It is somewhat ironic that our very first large scale vacuum belt filter, installed way back in 1996, became the trial site for our first full scale Viper installation.

Jord delivered two belt filters back in 1996, and then a further two in a 2005 expansion of the facility.

As we celebrate 25 years of service to Glencore’s Newlands prep plant, it is pleasing to note that all four belt filters continue to provide good service.

Glencore own and operate numerous coal assets and in a quest for more high-value, high-grade fine coal, better and more sustainable mining practices, tailings reclamation and re-processing are being pursued. This poses a serious challenge to the filtration circuit, as conventional belt filters can not produce a reliable on-spec product moisture for this greatly increased fine particle loading.

An extended program of full scale site experimentation, using Jord’s latest patented full scale Viper units retro-fitted to the existing belt filters, has produced a staggering 50% increase in overall throughput at reliable and low cake moistures.

This is a game-changer for industry in regards tailings processing. Retro-fitting Viper units to existing belt filters now provides mining operators a chance to get much greater bang for their buck.