SGS has been providing services related to mechanical sampling services to coal and minerals industries for more than thirty years. Mechanical sampling is the most reliable and safe method of accurately assessing composition of large volumes of bulk materials due to the difficulties posed by high capacity streams, sheer volume, labour costs and stringent contract specifications.

Advantages of Mechanical Sampling

Mechanical sampling systems offer the following advantages over manual sampling:

• Eliminates risk of human error
• Manual sampling can often be a safety risk to the operator. Mechanical sampling provides for operator safety whilst allowing correct sampling
• Increasingly, manual sampling is not recognized in various national and international sampling standards.
• Mechanical sampling provides representative, unbiased samples that can be verified through bias tests
• Consistent operation
• Crushing and secondary sampling on-line results in a time and cost saving over manual sample preparation
• Full cross section of product stream can be sampled resulting, in every particle having equal probability of being included in the sample
• Constant and repeatable cutter velocity is achieved thus ensuring correct proportional sampling is carried out
• Maintains sample integrity - no sample loss or contamination
• Can provide a marketing advantage for users who can demonstrate that quality control is performed in compliance with recognized standards

SGS Mechanical Sampling

SGS provides the following services in relation to mechanical sampling:

Consultancy

• Assessment of sampling requirements
• Development of project specifications
• Design of sampling systems
• Technical audits
• Bias Tests
  
  

Sampling Systems

• Design
• Fabrication
• Testing
• Installation
• Commissioning
• Maintenance
• Back-up support including supply of spare parts

Own and Operate

• Build, own and operate sampling systems on your behalf
• Operate existing systems on behalf of clients
• Packages including on-site SGS laboratory

Laboratory Equipment

• Sample preparation equipment
• Sample testing equipment