Bonfiglioli Transmission Australia has supplied a heavy-duty gearbox solution for a custom lime slaking system engineered by Australian materials handling specialist Bulk Handling Technologies (BHT) for a gold mining operation in Africa.
The project centred around a tyre-driven ball mill used within the lime slaking process, where quicklime is combined with water and ground into slurry to support downstream gold recovery operations.
According to BHT senior mechanical engineer Sebastien Poulinet, gearbox reliability and technical support were key considerations during equipment selection for the project.
“Having worked with Bonfiglioli before, we understood that they could provide the necessary equipment quality and service we require when manufacturing such a custom piece of equipment,” Poulinet says.
To meet the mill’s operating requirements, Bonfiglioli supplied two HDO Series heavy-duty orthogonal shaft gearboxes, designed for high-torque, continuous-duty mining applications.
Mark Beesley, WA state sales manager at Bonfiglioli Transmission Australia, says the application placed significant demands on the drive package.
“The gearbox must transmit very high torque at low speed, while also withstanding the shock loads inherent in ball mill applications,” Beesley says.
Each gearbox supplied for the project is rated to 25,230Nm of torque and 117kW, operating with a 36:1 ratio to achieve the required mill speed.
Beyond the gearbox supply itself, Bonfiglioli also provided engineering support throughout the design and integration process, including bearing life analysis, shaft sizing confirmation, thermal safety factor calculations and 3D modelling assistance.
Poulinet says this early-stage technical involvement helped validate the specification and integration of the drive package within the broader mill design.
“Bonfiglioli provided engineering information during the quotation stages to confirm gearbox output shaft sizes, bearing life, mechanical and thermal safety factors,” Poulinet says.
“Afterward they provided 3D models and drawings which were critical to ensuring correct fit of their gearbox within the mill envelope.”
The project reflects the ongoing demand for high-load drive systems capable of operating reliably in harsh mining and process environments, where equipment durability and technical support remain critical factors in overall system performance.