Increasing international demand for Bateman BQR flotation technology

Increasing international demand for Bateman BQR flotation technology

Bateman Engineering is supplying its BQR flotation cell technology to an increasing number of international projects, and a widening range of clients, with recently-awarded contracts including Hindustan Zinc in India, African Copper Plc - Dukwe Mine in Botswana and the SOMISY SA - Syama gold mine in southeast Mali.

The contract for the expansion project of the Hindustan Zinc concentrator, at Rampur Agucha Mines, Bilwara in India, marked the first time Bateman Engineering had designed a flotation process for a combined lead / zinc concentrator, a feature that required a number of banks of flotation cells.

The cells comprised five BQR500 (50 m³) Zinc Rougher, seven BQR400 (40 m³) Lead Rougher and Scavenger, three BQR400 (40 m³) Zinc Cleaner, seven BQR200 (20 m3) Zinc Cleaner and five BQR50 (5 m³) Lead Cleaner Flotation Cells, complete with interconnecting piping, walkways and blowers

The project is also a milestone in inter-company co-operation across international borders. The design was done by the Bateman Engineered Technologies division in South Africa, whilst the fabrication and installation will be done by Bateman India. Supervision of installation and commissioning will be supported from South Africa.

Bateman Engineering is also responsible for the entire US$35 million lump sum turnkey contract for Hindustan Zinc’s 1 million t/yr concentrator expansion. This award was the Group’s first major project in India and followed the opening, in June 2006, of Bateman India as Bateman Engineering’s operational office to serve the minerals and metals sectors in that region.

Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) is India’s only integrated zinc company, operating from mine to finished metal and supplying around 73 % of India’s zinc requirements in 2005 to 2006.

The flotation cells for African Copper Plc - Dukwe Mine are being supplied for two circuits, an oxide flotation circuit and a sulphide flotation circuit, under contract to Senet. The contract covers the design and supply of 16 BQR200 Rougher Flotation Cells, of which 10 are oxide and six are sulphide rougher cells, and 15 BQR50 Cleaner Flotation Cells, of which eight are oxide and seven are sulphide cleaner cells. The cells are being supplied complete with interconnecting piping, interconnecting walkways and blowers. Bateman Engineering is also responsible for supervising the installation of the cells. The contract commenced in January 2007 and ex-works delivery is scheduled for completion in August 2007.

The greenfields Dukwe Project is being developed by African Copper Plc. The process plant, incorporating Bateman Engineering’s well proven flotation process technology, will treat approximately 1 million t/yr of oxide, supergene and sulphide ores to produce saleable copper concentrates expected to grade between approximately 30 % and 34 % copper. The plant is being built with an allowance for an expansion to 2 million t/yr through the concentrator.

The contract for Syama Gold in Mali, owned 80 % by Resolute Mining Limited and 20 % by the State of Mali, was awarded by GRD Minproc and features Bateman Engineering’s first large scale installation of
70 m³ flotation cells. The six BQR700 Rougher Cells are being supplied with three BQR100 Cleaner Flotation Cells. The scope of the project covers the design, fabrication and delivery ex works of the cells. A particular challenge of this project is that, as it is an expansion to an existing plant, the design of the new flotation circuit must fit into the plant’s existing footprint. In addition, the client is shipping the fully fabricated cells as break bulk to Mali, requiring special attention from Bateman Engineering to the crating of the tanks to prevent damage to the internal rubber linings. The project was awarded in February 2007 and is expected to be completed in September 2007.

The Syama Gold project is owned by SOMISY SA who announced the redevelopment of the gold mine in 2006, with an average gold production of 250,000 ounces per year from a resource of 6 million ounces.

The Bateman BQR Flotation Cells offer easy process optimisation through purpose-designed levels of solids suspension, air rate adjustment, easy froth-cone positioning and a stable pulp-froth interface. This range of round tank flotation cells is used in roughing, scavenging, cleaning and re-cleaning, unit and pilot cell applications to process copper, zinc, platinum group metals, phosphates, graphite slag and effluents. They range in size from 0.5 m³ (BQR5) to 150 m³ (BQR1500) and feature a simple design which reduces the cost of spares, enhanced power efficiency and a low maintenance cost.

For further information, please contact Bheka Majola, Manager, Process Equipment, on +27-201-2300 or email SpecialisedEquipment@Bateman-bet.com.

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