Mining equipment specialist Osborn has secured an R8.5-million order to supply a range of its high-quality machines to a new manganese mine in the Northern Cape.

Osborn product sales manager Francois Scott says that this order and the region are significant for Osborn. The highest concentration of Osborn equipment anywhere in South Africa can be found in the Northern Cape, where its high-performance machines dominate the region’s manganese, iron-ore and diamond mines.

“We are delighted to be growing our footprint in this area and, at the same time, forge an important new partnership with Met63, a supplier of advanced modular process plants to the mining industry,” says Scott.

Scott explains that Osborn will supply Met63 with an Osborn Telsmith 36 × 16 vibrating feeder, an Osborn Telsmith 25 × 40 jaw crusher, an Osborn modular Telsmith 38 SBS gyrasphere crusher and an Osborn modular 16 × 20 double deck screen for mining and beneficiation company Sebilo Resources’ new manganese mine in Hotazel. The Osborn machines will be employed in a new fixed plant that Met63 has designed to replace mobile crushing equipment.

The scope of Osborn’s contract includes the supply of the equipment and assisting Met63 with the commissioning.

The Osborn equipment will all be shipped by road from the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Elandsfontein, Gauteng. “The heaviest machines in the order – the 21 t Osborn Telsmith 25 × 40 jaw crusher and the Osborn modular units – are innovatively designed so that they can be stripped and fitted into a container.

“This means that they can be shipped with ease by normal road freight and rapidly erected as soon as they arrive at the site in the Northern Cape,” Scott reveals.

He asserts that Osborn won the contract based on the unmatched quality of its locally manufactured, world-class machines, and its proven track record in the manganese industry. “Our exceptional machine quality and workmanship, as well as Osborn’s expertise and deep experience in crushing manganese ore, contributed to our success in securing this order,” he expands.

New client Met63 was also able to see first-hand how successfully Osborn machines operate in the manganese industry in the Northern Cape.

Met63’s stated focus is on adding value to the mining sector by using innovative, fit-for-purpose, cost-effective minerals processing options designed to maximise clients’ profitability.

“We are proud that the company recognised the value that Osborn can add to its solutions and chose to partner with us in their next modular comminution project and first manganese modular primary crushing project,” Scott states.