Mintek’s new water atomising plant launched

October 2, 2012

South Africa’s Mineral Resources Minister, Susan Shabangu, has recently launched Mintek’s R44 million water atomising plant located at the research organisation’s Randburg site.

Mintek is South Africa’s national mineral research organisation and it is one of the world’s leading technology organisations specialising in mineral processing, extractive metallurgy and related areas. The water atomising plant will provide an effective means for the production of solid metal powder from six ton batches of molten metal.

The new atomiser plant was designed and built by MDM Engineering who sourced the atomisation technology from UK-based metals processing company Atomising Systems.

Inside the atomiser high pressure jets impinge on the molten stream to break it down into fine particles which can vary in size depending on the alloy and the pressure of the jets. The solidified particles are initially separated from the water by a magnetic separator followed by a dewatering screw. The final drying of the powder takes place in a rotary kiln.

According to Mintek, the new plant will initially be used for a two-year research and development project for Anglo American Platinum.

Unveiling the new plant, Shabangu said the facility represents an on-going collaboration between Mintek and the platinum industry. “The launch of this programme could not have come at a better time when the mining industry, particularly the platinum sector, is faced with crippling global market conditions,” the Minister stated.

mintek

 Mintek’s research campus in Randburg, South Africa

 

www.mintek.co.za 

 

Posted by: Paul Whittaker, Editor ipmd.net, [email protected]   

News | Articles | Market reviews | Search directory | Subscribe to e-newsletter

Recent issue of Powder Metallurgy review - your go-to resource to stay updated on the world of powder metallurgy and metal powders

In the latest issue of PM Review…

PM Review Spring 2023

Download PDF

Extensive Powder Metallurgy industry news coverage, and the following exclusive deep-dive articles and reports:

  • GKN Powder Metallurgy: A strategic vision for the future of permanent magnets for EVs
  • Building trust in the Powder Metallurgy industry: The role of standardisation and an update on recent work by ISO/TC 119
  • High-volume powder production for Additive Manufacturing: SMS group’s continuous metal powder production process
  • Development of enhanced-performance PM brake pads for high-speed trains by Beijing Tianyishangjia New Material Corp., Ltd.
  • The START project: Creating a sustainable supply chain for green energy harvesting products by Powder Metallurgy
  • World PM2022: Reviewing three innovative methods for metal powder production

The latest news from the world of metal powders, delivered to your inbox

Don't miss any new issue of PM Review, and get the latest industry news. Sign up to our weekly newsletter.

Sign up

Join our community

From the industry…

Discover our magazine archive…

The free-to-access PM Review magazine archive offers unparalleled insight into the world of Powder Metallurgy from a commercial and technological perspective through:

  • Reports on visits to leading PM part manufacturers, metal powder manufacturers and industry suppliers
  • Articles on technology and application trends
  • Information on materials developments
  • Reviews of key technical presentations from the international conference circuit
  • International industry news

All past issues are available to download as free PDFs or view in your browser.

 

Browse the archive

 

Looking for PM production equipment, metal powders, R&D support and more?

Discover suppliers of these and more in our
advertisers’ index and buyer’s guide, available in the back of PM Review magazine.

  • Powders & materials
  • Powder process, classification & analysis
  • PM products
  • Atomisers & powder production technology
  • Compaction presses, tooling & ancillaries
  • Sintering equipment & ancillaries
  • Post-processing
  • Consulting & toll sintering
Download PDF
Share via
Copy link