Total materials-handling system
completed for Skorpion Zinc
BATEMAN has successfully completed three major contracts at Anglo
American’s Skorpion Zinc Mine and smelter complex in southern Namibia,
covering the design, construction and commissioning of a complete materials-handling
system to move ROM (run-of-mine) ore to the plant and the resultant
tailings onto the waste dump.
In all, 18 conveyors were needed to construct the
system which totals 5,9 km in length and includes a 3 km overland conveyor
carrying the tailings. The project included the design and supply of
the all necessary transfer towers, the primary and secondary crushing
and screening buildings, and the ROM and limestone grizzlies and bins.
All free-issue equipment, such as rock breakers, vibrating grizzlies,
crushers and screens, were installed by the BATEMAN project team.
Two of the outstanding features of the system are
the completely enclosed ROM stockpile and the tailings dump. The 50
000 t ROM stockpile is equipped with a BATEMAN / SCHADE circular-stacker-bridge
reclaimer. Designed to blend the ROM, it stacks at a rate of 460 t/h
and reclaims at 380 t/h. The 85 m-diameter stockpile is contained within
a 93 m diameter dome for environmental protection, making this the first
such installation in Southern Africa – if not the Southern Hemisphere.
The self-supported, shell-designed dome would almost
cover a rugby field. It is constructed from 9 800 m² of 0,6 mm
Chromadek sheeting. Maintenance access is provided via four 5 m x 4,5
m roller-shutter doors. The dome becomes a homogenous self-supporting
shell, which relies upon membrane action for its overall stability.
Special consideration was given to the method of erection in order to
maintain stability at each stage prior to the onset of the membrane
action.
The design of the tailings dumps is beset with problems
ranging from those associated with the environment, slope stability
and spreading methods, to choice of equipment and operational efficiency.
Working closely with the Skorpion project team, and drawing on past
experience in designing tailings spreader systems at Mantos Blancos
in Chile, Damtshaa in Botswana, and Transhex and Venetia Diamond mines
in South Africa, BATEMAN presented a workable solution.
A three-way transfer tower at the head of the 3,5
km overland conveyor distributes tailings onto a 550 m conveyor prior
to feeding them onto a rail-mounted tripper and into a slewing 25 m-long
spreader boom. The transfer tower caters for future dump positions and
permits the utilisation of the emergency dump conveyor during times
of maintenance and other plant shut downs.
BATEMAN made maximum use of local labour during this
project which was particularly challenging due to the location of the
Skorpion site, some 40 km north of the Orange River and deep in the
Namib desert, and the extreme climate. Yet, despite these conditions,
BATEMAN completed the project on schedule with an accident-free record.
For further information contact
Eric Fletcher, Marketing Manager, Bulk Handling, on
+27-11-201-2300 or email engtech@batemanengineering.com.
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