July 2014
MODERN MINING
49
GREEN MINING
The DustMonster has a
throw of more than 100 m,
allowing a coverage area
of 2,6 ha.
mine. This is an extraordinary achievement
that would not be possible without RDC 20.”
Misting systems
The ‘DustMonster’ range of machinery mini-
mises the effects of dust by creating an
ultra-fine mist that attracts dust and encapsu-
lates the airborne particles, before driving them
to the ground. The units are fully automatic,
easily adaptable and portable. “With its rugged
44 kW motor and user-definable 359 degree
oscillation, the DustMonster boasts a throw of
more than 100 m, thereby ensuring that its dust
trapping atomised mist has a coverage area of
2,6 ha,” adds du Plessis.
I-CAT is also the exclusive local distributor
of the Scrub Mist system – a technologically
advanced mist nozzle system developed and
manufactured in the USA. Du Plessis says the
most notable advantage of the system is the fact
that it boasts ecologically neutral technology.
“This technology breaks down water drops
between 50 and 200 microns, thereby neu-
tralising and controlling dust at the source of
emission via the grouping of dust elements into
larger agglomerations.”
Green solutions
GreenGrip is a natural polymer-based gravel
road sealant. It is an environmentally safe
alternative to chemically based products for
semi-permanent gravel roads on mines and res-
idential areas. The solution produces a durable,
smooth and dust free surface with fewer main-
tenance intervals. GreenGrip is water soluble
and is also easily incorporated into routine dust
suppression procedures with no requirement
for special equipment or handling precautions.
For permanent dust roads, I-CAT supplies
a bitumen-based dust suppression solution
called GreenBit.
Camera-based technology
Water and fuel are precious commodities on
open-pit mines, and spillage and overfilling
are a major challenge in the industry. In order
to overcome this costly and wasteful trend, du
Plessis points out that I-CAT developed the
E-CAM system with integrated RFID, a cam-
era-based technology that assists water bowser
operators in lining up 85 000 m
3
water bowsers
at the filling points located across the mine.
“In the past, this tedious task involved the
driver regularly climbing out of the vehicle
before aligning it with the filling point. The
element of human error often resulted in mis-
alignment and spillage. I-CAT’s E-CAM camera
technology ensures pinpoint alignment with-
out the driver having to set foot outside of the
bowser. This substantially reduces the risk of
spillage, and also leads to significant time and
cost savings,” he continues.
Looking to the future, du Plessis is optimistic
of continued growth. “Environmental compli-
ance is more important than ever before and,
given the rapid acceleration of growth across all
major industries in Africa, demand for suitable
products and services is set to increase. I-CAT
has established itself as a proven market leader
over the years. As a result, the company is rec-
ognised as a preferred supplier to the industry,
and has placed itself in a strong position to
achieve future growth,” he concludes.
