These electronically-controlled butterfly valves (one intake and one exhaust for each jig compartment) generate the air pulses by regulated timing of the open and closed positions. The pulse shapes are kept optimal despite variations in the feed, thanks to the bed sensors in the APIC jig which also regulate the heavy-product discharge.

This M9 APIC jig was pre-erected and commissioned at Mintek before being shipped to an overseas client. Despite being the longest modular jig built to date, it was easily dismantled into sub modules for transport. Its sturdy platform-based structure, once unbolted, fitted into standard containers.

The system controlling the distribution of air to the APIC jig is housed in the top (white) standard container and the main ancillaries are in containers at ground level. This fully industrial-scale plant is designed to permit easy access to all components.

The APIC jig unveiled by a BATEMAN-Mintek joint venture in November 2002 is the largest modular unit built so far in South Africa. Called the M9 APIC jig, it is designed specifically for separating difficult products that require longer residence times – a critical parameter for the efficient stratification and separation of materials of very similar densities.

While larger jigs are used in coal industries abroad, the M9 APIC jig arose out of the need in the southern African metals-from-slag industry for large modular units. Its design is flexible and there is little limit to the size or capacity of the modular units that can now be supplied.

The M9 jigs can handle between 100 and 200 t/h of feed, depending on the application, with the particle size of the jigged material typically greater than 0,5 mm and as large as 70 mm. A simple and reliable heavy-product discharge mechanism has been engineered to enable the M9 jig to extract coarse material without the need for bucket elevators. However, APIC jigs fitted with elevators can cope with sizes up to 150 mm.

The M9 unit also incorporates the APIC air-distribution and control system developed by BATEMAN, which is an advance in jigging technology. These features are well proven and were lastintegrated in a 160 t/h plant used to recover ferrochrome from slag dumps at Middelburg Ferrochrome.

APIC underbed air-pulsed jigs are highly effective, gravity separators, used for the recovery of ferroalloys from slag, upgrading of metallic and non-metallic ores, coal washing and the washing of wastes. Besides southern Africa, they are operating in France, the USA, Belgium, Germany, Brazil, India, and Sweden. They are supplied as permanent-fixture processing facilities and modular process plants, either under turnkey (client owned and operated) or toll-treatment contracts. Pilot-scale units are available for process-development testing.

More information may be obtained from Vincent Dieudonné, General Manager, Jigging, on +27-11-899- 2343 or email jigging@batemanengineering.com.

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