Mining

Irregular material flow can lead to bottlenecks, material accumulation, and reduced processing efficiency. Specifically engineered for the bulk solids handling and mining sectors, Polystone Matrox high-performance polymer liners mitigate friction and minimize material adhesion. Matrox is tailored to address common flow issues in bins, hoppers, chutes, truck beds, and various other applications within these industries.

Understanding Flow Problems:

Cohesive or adhesive bulk solid materials pose challenges during transfer in both mobile and fixed plant operations. These materials adhere to surfaces, hindering smooth flow and adversely impacting productivity. This issue is pervasive due to equipment often being designed without comprehensive knowledge of the handled bulk material.

Factors such as moisture content, storage time, and physical properties significantly influence bulk solid flow characteristics. Common flow problems, like arching and ratholing, arise when outlet sizes are inadequate or when hopper linings fail to facilitate proper flow. Shallow wall angles or surface roughness due to corrosion or improper liner selection exacerbate these issues.

Segregation occurs when materials discharge in a funnel flow pattern, with finer particles accumulating at the center of the bin and coarser particles along the walls during loading. To mitigate or prevent segregation during discharge, a mass flow condition is necessary.

Matrox addresses these challenges by reducing boundary friction between bulk solids and hopper walls, facilitating uniform and predictable flow. This promotes complete and consistent emptying of the hopper in a "first in, first out" manner, enhancing operational efficiency.

Engineering plastics can play a crucial role in the leaching and refining step of the mining industry by providing chemically resistant materials that are essential for handling corrosive substances and maintaining operational integrity. Here's how Dotmar's offerings contribute:

1. Comprehensive Selection: Dotmar offers a wide range of chemically resistant plastics, catering to various needs within the leaching and refining process. These include industrial-grade options like Polypropylene and Polyethylene (Polystone 300) as well as advanced engineering fluoropolymer plastics such as PVDF and PTFE (Tetron S).
    
2. Unparalleled Chemical Resistance: Tetron S, a type of PTFE commonly known as Teflon, stands out the world’s most chemically resistant material. It boasts unparalleled resistance to a wide array of chemical attacks, making it ideal for applications involving aggressive chemicals commonly encountered in the leaching and refining process.
    
3. Corrosion Mitigation: Traditional materials like steel are prone to rapid corrosion when exposed to corrosive substances like sulfuric acid, which is commonly used in leaching processes. This corrosion susceptibility can lead to hazardous chemical leaks, posing significant safety and environmental risks. However, by opting chemically resistant plastics, engineers can mitigate the risk of corrosion-related failures, ensuring enhanced durability and chemical resistance in tanks, pipes, and other critical components.
    
4. Safety and Environmental Protection: The use of chemically resistant plastics helps safeguard against potential leaks and spills of hazardous chemicals, thereby minimising the risk of accidents, injuries, and environmental contamination. This proactive   

For mining operations seeking solutions to material challenges such as withstanding harsh conditions, enhancing lifespan, or improvement of existing components, Dotmar offers the expertise of qualified engineers and seasoned material specialists.

Our approach involves a meticulous step-by-step process:

1. Problem Identification
2. Material selection – ensuring compliance with specifications
3. Engineering Drawings and prototyping (if required)
4. Developing a robust business case

Partnering with Dotmar ensures comprehensive support at every stage.

In mining, there are a number of components which could be made from engineering plastics. From sacrificial parts such as wear blocks, strips and slide pads, to mechanical parts such as bushes and bearings, internally lubricated wire rope sheaves, chemical tanks and even ventilation ducts – replacing traditional materials with engineering plastics can improve the lifespan of your parts, reduce maintenance and improve profitability.

Dotmar’s team of qualified engineers and mining industry experts can work with you to materialise your idea or improve upon an already existing item.

Dotmar offers the largest assortment of engineering plastics across Australia and New Zealand, developed to thrive in the demanding conditions of mineral ore, oil and gas, and hard rock mining operations.

Dotmar represents the most reputable IS09001 accredited, semi-finished thermoplastic manufacturers. Additionally, Dotmar's FRAS materials meet the requirements of MDG308 for use in underground coal mines, ensuring compliance and safety.

Dotmar also supplies a comprehensive range of Matrox Flow promotion liners which can reduce hang-up/ carryback by as much as 30% for bulk solids in chutes, hoppers and trucks. Dotmar provide the full system including specialised fastening systems as well as full installation.