Resource World Magazine

F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 2 0 www.resourceworld.com 81 MININGWORLD F ounded in 1889 by Ferdinand Steiner, in Cologne, Germany, STEINERT began serving the resource industry by developing magnets used to recover iron from steel slag and waste. Over the decades, as the objects to be separated became smaller and separation technology became ever more complex, STEINERT expanded its prod- uct line to incorporate technological advancements. During the last 20 years STEINERT developed its reputation as a specialist in sensor-sorting technology. The X-ray transmission (XRT) technology established in the mining sector has ensured more efficient recovery processes. Separating waste rock at an early stage makes downstream processes more efficient and dramatically reduces energy consumption. For example, two STEINERT XSS T X-ray sorters are used in Southern Africa to pre-concentrate sulphide gold ore. The sorter feed ore has an average grade of less than 0.8 g/t gold. The sorted product is upgraded to 3 to 4 g/t with an efficiency of 90% while ejecting up to 75% of the mate- rial as waste. In order to meet increasingly demanding requirements for upgrading more complex ore types, STEINERT has been develop- ing its XRT technology by adding other sensors to the detection process. Through a combination of sensors, low-grade ores, con- sidered uneconomic waste rock, can now be detected and sorted, using the multi-sensor technique. For instance, four STEINERT KSS units with XT L sensors, each with a working width of 2 metres, are used in Peru to beneficiate low-grade polymetallic ore stock piles. Many studies demonstrate that sorting is the best option for viably exploiting such stock piles profitably. STEINERT KSS is equipped with intelligently linked multi- sensors and units can be configured to optimally suit the sorting task at hand. In principle, the STEINERT KSS is a platform on which various sensors can be deployed. This includes 3D detection using lasers, colour and induction recognition. The system can also be fitted with near-infrared, X-ray transmission or X-ray fluorescence sen- sors. Parallel detection of objects using several sensors and signals allows sorting tasks to be conducted, which cannot be accom- plished with only one sensor. This multi-sensor approach provides mining companies the flexibility to adapt to changes in the sorting applications. STEINERT's expertise is, "…sorting waste rock and ore with low mineral concentrations out from the process at an early stage to save energy and resources and to unlock more enriched ore more effectively." To this end, the company has developed sorting equip- ment capable of sorting waste from ores such as precious metals, base metals, manganese, diamonds, etc and removing deleterious material in industrial minerals and so on. STEINERT serves the coal industry as well, offering both wet and dry processes. In regions where water isn't abundant it is becoming more difficult for mines to obtain water licenses, STEINERT offers an effective means of dry coal beneficiation with their XSS T X-ray sorting system based on 'dual energy' X-ray transmission. The com- pany states, "This allows ash content to be reduced without the use of water, while specific contaminants such as sulphur can be accurately removed. The X-ray technology is capable of detecting atomic density differences between the rock and the almost pure carbon in the coal. Sorting the waste rock reduces the ash content in the product at various threshold values." In addition to the successful application of sensor sorting tech- nology, STEINERT is also a leading provider for magnetic sorting solutions for the mining industry. Their overhead suspension magnets, the company states, "have been tried and tested time and time again for their separation of tramp iron, with high belt speeds, large working distances and dumping heights". The sus- pended magnets can work on material streams moving as fast as 7.5 m/s, separating tramp iron such as rock bolts and nuts from bulk materials which protects crushers, grinders and other pro- cessing plant equipment from damage and wear. By far, most of the coal leaving Australia has passed a huge STEINERT magnet for tramp iron removal at one of the port loading facilities. STEINERT´s wet and dry drum separators are widely used in iron ore beneficiation. Coal washing plants also widely employ STEINERT´s wet drum separators for magnetite media recovery. STEINERT's mineral processing equipment has specially devel- oped for mining applications. n STEINERT sorting the good from the bad by Kathrine Moore STEINERT XSS T ore sorters used in southern Africa. Photo courtesy of STEIRNERT.

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