September 07, 2008

Metix JV building Xstrata chromite sinter plant in SA

Smelting and technology equipment company Metix announced that it has been commissioned as part of a JV to construct the largest chromite sinter plant in South Africa. The main contractor for the project is Metuba, which is a JV between Metix Tubular and Royal Bafokeng Holdings.

The plant is being built on a lump sum turnkey basis as part of ferrochrome producer Xstrata’s Bokamoso project on its Wonderkop site. The first plant has been hot commissioned and the second will follow in the next two months.

Mr Andrew van Niekerk engineering director of Metix told Engineering News that the plant is based on Outotec technology and consists of two integrated 600,000 tonnes per year plants.

Metix’s main activities are in the ferroalloy industry covering agglomeration, palletizing, sintering and smelter plants. Metix has experience in the construction of over 36 new furnaces, 15 furnace rebuilds and 6 steel belt sinter plants. In addition to ferrochrome, the company also has experience in processes such as ferrosilicon and ferromanganese.”