MechChem Africa talks to Cedric Walstra, Glencore Technology’s Africa business development manager, who paints a broad picture of the high-recovery, high-efficiency processing equipment on offer from the technology side of Glencore’s business.
“I joined Xstrata Technology about ten years ago, while Glencore was a shareholder, but Glencore took us over about four years ago and the name was changed to Glencore Technology,” begins Walstra, adding that Glencore Technology develops, markets and supports niche technologies for the global mining and minerals processing and metals’ extraction industries, “and not only for the mines owned by the Glencore Group.”
“Glencore Technology is a standalone company that partners with several technology suppliers to develop cutting edge equipment. My involvement has been mostly with IsaMillTM fine grinding technology and Jameson flotation cells, but I am currently responsible for promoting the whole range to mining companies in southern African,” he tells MechChem Africa.
IsaMillTM grinding technology
Based on technology developed from the Netzsch mill and adding a patented product separator, different media and lining materials, Glencore Technology’s IsaMill™ is a highly energy efficient, high intensity, large-scale grinding machine.
Glencor’s IsaMill reduces the energy cost of grinding circuits. Intense grinding is achieved using inert ceramic grinding media that leads to improved metallurgical performance compared with conventional steel media.
“Anglo Platinium has some 26 IsaMills currently in operation. These are horizontal fine grinding mills with cantilevered shaft and eight grinding discs. Each mill is filled to 70 to 80% of capacity with ceramic grinding beads. As the shaft rotates, the discs and beads cause attrition grinding,” Walstra explains.
