Local Testing of STEINERT Sorting Machines Now Available for Southern African Miners
Jumpstarting Innovation: The Navachab Gold Mine and STEINERT's Game-Changing Technology
Struggling with staggering costs, Hildebrand Wilhelm, the ore processing manager at QKR Namibia's Navachab gold mine, sought a solution. Enter STEINERT's groundbreaking sensor-based ore sorting technology, a potential game-changer for the mining industry. This tech promised to upgrade gold grades, trim waste, and slash expenses - and six years later, two STEINERT XSS-T X-ray transmission bulk sorting systems reside at a 200tph production plant at Navachab.
Wilhelm's team embarked on this technological adventure in 2016, hoping to sidestep the financial pitfalls plaguing their operations. Impressed by the machinery's resilience, Wilhelm testifies, "We're getting a good reliability on the units, and 80-90% running time is absolutely possible." Comfort lies in the confidence that new technologies can thrive even in a staunchly traditional industry. Navachab conquered its doubts and reveled in the cost savings that STEINERT delivered.
Local STEINERT Collaboration in Africa
John Knouwds, STEINERT's area sales manager for Southern Africa, camped on African soil, ready to help miners eager to test the transformative capabilities of sorting. Effortlessly reach out to John at john.knouwds@steinert.de.
The Navachab plant now plays host to a testing hub, designed to assist neighboring mines and projects. Knouwds trusts that this unique collaboration not only benefits fellow miners but also extends a helping hand to the environment by facilitating completely dry beneficiation - a promising upshot of the technology. "Preconcentration saves a lot of energy, water, and money because one downstream equipment only processes material with valuable minerals."
A Cutting-Edge On-site Testing Facility
The Navachab plant proudly unveiled its new on-site testing facility, the STEINERT KSS | XT CLI. This state-of-the-art unit, capable of managing throughputs of between 5 t/h and 100 t/h, integrates an X-ray transmission sensor, two optical sensors, an induction sensor, and a color and laser sensor. This combination of advanced sensors offers heightened sorting capabilities, improved recoveries, and enhanced grades.
"STEINERT's technology has taken a giant leap forward by offering multiple sensors on a single platform," explains Knouwds. "This allows for higher classification abilities, higher processing capacities, higher recoveries, and improved grades." Such astonishing potential results from the synergy of expertly designed sensors and cutting-edge software.
The new test plant offers an opportunity for feasibility or sighter tests, providing investors with tangible data on improved and sustainable production expectations. These insights can inform wiser decision-making, ensuring investments yield profitable outcomes. For further insights, check out Wilhelm's enlightening interview here.
The collaboration between Hildebrand Wilhelm and STEINERT's area sales manager, John Knouwds, demonstrates how this groundbreaking technology is not only revolutionizing the mining industry but also cultivating a new era of finance and technology within the African continent. Steelhead's new on-site testing facility, the STEINERT KSS | XT CLI, armed with multiple advanced sensors, promises to enhance gold grades, decrease waste, and minimize expenses, thereby opening a door for potential financial benefits and sustainable production growth in the industry.
