Mining Advantage with an Edge in Specialized Services

Q: Why should TAKRAF be considered elemental in every mining project?
A: TAKRAF offers a strong combination of product-based knowledge and project execution experience that is enhanced through sharing of the company’s extensive worldwide experiences. Clients benefit from the global expertise our colleagues bring to the table so that we can offer them the best local solution.
Q: What is your strategy for winning contracts to work for the biggest miners in Mexico?
A: Currently we are not seeing a great number of large greenfield investments. Miners, for some time now, have been focused on further increasing the efficiency of their existing operations. Our technologies help with this. Our paste thickeners, for example, have been very successful and clients see the advantage of water recovery during the mining process. Due to our specialized portfolio and expertise, we are also able to offer an integrated solution for dry stack tailings applications, from paste thickening and filtered tailings to complete conveying and stacking systems to support the mining industry’s efforts to make the process of tailings storage safer and more sustainable.
In Mexico, we have been catering to large mining operations since the 1990s where we initially completed high-capacity conveying systems. Our 2012 integration of DELKOR enabled us to extend our technology offerings in the Mexican market with the inclusion of solid/liquid separation and beneficiation equipment. We see further potential through our recent innovative developments, such as the new TAKRAF X-TREME Class Sizer range for overburden and ore, primary and secondary crushing, as well as DELKOR Filter Presses for heavy-duty applications of concentrate and tailings dewatering.
Q: What was the main factor behind your drive for greater sustainability?
A: There is a real drive for sustainability globally and this is not just limited to the mining industry. We recognize that the opportunity to reduce operational costs, while also investing in long-term sustainability, thus saving resources, is a win-win situation. When it comes to materials handling, the most obvious solution is our proven ability to replace the trucks that are hauling ore by high-capacity In-Pit Crushing & Conveying (IPCC) Systems. To highlight the potential of this, imagine that the trucks themselves use about 60 percent of the energy consumed while only 40 percent is available for the actual load being carried. With our conveyor systems, 90 percent of the energy employed is used for the transport of material. A great deal of money can be saved in energy costs alone and we are providing an environmental benefit too, due to the reduced carbon emissions.
However, we start even a step ahead of the actual equipment, as we also provide various technical studies related to mining and materials handling solutions. Every mining project is different and because we carry out projects that range from the oil sands in Canada to copper projects in Chile and Peru, we can support our clients to define the optimum solutions to the specific needs and characteristics of each project.
Q: What are your expectations for the Mexican market in the next five years?
A: We see great potential in the Mexican mining industry. That is why we have increased our presence here. However, there is some uncertainty as to when larger investments will actually go ahead. In the meantime, we are supporting many smaller projects, which will come online in the short term. This adaptability demonstrates that we have the capability to work on both large and small projects, which we think is an advantage in this landscape. Investments in the mining industry contracted for several years. While this is now changing and investments are gradually recovering, the pace is slow and we now have to consider the impact of various uncertainties introduced as a result of the global geopolitical situation. This could push regional and smaller projects in the next five years and force mines to be profitable and efficient.