Anglo Platinum completed the Waterval concentrator retrofit project, as part of its current expansion and optimization drive. The plant facilities are located within the battery limits of the existing Waterval concentrator boundary, and replaced a large portion of the previous operation.
The HGN-JV team, consisting of personnel from Hatch, Grinaker-LTA Process (now E&PC) and PDNA Mining & Industrial, completed the EPCM work necessary to scope, design, and implement the program at a capital cost of R960 million. Hatch was the senior partner in the JV and the team was located in the Hatch Woodmead offices. The project replaces the crusher plant, primary milling and secondary milling sections with a modern, twin-stream primary ball milling and flotation section together with additional capacity for the scavenger flotation and a complete upgrade of the cleaner circuits.
At the same time the throughput will increase from the current 360-ktpm primary/520-ktpa regrind to 620ktpa. This requires the supply and installation of the following new major equipment:
- Two primary ROM ball mills of size 24' x 28' EGL (7.32m x 8.53m EGL) each supplied with 2x5.2-MW motor (10.4 MW installed power per mill)
- Eight primary mill classification screens
- Fourteen new 70m3 tank cells for primary rougher duty
- Six new 130-m3 tank cells for additional scavenger capacity
The project was suspended during the construction phase in January 2004 as a result of revision to the Anglo Platinum group strategy. The engineering was continued and completed by December 2004. Implementation of certain work, known as "Early Works"-Phase I, continued post-suspension.
This included the new Eskom yard and Consumer substation, upgrading the Regrind Milling faciilty, installation of additional air compressors and replacement of the Rail and Engineering Workshops, which had been demolished to make way for the new equipment.
The project was reactivate in 2006 for completion of the implementation phase and will be commissioned in July 2007.
The HGN-JV scope of work includes the following:
- Project Management of all EPCM activities
- Basic and detailed engineering in the process, civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical & instrumentation disciplines
- Capital cost and change control
- Planning
- Procurement of all capital equipment and contracts
- QA/QC and Materials Control/Expediting Services
- Construction Management and
- Commissioning Management and Support - during cold and hot commissioning
- Completed Phase I successfully. Total capital value of R300 million
- Successful phased upgrade and commissioning of six banks of cleaners under complex and congested brownfield conditions
