The Hartley Platinum processing plant, Zimbabwe.

Zisco’s 15,6 km curved overland conveyor transporting 500 t/hr of iron ore, Zimbabwe.

The BATEMAN semi-mobile crusher at the Jwaneng Mine, Botswana.

The Moonstone at sea with a BATEMAN modular diamond recovery plant aboard.

Metalloys plant for the recovery of ferro-manganese and silico-manganese, RSA.

A processing circuit at the Impala Platinum Limited -Refinery, RSA.

The Havercroft Andalusite Mine plant, RSA.

The 180 t/hr modular coal washing plant at New Clydesdale Colliery, RSA.

Global solutions for Africa’s mining projects

A mining boom could be expected in sub-Saharan Africa if the initiative taken by SADC countries at their recent Malawi summit, committing themselves to encourage foreign and local private sector investments in their vast mining resources, bears fruit, according to Roger Falls, Deputy Chief Executive of Bateman Project Holdings Limited (BATEMAN).

African growth points

Mining towns could become strong growth points and, through supporting road, harbour, transport, energy and other infrastructure development, enhance economic progress, alleviate poverty as well as improve the standard and quality of life throughout the region. Some 25 African countries are currently undertaking structural adjustment and economic reforms, as a result of which growth exceeded 4 % in the past two years, 2 % higher than the previous decade.

It remains up to governments to create conducive investment and development climates as they make headway on fundamental macro-economic and structural reforms. Privatisation opportunities presented in the wake of the unfolding African democratization process already hold exciting promise which could well lead to an escalation in mining activity as we enter the next century.

Huge natural resources potential

The “potential for base minerals exploration in sub-Saharan Africa is big, very big,” says Falls. “It is the one area where African economies can be turned around and sub-Saharan Africa set on a new course to regional prosperity and globally competitive economic participation. Traditional diamond exploration offers attractive incentives both on land and at sea while oil and gas exploration are fields with great downstream development potential.”

BATEMAN has been investing in the development of new technologies requiring significantly less capital investment than existing processes for the conversion of remote, or otherwise low-quality natural gas, to high value products which is an area starting to attract greater attention in both East and West Africa.

Investment and technology

“The development of Africa’s natural resources will, however, require substantial expenditure and the most advanced technology ever introduced into Africa. Furthermore, investors will be called upon to provide considerable technical expertise, capital know-how and the skilled manpower necessary to maintain the momentum of development.”

For the minerals-processing specialist company BATEMAN these are exciting developments. The stabilisation of the South African political arena and the opening of world markets have resulted in an increase in business opportunities. South Africa, the home of its traditional client base, is also the engine room for its business into Africa. “A significant amount of work from neighbouring states confirms our confidence in sub-Saharan Africa as an important sphere of business,” says Falls. “Our 75 years of experience in the application of minerals processing and metallurgical know-how, new technology and state-of-the-art solutions, as well as the evaluation, development and beneficiation of mineral resources have given us the edge in Africa - especially when it comes to handling unusual challenges. For example, we have built most of the large diamond processing plants internationally and in Africa. Good examples of BATEMAN’s involvement on diamond projects for de Beers can be seen at the Finsch diamond mine in the Cape Province and the Venetia mine in the Northern Province, South Africa.”

Modular plants for Africa

Africa has a traditional mining culture and BATEMAN, with years of significant involvement in mining projects, has come to understand the logistic requirements and technologies that work particularly well. “We have done pioneering work in the area of modular processing plant design and construction and foresee an expanding market in Africa where it is particularly suited for smaller mining operations as well as mines with a short life span. Purpose-designed and semi-mobile crushers as well as mobile modules for diamond prospecting on land and at sea are further examples of BATEMAN ingenuity to design and fabricate superior cost-effective plant that can easily be assembled or moved to operate in typical
remote African locations.”

BATEMAN’s concept of modular plants, incorporating well-proven and advanced technology, has expanded from diamond recovery to include several other mineral processing applications. Ranging from 1 t/hour to 200 t/hr modules these plants have established an excellent worldwide track record for both on-land and marine applications. “Our modular transportable process plants have become a real BATEMAN speciality” says Falls. “They are perfectly suited for African conditions and wherever one may travel in Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Guinea, South Africa, Tanzania or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, etc., they epitomize BATEMAN’s world leadership in the market for modular engineered semi and fully transportable mining and minerals processing application plants.”

Global competencies

BATEMAN is all about leading technology. The company has accumulated a global portfolio of skills, capabilities and know-how which its engineers and technologists bring to its mining, minerals and metal industry clients around the world. “We have the advantage that we can draw upon the skills and resources vested in our individual offices around the world to deploy highly competent project teams at any site, no matter how remote. A network of competent fabricator, supplier and erection sub-contracting companies has been established over the years. It definitely has enormous advantages for Africa in the sense that we can introduce skills to the continent which are sometimes not naturally available.”

BATEMAN’s subsidiary Titaco owns one of the most efficient jigging processes for the recovery of ferro-alloys from slags and consequently almost all of these plants constructed in sub-Saharan Africa over the past few years have been based on this technology - establishing the company as the clear leader in this field. Likewise, the Tucson, Arizona operations centre of BATEMAN serves as its centre of excellence on copper processing technology encompassing all aspects of engineering procurement, construction management and construction. With the renewed interest in mineral exploration, the company is very active in Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo where it is working very closely on development projects involving international companies.

Value of alliances to Africa

“I am a great believer in the value of South Africa serving as a link to Africa,” says Falls. “By taking hands with sub-Saharan Africa from our strong infrastructural and service support vantage point, new development synergies involving foreign investors and developers could bring dramatic changes to the face of Africa. It is here where BATEMAN’s business philosophy to seek new alliances capable of developing new technologies has gained it a strong foothold in Africa. One important example is a broad-ranging agreement with Mintek to cooperate in the development and marketing of bioleaching technology with worldwide scope and particular applicability in Africa.”

Big league projects

Africa offers a considerable range of valuable resources and BATEMAN has been involved in major projects to provide the facilities to process these resources, from oil, gas, coal and gold and precious metals in South Africa to diamonds in South Africa, Botswana and Angola, graphite in Mozambique and platinum, nickel and iron ore in Zimbabwe.

In the US$ 56M Kasese cobalt project currently under construction 400 km west of Kampala in Uganda’s Ruwenzori mountains, BATEMAN is responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction management as well as the electrowinning process design package.

The project may put Uganda in the big league of the world’s cobalt producers. The plant, which will produce 1 000 tonne of cobalt metal a year, is unique. Insofar as is known, it will be the first to employ bacterial tank leaching coupled with solvent extraction and electrowinning of cobalt. A beaming president Yoweri Museveni said earlier that successful mining of the mineral could greatly help the country’s economy. It is another fine example of BATEMAN’s ability to draw on its worldwide resources and experience to offer creative and innovative solutions to engineering challenges in remote African sites.

Financing projects

Africa is one of many continents where BATEMAN’s ability to successfully structure, negotiate and secure financial packages to support international projects is giving it a clear marketing advantage in developing markets. “This ability is a very valuable component of BATEMAN’s portfolio of skills,” says Falls. “It often distinguishes us from competitors, particularly when it comes to getting a stalled project into motion.”

BATEMAN is continually pursuing study opportunities aimed at converting natural African mineral resources to products with higher market values. The specialist skills of engineers from around the globe, as well as extensive experience and knowledge of local conditions, contribute to the success with which BATEMAN can present competitive advantage solutions employing the latest design and processing technologies. “Our African presence and global abilities are of immeasurable value to sub-Saharan Africa at a time when the sub-continent has a dire need to share international expertise as it stands on the threshold of exciting new mining developments,” says Falls.

Materials handling

It is again BATEMAN’s experience, with over 150 materials handling projects behind its know-how in design of hoppers, feeders and chutes for flowability, which can guarantee plants to operate free of blockages. A 15,6 km single-flight curved overland conveyor for Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company is but one of may impressive materials handling feats achieved by BATEMAN. The company’s experience on many different materials is now computerised and used in conceptual and early design stages to guide projects before the required test work on the particular material to be processed has been completed. Many designs have to take unique requirements into account, such as the corrosive nature of solutions to be processed, requiring the use of exotic materials for construction such as glass reinforced plastic and carbon block heat exchangers.

“We have been able to get many process plants back into action where faulty mass flow design had caused major problems,” comments Falls. “Solutions are, however, invariably more expensive than if good design principles had been applied from the outset. It is no idle talkwhen we say we build plants that work.”

State-of-the-art design methods

BATEMAN design engineers have reached the stage where clients can ‘walk’ through their new plant - looking at design innovations and details such as complex pipe configurations, structural features and even lighting - before the plant has been built. This look into the future is becoming possible with the latest CADD (computer assisted design and draughting) technology used in BATEMAN design offices. It allows for construction work on the plant to be tackled with greater confidence because all drawings are consistent with one another and 3-D renderings of various sections help workers visualise the plant before commencing work.

Besides providing international-standard environmental protection services to mining companies in Africa, BATEMAN is also at the forefront of new grass roots developments for most minerals and metals. New, modern environmentally attuned and cost effective facilities are being erected or replacing many of the old plants of the Sixties. In the light of greater demands on available water resources BATEMAN has a big role to play in the field of environmental protection.

Enviable international reputation

The South African Bateman Project Holdings has achieved an enviable international reputation. Its project engineers have built a large variety of process plants and their experience has been accumulated over decades on more than 325 major projects in 40 countries worldwide. Highly treasured feathers in the cap are licences for the design and construction of mining plants and facilities as well as for chemical, petro-chemical, oil and gas processing facilities in the territory of the Russian Federation. BATEMAN was the first company based in South Africa to achieve this registration.

“I believe,” Falls concludes, “that Bateman Project Holdings is well positioned to serve its clients effectively, and that this will continue to give the group an edge in the African market place into the next century.”

Please contact Dr Stephen Meijers, Chief Executive, Bateman Minerals & Metals, on +27-11-899-2468, or email smeijers@batepro.co.za for more information.

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