Find out which factors were decisive in the selection and planning of new screening technology for KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., the Polish world market leader in mining and metallurgy, and learn about the progress of the project.
KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. is a Polish mining company with the core activities of mining, processing and selling non-ferrous and precious metals as well as copper and silver. It is a leading supplier of raw materials on the global market.
In 2013, the Group opened a tender for the renewal of the primary screening plant at the Polkowice-Sieroszowice copper mine in Poland.
Initial situation & planning phase
The existing screening machines were outdated and could no longer meet the increasing demands on product quality and the growing global demand for copper. The project team modernised and optimised the system concept, drawing on IFE's many years of expertise in special machine solutions.
The IFE team selected the IFE linear vibrating screen as a high-performance replacement for the previous screens and customised it to the specific requirements.
The project was also supported and accompanied by the Polish IFE representative H+J Biuro Techniczne from the very beginning.
Mechanical engineering and delivery in several stages
Once the planning had been finalised and included in the budget of the company, IFE was given the go-ahead to deliver the first screening machine in 2018. Initially, the customer began by replacing one screen to see for themselves the promised quality and increase in efficiency. Expectations were fully met, and IFE therefore received the order for two more screening machines in 2023.
Design of the linear vibrating screens
The linear vibrating screens themselves are manufactured in an extremely robust mining design, as 1 200 tonnes of copper ore per hour pass over the screen decks. This includes a solid screen frame and in the inlet, wear plates made of Hardox, side walls with special rubber coating, grid inserts made of Hardox and an undersize feed floor lined with solid special plastic.
Another particular challenge was to design the screening machines in such a way that they would fit in with the existing conditions and at the same time fulfil the increased requirements for performance and efficiency. To achieve this goal, a specially curved shape was chosen for the lower screening deck. It is slightly curved, which is why it is also known as the banana screen deck. The inlet area is somewhat steeper and gradually flattens out towards the screen deck. This allows the material speed in the inlet to be increased and the layer height to be reduced. The result is improved screening with the same screening surface compared to the old machines.
The upper deck is equipped with a robust wedge wire screen to protect the lower screening deck made of polyurethane from ore lumps of up to 600 mm in size. This lower screening deck separates the material at a size of 30 mm.
