Go-Belt® Engineering Heritage

Go-Belt® has an engineering and mining-industry heritage extending back more than three decades. Its history encompasses the original South African cross-belt sampling work, subsequent development and commercialisation through Fransal Engineering and Seyazama Engineering, and the continuing development of the current Go-Belt® equipment range by T.K.O Engineering.

An Engineering Heritage Since 1990

The origins of Go-Belt sampling technology can be traced to cross-belt sampling work undertaken within Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company Limited (JCI) in 1989. The associated invention was developed by JCI engineers Eugene van der Merwe and Ralph Henry English.

In 1990, Francois Roberts and Tommy Thomas were instrumental in developing the first Go-Belt Sampler from this earlier engineering work. Further design development followed, with documented Go-Belt installations in South African gold-mining operations from 1991.

Francois Roberts subsequently established Fransal Engineering CC in 1992. Fransal continued the manufacture and development of Go-Belt Samplers under licence from JCI and supplied and installed Go-Belt equipment across the South African mining industry.

Following Fransal, the Go-Belt engineering and manufacturing heritage continued through Seyazama Engineering and Evaluation CC, which manufactured, assembled and installed further Go-Belt Samplers.

Two Generations of Go-Belt® Engineering

Trevor George Roberts, son of Francois Roberts, grew up around the development and manufacture of Go-Belt equipment. He gained practical experience at Fransal and subsequently worked with Go-Belt equipment at Seyazama before continuing its engineering development through T.K.O Engineering.

In 2014, T.K.O Engineering commenced manufacturing Go-Belt Samplers, continuing the engineering lineage while further developing the equipment for modern mining and mineral-processing applications.

Today, T.K.O Engineering is the OEM and developer of the current Go-Belt® equipment range, providing engineering, manufacture, installation, commissioning, preventative maintenance and continuing technical development.

Go-Belt® Engineering Timeline

A Technology That Has Continued to Evolve

The Go-Belt® used today should not be regarded simply as the original historical sampler.

Go-Belt sampling equipment has undergone successive engineering development through decades of field operation. T.K.O Engineering has continued this development through its own engineering and innovation, including later patented developments by Trevor George Roberts and continuing improvements to current Go-Belt® equipment.

Historical patents, drawings and technical publications provide important evidence of the origins and development of Go-Belt sampling technology. They should not, however, be relied upon as a complete technical description of the current T.K.O Engineering Go-Belt® Sampler.

Specific mechanical design features and proprietary engineering arrangements of current Go-Belt® equipment form part of T.K.O Engineering's protected technical know-how.

The Current Go-Belt® OEM

Go-Belt® is T.K.O Engineering's registered product and technology name. T.K.O Engineering provides the current Go-Belt® equipment range together with the engineering, manufacture, installation, commissioning, preventative maintenance and technical support required throughout the equipment lifecycle.