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FerroCer™/FerroComb™ wear panels

FerroCer and FerroComb lightweight wear panels offer innovative and long-lasting wear solutions in high-abrasion environments in mining and mineral processing.

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The wear liner challenge

In the demanding world of mineral processing, equipment longevity (or lack thereof) can significantly impact operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Unfortunately, wear rates can be very high, particularly in the chutes and hoppers that carry bulk ores between processing steps. Wear panel selection plays a crucial role here: the right wear panels will enhance operational reliability and extend uptime, raising productivity, reducing maintenance time and costs, and improving sustainability. 

Common practice involves bolted or welded wear liners/panels made of hard metal, heavy-duty rubber, or rubber-ceramic composites. Liner material selection depends on various factors, including ore time, drop height, material lump-size distribution, and impact angle, but each has limitations and drawbacks. Metallic wear liners are heavy, expensive, and challenging to work with, and their effectiveness is reduced in extreme temperatures. Ceramic wear liners are difficult to install and are prone to detach; they are also hard to cut and cannot be bent or formed. 

Mineral processing plants are under pressure to process more ore to meet growing mineral demand, so any production loss due to wear liner replacement is an issue. Yet, replacing liners can often take an entire shift, putting the process flow on hold for hours and significantly impacting production. It may be required every one to two months and places maintenance personnel at risk. Lastly, manufacturing wear liners consumes raw materials and energy, and spent liners must be disposed of. Frequent replacement, thus, raises the environmental impact of mineral processing. It is easy to see why better wear-lining solutions were needed.

Answering this call, FLS developed two new wear panels for highly abrasive applications: FerroComb lightweight metallic liners for moderate impact applications and FerroCer composite liners for more severe impact applications.

Stepping up wear-liner performance

FerroComb metallic liners

Cast from optimised white iron, FerroComb liners feature a matrix design that reduces panel weight, cost compared to composite alternatives, and end-of-life wastage. Critically, they also facilitate the formation of an autogenous wear layer, enhancing wear performance without the need for ceramic or hard materials used in other lining solutions; it can also prevent feed material degradation. FerroComb liners are made from 84% recycled metals, while their production runs primarily on renewable energy. The benefits include: 

  • Extended wear life
  • Lower maintenance costs and downtime
  • Easier and safer installation
  • Improved sustainability

Proven to extend wear life

  • Extended wear life

    Extending wear life by ten times at Hindustan Zinc

    The major Indian mining company, Hindustan Zinc, was experiencing high wear to the manganese steel liners used in its transfer chutes. Each liner had a typical life of 25 days and required a team of five to six workers to replace. Installing FerroCer panels at the high-impact wear zone resulted in the following: 

    • 40% of the FerroCer liners lasted 345 days before replacement
    • 60% were still in operation after a full calendar year
    • Significantly fewer maintenance stoppages and lower costs

    Download the case study

  • Slashing costs

    Slashing maintenance costs at St Ives gold mine

    The St Ives gold mine in Australia was replacing the heavy-duty rubber impact bars in its discharge chutes every six to eight weeks. This set back the mine’s preferred shutdown cycle, which was scheduled every 12 weeks, interrupting production flow. Replacing the rubber liners with FerroCer wear panels provided the following improvement in wear performance: 

    • A four times increase in wear life of more than 34 weeks
    • A reduction in maintenance costs
    • Synchronised maintenance schedules for improved productivity

    Download the case study

The future of wear panels  

Keeping plants running longer without impacting performance or damaging equipment is critical to the mining industry’s ability to meet the rising demand for metals and minerals while processing ever-higher tonnages of lower-grade ores. With its strong culture of innovation in wear protection, FLS is well-placed to partner with mineral processing plants to extend wear life in even the most complex and harsh environments. 

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Frequently asked questions

Wear panels are protective linings designed to withstand the high abrasion and impact forces generated when handling heavy bulk materials, such as mineral ores. Thus, they prevent damage to equipment like chutes, hoppers, crushers, and screens from wear and tear, helping achieve operational reliability. 

A range of materials may be used to make wear panels for mining and mineral processing, including metals such as hardened steel or cast iron, ceramics, polymers like high-density polyethylene or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, and heavy-duty rubber. Wear materials can also be combined into composite liners. 

Wear panels extend equipment life, reduce maintenance costs, improve operational efficiency, and enhance safety. Using fewer panels also has sustainability benefits, reducing the consumption of raw materials and energy involved in manufacturing them. 

Wear panel selection depends on several factors, including the material being processed, the level of abrasion and impact, and the specific equipment being protected. Metallic wear panels like FerroComb may suit moderate impact and high abrasion. In contrast, composite panels like FerroCer, which combine ceramic and steel, might be more appropriate for severe impact and high abrasion. Consulting with FLS’ wear solutions experts will help determine the best option for your needs.

Wear panels are typically installed by bolting or welding them onto the surfaces of the equipment they protect. Maintenance involves regular inspections to check for wear and damage and replacing panels as needed. Challenges exist when wear panels are particularly large or heavy. FerroCer and FerroComb panels are lightweight and easy to handle, allowing easy installation and replacement for quick maintenance without significant downtime.