The Ekati mine realized that the Type II diamonds were being lost in the process due to their low fluorescence during XRF processing.
Halyard, in collaboration with equipment manufacturer, Vibramech, developed a compact grease table which incorporated an integrated feeding system that would mitigate the problem of type II diamonds being missed by the XRF machines.
Due to space restrictions in the recovery plant, Halyard designed a grease table with an integrated feeder. Traditionally, two pieces of equipment would be used for this purpose. This single, compact, machine fits in the allowable space while still meeting the process requirements.
In addition to designing the hybrid feeder and grease table, Halyard designed a method for the wash water used in the circuit to be temperature regulated, which is critical to the consistent operation of grease tables, especially in cold weather climates like northern Canada.