HPC Follower
07 Oct 2015
Heat Exchanging oldf, I fully agree with your points ref. cement plants, however the problems with the heat exchanger panels used ZOX were:-a) firstly, they weren't made as one seamless part and the welds failed in the highly corrosive and very hot atmosphere.b) secondly, when the panels were made in one part and treated (like frying pans) with enough of a coating, c. 1 cm thick, to stop/reduce the corrosion, the heat conductivity reduced to unacceptable levels and the panels themselves still needed maintenance/replacement quite frequently - made substantially worse because such maintenance required the furnace to be cooled down first, thus a two to three week break in production whilst cooled, in repair and heated up again. The lost production was then very costly in terms of loss of revenue, man hours and repair/replacement costs; also adverse impact on the iron product outputs.It's not clear therefore that it will ever be economic for ZOX to re-deploy heat exchangers, but that won't be a problem in terms of the overall commerciality of the plant if outages are reduced to once a year, the briquette/gas changes enable fuller recovery of the zinc and the iron product is then of good quality for sale avoiding costs of disposal.The heat target, requiring the extra oxygen, is driven by the zinc recovery target - in turn dependent on the rate the zinc dust feed is introduced.Overall, it seems that ZOX are making sound business decisions; its just a pity that this solution wasn't in the design in the first place - but I guess they weren't to know until the initial plant was in production.
oldf
06 Oct 2015
Re: Placing Shares In a cement plant heat is recovered from the clinker leaving the rotary kiln and transferred to the combustion air. This raises the combustion air temperature to over 1000C which saves energy, increases the flame temperature which improves heat transfer and efficiency of the process which will reduce the exhaust gas temperature and reduces the volume of exhaust gas which all allows an increase in production. It is a win/win situation provided the equipment can stand the higher temperatures. The use of oxygen addition to the combustion air will give a similar effect At present it seems that the high temperature is causing a problem which the heat exchangers cannot stand. I expect that in the future the heat exchanger problem will be solved and the recovery of the heat which is wasted without a heat exchanger can be recovered and the oxygen addition can be reduced or eliminated or the production rate increased which all reduces costs.
HPC Follower
06 Oct 2015
Re: Placing Shares On checking, it seems that the heat exchange was really only to recover heat for the furnace (rotary hearth) which would otherwise be lost (i.e. to save the cost of coal/gas) and removal of the heat exchanger entirely will save far more money (through reducing breaks in production and heat exchanger repairs/replacements) than the extra cost of gas (later, in early 2016, coal through a new briquette feeding system) to increase the heat.If all this works, they should easily achieve their production targets - with greater zinc recovery given the imported feed with higher zinc content.The web site was down, but is back up now...The report in December should be good for once.Th
HPC Follower
06 Oct 2015
Re: Placing Shares YES... I'm sure they will report quickly once the heat exchanges have been removed (I guess because the gas separation and insulation was proven to be unnecessary) and production has successfully re-commenced. Given most of the unplanned down-time has been due to heat exchange panel failures, it makes one wonder why they put them in the plant design in the first place.
popes11
06 Oct 2015
Placing Shares Those placing shares at 13p are looking like a poor investment at this point. I'm guessing ZOX will be wanting to get the price up to at least that soon.
popes11
06 Oct 2015
Re: Zincox Website is down seems to be working fine.
popes11
06 Oct 2015
Re: Zincox Website is down This happened a few months ago. As long as the plant does not have an unscheduled down.
Cadenza
06 Oct 2015
Zincox Website is down Hope this isn't ominous!!
HPC Follower
05 Oct 2015
Re: directors salaries way too high @ $4... I agree with what you say, especially about the salary cuts (not just deferment or shares instead) until the company can afford to pay such salaries.Doubt we will hear much more now until December... when I hope the throughput/recovery targets are finally being met with an improved price of zinc.If metal/ore prices don't improve there will be a big shortage or some resources in the future... and most really need the price of oil to improve as well.
Cadenza
05 Oct 2015
Re: directors salaries way too high @ $4... HP, add up their combined salaries over 10 years v's shareholder capital dilution and the results achieved which bring into question the quality of mgt and technical knowledge...there have been too many issues as the continue to patch up the plant. For me this is last chance saloon, the plant has to fire on all cylinders after the shut down this month with evidence of imported EADF being processed plus a recovery in the zinc price. IMO any further sp weakness from here will make it impossible for ZOX to raise further cash from equity issuance and the writing will be on the wall. I really want to believe that Zox will finally work but I have severe doubts. Back to my original point, the grossly overpaid directors should take a salary cut until the situation improves.
HPC Follower
04 Oct 2015
Re: directors salaries way too high @ $400k ... I agree their salaries are very high but, without their money, management and expertise, ZOX would have no future...What we do need are medium/long term incentives for the SP to increase substantially and for the payments of dividends when profits allow.
Cadenza
04 Oct 2015
2 directors salaries equivalent to 4% of mkt cap or put it another way these 2 salaries equal 4% of current market capitalisation.
Cadenza
02 Oct 2015
directors salaries way too high @ $400k pa Andrew Woolett and Jaques Dewalens were both paid over $400k salary last year and I presume the same this, this is way too high for an AIM listed company of this size, record etc etc. Key shareholders need to be more demanding of the board and link renumeration to performance. Andrew Woolett has been drawing this salary for years and what have shareholders received in return?????!
popes11
02 Oct 2015
Bargain Dare I say it ? These "could" look like a bargain at this level 7.6p . Had a further purchase. iii should have a brown buy icon to indicate status of current view on share.
Ripley94
30 Sep 2015
Re: Sudden drop Down 9% today.
