Shifting sands

You are here: Homepage > Search

Shifting sands

O'Driscoll, Mike

This feature examines the supply route from the mines of South Africa to the German market of foundry grade chromite. Foundry sands represent chromite's second major non-metallurgical market, which are in 2004 2.88 % or 494761 tonnes of chromite ore and concentrates. In this study the authors looked at material imported from one of South Africa leading chromite producers, Samancor Chrome, via the Netherlands to Germany. Foundry grade chromite is sourced from the Mooinooi mine, a part of Samancor Chrome's Western Chrome Mines (WCM) business unit, located near Rustenburg in North West Province, South Africa. Samancor's total chromite production was 3.2 m. tonnes. For foundry grades it is important to keep silica levels low. Several important inspections are carried out during the processing at Samancor. Then the material is shipped from South Africa to Rotterdam, where it is transhipped and barged to Mineralmahlwerke Hamm via river and canal for further processing. Chromite foundry sand is packed in accordance with customer's requirements; apart form standard size ranges to specially screened ranges. Final products are delivered by trucks to end users. Chromite foundry sand is mainly used in steel castings and ductile castings. The two main casting applications are in moulds and in cores. Some end users produce a few huge cast products. During the last year the chromite sand market was fluctating. The availability of non-metallurgical chromite grades is always held hostage to the fortunes of the influential ferrochrome market, which is the primary driver for chromite production.