Tag Archives: mining pumps

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group releases Bredel heavy-duty hose pumps

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , ,

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) has released a new peristaltic design of Bredel hose pumps that, the company says, can handle viscous slurries, grit-filled sludge corrosive acids and other challenging materials.

These qualities of the Bredel heavy-duty hose pumps make them ideal for the most demanding mining applications, according to the company.

“Unlike diaphragm, rotary lobe, and PC pumps, the peristaltic design of Bredel hose pumps contains no moving parts that come into contact with the product, and no seals, ball-checks, diaphragms, glands, immersed rotors, stators or pistons to leak, clog, corrode or replace,” it said. “Bredel hose pumps also obviate the need for ancillary equipment such as dry run protection, seal water flush systems and in-line check valves. A simple hose change takes only minutes and can be performed in-situ without special tools or skilled personnel.”

The low maintenance peristaltic design offers a low total cost of ownership, WMFTG claims. As the fluid is safely contained within the hose or tube, operation and maintenance personnel and the environment are protected from unwanted spillages or exposure to chemicals.

Bredel hose pumps are dry-running and self-priming, and allow no slippage, for true positive displacement to provide accurate and repeatable metering, the company says. Only Bredel industrial hose pumps provide this level of engineering expertise for their drives, according to WMFTG.

The pumped fluid is completely contained in a long-life hose, protecting operation and maintenance personnel and the environment from unwanted spillages or exposure to chemicals. Flow is entirely independent of suction and discharge conditions.

Every Bredel hose is precision machined to ensure flow stability and pump performance in tough fluid handling applications, the company added.

These industrial pumps achieve flow rates up to 475 gallons per minute (1,798 litres/min), transferring up to 80% solids in suspension.

Tronox boosts mineral sands dredging process with help of IPR-supplied SlurrySucker

Comminution of minerals, Industrial minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, Water management, , , , , , , , ,

Following a successful one-week trial, heavy minerals company Tronox Mineral Sands has taken delivery of a SlurrySucker dredging unit from Integrated Pump Rental.

The SlurrySucker will remove sand from the process dams near the Tronox mining operation on South Africa’s West Coast. This installation enhances the safety and efficiency of the dredging process, which previously had to be carried out manually by a team of underwater divers, IPR said.

“The pumping capacity of the dredging unit will ensure optimal operation of Tronox’s dams which need to be kept at the required storage volumes at all times,” Ruaan Venter, Rental Development Manager at Integrated Pump Rental, said.

The dredging unit will assist Tronox in regularly cleaning sediment from its process dams, reducing the risk of pump blockage or failure. This solution aims to provide rapid results on a cost-effective basis, while the remote operation raises safety levels, the company added.

To withstand the corrosive effects of salt water, the SlurrySucker has been equipped with a stainless steel casing as well as stainless steel components including wear plates and impellers. The units were manufactured at Integrated Pump Rental’s facility in Jet Park, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The SlurrySucker dredging unit comprises a floating barge with an electric hoist operated from the side of the dam. This ensures a high level of safety with the barge being operated remotely, including the lifting and lowering of the pump. At Tronox, the SlurrySucker is designed to pump 150 cu.m/h of sediment – with a solids content of 50% – back to the thickener in the plant.

“The electrically-driven unit also makes sure that there is no risk of contaminating the water in the dams with diesel or oil leakage,” Venter says. The compact unit is easy to transport between the dams requiring dredging, making for optimal usage of the equipment.

With its local manufacturing capability and technical support offering, Integrated Pump Rental says it is well equipped to maintain the SlurrySucker out of its Johannesburg facility.

Harte Gold goes with the Watson-Marlow flow at Sugar Zone

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Precious metals, Water management, , , , , , , , , , ,

Harte Gold’s wholly-owned Sugar Zone Mine in Ontario, Canada, is now benefiting from the adoption of Qdos and APEX peristaltic pumps from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG).

Having deployed the pumps in two important applications, the Sugar Zone team are now enjoying far better flow rate efficiency, along with significant reductions in both maintenance requirements and downtime, according to WMFTG, with the miner subsequently looking to invest further in the company’s pumping technology.

The Sugar Zone Mine entered commercial production in 2019 and has an anticipated operating life of around 13 years at current output levels. Producing 60,000-65,000 oz/y of gold at a 800 t/d throughput rate, a mine expansion study is currently in progress to support a 1,200 t/d rate.

In the reagents room, Harte Gold operates eight diaphragm pumps on a 24/7 basis. However, issues over insufficient process efficiency, the amount of maintenance time needed to replace diaphragms and the potential for leaks prompted the company to look at alternative solutions.

Harte Gold invited WMFTG to trial its Qdos 30 chemical metering pump. For a period of one month, the mining company compared the Qdos with an existing electric diaphragm pump dosing flotation reagents such as potassium amyl xanthate (PAX).

With a flow rate for PAX of 100-300 ml/min, the Qdos 30 significantly outperformed the diaphragm pump on flow rate efficiency, according to WMFTG. Although the dosage rates were adjusted as required before and during the trial, the Qdos outputs were noticeably more consistent in comparison with the existing pump, bringing potential for process optimisation.

ReNu peristaltic pump head technology is at the core of the Qdos pump and is key to its success at Harte Gold, WMFTG says. ReNu ensures accurate and repeatable chemical dosing and, thanks to its contained design with integral leak detection, reduces wastage and eliminates any potential for operator exposure to chemicals.

In addition, Harte Gold personnel confirmed both operations and maintenance were trouble-free during the trial runs. Indeed, there were favourable reports of the colour TFT display, which shows both flow and speed, while the maintenance team was in full support of the single, no tools ReNu pump head replacement.

Such was the success of the trial that Harte Gold is now looking to gradually phase-out all eight of its existing diaphragm pumps in the reagents room over the coming few months. Although control of the first Qdos 30 on site is manual, the company will adopt 4-20 mA I/O moving forward, according to WMFTG. Harte Gold is also planning to replace diaphragm pumps with Qdos models on the water treatment side of its business.

In another area of its operations, Harte Gold has replaced an existing peristaltic pump (not Watson-Marlow) with an APEX 35 in a 24/7 application. Here, the pump transfers thickened gravity concentrate from a gold decanting tank to a shaker table. However, the company found itself replacing hoses every week in its existing peristaltic pump.

The company already had an APEX 35 in operation so thought the same model would provide a good solution for the thickened gravity concentrate. Instead of the one week hose life previously achieved, the APEX 35 with NR hose lasted for 12 weeks, reducing both maintenance and downtime in this critical application. Now, only four hoses are required per year, rather than 52, equating to a 1,200%-plus gain in maintenance intervals, the company said.

ABEL pumped up by IndustriTech partnership in Australia

Environmental, Mining equipment, Water management, , , , , , , ,

ABEL has announced a distribution partnership with IndustriTech Pty Ltd for the Australia mining market.

IndustriTech provides service-oriented solutions in three areas: technical advice, reliability and repair services and distribution services. Together with ABEL’s wide range of positive displacement pumps, it will provide complete customised product and service solutions for high solids concentrations and efficient dewatering processes. Typical applications are dewatering, tailings, solid transfer and thickener underflow.

For over 70 years, ABEL has specialised in pumps for filter press feeding and filter cloth cleaning. Both ABEL’s piston diaphragm and high-pressure plunger pump provide tailor-made features to ensure a short, efficient and energy saving filter press process for the customer, according to the company. This performance can be seen in the high level of dryness of the filter cake, resulting in increased daily metal extraction and profitability for the customer.

Weir Minerals expands mobile dewatering offering with new Multiflo LF pump

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , , ,

Weir Minerals has launched its new mobile Multiflo® LF pump range featuring trailer and skid-mounted pumps specifically designed to handle liquids ranging from water, to sewage and sludge.

The launch follows successful installations across North and South America, South Africa, and Kazakhstan.

With the new range, Weir Minerals offers robust and high performing mobile dewatering pump packages suitable for sites with variable conditions, including applications where liquids may contain high percentages of solids to be transported or acidic conditions with low pH values, it said.

“Not only versatile and highly mobile, the Multiflo LF is engineered for efficiency with a proven, enclosed impeller design and leading-edge materials that dramatically reduce total cost of ownership,” Weir added.

The Multiflo LF pump is available in different configurations to meet the varied demands of dewatering applications around the world. It can be supplied with a portable trailer, or as skid-mounted packages with diesel engines (T3 & T4F rated engine emissions) or electric motor drive options.

“No matter the configuration, the Multiflo LF pump range provides a dependable pumping solution with flow rates ranging from 100 cu.m/h to 3,200 cu.m/h and discharge heads of 10 m to 210 m,” Weir said.

Ian Ross, Global Product Manager for Dewatering Solutions at Weir Minerals, said: “The new Multiflo LF range features a selection of dewatering pump package that, compared to similar pumps on the market, reduce total cost of ownership through lower energy requirements.”

The pump features a hydraulically superior enclosed impeller design and larger diameter pump shafts that allow the Multiflo LF to efficiently handle large solids while reducing operational and maintenance costs, according to the company.  This is achieved through the advanced, high efficiency pump-end that requires less energy to process fluids, operating under reduced power requirements, and, in turn, consuming less fuel or electricity.

The enclosed impeller is further supported by a stout bearing frame and large diameter shaft that is less prone to deflection during cavitation, Weir says.

“The Multiflo LF pump range is more forgiving than similar pumps on the market, and the design is proven to result in fewer seal failures and far fewer instances of shaft breakage in extreme conditions,” the company added.

Ross continued: “With this range, we deliver a complete dewatering pump package, with compressed delivery times, that can withstand almost anything, including misapplication due to improper pump selection. With the high-head Multiflo LF pumps, the double pump volute equalises internal pressure to eliminate radial thrust, which helps prevent both seals failure and shaft breakage.”

The Multiflo LF comes with heavy-duty wear-resistant materials of construction that include cast steel and cast CD4MCu stainless steel for enhanced abrasion and corrosion resistance, Weir says. Casting the pumps from steel creates a more robust pump and additionally promotes extended wear life with the possibility of weld repairing the casing should a problem develop, according to the company.

Ross concluded: “Weir Minerals prioritises partnering with our customers. We’re right there on site from the beginning, from specification to delivery, installation, commissioning, training, and maintenance. We know the Multiflo LF performs, and we take the time to make sure it’s performing to our customers’ requirements.”

Metso Outotec to divest Vereeniging mill linings, pump facility

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , ,

Close to eight months since Metso announced it was evaluating the potential closure or other alternatives for its operations in Vereeniging, South Africa, Metso Outotec has made the decision to divest the fabrication, machining and assembly facility and close or rearrange the rest of the operations.

Back in March, Metso said the evaluation was part of the company’s global supply footprint development strategy within its Minerals operations.

Sami Takaluoma (pictured), President, Consumables business area at Metso Outotec, said the company carefully evaluated all opportunities, with the target to find the best possible option for customers and employees.

“Approximately 110 employees will continue with the new local owner in the spare parts manufacturing and repair operations,” he said.

“To ensure the best value, availability and quality to our customers, the mill linings production, as well as pump assembly operations, will be transferred to our other manufacturing units with flexible global service capability,” Takaluoma said. “We will continue to have some field service and engineering specialists in Vereeniging to ensure a sustainable transition as well as uninterrupted service to our customers.”

The unit in Vereeniging has provided pumps, spare parts, consumables, and repair services for the mining industry. The unit has employed around 200 employees.

Metso Outotec added: “The decisions made on the Vereeniging site operations are not related to the Metso Outotec combination.”

Metso Outotec expands range of mill discharge pumps for slurry handling

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

Metso Outotec has introduced a full line of mill discharge pumps for, it says, reliable and efficient slurry handling in minerals processing.

Metso Outotec’s MD (mill discharge) Series pumps come in two tailored solutions, MDM and MDR. The MDM (Mill Discharge Metal) pumps are available in inlet size ranges of 250-700 mm, and the MDR (Mill Discharge Rubber) models come in inlet size ranges of 250-700 mm. Both pump types are suited for heavy-duty use in concentrator plants offering excellent resistance to abrasion and erosion, according to the company.

Diwakar Aduri, Product Manager, MD Pumps at Metso Outotec, said: “Slurry handling is vital in maximising a minerals processing plant’s productivity and efficiency. Insufficient slurry handling may bring the whole plant to a halt or lead to inefficiencies in different parts of the process, causing major production losses.

“A large concentrator plant can have up to 150 different types of pumps in operation. Metso Outotec mill discharge pumps are robust and have been designed to operate reliably in highly abrasive environments, providing optimal solutions for each part of the process.”

Keeping the industry’s ever evolving needs in mind, Metso Outotec MD Series pumps offer outstanding uptime and sustained efficiencies, the company says, with the MD pumps designed for efficient operation and longest wear life to match the mill’s uptime.

Such matching is aided by Metso Outotec’s analysis service.

This service ensures customers can select a slurry pump for a mine that is the most robust and technologically advanced pump in terms of performance, wear resistance, uptime and total cost of ownership for that application. The company can provide a detailed summary report and guidance on how to minimise total cost of ownership.

Weir’s Warman MCR pump more than doubles wear life at Agnico’s LaRonde mine

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , , , , , , , , , ,

The superiority of genuine Warman® pumps and parts has been proven in a trial comparing the performance of a Warman MCR® 250 pump with a Warman AH® pump fitted with non-genuine spare parts at Agnico Eagle Mines’ LaRonde gold mine in Quebec, Canada, Weir Minerals says.

The mine had been using two Warman AH 12/10 slurry pumps to manage its SAG mill discharge since operations commenced in 1988. While these pumps were the latest technology at the time, the very coarse slurry was causing the pumps to wear out after just 1,600 hours, according to Weir.

“When a replicator proposed a trial of non-OEM pump liners and parts instead of our genuine Warman parts, they promised to double the wear life of the existing pump components,” Mike Swintak, Regional Senior Product Manager for Weir Minerals, said. “Our engineers investigated the root cause of the wear life problems experienced and decided a Warman MCR pump would achieve much better results compared to the AH pump with non-OEM parts.”

Instead of doubling it, the other manufacturer’s liners and impellers decreased the pump’s wear life by 300 hours, wearing out after just 1,300 hours. In addition to requiring six rebuilds per year, the non-genuine parts interrupted production due to discovery of premature cracks in the liner, Weir said.

Meanwhile, the Warman MCR 250 pump achieved 3,000 hours of continuous operation, requiring only three rebuilds and lowered spare parts costs alone by 36%, or $70,000 per year.

Swintak said: “The fantastic results achieved at LaRonde weren’t just due to the superior wear resistance offered by the pump’s Ultrachrome A05 wear material and superior hydraulic design of the MCR pump. Our engineers worked closely with Agnico Eagle operators to remove problems throughout the circuit contributing to the low wear life being achieved, such as revising their pump box level control procedures and monitoring system to ensure a constant level of 50-75%.”

Babylon adds to pump rental capacity with Trico agreement

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

Babylon Pump & Power Ltd says it will expand its rental fleet of pumps through an unconditional agreement for the acquisition of assets from Tilbrook Ryder Investments Company Pty Ltd (Trico).

The transaction, expected to complete on October 1, 2020, will be funded by a cash payment of A$750,000 ($537,817) from existing asset finance facilities and issuance of just over 7 million fully paid shares in line with Babylon’s placement capacity, it said.

“The assets are a valuable addition to Babylon’s existing rental fleet, providing quality pumping assets for immediate use that are traditionally long lead items from OEMs,” it said.

The rental and workshop assets include two Multiflo RF-420EXHV dewatering pumps, multiple other skid-based pump units, ancillary rental equipment to facilitate pumping projects and workshop ancillary equipment to support continued growth, Babylon added.

“Trico’s fleet provides immediate opportunities to increase rental revenue in Western Australia as well as providing assets which can be used in the Queensland rental market as rental activity progresses in Babylon’s Mackay based operating entity, Primepower Qld,” the company said.

The transaction will result in entities controlled by the founders of Trico becoming shareholders in Babylon and the consideration shares will be subject to a one-year voluntary escrow, Babylon explained.

Babylon Executive Chairman, Michael Shelby, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to purchase quality long lead assets at a discount to replacement value. We are confident the assets will be deployed immediately, and on attractive rentals that will deliver a rapid payback of their acquisition cost.

“I am equally excited to have the founders of Trico, Tony Ryder and Dave Tilbrook, as supportive shareholders of Babylon. Both founders have many years of experience in the pump rental and heavy equipment industry and have the ability to offer valuable support and industry insight to Babylon as a rapidly growing company in this sector.”

Tsurumi ups the slurry pumping ante with GPN 837

Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , ,

Tsurumi has released a new heavy-duty slurry pump that, it says, almost doubles the output of its predecessor pumps.

Coming with a water output of up to 9,000 litres/min, the new GPN 837 is the top model in the series, topping the GPN 622.

“However, ‘water’ can hardly be taken literally: declared as a “heavy sand pump”, the GPN 837 is intended for use wherever considerable amounts of solid matter are involved,” the company says.

This includes gravel pits or where sand, sludge, slurry and preferably also bentonite are involved. Mining is also a target market.

With these applications in mind, the engineers designed the pump with a solid construction. At 150 litres/s, hard rock up to 30 mm in size can pass through the pump with ease. Also, the agitator at the suction opening mixes mud and water so that the solution becomes more fluid.

The pump comes with a dry weight of 815 kg, a height of roughly one meter, is driven by an electric motor with 37 kW (400 V) and can pump vertically up to 24 m. When submerged, it is pressure-resistant to a depth of 30 m, the company says.

The water is diverted in a spiral around the pump – a design to counter the high abrasive effect of the pumped medium – while the impeller and suction plate is made of chrome cast iron, the housing of grey cast iron GG 20. For critical elements such as the double inside mechanical seal, the manufacturer uses silicon carbide. Tsurumi´s oil lifter, which lubricates the pump shaft in any position reliably by centrifugal force, is also a feature.