Spartan-based vibrating screen specialist Kwatani, driven by its aggressive cost leadership strategy, is supplying a large exciter-driven grizzly feeder and a sizing screen to the Gamsberg zinc project near Aggeneys in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province.

As the flagship of miner Vedanta Zinc International/Black Mountain Mining, Gamsberg is set to exploit one of the largest known, undeveloped zinc ore bodies in the world, with SA-based ELB Engineering Services conducting the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services.

Kwatani was contracted to supply a heavy-duty grizzly feeder capable of feeding over 750 tonnes per hour of ore. Built with cast manganese grizzly bars for durability, this robust unit will withstand maximum lump sizes of up to 1,5 metre in size. Also supplied is a single-deck, motor-driven sizing screen of the same throughput capacity.

“Kwatani has a significant reference base especially in the Northern Cape, where we supply most of the mining vibrating screens,” says Kwatani CEO Kim Schoepflin. “Our installations are particularly well recognised in those areas with arduous applications.”

While price was a key consideration, Schoepflin highlights the customer’s insistence on robust equipment that is fit-for-purpose. Kwatani has been able to meet the project’s tight roll-out schedule, not just with the delivery of equipment but with all the necessary product documentation that will facilitate compliance and safe installation.

“We have completed our part of the project, and are ready to commission the equipment in line with the overall plant construction schedule,” she says. “We also assisted our client with the design of the chute that will feed the grizzly.”

After fabrication, the equipment was fully tested on Kwatani’s in-house test bench at its 17,000 m2 facilities near OR Tambo airport.

The supply of the equipment will come with an extended warranty which will include regular visits by field experts from Kwatani’s fully-fledged branch in the Northern Cape. The capacity of this facility will allow it to conduct both the commissioning of the equipment and the follow-up inspections and interventions.