The new ammonium nitrate solution tank at Sasolburg. (Image source: BME/Omnia)

South Africa’s BME has unveiled a new ammonium nitrate solution (ANS) storage tank at its Sasolburg site in South Africa

The company — a part of the Omnia Group, a JSE-listed diversified provider of specialised chemical products and services used in the mining and agricultural sectors — said the additional storage will strengthen overall supply chains.

In operation since January 2025, the facility can store 5,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in solution, according to Jacques De Villiers, Omnia’s executive for manufacturing, operations & supply chain.

De Villiers said the tank allows an expanded and constant supply of ANS to BME’s Dryden and Losberg plants, as well as to the existing BME supply chain network.

“The additional storage capacity will facilitate a consistent supply from the Sasolburg site to BME, and will allow the BME sites to manage their stock levels and further improve their distribution process to clients,” he said.

“For BME, our key strategic focus is on security of supply to customers, and this additional storage system adds to the confidence that BME customers have in our supply capabilities. This investment further demonstrates Omnia’s long-term commitment to strengthening critical infrastructure that supports mining operations across southern Africa, contributing to regional economic growth and resilience.”

BME operates throughout southern Africa supplying a host of products and services to the mining sector, including chemicals and metallurgy solutions, as well as blasting solutions for explosives and detonator offerings.

The new ANS tank is installed at Omnia’s Sasolburg complex and is strategically located between two nitric acid and ammonium nitrate production facilities, allowing for future expansion within the complex.

It is controlled and monitored by an advanced distributed control system, with additional safety features incorporated into its design and operation.

In line with Omnia’s sustainability and ESG goals, the tank allows the production facilities to run at a consistent and predictable rate, which streamlines the plant’s energy efficiency.

Thermal insulation of the tank and its transfer lines reduces the energy requirement to maintain temperature stability. The pumps in the system have also been engineered to operate at their most efficient point.

Deon Swart, chief operating officer at BME, highlighted the importance that Omnia and BME place on security of supply initiatives, including their dual sourcing of ammonia through the Richards Bay Terminal and energy giant, Sasol.

“This investment in the ANS tank further bolsters supply security by reaffirming storage of the next step in the value chain,” he said. “It allows us to deliver on our commitments and ensure storage availability to weather any changes in commodity and market cycles.”

He noted that it was not only the South African market that would benefit, but also the company’s broader network across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) area.

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Africa an early adopter of FLS rail-running conveyors. (Image source: FLS)

An African mine will be among the first adopters of innovative Rail-Running Conveyor (RRC) technology, commercialised by FLS in collaboration with Australia’s University of Newcastle

“Designed to dramatically reduce energy consumption, improve safety and cut capital and operating expenditure, Rail-Running Conveyors are a game changer for mines which must rely on extended conveying distances to move material,” said Martin Lurie, FLS global product line manager for RRC.

He said any mine that carries substantial tonnages over 500 metres to 1,000 metres can achieve higher efficiencies using the technology.

“The first full-scale operational system will be commissioned in southern Africa in mid-2025,” he said.

“It is designed to carry 5,000mtph of copper ore over a 3.25 km run, and is expected to save approximately US$1mn each year in power costs when compared to a conventional trough conveyor.”

Other mines around the globe are set to follow. A second system, destined for the same mining customer at a mine in the Americas, will carry around 13,000 mtph, delivering significant power savings and safety improvements, according to Lurie.

He said the energy losses incurred by an RRC can be anything between one-fifth to one-tenth of those experienced by traditional trough and pipe conveyor systems respectively.

“The friction losses on a conventional long-distance conveyor largely determine the power capacity that must be installed, the size of the structures required and the downtime incurred to maintain and replace pulleys and drives. Reducing these energy losses therefore has a positive knock-on effect on the costs of a range of other aspects.”

Customers achieve savings on the scope of the conveyor equipment itself, the cut-and-fill civils requirements, the volumes of concrete used, the strength of the belt and the number of drive stations necessary, he noted.

Due to the lower tension acting on the conveyor belt, a lower rating of belt is possible, while faster speeds and a deeper trough also mean that a narrower belt may suffice for the same throughput. Importantly, the rating of the drives does not need to be as high.

“Where a 6 MW drive may be specified for a conventional conveyor, for instance, this technology may allow a 2 MW drive to be installed,” he said. “This then has further positive impacts on the ratings required for motors, transformers, E-houses and power supply.”

The head and the tail of an RRC remain the same as in traditional systems, he added, with the rail-running section making up the bulk of the distance. The basic mode of transport is steel-wheel-on-steel-rail instead of a belt running over idlers. This fundamental difference is what cuts energy consumption so drastically.

The system uses small carriages to carry the belt and these are automatically exchanged at maintenance houses when required. Lurie said this removes the safety risks associated with personnel changing out idlers along the length of the conveyor. Having fewer transfer points also has a safety benefit as these can be sources of injury during maintenance as well as health threats from dust exposure.

The RRC system has been a decade in development, he added, drawing heavily on two established technologies — underground mining rail technology and overland conveyor systems.

The FLS and University of Newcastle developers believe the RRC innovation marks a paradigm shift for conveyor systems, not only in terms of energy saving and carbon footprint reduction but also in terms of the distance a conveyor can travel and the challenging terrain through which it can operate.

Thanks largely to the way the belt sits stationary in the cradle, an RRC can negotiate tighter curves and can also climb steeper angles without the material on the belt rolling back and spilling, Luried noted.

“Our straightforward calculations of the potential impact on existing mining operations shows unprecedented savings resulting from this system,” he said.

“One study, for instance, investigated the benefits for a customer who has to move material over 15 km between the pit and the plant. Where seven conveyors were currently required we could do the same job with three, while consuming only a quarter of the energy.”

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The Warman MC range of pumps is engineered for optimal performance and reliability in challenging milling environments. (Image source: Weir Group)

Anglo American Platinum’s Mogalakwena mine in Limpopo, South Africa, sought to extend the service life of shaft sleeves in its slurry pumps. In response, Weir recommended implementing its J221 hardened shaft sleeve with a wear-resistant overlay

A trial was run on a large slurry pump at the North Concentrator to evaluate the performance of the J221 sleeve under challenging conditions involving poor-quality or contaminated flush water. The results were remarkable, with the sleeve enduring for 14,240 hours—under both routine operations and severe pump sliming—representing a nearly tenfold increase in durability compared to the standard shaft sleeve. This advancement has led to significant savings in spare parts and reduced equipment downtime.

Following the successful trial, LeRoux Esterhuyse, engineering manager at Mogalakwena North Concentrator, reported, “Excited about the trial performance of the hardened shaft sleeve; let us roll it over to all primary and secondary mill discharge Warman pumps.”

Enhanced pump durability

As a leading open-pit platinum mine, Mogalakwena is committed to maintaining low operating costs while improving plant performance. The ore processed from various Anglo American Platinum sites is handled by two facilities: the North Concentrator, operational since 2007, and the older South Concentrator.

Previously, frequent shaft sleeve replacements were required in both primary and secondary mill discharge pumps due to the high wear rate of the standard C23 sleeves. This maintenance disruption was occurring monthly and was carried out by Weir’s on-site service team. Weir has maintained a service agreement with the Mogalakwena Complex for over 14 years, with personnel stationed daily at both processing sites.

It was found that the average service life of the C23 sleeve was only 3,864 hours under normal conditions, dropping to just 1,440 hours during episodes of extensive pump sliming. Sliming typically occurs when the pressure of the gland water in the pump’s stuffing box is insufficient, allowing slurry to infiltrate the area between the shaft sleeve and the packing rings.

When this happens, the abrasive slurry rapidly erodes the sleeve surface, forming grooves that prevent effective sealing and require early replacement—negatively affecting pump availability.

Engineered for extreme wear conditions, the J221 overlay features a high concentration of tungsten carbide particles within a tough matrix. This composition offers consistent particle distribution, minimal porosity, and exceptional hardness reaching up to 70 HRC, making it highly suitable for abrasive and erosive applications.

Fake parts could undermine OEM equipment. (Image source: Metso)

Using genuine parts for crushers and screens is crucial for ensuring operational efficiency and long-term sustainability. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Metso provide high-quality, reliable equipment designed to keep customers’ projects profitable

However, using counterfeit, non-genuine, or fake parts presents significant risks to operations, undermining the very principles that OEMs stand for.

Francois Marais, sales and marketing director at local Metso distributor pilot crushtec, said, “OEMs like Metso spend decades developing and supporting technologies that provide customers with reliable and high performance solutions for crushing and screening. However, this work is quickly undone when non-OEM parts are installed in our equipment, supposedly to save a few rand in maintenance costs.”

Marais goes on to explain that Metso’s equipment’s performance and reliability stem from its proven design and precision engineering. The various components and wear parts that need replacing over time are an integral part of this. Non-genuine parts, however, do not benefit from this technical heritage, leading to compromised performance and reliability.

Merja Tyyni, vice-president of aftermarket distribution management at Metso, added, “Our customer relationships focus on the whole process of delivering value to their operations. We pay attention to the end-product value, where we can supply not only the appropriate capital equipment, but also the follow-up trouble-shooting, repairs and overall technical advice.”

Karima Dargaud, head of aftermarket for Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia at Metso, emphasises the in-depth knowledge OEMs have of their equipment, which enables them to help customers achieve optimal, predictable results.

“Our OEM spares are an essential aspect of the support we provide, so that customers can reliably meet their production targets and avoid costly penalties. Customers build their reputations on this consistent performance, by producing the right results safely, on time and within budget. Using non-OEM spares only puts this reputation at risk, as machines then become unreliable,” remarked Dargaud. 

Marais also underscores the critical safety concerns associated with using non-genuine parts. Crushing equipment, in particular, involves extreme forces and speeds, and Metso’s wear parts are designed with specialised materials and hardening techniques to ensure both safety and performance.

“Fake parts will compromise worker safety, as there are normally a number of people in close proximity to this equipment who could be affected by a failure. A business that buys and fits pirate parts runs the risk of sending a negative message to its operators – that saving money is more important than the safety of crews on site,” concluded Marasis.