Promoting forged grinding

media in the mining industry

A comprehensive roadmap
by
Ken Seecharran (Process Consultant)

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

THE MILLING PROCESS

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

A MINEs COST PROFILE

The cost profile of a typical mine is as follows:

10% power
10% diesel
10% explosives
10-20% labour
10 mining chemicals
10-20% maintenance spares
10% overheads and general administration, and
10% grinding media
IT IS THIS NICHE AGNISTEELS CAN EXPLOIT
Declining metal prices makes this a prerequisite

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE WAY FORWARD.

IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ATTENTION BE FOCUSSED ON CENTRAL AFRICA

Ores of DR Congo and Zambia consume about 0.8kg of mill balls for
each tonne of ore milled
This translates into a market of approximately 75 000 tonnes per annum
This market comprises 3 types of mill balls, namely:
appro imatel ast steel alls
appro imatel hrome-alloy balls, and
appro i atel forged steel balls....THIS IS THE NICHE
AGNISTEELS SHOULD EXPLOIT
Agnisteels has the following distinct advantages, compared to its competitors
(mainly from China or south-east Asia)
Manufacturing is based in Port Elizabeth so transportation cost is lower
Lead time is shorter
Technical support is a 2-3 hour flight away, and
Manufacturing is based in a country with a formidable mining history

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.BREAKING IN TO A NEW MARKET.
BECAUSE OF THE INERTIA OF THE MINING INDUSTRY, BREAKING IN TO
A NEW MARKET DOES POSE CHALLENGES, AS FOLLOWS:
Cost effectiveness of the product is always paramount. It ought to be
stressed to the prospective customer that they need to look beyond
the $/tonne window. A holistic approach is a prerequisite. This comes
in the following form:
$/tonne as a starter
Quality of the ball. A poor quality ball has the following detrimental effects:
Broken balls take up space in the mill and are too small to do useful work
Broken balls contribute to iron (Fe) ions in the flotation or
leaching pulps, in both cases, metals recoveries are depressed
Broken balls wear pumps/cyclones/mill liners and pipelines, and
Broken balls leave less power to break rock, thus:
Motor Power = Power to turn the mill + Power to tumble the charge + Power to break rock

Decision makers in the mining industry come in three forms, as follows:

Those promoted by virtue of experience, they will resist change and
are contented to go with the status quo until retirement
Those with a combination of experience and qualifications. They stand a 50/50
chance of implementing change, and
University graduates who are analytical and embrace change
BALLS PRODUCED BY AGNISTEELS ARE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.AGNISTEELS MILL BALLS.

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.OUR PRODUCTION PROCESS.

PRODUCTION IS BY MEANS OF INDUCTION FURNACES AND ROLL FORGING

THE FOLLOWING ADVANTAGES ARE CHARACTERISED BY THIS METHOD:
Homogenisation of the melt due to efficient stirring
Less oxidation loss (dross) because of no local overheating
Highly accurate alloying process
Well defined melt temperature
High quality of the melt, even with cheap charge (scrap)
High throughput because of fast melting and faster heating up of the melt
High furnace efficiency
Good working conditions for the furnace workers
Environmentally friendly (minimal dust emission and no exhaust gas)
THE QUALITY AND COST SAVINGS FROM THESE BENEFITS ARE PASSED
ON TO OUR CUSTOMERS

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

....INDUCTION FURNACE....

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE ANNEALING PROCESS.

THIS PROCESS IS A PREREQUISITE IN METAL WORKING

It involves heating the metal to above its crystallisation point, in the
process, atoms migrate in the crystal lattice and the number of
dislocations decreases, leading to the change in ductility and hardness

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.AGNISTEELS RANGE OF MILL BALLS.

Agnisteels can offer the full spectrum of mill balls for the mining
Industry. This can cover applications for:
SAG mills
Ball mills
Regrind mills, and
Verti/Tower mills

PLEASE GIVE US THE CHANCE TO WORK WITH YOU

Our comminution consultant will assess your needs and make the
necessary recommendations, following a comprehensive plant audit

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.ADDITIONAL HIDDEN BENEFITS.
OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH WILL IDENTIFY ALL POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF USING
OUR MILL BALLS. ONE AREA OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN USING A POR QUALITY
MILL BALL IS THE PEENING OF A MILLs DISCHARGE GRATE

The detrimental effects being:

Reduced mill throughput
Overgrinding of the ore
Increased power consumption, and
Reduced liner life (a major cost component)

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE ALLOYING PROCESS.

ALLOYING ENTAILS FILLING OF THE INTERSTITIAL SPACE

OF THE IRON LATTICE, THUS MAKING IT MORE RIGID
AND HARDER

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE ALLOYING PROCESS.

WE CAN ADJUST BALL HARDNESS TO MEET CUSTOMERs NEEDS

THROUGH OUR SUPERIOR AND PRECISE ALLOYING PROCESS

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

. THE ANNEALING a d HARDENING PROCESSES .

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE RESULT OF GOOD ALLOYING.

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE PRICING STRUCTURE.

Usually:
30% of the cost with a confirmed order
40% when the ship is loaded, and
30% when the ship docks at its destination
The downturn/downsizing in the mining industry means that there are
dozens of cancelled orders in China in which customers have lost their
30% deposit. That deposit, or a greater part of it, is passed on to new
customers as a discount

SUCH MOVE/TACTIC IS EPHEMERAL

.......AND WILL SOON BE EXHAUSTED

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

Please give us the chance to work with you

Thank You
The End
Any Questions?