Underground Lighting Solution for Kipushi Mining Project
BEKA Schréder has supplied the underground lighting solution to the Kipushi Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The Kipushi Project, a historical underground mine located in the DRC’s province of Haut-Katanga, is adjacent to the town of Kipushi and approximately 30 kilometres southwest of the provincial capital of Lubumbashi, DRC. Kipushi Corporation (KICO), a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines and state-owned mining company Gécamines (La Générale des Carrières et des Mines), owns the project.
The mine is expected to become one of the largest zinc mines in the world, following the start of production. The average annual zinc production from Kipushi is estimated to be 225,000t. Earthworks and civil engineering work began in the second half of 2022. BEKA Schréder is proud to have supplied the underground lighting solution.
Underground Lighting Solution
The underground lighting solution comprises of the OPTIWAY and OPTILINK, as well as LEDNOVA-MIDI bulkheads.
The OPTIWAY is a small, highly versatile and robust low-power LED bulkhead. It can be mounted on any structure, is highly robust and offers a high photometric performance. The OPTIWAY utilizes the latest LED technology and unique optical distribution that suits most lighting applications. Its small size and robust design will provide the necessary amount of light for any low-power bulkhead application.
The OPTIWAY is suitable for use in various industrial environments, which include underground haulage, outdoor mining areas, oil and gas refineries, food and beverage plants, manufacturing process plants and any application that requires a low power and robust luminaire. The uniquely designed optional OPTILINK plug-in system simplifies the installation process significantly, especially for underground mining applications.
The OPTILINK system is a pre-wired plug-and-play system designed to mount the OPTIWAY at predefined spacings by means of a tool-less plug-in system. Each connection box is pre-wired using armoured cable with alternating phase on each one of them. The OPTILINK system is supplied in 100m system lengths. Once the OPTIWAY is plugged onto the OPTILINK system, it cannot be removed, thus making it highly vandal- and theft-proof.
The LEDNOVA is a robust and versatile LED bulkhead. It offers optimal photometric performance and high reliability to reduce energy consumption and maintenance in all types of lighting applications. The LEDNOVA range is suitable for use in various environments, which include outdoor mining areas, oil and gas refineries, food and beverage plants, manufacturing process plants and any application that requires robust and well-built luminaires. It has been developed to reduce disability glare and thus improve the quality of light.
The LEDNOVA range can be used in hazardous environments where a Zone 2 or 21/22 rated luminaire is required. It is also available with a battery backup version, to be used in emergency situations.
BEKA Schréder develops and manufactures robust, versatile and energy-efficient LED lighting products in South Africa, designed and suitable for local conditions.
We are very proud to be associated with KICO Mine in providing a successful underground lighting solution for this project.
For further enquiries, contact Pacha Mukuna at exp@beka-schreder.co.za.
