A low-friction polyethylene liner made by Röchling Engineering Plastics KG of Haren, Germany, is being used in an Australian mineral sands mining project.
Sydney, Australia-based thermoplastic engineering firm Dotmar EPP Pty. Ltd. prefabricated and installed three liners in 80-ton-capacity conical feed bins.
John Riordan, Dotmar EPP application development specialist, said the linings helped avoid handling problems caused by varying moisture levels in the sand, which disrupted smooth production.
“The polymer liner is specifically designed for lining hoppers, chutes, bins, dump-truck bodies, dozer blades and other applications that require solutions to sliding abrasion and release of sticky materials,” he said.
The bins are used in the extraction of ilmenite, zircon and rutile from sand to manufacture pigments for plastics, paint and cosmetics.
Riordan said the A$200 million (US$145 million) mineral sands project in Victoria is “one of the first” in Australia to use the ultrahigh-molecular-weight PE liners. He would not disclose their cost.
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