Tooling, materials technology, mining and construction engineering group Sandvik Construction, a division of Sandvik Group, reports that it is nearing the completion of a 350 t/h plant in Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape, Sandvik Construction Sub-Saharan Africa VP Glen Schoeman tells Mining Weekly.

The aggregate plant consists of four crushers, seven screens and steelwork conveyors, producing ten different aggregate products, as well as a control room and computers that control the entire plant. “In addition, the plant can potentially be operated by only three people, which is unique to the South African quarrying industry,” notes Schoeman.

He adds that the project has proven the efficiency of automation in the quarrying industry. To acquire a top-quality product, the crushers need to run at peak performance at all times. A Sandvik programmable logic controller enables automation, which increases efficiency as the human factor is reduced.

Further, Schoeman notes that automation also results in health and safety benefits, as operators are no longer exposed to the dusty conditions associated with quarrying.

Expansion Opportunities

Schoeman explains that Sandvik Construction Sub-Saharan Africa operates in 38 African countries, including Angola, Tanzania and Ethiopia, for example – and with the rapid economic growth in some of these countries, the company spends about 2.2% of its yearly turnover on research and development (R&D).

“Over the next five years, Sandvik Construction plans to aggressively expand through the advantages R&D,” he adds.

He states that growth in a country’s gross domestic product, accompanied by an increase in demand for aggregate and cement – which is a spin-off of the consequential infrastructure spend and development – is a key indicator of a healthy economy, which bodes well for supplying industries such as quarrying.

“Africa has not yet reached the tip of its potential and there are still several opportunities. At present, Sandvik has contracts of about R450-million in the construction industry alone and growth in the next five years will more than likely double,” he concludes.