:: MMS to Supply Large G-Cell Coal Flotation Plant to Siberia

Maelgwyn Mineral Services has been awarded its largest ever contract to supply an Imhoflot G-Cell pneumatic flotation plant to Zap-Sib in Siberia, Russia. This will be a major reference site for MMS’s innovative new technology.

OJSC, "West Siberia Iron and Steel Plant", (Zap-Sib), part of the Evraz Group, is the largest steel concern in the Siberian region and the eastern-most steel mill in the Russian Federation. It is an integrated steel plant with production of pig iron from iron ore, steel making by the oxygen-converter method, steel pouring into bars or continuous casting billets, as well as hot-rolling on continuous rolling mills. The production of coking coal is undertaken on-site at the company’s colliery.

Current expansion plans required a new flotation plant and after beating off strong competition from conventional tank flotation suppliers MMS was awarded the contract to supply Imhoflot G-Cell pneumatic flotation technology. The plant will be processing 200tph and is planned to be commissioned in 2007. The plant feed will be split into 3 modules with each treating just over 670m3/hr using two, Imhoflot G-36 cells in series.

Imhoflot G-36 outer shells prepared for transportation to Siberia

The Imhoflot G-Cell is a major development in the area of froth flotation. It combines established pneumatic flotation technology, where the all bubble-particle contact takes place in a reactor external to the cell, with the principal of froth separation by centrifugal forces. The combination of these two techniques gives rise to high selectivity but extremely low residence time in the separating vessel. This is around 60 seconds in the G-36 which results in a much smaller plant size compared with tank or column flotation. The G-Cell concept is covered by world-wide patents.

MMS’s Managing Director, Michael Battersby commented "The plant in Siberia will be one of the largest coal flotation plants in the world. Securing the contract for MMS and the Imhoflot G-Cell technology is a major achievement. Clearly Zap-Sib have recognized the performance and cost benefits of the G-Cell."