Some days, certainly in my line of work, you learn something new and interesting about a new industry. On the other hand, sometimes when you investigate a new industry you’re simply overwhelmed and inundated with new, apparently meaningless phrases, words, acronyms, jargon, and lingo simply leaving you confused none-the-wiser. If you consider yourself to be someone firmly based in the former camp, now might be a good opportunity to go and make yourself a cup of tea with a biscuit. For fans of the latter, you’re in for a treat as we delve fearlessly into the subject of grinding media!

According to their marketing material, the Magotteaux Group are the global solution provider to ‘high abrasion extracting industries’ with their unique ‘grinding media’ brand Ecomax. You’ll also be pleased to discover that Magotteaux has also recently extended its offering to ‘Ecomax Forged’ meaning their grinding media is now available in both cast and forged!

As solution provider to high abrasion extracting industries, they start with a cross section insight into their customers value chain before combining all relevant levers from expert advice, service, resources, products & equipment to help their customers save money and optimise cash generation. Although it’s hard to believe, some people don’t yet know that Magotteaux developed their first cast chromium balls in 1950 in in their foundry in Vaux, Belgium. Roll on to 2020 and the firm now, according to their website, produce more than 250,000 tonnes of grinding media per year! Apparently, grinding media, or in this instance, grinding balls help reduce wear in some crushing and grinding processes. Coupled with special chemical compositions and heat treatments, they can now remove 150 alloys.

These ‘grinding media’ are used in a very diverse range of industries such as mines, cement plants and quarries all over the world including far-flung places like Alaska, Southern Africa, China and Chile.