Erasmus highlights the recently introduced KREBS® OSA (Onstream Particle Size Analyser), which continuously measures cyclone particle size distribution in real time, enabling immediate process adjustments without waiting for laboratory results. “In the past, you would wait hours or even a day for laboratory analysis before making process adjustments,” he explains. “Now metallurgists can see exactly what is happening in real time and optimise plant performance immediately.” The technology has already been deployed at several mining operations in West Africa, particularly in Ghana, where installations are being progressively commissioned. “We have partnered with customers to prove the technology through extensive trials,” Erasmus says. “The systems provide real-time information in a format that is immediately usable by plant operators while remaining connected to our technology centres for ongoing support and optimisation.” Evolving mine layouts are also creating new challenges in slurry transport, tailings handling and dewatering. As tailings storage facilities continue to expand, operators increasingly require higher pumping pressures over significantly longer pipeline distances. “Tailings dams are becoming much larger and much further away from the plant,” Erasmus explains. “Mines also want to pump at the highest possible densities to conserve water, which means handling increasingly abrasive slurries over longer distances and higher heads.” To address these demands, FLS has expanded its portfolio with specialised high pressure pump models engineered specifically for modern tailings applications. Materials engineering remains another key area of innovation. FLS uses replaceable liners together with application-specific materials including high-chrome alloys, rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and other specialist compounds. Its vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities, supported by an in-house foundry, also enable ongoing research into advanced metallurgy, including high- chrome alloys and laser cladding technologies. “This allows us to optimise specific pump components while ensuring reliable long-term supply,” he says. However, Erasmus notes that achieving optimum pump performance requires more than improved metallurgy alone. “Our philosophy balances hydraulic geometry, pumping efficiency and material selection,” he says. “It is about optimising all of these elements together to deliver the best overall value.”
Careful inspection of KREBS ® millMAX™ pump housings at the FLS Stormill Service Centre forms an important part of FLS’s quality assurance process, supporting dependable operation and extended equipment life.
KREBS ® millMAX™ pump housings undergo rigorous quality checks at the FLS Stormill Service Centre to ensure they meet the required standards for reliable performance in demanding slurry applications.
Ultimately, Erasmus believes the greatest operational improvements come through close collaboration with customers throughout the life of a mining operation. “The biggest gains are achieved when we become part of the customer’s operation,” he says. “Working alongside their planning, reliability and maintenance teams towards a common objective helps them operate more efficiently.” This collaborative approach is particularly valuable for junior mining companies operating in remote regions with limited in-house engineering resources. “We support them with equipment selection, application engineering, maintenance strategies and on-site technical expertise,” Erasmus concludes. “By building long-term partnerships, we can deliver far greater value than simply supplying equipment.” n
Full flowsheet technology & services optimizing asset efficiency
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November 2026 | www.modernminingmagazine.co.za MODERN MINING 29
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