The Finnish mining engineering firm has said the new press is both modular and larger than previous versions, enabling the production of large and complex consumables such as mill lining wear parts that weigh up to 8t.

"The new press utilises unique, innovative technology," said Sami Takaluoma, Metso's president of consumables. "For our customers, the ability to acquire and use larger, high-quality consumables in the process enables a longer operating time and reduces the time required for maintenance work."

The company is confident the press will go online this month despite the impacts of global lockdowns imposed due to the spread of COVID-19, noting that this required that the installation process be monitored remotely by the supplier's dedicated support hubs in Australia and China.

Installation testing involved the use of wearable headsets and video cameras, and the installation area was equipped with video cameras, enabling continuous online guidance and instructions.

"In this challenging situation, we found a workable solution to stay on schedule. Thanks to the continuous support and detailed online guidance provided to the on-site team, the installation work has proceeded as planned and with safety measures maintained," said Takaluoma.   

Metso operates currently 11 factories manufacturing synthetic products globally, and it will open a new factory for mining consumables wear parts in Lithuania in 2020.