Multotec’s high-performance spirals power Thaba JV project
Multotec has supplied a range of high-performance spiral equipment to the Thaba JV chromite and Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) project in South Africa’s Limpopo province. The integrated processing solution is designed to enhance recovery, improve product quality, and maintain the operational flexibility needed to support the plant’s long-term performance objectives.
The Thaba JV is a 50:50 partnership between Sylvania Platinum’s wholly owned South African subsidiary, Sylvania Metals, and Limberg Mining Company, a subsidiary of ChromTech Mining. Located near the town of Thabazimbi in the northern part of the PGM- and chromite-rich Western Limb of the Bushveld Complex, the project integrates chrome mining with a high-efficiency processing plant capable of treating multiple ore streams. These include run-of-mine (RoM) middle group chrome ore from the opencast Limberg chrome mine and some 2 million tons of current and historic chrome tailings, to produce chromite and PGM concentrates.
As a key technology partner, Multotec’s scope of supply included spirals, cyclones, and samplers, each selected, configured, and optimised to meet the plant’s specific processing requirements.
A central component of Multotec’s contribution to the project lies in the spiral concentrator circuit. Multotec supplied a combination of proven and newly developed spiral technologies that can deliver high recoveries across the broad particle size range required by the project. These include the SC20/7 and SC21/5 spirals, along with two of Multotec’s latest designs, the UX7 spiral, developed for ultrafine particle recovery, and the SC21/5 LD, a high-capacity spiral optimised for cleaning applications.
Christina Ramotsabi, Product Manager for Spirals at Multotec says: “Together, these spirals deliver high separation efficiency, improved recoveries, and consistent product quality, reflecting Multotec’s ongoing drive for technological advancement.”
The supply agreement with the Thaba JV reflects Multotec’s end-to-end capability in spiral design and application, supported by the company’s technical expertise in correctly sizing and specifying the optimal spiral for each section of the plant.
Multotec’s on-site support team, led by Thabang Molefe, Application Engineer at Multotec, has been involved from the early stages of the project. Working closely with Multotec’s process engineers, the team focused on optimal spiral sizing and selection to ensure the most effective circuit configuration to match the plant’s feed characteristics and throughput targets.
Beyond supply of its equipment, Multotec continues to provide ongoing technical support throughout the commissioning and optimisation phases of the project to ensure seamless integration and reliable performance. This ongoing involvement throughout each stage of the project underscores Multotec’s collaborative approach and commitment to fostering long-term and sustained partnerships throughout the life of a project.
Christina concludes: “We value the trust placed in Multotec by the Thaba JV partners and remain dedicated to contributing toward achieving sustained plant performance and the long-term success of the plant through our world-class expertise in mineral processing.”
