Tag Archives: filter cake

DELKOR India to supply vacuum belt filters to two mining operations in the DRC

Base metals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , ,

DELKOR India has been contracted to provide DELKOR Horizontal Vacuum Belt Filters, together with ancillaries, for two operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The orders included supply of a 162 sq.m filter for a copper project in Katanga, which was commissioned in 2022, and supply of a 110 sq.m filter for a cobalt processing plant in the Lualaba province. The latter was commissioned in 2020.

The scope of work for both contracts covered design, engineering, manufacture, supply (ex-works) and supervision.

Both filters were designed to achieve maximum recovery of water and produce a drier filter cake, DELKOR says. However, in the case of the 162 sq.m horizontal belt filter, the water is removed from the cake to repulp with acid in the downstream unit operation in preparation for the leaching process.

The filters were manufactured mainly from high-strength and corrosion-resistant stainless steel suited to the process requirements and were supplied in a knockdown state for easy and efficient erection on site.

These two projects reinforce DELKOR India’s long-standing relationship with the client, with earlier contracts including:

  • One 145 sq.m and one 64 sq.m horizontal vacuum belt filter;
  • Various thickeners of several capacities, including a high-rate thickener; and
  • Test work and design for a belt filter and high-rate thickener.

“We are proud to have been part of the establishment of such important projects,” Indu Bhushan Jha, DELKOR Managing Director, says. “These contract awards provide further examples of DELKOR India’s commitment to maintaining the loyalty of its client base through superior service and best-of-breed technologies.”

ANDRITZ ups the filtration ante with new ME2500 filter press

Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , , , , , , , , , ,

ANDRITZ has introduced a new filter press, the ME2500, to complete its range of “proven” A4F and the SE series filter presses for the mining and minerals industry.

The ME2500 is the best-fit for fast processing of tailings (also with high clay content) or mining concentrates like iron, copper, lead or zinc, the company says. The new model has an hourly processing capacity of up to 450 kg/sq.m, a filtration area of up to 840 sq.m, and features chained plates for faster filter cake discharge. These attributes enable the highest throughputs without compromising on safety, while reflecting a customer focus on saving water, ANDRITZ says.

The innovative closure system on the ME2500 largely replaces hydraulic components with electrical ones and further reduces cycle times, thus increasing capacity and operating availability.

“The increased use of electrical components enables highly sustainable operation of the filter press by reducing the amount of hydraulic oil needed, as well as improving safety thanks to more precise control and less reliance on high-pressure lines that are susceptible to leaks,” the company said.

In addition, and to further optimise the productivity of single machines or plants with multiple filter presses, all modules of the ANDRITZ intelligent filter press – controlled by the Metris addIQ control system – are also available for the ME2500 filter press and can be provided with the full range of options. This draws on smart sensors, data analytics and augmented reality, including multiple sensors to allow for online safety monitoring of the plate package and moveable parts.

The company concluded: “The safe disposal of tailings generated by the mining and minerals sector is a significant cost factor for the industry. ANDRITZ is known for its innovative range of overhead and sidebar filter presses that meet the industry’s most stringent requirements with regard to fast cake discharge and saving water and costs. The maintenance-friendly equipment from ANDRITZ is easily upgradeable, with a modular design for customised process solutions.”