Engineering and Mining Journal - Whether the market is copper, gold, nickel, iron ore, lead/zinc, PGM, diamonds or other commodities, E&MJ takes the lead in projecting trends, following development and reporting on the most efficient operating pr
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P R O C E S S I N G S O LU T I O N S Suite Deal: Tenova Bateman Technologies Offers a Full Portfolio of Mineral Processing Solutions Tenova Bateman Technologies is expanding its modular plant capabilities to process a wider array of commodities. Shown here is one of the company's new iron ore modular plants at about the 50% completion stage. Mining companies today are facing unprecedented pressure to perform more efficiently in all aspects of their operations. High on the list of management concerns and shareholder expectations, for example, are improved capital efficiency and asset utilization. With the average grade of ore taken from active deposits around the world falling each year, compounded by the need to replenish reserves from often-remote locations or difficult-to-process ore types, the pressure will only increase as miners search for technologies and techniques that will allow them to maintain control over project costs, complexity and competitive performance. This focus isn't limited to mine development; it extends into the mineral processing sector as well. Tenova Mining & Minerals is an integrated solutions provider to the global mining, bulk materials handling, and minerals beneficiation and processing sectors, offering technological solutions and process and commodity expertise across the mining industry value chain. Tenova Bateman Technologies (part of Tenova Mining & Minerals) offers project-specific process technologies that include solvent extraction for hydrometallurgical and bio-processing, electrowinning, ion exchange, in-house R&D; facilities, expertise in mineral beneficiation and complementary processes from acid to water treatment plants. Having pioneered the concept in the 1960s, its modular plants also offer competitive mineral processing packages while reducing risk in difficult project locations. Recently, E&MJ; Managing Editor Russ Carter spoke to Albert du Preez, managing director of Tenova Bateman Technologies, about its advanced technologies for mineral processing. What kinds of technologies and services can Tenova Bateman Technologies offer clients that directly relate to, or result in, less complex, more efficient and more dependable mineral processing plants? Tenova Bateman Technologies, with its sister companies Tenova Takraf and Tenova Delkor, provides technologies to assist in selecting the optimum, "fit for purpose" flowsheet. As an example, MetRIX (Metal Recovery through Ion-eXchange) RIP (resin-in-pulp) technology, solvent extraction (SX) technology, and related solid-liquid separation circuits can be optimized for a specific customer's needs. Another technology that is often used is dense media separation (DMS) in, for example, copper circuits where the ore is 104 E&MJ; • AUGUST 2013 upgraded upfront, resulting in reduced operating cost and a smaller processing plant. A suite of proprietary technology is also applied to enhance the efficiency, offer ease of maintenance and operation, reduce the plant footprint, and optimize costs in SX circuits. This includes the Bateman Settler, which provides high process efficiency with low organic loss, short construction time, and low capital cost (approximately a 20% reduction in capital cost for the SX plant). The Bateman Pulsed Column can be applied to many industrial SX processes, particularly those with a fast rate of mass transfer. This high efficiency contactor enhances SX during extraction, stripping and scrubbing or washing processes. Its advantages include being a multi-stage continuous process, and being able to handle liquids with suspended solids or which form third phases. This safe and environmentally friendly SX contactor has a head space that can be inerted, which virtually eliminates solvent loss and fire risk. The Turbulent Technologies Mixing System, a new mixing technology, is also part of the suite. Tenova Bateman Technologies is the exclusive licensee to the mining industry for the technology, developed by Turbulent Technologies, which offers considerable benefits in both retrofit applications, as well as in new plant installations. For the first time, by applying this technology, there is no need to compromise performance between the mixer and the settler in both current and new plants. Bateman Settler technology was applied at an SX plant in Chile. www.e-mj.com