to block anannoying noise. Sound masking devices, are also uselul innoise reduction and include the white noise generators. Thesework by adding to the total sound you hear, drowning out thedisagreeable noise or unwanted sound. White noise is used asbackground noise that is created to drown out annoying noises.22

White noise is meant to help you cope with the Soundproofing is another way of engineering your environment usingkinds of noises that are annoying or distracting, specialized materials so that less sound enters your immediate surroundings.not those that are loud enough to endanger your If you are dealing with a serious noise problem and the source of the noise ishearing. A specialized use for white noise is in outside, soundproofing could be a good option. Maybe there is constanttreating tinnitus (ringing in the ears). White traffic noise from a nearby road, or noise from a neighbouring factory ornoise can often bring immediate temporary workshop, soundproofing can be used to confine the noise and keep it fromrelief from the annoying sounds of tinnitus, and disturbing the rest of the workforce.when used as part of a well-designed treatmentprogram, it can help in training the brain's When it comes to soundproofing, there is no \"one size fits all\" solution.neurons to ignore the sounds. Assuming you want to get the best possible results for your money, the first step is to take a little time to learn about basic soundproofing principles,Noise-reducing headphones and earbuds are techniques, and ratings. There are plenty of products that claim to be good foranother way of Noise and Hearing Protection soundproofing applications, and only some of them will be right for eachbecause they include noise cancellation particular situation. Of those that are genuinely effective, some will beproducts, which use electronic circuitry to needlessly expensive.cancel out sound waves from environmentalnoise, and noise-isolating earphones, which Whether you plan a do-it-yourself job or prefer to hire contractors and/orphysically block out external sound. This is an consultants, the more knowledge you have, the better the final result will be,effective way of coping with a noisy and for a lower cost. Sound can enter a room through the walls, the ceiling, orenvironment because it somehow lets you enter the floor. First identify the sources of the noise that you want to block out, andinto your own private world filled with your that will tell you where to focus your efforts to get the most benefit from yourfavorite music which is as easy as slipping on a soundproofing.pair of headphones, or tucking a pair ofearphones into your ears. Next its vital to research what are the most cost-effective materials to use in soundproofing walls, floors, and ceilings.Not only does this let you mask the noise in yoursurroundings with the much more pleasant Custom-madesound of music, but many headphones and some hearing protectionearphones also help physically block out noise.Certain headphones and earphones come with H.A.S.S. Industrial (Pty) Ltd has been developing,one more feature to help you deal with noise. manufacturing and distributing custom-made hearing protection devices since 1992.They have electronic circuitry to actively cancelnoise out. This feature is called active noise Made individually to fit each ear, our products are:reduction (ANR), or simply noise cancellation.Noise-cancelling circuitry dynamically creates • Part of a Hearing Conservation Management Programmea sound wave that is the inverse of the sound • Controlled for Effectivenesswave coming from the environment, and the two • Comfortable & Durablecancel each other out by destructive • Value for Moneyinterference. • Hygienic & Easy to CleanIt sounds almost too good to be true, and in someways it is because noise cancellationunfortunately cannot achieve perfectcancellation of all external sound. It works beston continuous low frequency sound, like thedroning background noise of an drillingmachine, trucks or conveyor systems amongothers. Intermittent or high-pitched sounds,such as people's voices, will still come through. For dealing with the background noise inMining or Construction Sites, noise-cancellingdevices are ideal. These noises may not seemterribly annoying, but it actually does tire themind to have to deal with that steady roar forhours at a time. Noise-cancelling headsets (witha microphone) are also available. Mostconsumer-level products provide the noisecancellation only in the microphone, not in theearpieces, so the main benefit of a noise-cancelling headset is improved speech clarityfor the person who is on the other end listeningto your voice. Tel: (+27 12) 333-3131 sales @noiseban.co.za www.hass.co.za Your partner in hearing protection solutions. 23

Taking HR to the next level with Energy-saving lights for hazardous areas a smart software solution Compact, innovative LED design.Local HR software vendor, SmartHR, has developed a self- Waldenburg – R. STAHL now offers compact LED-basedservice kiosk that will enable an organisations’ disconnected tubular light fittings for use in Ex zones 1/21 and 2/22 thatworkforce to update personal information on their company HR provide users with an alternative to typical linearsystems, apply for leave and log HR service requests. The luminaires. With a diameter of merely 55 mm, the newSmartKiosks are currently being rolled out at a local municipality lights take up less than half the space required bywith a large workforce of general workers, and will be most suited conventional linear luminaires, and reach less than halfto companies with similar workforce profiles, primarily in the their weight. What is most striking, however, is the designmanufacturing, agricultural, mining and similar industry sectors. that makes the new 6036 series extraordinarily light- efficient: 30 four-foot long LED-based tubular light“The SmartKiosk takes the concept of employee self-service to a fittings, for instance, ensure an illuminance ofnew level. For the first time, employees who do not have access to approximately 500 lx, which would usually require 35computers can easily access basic HR services,” says Brendon linear luminaires with two 36 W fluorescent tubes each –Gass, Director at SmartHR. “The Kiosks eliminate paper, save or alternatively 48 conventional box-type units retrofittedtime for employees while providing up to date information in with LEDs. However, R. STAHL’s new lights consumeSmartHR.” only about half as much power and the specific power consumption per 100 lx is merely 1.5 W/m². This ensuresThe free-standing kiosk is wirelessly connected to the SmartHR enormous savings regarding operating costs – dependingdatabase, ensuring seamless updating of information, and thus on the comparative solution and the time frame, just underminimal disruption of HR staff for basic queries. 20% to more than 50% savings are realistic in practice.The application’s easy to use graphical user interface has been The tubular light fittings can be operated in a very widedesigned to minimise the need for users to type. After temperature range from -40 to +60 °C. The maintenance-authentication, users can review their personal particulars, free units are suitable for general lighting purposes or forchecking those that are incorrect for follow-up by the HR use as machine lamps. Due to their slim design, they candepartment. They can also see their current leave balances and be installed in hard-to-access locations. Even at anapply for leave. The SmartHR leave rule engine calculates ambient temperature of +60 °C, they reach a lifetime ofemployee leave balances at any future date by taking into account 80,000 hours. The vibration-proof units are IP66/IP67-existing leave applications and the rate at which leave days are protected by default, resulting in excellent suitability foraccrued—few, if any, systems offer this functionality. The maritime applications. In addition to ATEX and IECExSmartKiosks are integrated with the SmartHR SMS notification certificates, they also feature certificates for many majorservices which let employees know the status of their leave markets (GOST, Gazpromnadzor, UL do Brasil, GL).applications. Illustration: Thanks to extraordinary light efficiency, theOnce employees are familiar with the kiosk’s basic functionality, a LED-based tubular light fittings from the new 6036 seriesrange of further services can be added to solve specific business save considerable operating costsproblems where information is required. R. STAHLSchaltgeraete GmbHThe system also allows the user to request help from the HR Am Bahnhof 30department by logging tickets from the kiosk. These requests are 74638 Waldenburgmanaged as service requests via a help desk functionality that, Germanyuniquely, is integrated into the SmartHR platform. WOLF Kerstin Phone : +49 7942 943-4300“Integrating the service desk functionality into the SmartHR Fax : +49 7942 943-404300platform means that the SmartKiosk doesn’t just deliver benefits kerstin.wolf@stahl.deto workers and HR; it gives management visibility, for the firsttime, into the performance of the HR function,” says Gass.“Increasingly business are asking HR to fulfil a more strategicrole. Through analysis of the help desk tickets, executives canmeasure where the HR team’s efforts are being directed anddetermine the impact of relatively trivial tasks on the department’scapacity to achieve its strategic goals. As such, it complementsSmartHR’s vision to look beyond simply streamlining HR andpayroll functions to help the business as a whole manage its peopleinformation better.”For more information on SmartHR please visit:Website: http://www.smarthr.co.za/Twitter: @Smart_HRLinkedIn: SmartHR Software SolutionsFacebook: SmartHR24

Mining investment drives Zambia’s development New SAIMM paper demonstrates mining’s contribution to broader growthA new analysis of mining in Zambia for the KITWE IN THE 1960s: A bustling commercial centre whichpast 100 years shows a clear historical linkbetween levels of mining investment and owe“Tdhitesrevewryaesxiastesnucdedeton ceocpopneormmiicninugpt©urunk, znaomtbioannlsy.coon.ukthewider economic development. That’s Copperbelt but in the country as a whole, with the miningaccording to an academic paper published industry as a pivotal contributor,” the paper says.this week entitled ‘Copper Mining in Zambia– History and Future’. Significantly, this economic upturn occurred before the copper price started to recover, suggesting that it was the result of theWhen mining investment is sustained and investment itself, rather than an accident of commodityhigh, there is growth not just in the mining pricing.sector, but also in the broader economy injobs, new businesses and the overall By 2013, after more than US$12 billion of investment,prosperity of the population. Zambia's copper output had tripled to 763 000 tonnes, and direct industry employment had reached 90 000.When mining investment declines, it's notjust the mining sector that is affected but the Looking to the future, the geology of Zambia shows “greatentire economy, along with the material well-being of the potential for further investment in mining”, say the authors.population. Consequently, the country's prosperity hinges on the creation of a stable mining policy, internationally competitive tax ratesThe paper, penned, by Jackson Sikamo, Alex Mwanza and and an investor-friendly environment.Cade Mweemba, was published in the journal of the SouthernAfrican Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. For more information, contact Talent Ng’andwe, Zambia Chamber of Mines Communications Manager onThe paper identifies three major periods in Zambia's history ngandwet@mines.org.zm or info@mines.org.zm or on +260when the levels of investment in the mining industry had a 211 258383 or +260 977381309pivotal effect on the fortunes of the country.The first period was in the early 1920s, when mainly Americanand South African companies invested massively in Zambia'sfirst commercial copper mines. Jobs were created,infrastructure was built, towns came into existence, andsupport industries emerged.“Thus, by 1964, when Zambia was born, it had a strongeconomy driven by the mining sector,” the paper says. Zambiahad one of the highest GDPs inAfrica.The second period was in the early 1970s, when governmentnationalised the Zambian mining industry and used itsconsiderable revenues to drive an ambitious developmentprogramme.However, because it came at the expense of continuedinvestment in mining, the industry was unable to expand.Copper production and mining employment plummeted, andthe economy went into decline. “The business prospects of themines were bleak, and so were those for the national economy,which was heavily reliant on mining”, the paper says.The third period was from about 2000 onwards, afterprivatisation. Investors poured capital into new machinery,new mining methods and new processing and extractiontechnologies. New mines were started in North-Westernprovince. 25

ON-SITE GAS GENERATOR SUPPLIES SOLUTIONThere is no secret that in most situations on-site gas of generators, a compressed-air stream is introduced into the generation is significantly cheaper than delivered gas membranes, which is semi-permeable and under pressure. The from capital intensive cryogenic plants owned and smaller oxygen molecules are filtered out, leaving a stream ofoperated by the major industrial gas companies. In general the nitrogen flowing out the opposite end of the membrane.majors offer the same deal no matter who you talk to. Andalthough they too will supply on-site gas generators, due to Membrane technology however, is not especially efficient ortheir substantial investment in their cryogenic plants they are cost effective if nitrogen purity requirements exceed 97usually committed to supplying on-site gas at the same price as percent as compressed air requirements are significantlytheir liquid or cylinder offer. In the past, large industrial gas higher than requirements for PSA systems, therefore,companies supplied gases in conventional forms of supply that operating costs for membrane technology is significantlyinclude high-pressure gas cylinders, small liquid dewars or higher membrane. Typical examinations have placed the lifebulk liquid gas. cycle of membranes from 5 to 15 years when properly maintained, as compared to the life cycle of a properlyA new type of System known as the On Site Gas Generating maintained PSA system which can generally exceed the 20Systems is now available which can supply nitrogen or oxygen year life span therefore making Onsite generators a reliablegas on a demand basis and at much lower costs than and economical alternative to supplying nitrogen or oxygen asconventional forms of gas supply. This technology has now compared with conventional sources of nitrogen or oxygenbeen around and made popular over the past 30 plus years as an supply.acceptable alternative of previous conventional gas supplymethods. Onsite gas in suitable because gas purity Depending on the volume, purity, distance from a cryogenicrequirements are typically not excessively high and depending plant, fluctuation in demand and extent of the competition, theon geographic location and associated electricity costs, typical payback for purchasing an on-site gas generation system fromoperating costs relating to energy and maintenance for outside the industrial gas industry is between 6 months and 4generating nitrogen or oxygen gas are relatively much lower. years. Particularly in remote areas the reliability of a modernWhen comparing the costs of On Site gas system to On-Site Generator system prevents out of stock situationsconventional sources of gas supply, it becomes relatively clear logistics problems and administration issues that tend to occurwhy the return on investment is rapidly shorter or more with vendor supplied gases. Representatives of the industrialprogressed because not only is On site gas technology not gas companies are prone to specify gas purities substantiallycomplicated, it is simply an air separation process. By passing higher than what are actually needed in many applications.a supply of compressed air through an on-site gas generating They also tend to exaggerate the sophistication required tosystem, nitrogen or oxygen can be produced from atmospheric support the equipment associated with on site gas generationair. The air we breathe is composed of 78 percent nitrogen and which is often no more than what is required for a standard air21 percent oxygen, the remaining one percent comprising of compressor.trace gas. Nitrogen molecules are much larger than oxygenmolecules and On-Site technology uses the size differencebetween these two primary components of atmospheric air toseparate them.There are two main types of On-Site gas generators availablefor producing nitrogen or oxygen from air, pressure swingadsorption (PSA) and membrane systems. PSA systems can beused to produce both nitrogen and oxygen while Membranesystems are used to produce nitrogen gas only. PSA-typegenerators have two pressure vessels that are filled with amaterial called a sieve, which comes in many different types.Sieves are a microscopically porous material with the ability toabsorb under pressure right down to the molecular level.To produce nitrogen, a sieve material called carbon molecularsieve (CMS) is used. A compressed-air stream is passedthrough a pressure vessel filled with CMS. The porositystructure of CMS allows the material to capture and adsorb thesmaller oxygen molecules as the compressed air flowsthrough. This leaves a stream of nitrogen to flow out theopposite end of the pressure vessel. To produce oxygen, a sievecalled zeolite is used. Once again, a compressed-air stream ispassed through a pressure vessel filled with zeolite.The porosity structure of zeolite allows the material to captureand adsorb the larger nitrogen molecules as the compressed airflows through, leaving a stream of oxygen to flow out theopposite end of the pressure vessel. Membrane-typegenerators are used to produce nitrogen only. With these types26

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Plasma CuttingEquipmentsPlasma cutting is a common process used to cut steel and For proper use and safety purposes, proper eye protection and other metals of different thicknesses (or sometimes face shields are needed to prevent eye damage called arc eye as other materials) using a plasma torch. In this process, a well as damage from debris. It is recommended to use green gas is blown at high speed out of a nozzle; at the same lens safety glasses for cutting to prevent the retinas from beingtime an electrical arc is formed through that gas from the \"flashed\" or burned. Lighter filters may be used when the arc isnozzle to the surface being cut, turning some of that gas to hidden by the work piece. Plasma cutters use a number ofplasma. The plasma is hot enough to melt the metal being cut methods to start the arc. In some units, the arc is created byand moves fast enough to blow molten metal away from the putting the torch in contact with the work piece. Some cutterscut. A plasma torch requires you to start an arc between the use a high voltage, high frequency circuit to start the arc. Thiselectrode in the torch and the work you intend to cut. To start method has a number of disadvantages, including risk ofthis arc there are various methods used, commonly High electrocution, difficulty of repair, spark gap maintenance, andFrequency or Blow Back. High Frequency is used in most the large amount of radio frequency emissions. Plasma cuttersmodern industrial plasma systems and in many older systems. working near sensitive electronics, such as computers, start theThe second common method is known as blow back, or short pilot arc by other means. The nozzle and electrode are incircuit start. contact. The nozzle is the cathode, and the electrode is the anode. When the plasma gas begins to flow, the nozzle is blownIn a high frequency plasma system there are no moving parts in forward. A third, less common method is capacitive dischargethe torch. The electrode is connected to the power sources into the primary circuit via a silicon controlled rectifier.Analognegative output and the work connected to the positive. The plasma cutters, typically requiring more than 2 kilowatts, use aelectrode is at the conductor from which the arc starts and heavy mains-frequency transformer. Inverter plasma cutterstravels to the work piece. To start the arc the plasma initially rectify the mains supply to DC, which is fed into a high-connects the nozzle to positive. The nozzle is responsible for frequency transistor inverter between 10 kHz to about 200directing the gas flow, it wraps around the electrode and has a kHz. Higher switching frequencies give greater efficiencies insmall output hole in which the gas flow and the plasma arc is the transformer, allowing its size and weight to be reduced.directed. A Direct Current potential between the nozzle anelectrode is established and the HF circuit is turned on. The Plasma gouging is a related process, typically performed on thehigh frequency, high voltage causes a small low current arc to same equipment as plasma cutting. Instead of cutting thetransfer between the nozzle and electrode in the torch. The low material, plasma gouging uses a different torch configurationHF current creates a path of ionized gas allowing the lower (torch nozzles and gas diffusers are usually different), and avoltage Direct Current output to conduct. The current longer torch-to-work piece distance, to blow away metal.established between the electrode and nozzle in the torch is Plasma gouging can be used in a variety of applications,known as a PilotArc. including removing a weld for rework. The additional sparks generated by the process requires the operator to wear a leatherIn the blow back method the arc is started with the plasma shield protecting their hand and forearm. Torch leads also cantorch's electrode and nozzle initially touching. The power be protected by a leather sheath or heavy insulation. Plasmasource draws a current from the nozzle to the electrode. After torches were once quite expensive. For this reason they werethe current is established the power source will turn on the gas usually only found in professional welding shops and veryflow. Due to the design of the torch when gas begins to flow the well-stocked private garages and shops. However, modernelectrode will pull away from the nozzle. As the electrode plasma torches are becoming cheaper, and now are within theretracts the current draw between it and the nozzle will create a price range of many Mining Industry Professionals. Olderspark. With this ionized path of gas, lower voltage DC Current units may be very heavy, but still portable, while some neweris allowed to flow and once again have a Pilot Arc. In both ones with inverter technology weigh only a little, yet equal ormethods you achieve a pilot arc, which is an ionized path of gas exceed the capacities of older ones.between the electrode and nozzle in the torch. Once this pilotarc is brought close to the work, which is at the same potentialas the nozzle, current will transfer directly from the electrodeto the work. The plasma source will detect the current into thework and disconnect the nozzle (in most cases) allowing fullcurrent flow from the electrode to nozzle. Plasma is aneffective means of cutting thin and thick materials alike. Hand-held torches can usually cut up to 38mm thick steel plate, andstronger computer-controlled torches can cut steel up to 150mm thick. Since plasma cutters produce a very hot andlocalized \"cone\" to cut with, they are extremely useful forcutting sheet metal in curved or angled shapes.28

Efamatic Machine Tools have just extended their range The machine is robustly fabricated as is required in an engineeringof CNC Pipe Plasma cutting machines. The latest environment and has all the adjustment that is required for initial set up.addition focusses on smaller diameter pipes andoperates by moving and rotating the pipe underneath a As the machines are locally designed and manufactured they can bestationary torch. The other machines in the range are customized to suit the customer's requirements regarding pipebetter suited to large diameter pipes, rotating the pipe diameter range, wall thickness and lengths of pipe to be cut.with the cutting head moving along the length of thepipe. For further information please contact Efamatic Machine Tools on 011 626-2720.One of the advantages of the stationary cutting head isthat it is ideal for automation; pipes are stored on aloading tray (an option available with this machine) andautomatically lifted to the cutting height.The rotating head then clamps the back end of the pipeand moves the front end to position below the torch.The cutting cycle starts with the torch lowering onto thepipe. The torch height is controlled by 4 ball transferunits which run on the diameter of the pipe andeliminates the effect of pipe ovality, maintaining aconstant cutting height which is essential for cleancutting.Dust extraction with this setup is also easier and cheaperas there is no moving ducting. The suction is also right atthe cutting position and there is therefore no loss ofsuction. A stainless steel collector with the suction pipeis situated directly below the torch, extracting the fumesand collecting the slag.The machine comes with a free standing consul housingthe PC based CNC control with a 15” colour touchscreen and keyboard for easy operation. It features theHypertherm Powermax Plama Unit and torch with sizedependent on the customers requirement.Linear positioning with speeds up to 30metres perminute is achieved using a by stepper motor driving apinion onto a rack. The moving feeder runs along linearguides and houses the rotating gripper. The rotarypositioning is also by stepper motor through a 40:1backlash free gearbox coupled directly in line with thespindle and the two jaw gripper.Setup is very easy. There is an adjusting screw and handwheel on the rotating head which makes it very easy toset the rotating head to be concentric to the pipe whosecenter is determined by the pipes diameter. Onceconcentricity is set the two jaws grip the pipe and settingis complete. The lifting mechanism mentioned earlier isdone by pneumatic cylinders which have rotary balltransfer units fitted on the ends. Since the liftingcylinders always lift to the same level, matching that ofthe ball transfer units below the torch, no adjustment is required here for different pipe sizes. A simple clever system retracts these pipe supporting cylinders individually to clear the way for the rotating head as it moves closer toward to the cutting position. 29

Condition Monitoring SolutionsCondition monitoring is usually known as the process of However, frequency analysis (sometimes called Spectral monitoring a parameter of conditions in machinery Analysis or Vibration Signature Analysis) is only one aspect of such as its vibration, temperature scales and so on so as interpreting the information contained in a vibration signal.to identify a significant change which is indicative of a Frequency analysis tends to be most useful on machines thatdeveloping fault. It is a major component of predictive employ rolling element bearings and whose main failuremaintenance because the use of condition monitoring allows modes tend to be the degradation of those bearings, whichmaintenance to be scheduled or other actions to be taken to typically exhibit an increase in characteristic frequenciesprevent failure and avoid its consequences. Condition associated with the bearing geometries and constructions.monitoring has a unique benefit in that conditions that would Depending on the type of machine, its typical malfunctions,shorten normal lifespan can be addressed before they develop the bearing types employed, rotational speeds, and otherinto a major failure. These techniques are normally used on factors, the CM specialist may use additional diagnostic tools,rotating equipment and other machinery while periodic such as examination of the time domain signal, the phaseinspection using non-destructive testing techniques as well as relationship between vibration components and a timing markfit for service (FFS) evaluation are used for stationary plant on the machine shaft, historical trends of vibration levels, theequipment such as steam boilers, piping and heat exchangers. shape of vibration, and numerous other aspects of the signalThere are various types of Condition monitoring techniques along with other information from the process such as load,commonly used such as Vibration Analysis and diagnostics, bearing temperatures, flow rates, valve positions and pressuresLubricant analysis, Acoustic emission (Airborne Ultrasound), to provide an accurate diagnosis. This is particularly true ofInfrared thermograph, Ultrasound testing (Material machines that use fluid bearings rather than rolling-elementThickness/Flaw Testing) and Motor Condition Monitoring and bearings. To enable them to look at this data in a moreMotor current signature analysis (MCSA). simplified form vibration analysts or machinery diagnostic engineers have adopted a number of mathematical plots toWhen it comes to Rotating Machines, the most commonly used show machine problems and running characteristics, thesemethod for rotating machines is called a vibration analysis. plots include the bode plot, the waterfall plot, the polar plot andMeasurements can be taken on machine bearing casings with the orbit time base plot amongst others.accelerometers to measure the casing vibrations, and on thevast majority of critical machines, with eddy-current Handheld data collectors and analyzers are now commonplacetransducers that directly observe the rotating shafts to measure on non-critical or balance of plant machines on whichthe radial (and axial) displacement of the shaft. permanent on-line vibration instrumentation cannot be economically justified. The technician can collect dataThe level of vibration can be compared with historical baseline samples from a number of machines and download the datavalues such as former start ups and shutdowns, and in some into a computer where the analyst can examine the data forcases established standards such as load changes, to assess the changes indicative of malfunctions and impending failures.severity. Interpreting the vibration signal obtained is anelaborate procedure that requires specialized training and For larger more critical machines where safety implications,experience. It is simplified by the use of state-of-the-art production interruptions, replacement parts, and other costs oftechnologies that provide the vast majority of data analysis failure can be appreciable, a permanent monitoring system isautomatically and provide information instead of raw data. typically employed rather than relying on periodic handheldOne commonly employed technique is to examine the data collection. However, the diagnostic methods and toolsindividual frequencies present in the signal. available from either approach are generally the same. Recently also on-line systems have been applied to heavyThese frequencies correspond to certain mechanical process industries such as pulp, paper, mining, petrochemicalcomponents. By examining these frequencies and their and power generation.harmonics, the CM specialist can often identify the locationand type of problem, and sometimes the root cause as well. Forexample, high vibration at the frequency corresponding to thespeed of rotation is most often due to residual imbalance and iscorrected by balancing the machine. As another example, adegrading rolling-element bearing will usually exhibitincreasing vibration signals at specific frequencies as it wears.Special analysis instruments can detect this wear weeks oreven months before failure, giving ample warning to schedulereplacement before a failure which could cause a much longerdown-time. Beside all sensors and data analysis it is importantto keep in mind that more than 80% of all complex mechanicalequipment fail accidentally and without any relation to theirlife-cycle period.Most vibration analysis instruments today utilize a FastFourier Transform (FFT) which is a special case of thegeneralized Discrete Fourier Transform and converts thevibration signal from its time domain representation to itsequivalent frequency domain representation.30

Performance monitoring is a less known condition Headphones allow humans to listen to ultrasound as well. Amonitoring technique. It can be applied to rotating high pitched 'buzzing sound' in bearings indicates flaws in themachinery such as pumps and turbines, as well as contact surfaces, and when partial blockages occur in highstationary items such as boilers and heat exchangers. pressure fluids the orifice will cause a large amount ofMeasurements are required of physical quantities: ultrasonic noise. Ultrasound is used in the Shock Pulse Methodtemperature, pressure, flow, speed, displacement, of condition monitoring. During performance analysis, whereaccording to the plant item. Absolute accuracy is the physical efficiency, performance, or condition is found byrarely necessary, but repeatable data is needed. comparing actual parameters against an ideal model,Calibrated test instruments are usually needed, but deterioration is typically the cause of difference in thesome success has been achieved in plant with DCS readings. After motors, centrifugal pumps are arguably the(Distributed Control Systems). Performance analysis most common machines. Condition monitoring by a simpleis often closely related to energy efficiency, and head-flow test near duty point using repeatable measurementstherefore has long been applied in steam power has long been used but could be more widely adopted.generation plants. Typical applications in powergeneration could be boiler, steam turbine and gas An extension of this method can be used to calculate the bestturbine. In some cases, it is possible to calculate the time to overhaul a pump based on balancing the cost ofoptimum time for overhaul to restore degraded overhaul against the increasing energy consumption thatperformance. occurs as a pump wears. Wear Debris Detection Sensors are capable of detecting ferrous and non-ferrous wear particlesOften visual inspections are considered to form an within the lubrication oil giving considerable informationunderlying component of condition monitoring, however this about the condition of the measured machinery. By creatingis only true if the inspection results can be measured or and monitoring a trend of what debris is being generated it iscritiqued against a documented set of guidelines. For these possible to detect faults prior to catastrophic failure of rotatinginspections to be considered condition monitoring, the results equipment such as gearboxes, turbines and so on.and the conditions at the time of observation must be collatedto allow for comparative analysis against the previous and The Criticality Index is often used to determine the degree onfuture measurements. The act of simply visually inspecting a condition monitoring on a given machine taking into accountsection of pipe work for the presence of cracks or leaks cannot the machines purpose, redundancy , cost of repair, downtimebe considered condition monitoring unless quantifiable impacts, health, safety and environment issues and a number ofparameters exist to support the inspection and a relative other key factors. The criticality index puts all machines intocomparison is made against previous inspections. one of three categories. Critical machinery are machines that are vital to the plant or process and without which the plant orAn act performed in isolation to previous inspections is process cannot function. Machines in this category include theconsidered a Condition Assessment, Condition Monitoring steam or gas turbines in a power plant, crude oil export pumpsactivities require that analysis is made comparative to previous on an oil rig or the cracker in an oil refinery. With criticaldata and reports the trending of that comparison. Slight machinery being at the heart of the process it is seen to requiretemperature variations across a surface can be discovered with full on-line condition monitoring to continually record asvisual inspection and non-destructive testing with much data from the machine as possible regardless of cost andthermograph. Heat is indicative of failing components, is often specified by the plant insurance.especially degrading electrical contacts and terminations.Thermograph can also be successfully applied to high-speedbearings, fluid couplings, conveyor rollers, and storage tankinternal build-up.Using a Scanning Electron Microscope of a carefully takensample of debris suspended in lubricating oil, instruments thenreveals the elements contained in their proportions, size andmorphology. Using this method, the site, the mechanicalfailure mechanism and the time to eventual failure may bedetermined. This is called WDA - Wear Debris Analysis.Spectrographic oil analysis that tests the chemical compositionof the oil can be used to predict failure modes. For examplehigh silicon content indicates contamination of grit etc, andhigh iron levels indicate wearing components. Individually,elements give fair indications, but when used together they canvery accurately determine failure modes e.g. for internalcombustion engines, the presence of iron/alloy, and carbonwould indicate worn piston rings. Ultrasound can be used forhigh-speed and slow-speed mechanical applications and forhigh-pressure fluid situations. Digital ultrasonic metersmeasure high frequency signals from bearings and display theresult as a dBuV (decibels per microvolt) value. This value istrended over time and used to predict increases in friction,rubbing, impacting, and other bearing defects. The dBuV valueis also used to predict proper intervals for re-lubrication.Ultrasound monitoring, if done properly, proves out to be agreat companion technology for vibration analysis. 31

Collision Avoidance SystemAn intelligent collision avoidance system is expected to evaluate the actual threat situation and to provideassistance with the driving task or appropriate level of warning to the operator. Unnecessary or False alarmsneed to be avoided at all cost since the operator will eventually stop using the safety system.When it comes to Mining, a collision avoidance the successful implementation of the system. The primary system is an automobile safety system designed to proximity system addresses many of the risk scenarios reduce the severity of an accident. They are currently occurring in most mine operation. Nevertheless ansophisticated fail-safe methods to prevent collisions between additional level of integrity would provide more functionalitypersonnel and vehicles. These systems have the ability to and address more risk situations.differentiate between personnel and vehicles or machinery andallows for a \"go-slow\" mode in restricted areas. It uses radar A Close Proximity sub-system is based on range sensors thatand sometimes laser and camera to detect an imminent crash. can detect the presence of an active tag in proximity. OtherOnce the detection is done, these systems either provide a sensors can be added for extended coverage such uswarning to the driver when there is an imminent collision or underneath the truck if required. Light vehicles typically havetake action autonomously without any drivers input by a single sensor and this approach is also used to implement thebraking, steering or both. Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS) personnel proximity hardware but based on low power deviceswas basically developed to prevent injury and possible loss of with optimized software to extend the sensor autonomy. Withlife from the operation of mining vehicles in the proximity of this option the mine personnel can be made part of themining personnel. In mines, it is impossible for the vehicle proximity network and will provide warning to haul trucksoperator to be fully aware of all personnel and light vehicles in when people are in proximity. For an active detection system, itthe immediate vicinity at all times. The system should provide is important that there is redundancy in the system. This isan early warning indication that alerts the operator to the essential when there is a failure in one of the active systemspresence and number of personnel and vehicles in the since there will be a backup system to detect nearby vehicles.immediate vicinity. There is a number of active detection systems used in mine sites. One is based on a high bandwidth, long range systemBeing a proximity alert system, it is defined as a system to using 2.4GHz wireless mesh networks and autonomous GPS.detect the presence of other nearby haul trucks, light vehicles The second is based on a 430 MHz network system thator personnel. This system can be used for collision avoidance provides low bandwidth data transfer capabilities and rangeand is most useful in adverse environmental conditions such as and identification information.dust, fog and rain and under operator fatigue. There are twocommon types of collision avoidance systems available in The monitoring of the operation of the system is performed atmining environments known as active systems where specially the base station/s usually located in the crusher. The positionsfitted vehicles communicate through some kind of network, and events relating to each truck and its proximity to otherand passive detection systems where each vehicle must use resources are then downloaded to the base station and thesensors to try and detect other vehicles such as radars. An information downloaded to the base station is then transferredintelligent collision avoidance system is expected to evaluate to a server and becomes available to the mine database system.the actual threat situation and to provide assistance with thedriving task or appropriate level of warning to the operator. This information will be used for integrity and monitoringUnnecessary or False alarms need to be avoided at all cost purposes. The Base Station / server computers are not strictlysince the operator will eventually stop using the safety system. necessary for the operation of the proximity system.That is one of the reason why approaches based on only passive Nevertheless, these components are essential to monitor,sensors had not been very successful. design and improve the safety operation in a mine site. The operator interface is the unit responsible for processing all theA successful implementation of a safety system must include a information obtained by the different proximity sub-systems,comprehensive combination of sensing and intelligence to be evaluates the threat situations and generate the appropriateable to determine not only that there are resources in proximity actions/alarms depending of the agreed reporting capabilities.but to know what these resources are doing which detects their The Inference engine becomes an essential part of theposition, velocity and direction of travel. This is essential to proximity system to prevent false alarms since in many normalevaluate the actual threat of collision to generate an cases there will be many conditions that can potentiallyappropriate level of warning or to provide assistance to the generate alarms. It is the responsibility of the inference enginedriver to perform a manoeuvre. The Primary detection System, to analyse and understand the situation and report only theas used in Collision Avoidance use mesh wireless network with most vital information to the operator. The reporting could be aGPS sensors. Each resource broadcast its information with and combination of sound and/or voice command in cases ofadaptive sampling time and receives the position of all other extreme risk or it can be graphical aids.agents in proximity. The system should be able to detect otherresources at far ranges depending on line of sight conditions.The mesh network can also enable the detection of resourcesnot in line of sight through retransmission from anotherresource. Each agent has full information of position, velocityand heading of all the agents in the area. This information isused for the implementation of different warnings dependingon the actual threat. The level and type of warnings isdetermined with the information provided by mine managersand the operators as their input and acceptance is essential for32

Becker Mining South Africa – CAS - vehicle to person alertThe detection of vehicles (vehicle to vehicle alert) and personnel (vehicle to person alert) is highlighted tothe driver by changing the ambient lighting colour of the cabin with multicolour LED strips.Becker Mining South Africa - CAS - vehicle to person alert Becker Mining The ability of the South Africa has company's latest been at the forefront generation of collision equipment to black avoidance systems box record and (CAS) – in the then report mining sector - for possible incidents over 15 years. to a centralised management“Our systems, which are designed for surface and underground informationenvironments, have evolved progressively, based on system -advancements in technologies and expanding expectations through the Becker Mining Systems communication networksfrom customers, of the functionality of these systems,” says - plays an important role in pre-emptive operational planning.Andrew Trentelman, senior general manager: electronics, This ultimately contributes to the avoidance of proximityBecker Mining South Africa. “Throughout the development of related accidents and collisions, as well as pinch and crushthe CAS product portfolio, the company has maintained incidents. Tags installed on vehicles and personnel facilitatecompatibility of the latest technologies, with even the very additional value added functionality, such as tagging andearliest releases of CAS solutions. tracking, as well as remote evacuation signalling.“This approach has ensured that users' investment in these The increased visibility safety officers now have of dailymine safety technologies would always be protected to the activities in potential near-miss hot spots, as well as the abilitygreatest extent possible, against the effects of obsolescence, as to issue mine wide evacuation instructions to personnel witha result of technological improvement. Inevitably, this has the push of a button on surface control systems, ensures a saferresulted in a series of readily available multi-technology working environment.components, used in combination with CAS systems, to suitexact requirements. Becker's ability to combine the most appropriate technologies in high density packaging (such as the innovative TCT3 Tri-“The flexibility of Becker's modular CAS system has proved to Tech cap lamp tag) has made the realisation of these mixedbe a success story and the contemporary CAS solutions now mode detection technologies affordable to customers.offer cost effective solutions, specifically tailored to the needsof our customers' vehicular and personnel inter-operational The most common underground systems now integrate trueenvironments. These systems are delivered and maintained triple axis (X,Y,Z) electromagnetic field detection with firstwell within allocated safety system budgets.” generation UHF radio signal strength detection and Becker's highly accurate time of flight radar technologies.In many cases, low profile machines operate in physicallyconstrained surroundings, with limited visibility for vehicle The company has recognised, through extensive experience inoperators. This common scenario, coupled with the increasing real world operational conditions, that no single technologyvolume of production traffic and inevitable proximity of adequately addresses the demanding functional requirementspersonnel around these machines, creates circumstances of a truly reliable collision awareness and avoidance solution.conducive to injury, as well as life threatening and fatal However, not all scenarios demand the use of multipleaccidents. technologies.The company's internationally patented tri-technology Miners can be cautioned when they are in close proximity tosolution, with 'critical', 'warning', 'caution' and 'safe' zones, has one or more vehicles. This may be implemented by dipping thebeen designed to leverage the maximum reliability, cap lamp light intensity, alarming an acoustic buzzer, orrepeatability, redundancy and scalability to customers. flashing an independent light, as a function of the number of vehicles in close proximity. This bi-directional alert systemBecker's third and fourth CAS solutions remain in full scale empowers miners to act in a safe manner underground, byproduction and are fully supported through extensive pre and sharing the responsibility of avoiding close encountersafter sales programmes. In addition to core vehicular between vehicle operators and miners.equipment, these solutions are complemented by personneltags, vehicle tags, infrastructure and self-test equipment, as Becker's CAS solutions may be implemented using only thewell connectivity solutions to Becker's extensive underground traditional UHF 'received signal strength' proximity detectorcommunication product portfolio. technology, or may include the earth penetrating electromagnetic and highly accurate radar technologies, as appropriate. The ability of these systems to interface with the machines and vehicles they are installed into, ensures enhanced safety and substantial value added functionality in the mining sector. 33





Material Conveying SystemsA conveyor system is a common piece of mechanical conveying material from one loading handling equipment that moves materials from one point to a number of unloading points and location to another. Conveyors are especially useful in Combination systems, in which a suction applications involving the transportation of heavy or system is used to convey material from abulky materials. Conveyor systems allow quick and efficient number of loading points and a pressuretransportation for a wide variety of materials, which make system is employed to deliver it to athem very popular in the material handling and packaging number of unloading points.industries. Vibrating Conveyor SystemsMany kinds of conveying systems are available, and are used A Vibrating Conveyor is a machine with a solid conveyingaccording to the various needs of different industries due to the surface which is turned up on the side to form a trough. Theynumerous benefits they provide. Conveyors are able to safely are used extensively in food grade applications wheretransport materials from one level to another, which when done sanitation, wash-down and low maintenance are essential.by human labor would be strenuous and expensive. They can Vibrating conveyors are also suitable for harsh, very hot, dirty,be installed almost anywhere, and are much safer than using a or corrosive environments. They can be used to convey newlyforklift or other machine to move materials. They can also cast metal parts which may reach upwards of 1,500 °F (820move loads of all shapes, sizes and weights. Also, many have °C). Due to the fixed nature of the conveying pans vibratingadvanced safety features that help prevent accidents. There are conveyors can also perform tasks such as sorting, screening,a variety of options available for running conveying systems, classifying and orienting parts. Vibrating conveyors have beenincluding the hydraulic, mechanical and fully automated built to convey material at angles exceeding 45° fromsystems, which are equipped to fit individual needs. horizontal using special pan shapes. Flat pans will convey most materials at a 5° Incline from horizontal line.Many factors are important in the accurate selection of aconveyor system. It is important to know how the conveyorsystem will be used beforehand. Some individual areas that arehelpful to consider are the required conveyor operations, suchas transportation, accumulation and sorting, the material sizes,weights and shapes and where the loading and pickup pointsneed to be. A conveyor system is often the lifeline to acompany's ability to effectively move its product in a timelyfashion. The steps that a company can take to ensure that itperforms at peak capacity include regular inspections andsystem audits. Company can also keep close monitoring ofmotors and reducers, keeping key parts in stock and propertraining of personnel. Increasing the service life of yourconveyor system involves choosing the right conveyor type,the right system design and paying attention to regularmaintenance practices. A conveyor system that is designedproperly will last a long time with proper maintenance.Pneumatic Conveyor SystemsEvery pneumatic system, would makes use of pipes or ductscalled transportation lines that carry mixture of materials and astream of air. These materials include dry pulverized or freeflowing or light powdery materials like cement, fly ash etc.These materials can be transported conveniently to variousdestinations by means of a stream of high velocity air throughpipe lines. Products are moved through various tubes via airpressure, allowing for extra vertical versatility. Pneumaticconveyors are either carrier systems or dilute-phase systems.Carrier systems simply push items from one entry point to oneexit point, such as the money-exchanging pneumatic tubesused at a bank drive-through window. Dilute-phase systemsuse push-pull pressure to guide materials through various entryand/or exit points. It is important to note that either aircompressors, vacuums, or blowers can be used to generate theair. This will all depend on what the engineers think will be themost efficient and economical way of developing the system.Three basic systems that are used to generate high velocity airstream include;Suction or vacuum systems which utilize a vacuum created inthe pipeline to draw the material with the surrounding air.Pressure-type systems, in which a positive pressure is used topush material from one point to the next. The system is ideal for36

Flexible Conveyor Systems The flexible conveyor is based on a Heavy Duty Roller Conveyors Heavy Duty roller conveyors are used for moving items that conveyor beam in aluminum or are at least 500 lbs. This type of conveyor makes the handling of such heavy equipment/products easier and more time stainless steel, with low friction slide effective. Many of the heavy duty roller conveyors can move as fast as 75 feet/minute. Other types of heavy duty roller rails guiding a plastic multi-flexing conveyors are gravity roller conveyor, chain driven live roller conveyor, pallet accumulation conveyor, multi-strand chain chain. Products to be conveyed travel conveyor, and chain & roller transfers. Gravity roller conveyors are extremely easy to use and are used in manydirec tly on the conveyor or on different types of industries such as automotive and retail. Chain driven live roller conveyors are used for single or bi-pallets/ carriers. These conveyors can be directional material handling. Large heavy loads are moved by chain driven live rollerworked around obstacles and keep production conveyors. Pallet accumulation conveyors are powered through a mechanical clutch. This is used instead oflines flowing. They are made at varying levels and can work in individually powered and controlled sections of conveyors. Multi-strand chain conveyors are used for double pitch rollermultiple environments. They are used in food packaging, case chains. Products that cannot be moved on traditional roller conveyors can be moved by a multi-strand chain conveyor.packing, and pharmaceutical industries but also in retail stores. Chain & roller conveyors are short runs of two or more strands of double pitch chain conveyor built into a chain driven lineVertical Conveyor Systems and Spiral Conveyors roller conveyor. These pop up under the load and move the loadVertical conveyor are also commonly referred to as freight lifts off of the conveyor and material lifts which are 37 conveyor systems used to raise or lower materials to different levels of a facility during the handling process. Examples of these conveyors applied in the industrial assembly process include transporting materials to different floors. While similar in look tofreight elevators, vertical conveyors are not equipped totransport people, only materials. Vertical lift conveyorscontain two adjacent, parallel conveyors for simultaneousupward movement of adjacent surfaces of the parallelconveyors.The dual conveyors rotate in opposite directions, but areoperated from one gear box to insure equal belt speed. One ofthe conveyors is pivotally hinged to the other conveyor forswinging the pivotally attached conveyor away from theremaining conveyor for access to the facing surfaces of theparallel conveyors. Vertical lift conveyors can be manually orautomatically loaded and controlled.Almost all vertical conveyors can be systematically integratedwith horizontal conveyors, since both of these conveyorsystems work in tandem to create a cohesive material handlingassembly line. In similarity to vertical conveyors, spiralconveyors raise and lower materials to different levels of afacility. In contrast, spiral conveyors are able to transportmaterial loads in a continuous flow. Industries that require ahigher output of materials such as food and beverage, retailcase packaging, pharmaceuticals typically incorporate theseconveyors into their systems over standard vertical conveyorsdue to their ability to facilitate high throughput. Most spiralconveyors also have a lower angle of incline or decline toprevent sliding and tumbling during operation.Vertical Conveyor with ForksSimilar to spiral conveyors, a vertical conveyor that use forksare able to transport material loads in a continuous flow. With these forks the load can be taken from one horizontal conveyor and put down on another horizontal conveyor on a different level. By adding more forks more products can be lifted at the same time. Conventional vertical conveyors have the restriction that the input and output of material loads must have the same direction. By using forks many combinations of different input and output levels in different directions are possible. A vertical conveyor with forks can evenbe used as a vertical sorter. Compared to a spiral conveyor avertical conveyor with or without forks takes up less space.

THE USE OF MFS MATERIAL CONVEYOR SYSTEMS IN THE MINING SECTORTO IMPROVE BALLAST CLEANING EFFICIENCY1. Introduction A locomotive shunts the hopper closer and further from theThe ballast bed fulfils critically important functions for the ballast cleaner to fill the hopper as far as is possible. It takesreliable, affordable, available, maintainability and safe approximately 20 to 30 minutes to fill the one hopper,passage of trains. One of the important functions is to provide depending on ballast condition.large voids to allow effective drainage of water entering theballast bed. This implies that the ballast bed must be free of Figure 2 : The Locomotive Shunts the Hopper Closer andfine material between the ballast stones. Further from the Ballast Cleaner to Fill it as Close as Possible to its CapacityFine material in the ballast bed generally emanates from ballastdegradation caused by ballast fracture and abrasion, external Once the hopper nearest to the ballast cleaner is full, the ballastinfiltration of fines blown or washed into the ballast bed, cleaning operation is stopped. All the hoppers are shunted to amaterial dropped from traffic and infiltration from underlying yard to uncouple the full hopper. The remaining emptygranular layers. This fine material will start to fill the void hoppers are shunted back to the ballast cleaner. Depending onspaces between the ballast stones preventing effective the distance to the yard, the ballast cleaning machine will bedrainage. idle for up to 25 minutes. This process of filling and shunting the full hopper to a yardAs the void spaces start filling with fine material, damage will continues until all the available hoppers are full. If all thestart becoming evident to the whole track structure due to the hoppers are full before the end of the occupation, the ballastlack of resilience in the ballast bed; sleepers may start cleaning operation will prematurely end.breaking, corrugations may develop on the rail crown, tamping This process is very ineffective since the hoppers are also notbecomes ineffective and during the last stages before failure, designed for this purpose resulting in a great deal of spoilthe fines would have retained moisture to the extent that the wasted back onto the ballast. The greatest inefficiencyformation fails and reconstruction becomes necessary. however lies with idle time of the ballast cleaner.The importance of ballast cleaning can therefore not be overemphasized. To reinstate the functions of the ballast bed, aballast cleaning machine is used to excavate the entire ballastbed and separate the fine material from the reusable ballaststones using a selection of sieves. The reusable ballast isreturned to the track whereas the fine material can either bespoiled alongside the track or can be spoiled into wagons forremoval to an environmentally approved spoil site.Spoiling the fines screened from the ballast bed alongside thetrack has numerous disadvantages though, includingenvironmental pollution, the blocking of drains, etc.Many mines have realised this and are making an effort toremove the spoil. An added advantage of removing the spoiledmaterial is that it can be re-mined for the valuable minerals thatfell from the hoppers between the mine and the processingplant.2. Current Method in Use of Spoil Removal at MinesSome mines are currently using four to six standard hoppers,each with a capacity of 60 ton for spoil removal.Figure 1: Empty Hopper Wagons are Shunted in38

3. MFS Conveyor Systems capacity at the end of a series of MFS wagons. ThisThe MFS material conveyor system was developed by Plasser predetermined number of filled wagons depends on the& Theurer of Austria to address and eliminate all the problems distance to the processing plant. The further the processingassociated with the use of standard railway wagons or hoppers plant, the more hoppers need to stay behind with the ballastfor the conveyance of spoil during ballast cleaning operations. cleaner so as not to prematurely stop the ballast cleaningIt is today extensively used all over the world as well as here in process.SouthAfrica by Transnet and Metrorail. MFS 1 MFS 2 MFS 3 MFS 1 MFS 2 MFS 3Figure 3: Ballast Cleaning Machine Spoiling into MFS 1 MFS 2 MFS 3MFS38 Spoil Conveyor Systems MFS 1 MFS 2 MFS 3The MFS is a high sided hopper wagon containing a floormounted main conveyor belt which covers the entire width of Figure 8: Working Principle of MFS Systemthe hopper. A slewing transfer conveyor belt is fitted to the oneend which operates independently from the floor conveyor belt The full unit/s are uncoupled and moved to the processingto either transfer its load forward, or discharge its load to the plant while the ballast cleaner continues to screen andside. Each MFS wagon is equipped with its own diesel discharge spoil into the remaining units of which the floorengine to drive the conveyor belts. The rotation speed of the conveyor belts are slowed down to fill it to capacity.main conveyor belt can be controlled. At the processing plant the MFS wagons can either slew theirFigure 4: Slewing Transfer Figure 5: Slewing Transfer transfer conveyor belts to the side and discharge their loads to aConveyor Belt Transferring Conveyor Belt Discharging stock pile at 4,400 mm from track centre or can discharge itsthe Spoil Forward the Spoil to the Side load forward. All the wagons can be emptied simultaneously if discharging takes place to the side. Discharging takes approximately 6 minutes. The empty wagons return to the working site where they can be coupled to the wagons that remained behind. The content of the units that remained behind with the ballast cleaner is transferred again to the last unit/s. This process of filling and emptying can continue uninterruptedly without affecting the ballast cleaning operation. For more information contact Danie Minnaar Plasser SouthAfrica Tel: +27 (0)11 761 2421Figure 6: The Conveyor Figure 7: The ConveyorSpeed is Set to a High Speed Speed is Controlled to a Lowto Transfer the Spoil to the Speed to Fill the Hopper toNext Hopper CapacityIn South Africa, MFS conveyor systems are available with a 24m³, 26 m³ or 38 m³ hopper, depending on the applicationrequirements. Aself-propelled unit is also available.4.The working principle of the MFS Conveyor SystemDuring ballast cleaning the floor conveyor belts can be sloweddown and transfer conveyor belts switched off one after theother, to fill a predetermined number of MFS hopper/s to 39



Becker Mining South Africa has extended its range of Tractel personal protectionequipment to now include the new Travsmart lifeline system, which is designedfor safe and reliable use by up to five workers at one time.Becker Mining South Africa has extended its range of Travsmart single cable lifelineTractel personal protection equipment to now includethe new Travsmart lifeline system, which is designedfor safe and reliable use by up to five workers at onetime.“Travsmart is a single cable lifeline which facilitatesautomatic travel through intermediate and turnanchors, with no need for manual intervention. A usercan pass right or left of the lifeline, without the havingto unhook the system when changing sides. This is akey feature for enhanced safety during installations,cleaning or maintenance,” says Charlotte Megannon,product manager for Becker Mining South Africa.“The flexibility of this system means it can be easilyinstalled in all configurations, with inclinations of upto 15°. Travsmart can be mounted on traditional andlow strength structures, including under ceilings, onwalls, under an inclined surface, on the ground or on apost.“This lifeline cable system, which is quick to set upwithout the need for heavy assembly tools, eliminatesthe risks of an incorrectly crimped cable end.Intermediate supports can be easily changed ifnecessary and in the event of a fall, components arereplaced, without having to disassemble the entire thelifeline.”Travsmart consists of a slider - which is an opening-type anchor point that slides on the lifeline cable andcan be positioned and removed anywhere along thelifeline. For user convenience, this device can beopened with one hand only. This positive-lockingsafety slider prevents an unintentional release fromthe lifeline. Self-blocking end-pieces ensure thelifeline cable is always under tension (100 kg).Other components include galvanised or stainlesssteel cable (5 strands x 19 wires, or 7 strands x 19wires) with a cable thimble, INRS shock absorbers, aswell as intermediate and angle supports.Becker Mining South Africa's range of Tractelequipment, which includes lifting and pullingequipment, as well as personal protection systems,meets stringent international safety and qualityspecifications.The company offers a test, repair and maintenanceservice to ensure all equipment operates in perfectcondition.For further information Charlotte Megannon, BeckerMining SouthAfricaPO Box 124185,Alrode, 1451Telephone: (011) 617 6300Telefax : (011) 908 5806Email: info@za.becker-mining.comWeb: www.za.becker-mining.com 41



Kapulo Copper Mine, DRCKapulo Copper Mine Project owned by Mawson West, The project involves the development of an open-cut mine. is located in the south-eastern corner of the DRC- The company has concluded its extensive work, which Haut Katanga District, Katanga Province between included the infill and extensional drilling undertaken in 2013,Lake Mweru and Lake Tanganyika, about 15 km from new geological interpretations and updated resourceZambian border. estimates, an extensive program of metallurgical test work, complete revision of cost and revenue parameters, re-The Kapulo mine project consist of three deposits thats Shaba, optimisation and design of open pits, and new mining andSafari north and Safari South. Shaba and Safari, which are processing schedules.separated by a sequent of the Kapulo Fault about 2kms longwhich is only weakly mineralized. The deposits are each about The mineral Reserves inventory supports a 6.3 year mine life,20m wide and 200 m long. Shaba extends down-plunge for at average annual production of 19, 400 tonnes of copper inleast 370 m, whereas Safari pinches and narrows below 100 m. concentrate and approximately 122, 00 tonnes total recoveredThey occur at places where Kapulo Fault strikes North- copper over the life of the mine.northwest, in contrast to its overall NNE orientation. At the end of mine life, an additional 653, 000 tonnes @ 1.05%At surface, the Kapulo orebodies comprise wide clay-altered Cu or 6, 800 tonnes of contained copper will remain in low-zones containing abundant copper carbonates and oxides. grade stockpiles.This oxidised zone passes abruptly downwards into primarymineralisation dominated by copper and iron sulphides, with Predicted copper recoveries and concentrate grades vary bylittle or no transition zone. The sulfide minerals occur as material type (oxide, transition and sulphide ores) and bymassive to semimassive stratiform replacements of the deposit (Shaba, Safari North and Safari South deposits),greywacke and occasionally as breccia cements and veinlet resulting in a series of economic cut-off grades being appliednetworks in greywacke and granite. to delineate Mineral Reserves.The handing-wall to the Kapulo deposits is a quartz sandstone. The high conversion of Mineral Reserves from Probable toThis is separated from mineralized carbonaceous, laminated Proven (86%) underpins the improvement in confidence forgreywacke by the main strand of the Kapulo Fault. The the project. The updated Mineral Reserves inventory alsofootwall of the deposits is marked by a subordinate fault confirms an expected average production profile of more thanstrand, along which sedimentary rocks have been juxtaposed 19, 400 tonnes of copper in concentrate per annum over theagainst massive syenogranite. The hanging-wall fault marks a current 6.3 year life.knife-edge boundary of the mineralization, whereas the lowerfault strand commonly hosts, or is cut by copper 43mineralization.

Fatigue Monitoring SystemsOne of the most important aspects to watch out for while Connected to this base unit is a remote display, similar in size operating heavy machinery, it’s that one should do it to a typical GPS display in passenger cars. This display while drowsy or fatigued. This is a common practice provides real time information to the operator, and relays observed in most Mining based environments, yet in visual and audio alarms if specific fatigue criteria are met. Thesome unfortunate circumstances, such things happen all the remote display can be used without a base unit as a fatiguetime, with disastrous results. Such accidents may be a thing of monitoring solution in light vehicles or other plant in whichthe past, through implementation of various system aimed at redundancy is not required.warning or allerting when operators are just a little bit too tired. SmartCap vs HardhatThese systems are known as Fatigue Monitoring Systems. Hardhats are an important part of your personal protectiveUsing an infrared camera designed strong enough to see equipment (PPE) and should always be used as directed. Asthrough sunglasses, the Fatigue Monitoring Systems pays such, you should never wear a SmartCap or any otherclose attention to the eyes of those operating heavy duty headwear underneath your hardhat. If your operatingvehicles to check for signs of tiredness that could lead to environment allows you to work without a hardhat (e.g. insideaccidents down the line. the operators cab of an excavator or haul truck), you can certainly use the SmartCap but should always wear a hardhatThe system sends a visual feed of the operator’s eyes through whenever required.to an image-processing computer that tracks how often theoperator is blinking and how long each blink takes. That There is an understanding of the need for real-time fatigueinformation is used to calculate just how close to microsleep, management for personnel that work in environments whereotherwise known as dozing the operator may be. If it points that hardhats are mandatory, and have developed a prototypethe operator is “too close,” then the system will gently ensure hardhat that has tested well. Work is continuing on furtherthe operator is kept awake by vibrating the seat and emitting a testing and recertification of this version.shrill alarm.For those who feel that such a loud alarm runs the risk ofcausing the operator to overreact and create an accident, thereis an alternative. If the operator is judged to be distracted butnot sleepy, a caution message will be emitted instead.Through various tests conducted by various manufacturers,these Fatigue Monitoring Systems have managed to reducefatigue-related accidents by a high percentage, a figure that iseven more impressive when you realize that fatigue has beenknown to be behind a high percentage of operator causedaccidents in Mining related workplaces.One of the most common and widely used system used inFatigue Monitoring is the SmartCap System. The SmartCap isworn like a typical baseball cap, where operators are providedwith their own, low-cost caps that contain basic electronicsconcealed in the cap lining. The core electronics are containedin a card-like package that may be inserted in a connector onthe underside of the brim, or docked in the base unit for testingand recharging. Drivers keep their own cap with them (as withtheir hardhat), and insert a card into the brim of their cap onceinside the cab.The base unit is capable of holding and recharging up to threecards (known as SmartCap Fatigue Processors), and ismountable either on or under the dashboard area, or in anoverhead position similar to some two-way radio consoles.Three cards are kept in the truck to provide double redundancyin the event of system faults, flat batteries, or operatorsaccidently taking the cards out of the truck after shift. Rearconnectors allow connection to a back to base system, andallow in-cab diagnostics to be conducted.44

Driver status monitor system utilizes image processing techniquesand inertial signals to detect drunk driving, driver distraction, anddriver fatigueCentralised monitoring – protecting your entire fleet Both the How DSS worksSmartCap display and the base unit provide standard serial The DSS-IVS (in vehicle system) uses a small, console-connections to most remote monitoring systems. When used in mounted camera to track operator eye behavior, determine thecombination with the SmartCap Fatigue Manager Server, driver’s drowsiness state and detect micro sleeps the instantoperations can effectively monitor the fatigue information of they occur. Audio and seat vibration alarms immediately alertan entire fleet of SmartCap users in real-time. The base unit the operator, and site dispatchers are notified of incidents inalso provides Ethernet connectivity. real-time.The Fatigue Manager supervisor interface delivers audible and The flexible, non-contact solutionvisual fatigue alarms based on site-specific criteria. It also The DSS system works equally well day and night, even if anallows review of single and multiple shift fatigue histories of operator wears tinted safety glasses or prescription eyewear.individual users and also the remote customisation of various And unlike otherfatigue alert criterion. This system works with the in-cab companies’ solutions that require drivers to wear awkwardequipment to provide a comprehensive fatigue monitoring proprietary “tethered” glasses with infrared eye sensors or capssolution, which complements existing fatigue management with brain monitoring electrodes, DSS is non-contact andstrategies. requires no calibration. Your drivers just get in and drive. Nothing could be easier.Another commonly used system is the DSS (DecisionSupport System). The 24/7 demands of mining operations can DSS Advantagesincrease the risk of fatigue-related incidents for vehicle Drivers are not required to wear special equipment, Real-timeoperators and those working around them. Seeing Machines’ detection of drowsiness & distraction and In-cab alerts provideDSS reduces that risk by making driver safety the priority. The last line of defense against accidents.DSS solution is a robust, automatic platform that uses cuttingedge eye tracking algorithms to detect operator drowsiness and 45distraction. It has been specifically designed forstraightforward deployment into vehicles & environmentswhere fatigue and attention must be monitored and managed inreal time.

Complete mobile on-site air, power, light, and now also pump solutions from a single sourceAtlas Copco Portable Energy leads the market as a “Portable Energy's value proposition differentiates us as asingle source supplier of turnkey on-site mobile preferred supplier of portable energy products that aresolutions with the development and extension of its inherently energy efficient, light-weight, compact, easy topump portfolio to complement the division's move and transport, meeting customers' exact needs andalready well-established range of compressors, contributing to enhanced customer productivity at the lowestgenerators and light towers. cost of ownership over the products' lifetime.” The division's six-point value proposition begins with a focus on customer“The shared synergies between Portable Energy's needs.three pillars - compressors, generators and lighttowers – made the development of our dewatering Atlas Copco is a world-leading provider of sustainablepump ranges to form a fourth pillar within the productivity solutions. The Group serves customers withdivision a natural progression,” explains Portable innovative compressors, vacuum solutions and air treatmentEnergy Business Line Manager, David Stanford. systems, construction and mining equipment, power tools andHe notes that pumps are not new comers to the Atlas assembly systems. Atlas Copco develops products and serviceCopco portfolio with small hydraulic as well as focused on productivity, energy efficiency, safety andpneumatic and electrical submersible pumps ergonomics. The company was founded in 1873, is based inhaving been part of the offering for quite a few Stockholm, Sweden, and has a global reach spanning moreyears. “We have now made a solid strategic than 180 countries. In 2015, Atlas Copco had revenues ofcommitment which will ensure that our pumps enjoy BSEK 102 (BEUR 11) and more than 43 000 employees. Learnthe same focus and investment as our compressors, more at www.atlascopcogroup.comgenerators and light towers and I am really most pleased thatour hard work is finally coming to fruition.” Roll out of the Atlas Copco's Construction Technique business area providesexpanded pump portfolio which relates to both pressure and construction and demolition tools, portable compressors,flow-rate capacities, will take place over the coming months. pumps and generators, lighting towers, and compaction and paving equipment. It offers service through a global network.The efficient and safe removal and disposal of water from a job Construction Technique innovates for sustainable productivitysite is fundamental to maintaining safety and productivity. in infrastructure, civil works, oil and gas, energy, drilling and“Performance under pressure within the most challenging road construction projects. Principal product development andenvironments is where our pump ranges perform to their manufacturing units are located in Belgium, Germany,maximum,” affirms Stanford. Suitable for transporting or Sweden, the United States, China, India and Brazil.lifting water with abrasive solids in suspension, the pumps areideal for applications such as construction and mine-site Portable Energy is a division within Atlas Copco'sdewatering and diversion of flood water or streams. Construction Technique business area. It develops, manufactures and markets portable compressors, highThe comprehensive range of electrical submersible and self- pressure boosters and generators for portable powerpriming diesel pumps available from Atlas Copco Portable worldwide. Products are offered under several brands to a wideEnergy provide solutions for virtually any mobile dewatering range of industries including construction, mining, oil and gas,application within the flow range of 210 – 16500 l/min. and rental. The divisional headquarters and main development center are located in Antwerp, Belgium. Production facilitiesThe portable dewatering pump range saw further extension in are located around the world, mainly Belgium, Spain, USA,January 2016 with Atlas Copco's acquisition of Varisco. India, Brazil and China.“Varisco's Padua location has become the dedicated globalcompetence centre for pump development within Atlas CopcoPortable Energy complementing our other two globalcompetency centres in Antwerp (air) and Zaragoza (power andlight),” adds Stanford.The new motor design of the Weda 50 and 60 electricalsubmersible pumps has resulted in improved power to weightratios. The Weda hydraulic parts deliver enhancedperformance with flow management from 225 to 16 500 litresper minute with a maximum head of 85m. Stanford also revealsthat as a result of customer demand, a diesel driven opencanopy range will also be introduced in Q4 2016.“The same unique value proposition and forward-thinkingapproach that underpin our compressor, generator and lighttower ranges are assigned to our pumps,” notes Stanford. “It isabout continuously improving product performance,reliability and efficiency to take on even the most stringentconditions and here engineering and manufacturingexcellence, environmental consciousness and expert serviceall come into play.”46

Tongon gold mine located in Generac Mobile Products set to expand inIvory Coast, West Africa the African mining markets.The Tongon gold mine project is situated in the Generac Mobile Products, the Italy based manufacturer ofNorthern region of Cóte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), almost commercial site lighting towers have confirmed several orders fromon the border between Mali and Burkina Faso - West the mining industry in Africa. The orders were placed through theirAfrica, is on track to achieve its production , was the official African dealer Pilot Crushtec, for a fleet of VT8 4x1000 andfirst process plant to be erected in the Ivory Coast. This VT1 4x1500 lighting sets.project is owned by Randgold Resources. Pilot Crushtec's head office is based in Boksburg, South Africa.In 2014, significant progress was made in dealing with They provide a range of products to the local mining, oil and gas andthe recovery, as well as throughput challenges that construction industries. During recent months, they have supplied atroubled the operation in the mine's early stages. range of mobile lighting towers to many important firms within the African excavation industriesAs part of an upgrade, the Tongon mine's crushers werereplaced after initial equipment failures, in addition to Generac Mobile Products have developed both the VT8 4x1000 andcompleting initial phase of a flotation circuit upgrade. VT1 4x1500 sets to be ideally suited for the mining sector, combining clear lighting efficiency with low operating costs and aRandgold Resources chief executive Mark Bristow robust structure.said that the commissioning of its new flotation circuitand the ongoing expansion of the crushing circuit were The VT8 has been developed to operate in arduous environmentshaving the expected impact on production and costs. such as costal, tropical and mining locations. It has an individually designed, whisper-quiet, canopy protected by a toughened, treatedThe construction of the upgraded flotation circuit is surface and fitted with safe lockable doors. The VT8 features acomplete, while automation and optimisation are in strengthened 75-litre capacity metal fuel tank, delivering over 30-progress. hours continuous operation between refuelling, and on-site stabilitySandvik and Randgold are jointly working on assured via three fully adjustable stabilisers. Safe bright, lighting ofoptimising the crushing circuit upgrade in a bid to meet up 67-lux at 32-metres is delivered from the VT8, via a manuallythe planned production outputs at the mine. operated vertical mast.The mine is expected to produce some 260,000oz of The VT1 is the flagship product from the Generac Mobile Productsgold at a total cash cost of $820 per ounce in 2015. range with thousands of sets delivered annually worldwide. TheAs operational pressure is easing, management is VT1 has similar robust qualities to the VT8, however the VT1expected to improve Tongon's ambitious social 4x1500 will deliver up to 250-lux at 32-metres, ensuing that all siteinitiatives, which have been designed to develop a workers are kept properly illuminated at all times. The VT1 4x1500sustainable agribusiness. features a hydraulically operated, single lever 9m mast, making it one of the simplest and safest lighting towers to operate.The strategy comprises two components, whichinclude an industrial agribusiness to replace the mine Both of these lighting towers can be assembled onto a skid base,after its closure and a community agribusiness that is making them easily towable on rough terrain. This arrangementbased on small farming operations. helps to avoid the inconvenience of damage to the undercarriage and reduce the risk of punctures etc., however they could also beProjects like these succeed only when there is a fitted onto a two-wheeled site or highway approved trailer,significant engagement by government, at central as whichever is the client's preference.well as local level, and when the local community isactively involved. Generac Mobile Products manufacture the world's largest range of mobile lighting towers for all lighting applications in the rental, construction, mining, rail, airport and event industries. The manufacturing plant for lighting towers is based in Villanova d'Ardenghi near Milan from where their products are supported through a strategically created network of worldwide distributors. The company is part of the US based Generac Power Systems Group. GENERAC MOBILE PRODUCTS S.r.l. Via Stazione, 3 Bis 27030 Villanova d'Ardenghi (PV) Italy Tel. +39 0382 567 011 Fax +39 0382 400 247 davide.salesi@generac.com www.towerlight.com 47

EMERGENCY SHOWERS STATION SOLUTIONSAfter exposure to a hazardous substance, especially a corrosive substance, the first 10 to 15 seconds are very critical. Delaying treatment, even for a few seconds, may cause serious injury. Emergency showers provide on-the-spot decontamination which allows workers to flush away hazardoussubstances that can cause serious injury. Accidental chemical exposures can still occur even with good engineeringcontrols and safety precautions. As a result, it is essential to look beyond the use of goggles, face shields, andprocedures for using personal protective equipment.Emergency showers are a necessary backup to solution minimize the effects of accident exposure to chemicals.They can also be used effectively in extinguishing clothing fires or for flushing contaminants off clothing.Emergency showers are designed to flush the user's head and body. They should not be used to flush the user's eyesbecause the high rate or pressure of water flow could damage the eyes in some instances. Eyewash stationsare designed to flush the eye and face area only. There are combination units available that contain bothfeatures which includes a shower and eyewash.The need for emergency showers is based on the properties of the chemicals that workers use and thetasks that they do in the workplace. A job hazard analysis can provide an evaluation of the potentialhazards of the job and the work areas where the selection of protection station either emergency shower,eyewash or both should match the hazard.In some jobs or work areas, the effect of a hazard may be limited to the worker's face and eyes. Therefore, aneyewash station may be the appropriate device for worker protection. In other situations the worker may riskpart or full body contact with a chemical. In these areas, an emergency shower may be more appropriate. Acombination unit has the ability to flush any part of the body or all of the body. It is the most protective device andshould be used wherever possible.This unit is also appropriate in work areas where detailed information about the hazards is lacking, or wherecomplex, hazardous operations involve many chemicals with different properties. A combination unit is useful insituations where there are difficulties handling a worker who may not be able to follow directions because of intensepain or shock from an injury.To be effective, the equipment has to be accessible, with current recommendations that a person be able to reach theequipment in no more than 10 seconds. In practical terms, consider that the person who needs the equipment will beinjured, and may not have use of their vision, various bodies noted that the average person can walk 16 to 17 meters(55 feet) in 10 seconds, but this does not account for the physical and emotional state of the person in an emergency.As such, the \"10 second\" rule may be modified depending on the potential effect of the chemical.48