Minerals and metals process engineering company Consulmet launched its
5 t/h dense-media separation (DMS) test plant at its facilities in Modderfontein, in Johannesburg, in March.

The DMS test plant offers bulk DMS testing to clients and delivers results suited to their requirements. The plant can be used to test a range of commodities.

Whereas the company previously outsourced bulk testing, it can now offer clients an opportunity to upgrade their resource with the new DMS test plant, says Consulmet director Gavin Boyle.

Clients can provide a sample of their resources, which is then run through the DMS plant – at different densities, scenarios and pressures, among other factors – to determine if the resource is upgradable. The information gathered can then be used to design a fully customised processing plant for the client, with DMS as the core of the plant.

Collaborative Approach
The project was a collaboration between Consulmet and various equipment suppliers.

Project collaborators are enthusiastic about the plant, as it meets a “unique need” in the mining industry.

Consulmet identified a need in the mining industry for a sampling plant that would provide a definitive result for clients; after which it approached its regular mechanical equipment suppliers.

“This is a plant that represents the best equipment in the industry,” says Boyle.

The collaboration between Consulmet and its suppliers serves as an example of how the mining industry can benefit from companies’ respective offerings and improve their processing plant facilities.

Meanwhile, metallurgy and process engineering company Multotec MD Bheka Majola comments on Multotec’s enthusiasm to have contributed equipment to the project.

The company supplied about 70% of the mechanicals for the DMS circuit, including a Multotec DMS cyclone, a magnetic separator for ferrosilicon recovery, a densifier, a sieve bend, a static screen and polyurethane screen panels for the feed preparation, as well as DMS screens and pumps.

Collaborating on the facility contributes significantly towards developing knowledge and relationships with various suppliers and stakeholders, he adds.

Further, equipment supplier Vibramech supplied all the vibrating equipment, including vibrating screens and a tube feeder. The company designed the screens to suit the plant, once the mechanical and geometric details of the equipment were finalised, notes Vibramech MD David Massey.

Effective Testing
The DMS plant also offers equipment suppliers the opportunity to improve their equipment and test effectiveness.

Equipment suppliers are constantly striving to modify equipment to get better efficiencies, wear rates and overall improvements. Collaboration on the plants and sponsoring equipment for it enables suppliers to conduct testing on their equipment.

“It's very helpful for them because the information that they gather from this plant, when it is operating, serves their own research and development departments, in terms of bettering their equipment in the industry,” adds Boyle.

Multotec’s test facility is limited in terms of DMS test work and Consulmet’s DMS plant provides an easily accessible testing option for Multotec and other suppliers, notes Majola.

Consulmet also plans to collaborate with training institutes and training programmes to offer students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience regarding DMS plants and an understanding of how to operate such plants.

Students often lack on-site experience in the mining industry. Therefore, the plant will enable them to see a scaled-down version of the plants they will encounter at mines and to become familiar with the processes involved.

Consulmet will liaise with training institutes to develop a suitable training programme that meets industry needs. The company aims to introduce the developed industry-related and -certified programme next year, Boyle concludes.