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NEWS RELEASE
18 Dec 03
For immediate release
More info: Tom Allen
(1) 724-266-5720
NICKEL MATTE
CASTING MACHINE
COMMISSIONED AT POLOKWANE
IN NORTHERN SOUTH AFRICA
AMBRIDGE, PA, December
18, 2003
The traditional method of granulating nickel matte, an intermediate
product in platinum and nickel production, has concerned producers for
some years. In addition to the potential explosion hazard, granulation
requires immense quantities of electric power to operate the
pumps.
More important, because of
the high sulfur content of the matte, the waste water contains varying
levels of sulfuric acid. Several producers have been subject to fines
and sanctions by environmental authorities for the discharge of
inadequately treated waste water into streams and rivers. The use of a
matte casting machine eliminates the need for large-scale and very
expensive water treatment facilities.
At the new Polokwane Smelter in Northern South Africa, Anglo Platinum
has installed a matte casting machine designed by Economy Industrial
Corporation. The design of the machine was based on experimental work
done by Economy on other varieties of matte.
The machine casts slabs, approximately 300 x 900 x 50 mm., and utilizes
Economy's proprietary automatic control system. The highly automated
machine reduces manpower requirements, by operation of the mould cooling
and mould coating systems by the plant's distributed control system.
Economy's development program, based on its patented technology,
purpose-designs the mould mass ratio, cooling time cycle, and water
cooling application rate and method to minimize the steady-state peak
temperatures of the moulds. Since allowing mould temperatures to
reach high levels shortens their life, this process design results in
longer mould life, with lower operating costs.
In addition to its matte, ferro-alloy and pig iron casting machine installations, Economy
Industrial
has supplied a number of machines to cast stainless and alloy steel for certified
alloy producers, brass and aluminum casters for primary ingot production, and
zinc slab casters. A machine at the U.S. Navy Puget Sound shipyard is being used to
convert high-strength alloy steel plate from de-commissioned Polaris submarines into
ingots. Economy has also been active in building casting machines for brass and
aluminum re-cycling, serving several clients in the Middle East, in addition to the
domestic market.
A two strand pig iron casting machine, with each strand capable
of casting 127 metric tons per hour, is currently under construction for
a new direct reduction plant in Western Australia. The plant is planned
to be commissioned in late 2004. A smaller 60 metric ton per hour machine was commissioned at a
mineral sands plant in early 2003, at Ticor S-A, in Empangeni, KZN,
South Africa earlier this year.
Economy expects a growing
market from additional mineral sands plants scheduled for construction
in the coming years. While the plants' prime product is titanium
dioxide, the sale of pig iron, produced as a by-product, is an important
source of revenue for producers.
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