With most of its 5,000-strong global footprint of transfer chutes being installed in Southern Africa, Johannesburg-based Weba Chute Systems has built a reputation in demanding mining conditions.
The region is a leading producer of platinum and manganese, for instance, which are both highly abrasive ores, points out Dewald Tintinger, Technical Manager at Weba Chute Systems. The company’s innovative approach and customised designs control material flow and resist wear, matching specific site conditions.
“First and foremost, a chute must facilitate optimal throughput so that mining production is not hampered by frequent blockages or repairs,” says Tintinger. “It is well known that the cost of a quality chute is a fraction of the cost of lost production through downtime.”
Systematic approach
He highlights that Weba Chute Systems takes a systematic approach to assessing each customer’s requirements, starting with the general arrangement of the area around transfer points. The depth of experience accumulated over 40 years in business allows the company’s experts to suggest improvements to the layout – where these are possible and where they affect the chute performance.