American Mine Door's September 2017 e-NEWSLETTER
American Mine Door Working with Kibali Gold Mine in the DRC
?em>The Kibali gold mine opened in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in May of 2014 representing an
investment of more than $2.5 billion by Randgold Resources and AngloGold
Ashanti. Kibali will rank as one of the largest gold mines in Africa
when in full production, expecting to produce an average of 600,000
ounces of gold per annum over the first twelve years of its life.?br />
Julienne Bay | May 2, 2014
The Kibali mine has since commenced production by trucking ore to the surface and is in the process of commissioning a major underground crushing and shaft hoisting system. After an assessment of the ventilation controls, their consulting and engineering team approached American Mine Door to submit a proposal on a variety of horizontal louver type mine door designs, vehicle doors, airlocks, regulators, and other mine doors equipped with pedestrian man doors.
Important Mine Door Buying Criteria Included:
-
Design
- Price and overall value
- Ease of adjustment or operation in dusty environment
- Cost and delivery time to site
- Cost of spare and replacement parts
- Ease of installation, maintenance, and repair
- Reliability in service conditions
Teamwork in Design
After AMD won the bid, our
engineering team worked closely with the Kibali team to refine the
design of the ventilation mine doors to incorporate unique damper-style
louver doors to allow for greater control of ventilation throughout the
mine. This resulted in American Mine Door fabricating opposing blade
dampers built into the mine door for easy air regulation and 100%
control of air flow.
Meeting the Challenge
Bob Chorman, head of the AMD engineering team for
the project, said it was a challenge in designing the best possible
solution. Bob says, “Working with the Kibali team, we collectively
revised and improved the design several times before sending it to
production. It was time well spent to ensure that we had the best
economical solution which also met all the needs of the mine.?The
entire process has truly been a collective team effort. From beginning
to end - design, fabrication, logistics, and shipping have all been a
collaborative process.
Looking Ahead: Automating for Ventilation-On-Demand (VOD)
With this new louver / damper design, American Mine Door can easily set up for automation with a regulator and controls for above-ground actuation. This allows for true Ventilation on Demand (VOD), and gives mines the potential to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs. This unit truly can pay for itself over time.
For more information on built-in louver/damper/regulator style doors, automation, and ventilation on demand (VOD), contact Bob Chorman of American Mine Door directly by sending an email to at bob@minedoor.com
JENNMAR to Offer EcoVent?Equipment Doors
JENNMAR Corporation is pleased to announce that they have entered into an agreement with American Mine Door of Cleveland, OH to be the sole and exclusive US distributor of their EcoVent?Equipment Doors for underground mining applications.
The agreement is for a term of three years with a three year option.
This alliance with American Mine Door expands JENNMAR’s mine ventilation
offerings, which now include metal stoppings, man doors, foam packs and
equipment doors. Remarked Tony Calandra, Executive Vice President of
JENNMAR, ?em>This was a logical next step in our efforts to expand the
range of our ventilation products for the mining industry - and we are
very pleased to be able to offer a safety-oriented, quality product from
such a reliable company as AMD.?/p>
Traditional mine doors require miners to open one wing at a time.
EcoVent Doors use a patented opposing wing design for easy operation.
Door wings are connected so that, when one wing is opening, the other
wing also opens simultaneously in the opposite direction. This unique
design utilizes equalized air pressure to assist the door in opening and
closing with little effort. Doors will not slam closed, radically
reducing the potential for injuries. Air pressure is doing the work
instead
of the miner, creating a safer work environment for employees.
In addition, a corrugated wing design is used to minimize weight, maximize strength, and keep pricing affordable. A superior hinge design is used with each pivot point having a bearing surface. This improved heavy-duty design will require minimal maintenance with years of service.
EcoVent Equipment Doors are easy to install and move around, and can be re-used repeatedly, providing years of service. Its lightweight design makes disassembly just as simple as assembly. Customers have the flexibility to incorporate a wide range of options and customization for greater safety and efficiency.
American Mine Door is an Original Equipment Manufacturer established in 1906 based in Cleveland, OH. We come backed by a long history of fabricating specialty equipment and mine door products for the underground mining industry across the globe and share JENNMAR’s dedication to building safety into every product.
Other American Mine Door Project Highlights
Mexico Gold Mine Project | ABC Ventilation, American Mine Door Joint Mine Project
ABC Ventilation Systems, a trusted world leader in mine and tunnel
ventilation, has contracted with American Mine Door in an underground
mine door project in Mexico. Working closely with the ABC technical
staff, we identified the need for a free and clear open high pressure
mine (HPM) door at 18?wide x 16?high. The door is being fabricated to
sustain a maximum of 8?water gauge (WG) air pressure. The mine doors
will be pneumatically-controlled with easy to use pull switches to
activate the open and close cycle.
ABC Ventilation Systems is a vertically-integrated manufacturer of flexible and semi-rigid polymer products and air distribution systems for mine and tunnel ventilation. For more information on ABC Ventilation, visit www.abcventilation.com
Underground Mine Projects in South America
Howden’s Simsmart Division offering Ventilation on Demand (VOD) Technology has interfaced with American Mine Door Systems
Howden’s Simsmart Division is working with American Mine Door across several South American underground mine projects using its “plug and play?approach with American Mine Doors. SmartEXEC Technology software provides the core of Howden's Ventilation on Demand (VOD) solution with full automation of fans, dampers, regulators, and now - mine doors. It is an innovative technology that builds on Howden's experience and knowledge of mine ventilation and fan technology to deliver an automatic ventilation system that can save up to 50% of the mine's energy costs. For more information on Howden Simsmart, visit https://www.howden.com/products-and-services/other-products/smartexec-software
Chilean Mining Projects- Exponor 2017
ACH Collaborating with American Mine Door In Chile
ACH, a recent sponsor of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration’s 16th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium, has been collaborating with American Mine Door to distribute customized underground mine door solutions throughout an active Chilean mine market over the last year.
American Mine Door recently attended the Exponor Trade Show with ACH in Antofagasta, Chile. Pete Hallahan, Vice President of Sales at American Mine Door says, “ACH was a great host - we could easily see how respected they are in the Chilean Mining Industry by the established relationships they have.?ACH has been servicing the Chilean Mining market for over 20 years and is dedicated to offering expertise and solutions in drainage and mine ventilation. For more information please visit http://www.ach.cl
Tell Us About Your Upcoming Ventilation Mine Door Projects!
Tell us more about your upcoming mine door project. American Mine Door will work along with your ventilation engineering team to build the perfect mine door solution.
Whether it’s a simple budgetary quote, a small manually operated mine door, or a complete complex automation system - we are here to help.
Contact Us today to learn what American Mine Door can do for you!
Request a Quote or Contact Us Today for more Information
See why the world is turning to AMD for the best in underground mine equipment, including Mine Doors, Cable Vulcanizers, and Track Cleaners?
Call us at 216-432-3240 or visit our
Contact Us page to discuss
your needs with an American Mine Door representative.
