Case Study | VACON 50X Drive
SEPRO MINERAL SYSTEMS CORP.
Developing an efficient, affordable and easy-to-operate mineral recovery solution with T&T Power Group and Vacon Inc.
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BACKGROUND
Located in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, Sepro Mineral Systems Corporation recognized the need to improve the methods of gold recovery.
As the result of years of research and development, they introduced iCON: a family of mineral processing products specifically designed to recover fine gold while meeting the needs of artisanal miners worldwide. The iCON equipment is now used in more than 30 countries.
THE PROBLEM
The client required a mineral recovery solution that was both efficient and affordable, while remaining simple to program and operate.
OUR SOLUTION
Sepro Mineral Systems worked with T&T Power Group to provide an affordable and efficient mineral recovery solution. Other drive products were considered but the VACON® 50X AC drive was selected for its value and features. The VACON® AC drive products provide ultimate reliability in extreme conditions and service environments worldwide where iCON gold recovery products and plants are being used.
“The VACON 50X AC drives were chosen for their high UV resistance, fully sealed outdoor wash-down rating, and very good price for our entry level equipment. The drives are also very simple, and easy to program and operate with very little training or instruction required. The competitors have similar products but none of them could match the requirements concerning UV and washdowns as well as the price or ease of use that the VACON® X Series drive offers,” says Trevor Elliot, Automation Manager, Sepro Mineral Systems Corporation.
Reliability is paramount in remote areas. Matt St. John, General Manager for iCON Gold Recovery Corporation, travels all over the world assessing potential mine sites and providing sales support for artisanal and small scale gold miners.
"The iCON i350 concentrator is currently installed in 19 countries utilizing the VACON 50X AC drive. Our gold mining product installations are always in remote areas with extreme climates, and our end users generally do not speak English. The reliability of a VACON AC drive is paramount to us, since a simple one hour service or replacement could take over a week when shipping spare parts internationally.”
“You also have to consider the logistics of reaching the remote mine sites of the world. In the equatorial regions of the world the temperature can exceed 100 °F (38 °C) with 99% humidity. Our products are often installed in high mountains and northern latitudes where snow and daily freeze thaw cycles are common. Our equipment is generally installed outdoors. The VACON 50X AC drive is easy to operate for speakers of all languages.” concludes St. John.