Seacore, which will also provide training, has appointed Cape Town based ADP Projects as its manufacturing agent for walking platforms in Africa.

ADP Projects will design the mining and processing system as an integrated package on the platform, which is scheduled to start operations at the end of next month.

The on board equipment includes a purpose designed dredge pump mining and deployment system, operator's cabin, on board primary processing plant, product transfer system, power generation and hydraulic system.

The processing plant will treat sand and gravel and pick out diamonds. The beaches of the west coast have been mined by small diver operated spreads dependent on the few calm days which occur every month. Seacore's Seawalker platform is designed for almost continuous operation regardless of sea conditions and is expected to dramatically increase productivity.

Earlier this year, Seawalker was used as a working platform for the extension of an RNLI Station at Sennen Cove in Cornwall. Seawalker walked through heavy surf drilling and blasting for a widened and deepened lifeboat channel.

MJInformation No: 18930