Weir boosts African mining equipment performance
The customer was originally supplied with standard liners but the new ESCO liner design doubled the liner life. (Image source: Weir)
African mining operations are increasingly turning to aftermarket optimisation to improve plant availability, control operating costs and extend equipment life. Weir is supporting these efforts through its premium ESCO crusher liners and ENDURON screen panels, backed by local technical expertise and global engineering capabilities
The company's approach focuses on understanding individual mine operations, including their ore characteristics and equipment wear patterns, rather than simply supplying replacement components.
According to Natalie Makhanya, Weir's aftermarket manager for comminution in EMEA, this strategy has delivered extended equipment service life across different mining applications.
"Where customers are dealing with highly abrasive applications, we have been able to extend crusher liner changeout cycles to four to six weeks, while in less demanding environments liner life can extend to four to six months," Makhanya commented. "ENDURON screen media has delivered equally impressive results with wear life ranging from two to four weeks in high-impact feed zones and up to 24 weeks in dewatering applications."
Longer equipment service life helps increase plant availability, reduce maintenance costs, improve shutdown planning and enhance workplace safety by limiting the frequency of maintenance interventions.
South African iron ore operation doubles liner wear life
A recent optimisation project at an iron ore reprocessing operation in South Africa's Thabazimbi region demonstrates the impact of Weir's aftermarket solutions.
When the site's ore proved significantly more abrasive than initially anticipated, Weir collaborated with the customer and its ESCO engineering teams in the United States over six months. The teams analysed wear patterns, assessed liner performance and refined the design to address the operating conditions.
The resulting 25% manganese ESCO liner doubled wear life from two weeks to four weeks.
"The project demonstrates how combining local application knowledge with global engineering expertise enables us to develop solutions that deliver measurable improvements in performance," JD Singleton, comminution director EMEA at Weir, commented.
Other African mining operations have also recorded improvements following equipment upgrades. A South African chrome producer extended crusher liner life from four months to six months after switching to ESCO liners.
Meanwhile, a major iron ore operation in Liberia improved drainage efficiency and classification performance after introducing ENDURON screen panels on its dewatering screens.
Expanding screen technology and local manufacturing
The growing adoption of aftermarket solutions is complementing increased demand for ENDURON crushers and ENDURON Elite screens across Africa.
According to Singleton, the latest ENDURON Elite screens incorporate high-capacity exciter technology capable of generating up to 1.28 mega-newtons of force. This enables large screens to operate with two exciters, compared with the three often required by competing designs, reducing maintenance requirements by approximately 30%.
To meet rising demand, Weir has expanded its South African ENDURON® screen media manufacturing operation from an initial 150m² facility to a 3,500m² production plant.
A further expansion is planned to double production capacity and reduce lead times across the continent, strengthening local manufacturing capabilities and equipment supply to African mining customers.
"Mines are increasingly looking for partners who can deliver technical expertise alongside reliable product supply," Makhanya concludes. "Our focus is on working collaboratively with customers to optimise plant performance, reduce maintenance costs and create long-term operational value."
