www.afric aoutlookmag.com
CYCLONE EN G I NEE R I N G P R O J EC T S
w w w . c y c l o n e s . c o . z a
CYCLONE
2
EN G I NEE R I N G
www.aFRICAoutlookmag.com
P R O J EC T S
m
i
n
i
n
g
Waste masters Gerrit Jansen van Ryssen formed mine residue handling company Cyclone Engineering Projects following demand from the mining industry and the fast growing company has gone from strength to strength. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager Debbie Clark
www.aFRICAoutlookmag.com
3
CYCLONE
EN G I NEE R I N G
ll business managers will tell you of the importance of creating your own niche – being focused on a targetable part of the market. As the pool of people you are looking at is smaller, it will be easier to identify potential clients, and it is this that has seen Cyclone Engineering Projects grow. “I’ll start at the beginning,” says founder Gerrit Jansen van Ryssen. “I had and still have another company called Cyclone Projects and Consulting (CP & C) which was formed in 1998 and we would consult the mining industry in Africa and all the major mining houses – AngloGold Ashanti, Debswana Diamond Company etc. – and design tailings management solutions for them. That business was formed because there are two inevitabilities about mining for certain types of minerals: they consume vast amounts of water and produce equally large quantities of waste. Tailing management is also expensive and comes with considerable responsibility so we stepped into handle that, specialising in a process of Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) construction known as cycloning. Cyclone Engineering Projects was founded during 2007 on demand by the mining industry to operate and manage cycloned- and other tailings storage facilities (TSFs). I thought it a good opportunity; there was big demand from the mining industry. It has gone very well.” The company specialises in conventional and vacuum cycloning
4
P R O J EC T S
and has developed “new systems which we have patented,” says van Ryssen, whose long interest in cycloning saw him start the company upon leaving Foskor where he was a manager. “We achieved a major breakthrough in developing the patented vacuum cycloning, which proved to be a very successful element, creating tremendous cost savings to the mining industry in water saving,” he says. “We also introduced the very successful mine/ contractor JV principle where a major cost saving to the mines is achieved in the construction of new TSFs. “We are doing well and more mines are looking at the system.” CP & C is considered by the industry to be the leaders in the field of TSF cycloning. The operations of any type of TSF fall under the jurisdiction of CEP. “That’s it summed up,” van Ryssen says. “We have the patented system. We call it the vacuum cycloning system. It is new, modern... and a handful of opportunities and benefits for the mining industry.” How does the system work? Well, slurry is pumped to the TSF where cyclones are then used to separate coarse and fine materials under gravity forces. A large percentage of the slurry can be used for building the walls of the TSFs. This material dries within two hours, as opposed to more than 24 hours for the outdated spray-bar technology, making it considerably faster, more labour friendly and easier to maintain. “We have recently developed the dual cyclone system and it has also been patented,” van
Genius Landbou import and export
G
enius Landbou is a fully agricultural related business, which is focussing on the supply and service of the complete range of agricultural machinery and equipment. We also supply items for the mining sector and road works. The company has been operating for the last 15 years in areas of a wide variety. In the last four years, our company has grown from an average sized dealer to a big dealer in the complete and highly competitive agricultural industry. We have been appointed – two years in a row – 2009 & 2010 – dealer of the year. We believe that this was achieved (in a very competitive market) by means of high quality service, reliability and professionalism, which gave our clients, trust in our company. Genius Landbou is servicing the complete industry, i.e.: Vegetable crop growers All various grain crop growers Mines (Gold, Chrome and Coal mines Recreational maintenance, (sports fields) and contractors (Servest, Turftec and Real landscapes) Department of land affairs and rural development Department of correctional services – Leeuwkop, Modderbee; Baviaanspoort; Zonderwater; Brits, etc. Flower industry and nurseries.
Tel +27 11 952 9926 / 7 / 8 Email landinitarlton@gmail.com
www.geniuslandini.co.za
f e a t u r e
Supply and service of a complete range of agricultural machinery and equipment
Genius Landbou Import & Export (Pty) Ltd Email: landinitarlton@gmail.com Contact Office: +27 11 952 9926 / +27 11 952 9927 / +27 11 952 9928 Bart: +27 82 576 0130 Marco: +27 82 929 5850 Fax: +27 (0)86 571 5578
www.geniuslandini.co.za
www.aFRICAoutlookmag.com
5
CYCLONE
EN G I NEE R I N G
Ryssen adds. “The dual system is in effect a combination of conventional and vacuum cycloning. The results obtained from a site where cycloning delivers only on average 16 percent (by others), we managed to increase the rate to +/- 50 percent. Underflow material, which is used in wall development, is of high quality and satisfies the need of the client. The cyclone residue deposition system is a cost-effective and environmentfriendly alternative to outdated day wall and spray systems. We’ve been selected as the slimes dam engineer by a number of large mining houses and mines, owing to the fact that the company offers the most advanced and cost-effective technology in the industry. All these types of TSFs we operate, where we do the design, we have never had any incidents in terms of failures or anything like that. There are a lot of slime dam failures worldwide. We have never had something like that and trust and believe that will be the case going forward. Stability is the key. It is the biggest benefit we can give the mines. They can be sure in our system; that nothing will go wrong at the TSF. We have many advantages over the traditional slime dams built, the obvious being water - we give the mines back a lot of water, between at least 50 and 70 percent.” The potential for the business is massive. For one, more efficient extraction techniques by the mines are now allowing lower grade ores to be mined, creating greater quantities of waste in the process. Of course, the tailings have no commercial value. They are a burden to the mine operator and their management is not something that can be taken lightly. “The rest of Africa, Tanzania, DRC and those places, where you need stability and for the TSFs not to liquefy etc is an area we want to
6
P R O J EC T S
expand into as our system is as strong as rock! It won’t liquefy. We can go to the harshest environments and build slime dams. “So we are looking to expand into Africa. There are challenges however. Africa is a challenging environment and we are a little bit on the cautious side about expanding into Africa. We would rather consult the mines and teach them how to use and operate the system and we would be on the sideline – letting the mine do the work, and we would do the consulting and training.” Van Ryssen would like to see the business grow between 10 and 15 percent per annum each year over the next five years, with “at least 50 percent of the market coming our way”. “That is a big claim but if you look at our competitors it would be easy to eat into it with a new technology,” he says. “The mines are certainly interested and where we tender we Continued
www.aFRICAoutlookmag.com
PC Metallurgical Equipment (Pty) Ltd PC Metallurgical Equipment (Pty) Ltd started specialising in the manufacture of different products for the mining industry. Equipment for polyurethane spraying and moulding are built in-house. Engineering packages are available for the different products for spiral gravity separators, hydro cyclones and screens. Development is the keystone to success in the future. It plays an important role in the continuous upgrading of existing and new products and techniques. The company operates from its own premises in Pretoria. A fully equipped tool room and skills are used to produce all the moulds, dies and jigs for the products. The company is stable resulting in long service records and a considerable amount of depth among these employees. Tel +27 12 541 2010 Email metquip@mweb.co.za
www.metquip.co.za
m
i
n
i
n
g
PC Metallurgical Equipment (Pty) LTD Manufacturing a variety of products for the mining industry
PUMPS - SCREEN PANELS - SPIRALS - HYDROCYCLONES Contact Us: 209 van Eden Crescent, Rosslyn, P.O.Box 911 796, Rosslyn 0200 - South Africa Tel: +27 12 541 2010 Fax: +27 12 541 9091 Email: metquip@mweb.co.za
www.metquip.co.za
are successful. We have been going out to market and making the mines aware of the new technology. Now we can go into a growth phase. It is coming. 50 percent of SA market in five years isn’t unrealistic.” What’s the secret to his success? “I’m passionate; passionate in my work,” van Ryssen says. “I started the company and I don’t work for a boss - what I do I do for myself and I do it for the company. Also i’m confident as all my all my senior management are hand-picked. They can be trusted and are just as passionate to see the company moving from strength to strength. I have got the cream of the crop in the company. We look after them and that is where the success is. “I can’t sit still – I always innovate and look to improve.” This is definitely one to keep an eye on. To learn more visit www.cyclones.co.za.
www.aFRICAoutlookmag.com
7
E n q uiries Tel (UK): +44 (0) 1603 559 151 Tel (SA): +27 (0) 21 527 0053 ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel (UK): +44 (0) 1603 559 144 ian.armitage@outlookpublishing.com
www.africaoutlookmag.com
CYCLONE ENGINEERING PROJECTS P O Box 2200 Helderkruin 1733 South Africa Tel: +27 (11) 662 2916 Email: info@cyclones.co.za
www.cyclones.co.za