Mineral processing performance is significantly enhanced by custom designing screen media that is suited to specific screening plants and caters for changing ore properties. General Manager of Business Solutions PAT CAPUTO explains.

CUSTOMISATION MEANS BETTER PERFORMANCE

Not all screen media is the same, nor should it be. For best performance, screen media needs to be custom designed to suit screening equipment, individual plant setup, and the unique and changing properties of the ore being processed. Elastomers Australia’s experience and data, collected from providing screen media products and services to 64 per cent of all Australian mining screens, shows that custom-designed decks reduce downtime, provide superior plant performance and lead to significant cost savings.

EXAMPLES

• A coal client in the Bowen Basin experienced a significant increase in magnetite consumption due to changes in coal quality over time. By monitoring those changes and tailoring solutions to suit, Elastomers Australia helped the client reduce magnetite usage and decrease the cost of screen media, equating to savings of more than $1.6m per annum.
• A similar focus with a Hunter Valley coal miner led to savings of nearly $400,000.
• For an iron ore miner in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, an ongoing R&D program has resulted in shutdown times extending from 12 to 24 weeks, at least 200 hours more plant availability per annum and a 25 per cent reduction in screen media use.

See our CASE STUDIES for more information.

TIME, PEOPLE AND TOOLING INNOVATION

To deliver such optimisation, rapid response times are vital at every step of the supply chain. That requires experienced specialists working closely with clients to monitor changes and analyse requirements, inhouse R&D teams to devise solutions, and a dedicated tooling division to rapidly produce and implement innovative tooling changes. Coupled with local manufacturing, those things allow Elastomers Australia to deliver ongoing innovation and improvement to the mining and mineral processing industry.