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Sandvik supporting aggregate production in Panama

Located 40km north of Panama City, Panama Development of Infrastructure (PDI) is assisting the Petaquilla Gold Mine, part of Petaquilla Minerals, in producing high quality aggregates from excavated materials at the mine. In order to support the activities of Petaquilla Minerals, the only mining company currently operating in Panama, PDI is using a selection of Sandvik drilling, crushing and screening equipment, all manufactured by, which has been supplied, and is supported by, Sandvik’s distributor in Pana
February 20, 2014 Read time: 3 mins
Located 40km north of Panama City, Panama Development of Infrastructure (PDI) is assisting the Petaquilla Gold Mine, part of Petaquilla Minerals, in producing high quality aggregates from excavated materials at the mine.

In order to support the activities of Petaquilla Minerals, the only mining company currently operating in Panama, PDI is using a selection of Sandvik drilling, crushing and screening equipment, which has been supplied, and is supported by, Sandvik’s distributor in Panama, Grupo Tecún.  

The Petaquilla Gold Mine is not just a mine, but also a major source of aggregates for the local construction industry. Due to the diverse activities of mining and aggregates production at one site, Petaquilla Minerals identified a requirement for a drilling, crushing and screening solution that was both flexible and adaptable, not only for their demanding requirements, but also to those of their customers. Hence, in seeking a productive and versatile solution for their requirements, the company decided to invest in Sandvik equipment, selecting a DX800 drill rig, a UJ440i mobile crusher and a QA450 triple deck Doublescreen mobile screener.

Of the relationship that has developed with 2403 Sandvik Construction through Grupo Tecún and PDI, David Baralt, general manager and chief operations officer at Servicios Mineros de Petaquilla (Petaquila Minerals), said, “We are seeking friendly suppliers, who understand how their products are connected to our production. We strongly believe in Sandvik for the recognised quality of their equipment worldwide.” As Baralt indicates, it has proved vital for Petaquilla that the world renowned excellence of its purchased Sandvik Construction equipment is supported by a first class after-sales service from Grupo Tecún.

The extensive range of Sandvik mobile crushing and screening equipment is designed for maximum productivity, offering advanced solutions for virtually any crushing application, stationary or mobile. Furthermore Sandvik, due to its global presence, is able to supply key components and a wide range of consumables, all supported by teams of aftermarket professionals who are able to support the equipment wherever it is operating. In Petaquilla’s case, the UJ440i jaw crusher is used to process Andesite rock from the quarry, crushing down from 700mm to 150mm, at an average production rate of between 450-500tonnes/hour. Due to the demanding nature of both the material and the production requirements, the UJ440i operators are able to call on Sandvik’s support via Grupo Tecún in order to ensure that this impressive productivity is maintained. In processing the aggregates, and in addition to the UJ440i crusher, the company also uses a QA450 triple deck Doublescreen, which is able to achieve a production rate of up to 600tonnes/hour, depending upon the material, the feed size, and the required fractions. This highly productive unit provides an extremely flexible solution as it can produce four material sizes, plus an oversize from the grid. The high production capability is due to the patented Doublescreen screen box, which features two independent triple deck screen boxes, with independent drives, that are able to have their amplitudes and screen angles adjusted depending upon application.

The delivery and use of the QJ440i, together with the equally impressive QA450 and DX800, strengthens the position of Sandvik in Central America. The interesting application at the Petaquilla Gold Mine highlights how the faith displayed by the customer in Sandvik’s history and reputation, the quality of the product, and the support provided Grupo Tecún, has presented benefits to all parties, facilitating what is hoped to be many years of successful partnership.

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