Tenova TAKRAF contracts from Mauritania

10,000 tph Tenova TAKRAF shiploader at the Port of Nouadhibou in Mauritania.

Open pit mining and underground solutions provider Tenova TAKRAF, has completed the supply and installation of a 10,000 tph shiploader for the Port of Nouadhibou in Mauritania, as part of a contract awarded by Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM), which also covers the associated conveying system. Tenova TAKRAF is part of the global total technology solutions provider, Tenova Mining & Minerals.

The contract is part of an expansion to the existing iron ore stocking and loading facility at the port and was the first contract that Tenova TAKRAF had received from SNIM. It was also the company’s first project in Mauritania. Since the contract was awarded, Tenova TAKRAF has received a further contract from SNIM for mobile overburden stacking bridges.

The contract, commencing in June 2010 and with completion of the entire plant due for by December 2014, covers the design, supply, transport and on-site installation of a travelling, luffing and shuttling shiploader and the complete conveying system. The latter includes transfer towers, a sampling tower, belt scales, dust suppression and metal detection and extraction systems, as well as modification of the existing conveyor system.

The shiploader, supplied by Tenova TAKRAF Italy, was custom designed to meet the client’s requirements. A crucial requirement of the conveyor system component, supplied by Tenova TAKRAF Germany, was modification of the existing conveyor system during operation to reduce production downtime.  As a result, shutdown was limited to only four days, minimizing any loss of production.  The state-of-the-art high capacity automatic sampling system is also an important feature of the conveying system.

Logistics was a challenging consideration, due to the remoteness of the site and the fact that the shiploader was completely assembled in Portugal, after which it was transported to site fully erected using special ocean cargo shipping.  In addition, the potential risk of dust due to fine ore material being handled and the strong winds endemic in the region, required strict focus on dust control, with the systems having proven highly effective since installation.

“Tenova TAKRAF’s ability to accommodate such challenging logistics, combined with our extensive experience in the design of shiploading equipment and conveying systems, as well as our competitive pricing, positioned us well to win this award, says Alberto Dardano, Managing Director of Tenova TAKRAF Italy.

In line with Tenova TAKRAF’s commitment to uplift the communities and industries in the countries in which it carries out contracts, a local company was used for construction, with supervision and logistical support provided by both Tenova TAKRAF offices in Italy and Germany.  A global procurement strategy was used to optimize cost effectiveness, without compromising high quality standards synonymous with Tenova TAKRAF.

Tenova TAKRAF is a key supplier of equipment and systems for open pit mining & underground solutions and bulk handling, having provided hundreds of complete systems, as well as individual machines to clients all over the world in all climatic conditions. Globally sourced air pollution control, specialized handling equipment, and technology for the cement and fly ash industries ensure selection of optimal processing options.

Tenova Mining & Minerals is a total integrated solutions provider to the global mining, bulk materials handling and minerals beneficiation and processing sectors, offering innovative technological solutions and full process and commodity knowledge across the mining industry value chain.

Tenova is a worldwide supplier of advanced technologies, products, and engineering services for the metals and mining & minerals industries. More information is available at www.tenova.com.