Maximises sampler and centrifuge longevity Multotec Product Specialists Gerrit du Plessis for Solid-Liquid Separation and Willem Slabbert for Sampling and Magnetics describe how proactive maintenance can be applied to minerals-handling equipment, such as samplers and centrifuges, to maximise reliability and longevity.
“Under the operational pressures of the min- ing industry, maintenance is often ignored when equipment appears to be functioning normally, only receiving attention once failures occur, by which point it is too late,” explains Gerrit du Plessis, Product Specialist for Solid-Liquid Separation at Multotec. Centrifuges, typically installed at the end of metallurgical or chemical process streams for dewatering, directly affect the availability of up- stream production lines. In contrast, samplers, designed to collect representative portions of mineral streams for analysis, are expected to operate with up to 99.95% accuracy. “In a typical 56-shift production month, losing just one sampling shift due to a minor breakdown or equipment unavailability means that nearly 2% of the stream goes unsampled, which directly impacts overall sampling accu- racy,” stresses Willem Slabbert, Specialist for Sampling and Magnetics at Multotec. He adds that proactive, lifecycle-focused maintenance strategies are critical in all mining and indus- trial settings to sustain consistent equipment reliability. To prevent unplanned breakdowns, equip- ment must be engineered to perform reliably under demanding conditions and be supported
M ining and mineral processing operations rely on the uninter- rupted operation of samplers and centrifuges to maintain product quality and process efficiency. Samplers collect representative samples that are accurate and reproducible, while centrifuges enable effective solid-liquid separation, dewatering and classifi - cation within a process plant. Despite their importance within the mineral processing value chain, maintenance of these electromechanical systems is often carried out reactively rather than proactively. This can lead to inaccurate sampling, unexpected failures and costly operational downtime. To better manage this, Multotec’s proactive maintenance Willem Slabbert, product specialist for sampling and magnetics at Multotec.
approach helps customers extend the lifespan of their equipment, monitor wear rates, and support overall plant performance, thereby achieving the best possible life cycle cost for the installed equipment. Being proactive pays off Samplers and centrifuges operate under highly demanding conditions where extreme tem- peratures and corrosive or abrasive materials can place strain on equipment. Centrifuges are exposed to high flow velocities, abrasive ma - terials, and significant G-forces, while sampler cutter blades pass through abrasive process streams, contributing to wear on equipment components over time. Gerrit du Plessis, product specialist for solid/ liquid separation at Multotec.
A Multotec Rotating Plate Divider is a dry sampling solution engineered for continuous or timed splitting of material in bulk handling systems. To operate with up to 99.95% accuracy, samplers must be maintained to the highest standards.
18 ¦ MechChem Africa • July-August 2026
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