In a remarkable display of advanced engineering, Bunting's manufacturing plant in Redditch, UK recently completed construction of what is currently the largest Electro Crossbelt Magnet ever built. Weighing a staggering 13 tons, this impressive magnet now serves a vital role at a renowned gold mine in Northern Finland. Over the span of one year, it will systematically remove and isolate harmful tramp metal from around 2.7 million tons of transported ore, safeguarding critical equipment like crushers and screens further along the processing chain.

The Electro Crossbelt Magnet functions based on the principles of strong magnetic forces, quickly lifting and automatically discarding any ferrous tramp metal present in the conveyed ore. Mounted in a crossbelt setup over the non-magnetic head pulley of a conveyor, it generates a potent magnetic field. Any tramp metal drawn into this field is magnetically attracted and lifted onto the surface of a constantly moving self-cleaning rubber belt. Equipped with heavy-duty rubber wipers, the belt effectively clears the captured metal, diverting it away from the ore flow and into a designated collection area.

This innovative Electro Crossbelt Magnet is part of a major expansion project at the Kittila Gold Mine in Northern Finland.

Working closely with mine operators, Bunting's engineering team crafted a custom solution tailored to meet the mine's distinct needs. Factors such as conveyor width, ore volume, and the properties of tramp ferrous metals were carefully evaluated throughout the design phase. Leveraging an in-house developed Electro Crossbelt Magnet Selection Program, the team determined the ideal magnetic field strength and force density necessary for efficient separation.

The outcome is the model 205 OCW50 Electro Crossbelt Magnet, featuring a 17 kW electromagnetic coil cooled by recirculated oil. This cooling system is essential for maintaining the magnet's performance, as magnetic force weakens with rising coil temperature. With dimensions measuring 4.2 meters in length, 3 meters in width, and 2.2 meters in height, this substantial magnet was assembled at Bunting's Redditch manufacturing facility.

“Large-scale mining projects, like this one, often demand specialized solutions,” says Adrian Coleman, the General Manager of Bunting’s Redditch facility. “Over four decades, Bunting has amassed extensive expertise in designing and fabricating large Electro Crossbelt Magnets. However, this was the largest we’ve ever produced at Redditch, presenting numerous challenges that we successfully overcame. Notably, the entire design and manufacturing process occurred during the pandemic.”

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