Solutions for Angas Mine

Angas Mine exceeds all production start-up expectations by using the latest
technology in Ceramec filters, which is drying higher than expected grades of
zinc and lead concentrate. 

In the face of the 2008/09 credit crunch, Angas Mine in South Australia (SA) is
outperforming its metal recovery targets and expected mining grades for a
projected 400,000 tonnes per annum of concentrate for the life of mine. Full
production capacity for the new lead-zinc mine was brought forward by six
months to January 2009. 

Aided by a lean start-up and lower consumable costs for grinding, milling
reagents, diesel, as well as lower costs for smelting and shipping, the mine's
site operating cash costs for 2009 have now been revised downwards, despite a
weaker Australian dollar. 

The Angas zinc mine is one of Terramin Australia Pty Ltd's base metal projects
selected for its high grade ore, proximity to infrastructure such as ports,
roads, water and power, and potential for expansion. Sempra Metals and
Concentrates Corporation holds a life-of-mine off take for Angas's concentrate,
forecasted to be 60,000 tonnes per annum for zinc and 22,000 tonnes per annum
for lead. 

Challenges for Dewatering

In its first year of life, the lowcost mine with a resource of 2.4 million
tonnes and situated only 60 kilometres (i.e. 45 minutes) from Adelaide, has
produced nearly 23,000 tonnes of high-grade lead and zinc concentrate by the
end of its second quarter. 

The transporting of lead and zinc concentrate commenced shortly after the
mine's commissioning on 18 July 2008. Lead concentrate is being trucked to Port
Pirie's smelter while zinc concentrate is delivered to Port Adelaide before
shipping to Korea. 

Stringent mine and rehabilitation plan conditions for Angas mine are helping to
reduce the potential of any impact on a nearby local development Strathalbyn.
Noise levels cannot exceed 47 dB by day or 40 dB by night. Groundwater
contamination is minimised by the containment of processing waste in a
state-of-theart tailings storage facility, valued at AU$7.5M with double-lined
high density polyethylene (HDPE) and sized for mine expansion. 

Dewatering with Ceramec

The South Australian Centre for Economic Studies predicts that Angas's initial
seven-year mine life, with its 64 site-based roles and future expansion
possibilities, will boost the local economy by $29M per annum. 

The mine's remarkable start-up performance far exceeds expectations and is due
in part, to an advanced filtering and drying system for the two concentrates,
supplied and serviced by Larox Corporation. Angas's installation of two
Ceramec- filters, fed by two Larox peristaltic rollercompressing pumps, 
is proving to be an excellent dewatering investment. 

While sized for expansion and variable production rates, the two Ceramec filter
systems use capillary action within ceramic disks to dewater the lead
and zinc concentrates. The extracted filtrates are very high in clarity while
the dried filter cakes meet required transport moisture limits (TMLs) for their
ore grades. 

Larox Pumps in Operation

The Larox feed pumps employ a single, bearing-mounted roller design that
compresses each hose once during a 360 degrees operating cycle. This feature
reduces 
the hose compressions required by 50% when compared to traditional peristaltic
pumps that use two sliding shoes. 

After slurry thickening, the Larox pumps feed the relatively coarse lead (P80,
50μm) and zinc (P80, 71μm) concentrates into their respective filtering system.
Here concentrates coat the ceramic disk segments during immersion into slurry
baths and dewatering starts immediately via capillary action. Extracted
filtrate passes through microporous holes in each disk before being transferred
away by a small 2.2 kW vacuum pump. The dried filter cake that remains is
continuously scraped off as the disks rotate.

Ceramec Capillary Action Disc Filter

Larox has undertaken extensive work to develop its Ceramec filters as top
performers in the global mineral, metallurgical and mining markets. 

Now the latest Ceramec filter, with new ultrasonic positioning between the
disks, is being utilised by Angas at rates of 75% to 90% over a 24-hour period,
depending on the ore grade being received. 

Angas's general manager John Burgess initially planned to install Larox
pressure filters instead of Ceramec filters after he experienced optimisation
issues with an earlier version of Ceramec filters at Broken Hill in 1985. Once
convinced by extensive tests and other site successes that the latest Ceramec
filter would be ideal for Angas, John Burgess installed a Ceramec disc filter
model CC30 (i.e. 30 m² filter area) for the zinc and model CC6/15 (i.e. 6 m²
filter area; expandable to 15 m²) for the lead.

Maximizing Benefits

When lead grades rose higher than expected soon after installation, Larox
suggested to Angas a filter upgrade from the CC6/15 to a CC9/15 would provide
the greatest economical expansion benefit. The extra disk, now installed, is
providing Angas with a 30% increase in filtration capacity, allowing for 
the handling of higher lead when the ore grade is high. As a result of this 
upgrade, the lead filter can capably handle higher lead head grade and increase
production while still producing filter cake under the required TML. 

Burgess reports he is “pleasantly surprised” at the ongoing performance of his
dewatering system. “It's a good mine that is professionally set out and
producing on its investment because things are done right”. So much so in fact, 
that the Algerian government is interested in what Angas mine is doing for 
Terramin's development of its large Tala Hamza zinc deposit in Algeria. 

Performance for Life

The many benefits of using Ceramec filters and Larox peristaltic pumps are
being realized at Angas mine as well as other sites. The benefits include a
plug-and-play design, no downturn is required for maintaining filter disks,
only once-a-month maintenance checks are needed for filter ultrasonics and
seals, routine filter backwashing is automatic and takes only half an hour per
shift, feed pump hose leaks can be easily detected, revolution counters can
record pump hose life (thereby reducing unscheduled stoppages) and processing 
noise levels can be kept to a minimum. 

Larox is providing Angas with full customer support from its new SA service
office for filter and pump aftermarket service agreements. Larox was quick in
replacing a defective generator unit in the ultrasonics of one of the filters
while it was still under warranty and actively responds to any performance 
queries with its customers directly. 

Larox Service Team

Since Larox's acquisition of Ceramec, Hoesch, Pannevis and Scanmec filter
brands in 2004, Larox is well positioned as a global 'one stop, multi-filter
shop'. Larox's products and services available include an array of filter
products, spare parts, after-market technical services, maintenance services 
and upgrade solutions.

During the past couple of years Larox has developed its organization from two
offices in Sydney and Perth to a network of seven offices that are located near
to its Customers around in Australia. Mining boom helped to justified the
investment as there were plenty of work around, but now in the down turn of the
economy, the network has proven to be extremely beneficial for both Larox and
its Customers. 

The Larox's Australian service team has grown in the last 12 months from 6
persons to 28 persons. Larox now has service offices in Kalgoorlie, Perth,
Tasmania and Adelaide and this national distribution will help reduce the lead
times on spare parts. 

Larox Corporation

Larox Corporation, the parent company of the Larox Group, is headquartered in
Lappeenranta, Finland. Larox Corporation's B share is listed on the Nasdaq OMX
Helsinki Ltd. The Larox Group consists of several subsidiaries worldwide. The
number of employees in the Group in 2008 was approximately 562. 

For further information about Larox's service and equipment packages and how
they could suit your site's needs, please contact suggest inserting Larox
Australia details to replace Larox's Australian subsidiary office
representative, John Durie, on john.durie@larox.com. or visit Larox's 
website www.larox.com

Larox Pty. Ltd.
Unit 1/28 Smith Street
2067 Chatswood NSW
Tel +61 (02) 9910 6412
allan.wilson@larox.com

Larox Pty. WA Offi ce
Larox Pty. W.A. Offi ce
Suite 8, 176 Main St.
6017 Osborne Park WA
Tel +61 (8) 9207 1966
patrick.jay@larox.com

Larox Pty Ltd. Northern Territories
Queensland
433 Logan Road,Stone Corner
4120 QLD
Tel +61 7 3394 8423
harry.stone@larox.com

Larox Pty Ltd., South Australia,
Tasmania and Victoria
P.O.Box 7167, Upper Fern Tree Gully
7156 Victoria
Tel +61 (3) 9758 4417
john.durie@larox.com