Integrated Pump Technology is stressing to Africa-based mining companies the need to ensure high-quality OEM products are specified in any slurry pumping applications on mine sites.

If incorrect pump choices are made in these demanding applications, it can lead to high maintenance and repair costs and even catastrophic failures, according to the company.

Colin Adams, Managing Director of the distributor, says the company often receives enquiries from clients that have already made the mistake of trying to cut corners by using non-OEM, low-quality products.

“Slurry pumps need to be up to the task of handling high volumes of abrasive material, and when this is not the case these failures lead to costly production downtime with the obvious knock-on effects,” he said. “For a number of years, we have been cautioning the market and urging mine operators to carefully consider the overall total cost of operating slurry pumps when making decisions on which units to install.”

Integrated Pump Technology is the authorised distributor for Grindex submersible pumps. Included in its product lineup is the Grindex Bravo range, which Adams says, offer a good return on investment as the units are engineered to achieve lower operating and maintenance costs.

Commenting on why a submersible slurry pump is a better option for slurry pumping, Adams says submersibles offer several benefits over dry-mounted pumps. They do not require any support structure, need less space for operation and are very easy to install.

The Grindex Bravo range (pictured here) is produced to operate over the complete pump curve, not just one specific duty point, according to Integrated Pump Technology. This means the pump can be used in numerous applications within its range; not a case of “one pump – one application”.

Grindex Bravo pumps are fitted with a cooling jacket and agitator for effective slurry pumping. Pumps in the range can handle slurry and fluids with a high content of highly abrasive solids in sizes up to 50 mm at maximum heads from 17-45 m. Wear is reduced by using NiHard 4 for all hydraulic components, and these pumps can handle liquids with pH values from 4-10.

Adams also points to the high level of support available to customers across Africa through Integrated Pump Technology’s distributor network, which is underpinned by the company’s experienced technically competent African team. Ready access to parts also forms part of the support system, ensuring optimum uptime for customers.