Tag Archives: pumps

Weir to install ‘largest mill circuit pump in North America’ at Teck’s HVC mine

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , , , , , , , ,

The Weir Group PLC has been awarded contracts to supply its WARMAN® slurry pumps and CAVEX® hydrocyclones to Teck’s Highland Valley Copper (HVC) Mine Life Extension (MLE) project in British Columbia, Canada.

Teck’s Highland Valley Copper Mine Life Extension Project aims to extend the mine’s operational life by enhancing existing site infrastructure, addressing the growing demand for copper driven by the transition to a low-carbon future. The project is expected to yield approximately 1.95 Mt of additional copper over its lifespan.

A cornerstone of this project is the WARMAN MCR® 760 pump, which will be the largest mill circuit pump in North America when installed. This addition complements Weir’s existing and planned installations of equivalent-sized pumps in South America and Australia.

The WARMAN MCR 760 pump was developed to meet the demand for mill circuit pumps that can handle unprecedentedly high flow rates, minimising the number of operating lines in a plant, and addressing the global trend of declining ore grades that require increased throughput for economical mineral recovery. The WARMAN MCR 760 pump is designed to maximise wear life in arduous mill duties and facilitate easy and safe maintenance, regardless of an operator’s maintenance schedule or approach.

In addition, Weir will supply CAVEX 800CVX and 650CVX hydrocyclones for the MLE Project. HVC, with its experience operating CAVEX hydrocyclones, has chosen this solution for its consistently high classification efficiency, capacity and low maintenance requirements, according to Weir.

The MLE project will be fully supported by the local Weir service centre in Kamloops, British Columbia, ensuring mission-critical equipment at the HVC mine operates efficiently, it says. The proximity of this service centre means any maintenance or support needs can be addressed promptly, minimising downtime and helping the mine maintain its targets. This local presence is crucial for the mine’s operations, providing reliable access to necessary parts and expert service.

Quinton Sutherland, Weir, Divisional Senior Product Manager, Pumps said: “Weir has a proven track record of supplying and supporting the largest, highest capacity mill pumps on the market. Designing, manufacturing and supporting pumps of this scale presents unique technical and engineering challenges, which is why Weir’s team of experts, drawing on decades of experience supporting customers across the globe, are the best choice when deciding who to trust with the most critical mill circuit operations.

“It’s an engineering and manufacturing feat that’s not easily replicable, which is why it’s important that we can demonstrate to our customers that we’ve done this before, and they know that they can have absolute confidence in us.”

Phil Blondin, Weir, Director, Capital Sales North America, added: “Weir prioritises being close to our customers wherever they are in the world. We have a service centre in Kamloops – a close drive to HVC – and a local team that can provide service and maintenance support, as
well as an inventory program that encompasses the lifecycle of the products we supply.

“This is the first mill pump this large in North America and, while Weir has manufactured and installed pumps this size in other parts of the world, we recognise that having a service network to support customers at every stage of the project is an essential part of what we’re offering.”

Weir rubber linings excel in large particle abrasion pumping applications, Koorts says

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Weir says it has found that its customers dealing with large particle abrasion in their pumps can save significantly on components and maintenance downtime by using rubber linings.

According to Marnus Koorts, General Manager for Pump Products at Weir, these linings excel in applications where particles are being driven by a great deal of energy.

“Rubber is very good at absorbing and transferring the energy from moving particles , whereas metal liners are more readily worn away by those impacts,” Koorts says. “This makes rubber linings ideal on the larger mill pumps and similar applications, which is where our customers get optimal value from this solution.”

He notes that Weir has spent decades developing its elastomer technology and trialling it in the field, giving it considerable advantage over competitors – many of whom have only recently begun introducing rubber lining on their pumps.

“We have helped customers to deal with some of the most abrasive applications to be found in mining,” he says. “These conditions are commonly found where hard rock is mined, crushed and milled, and the coarse particles leave the mill to be pumped further. Among our case studies are installations where the pump’s wear life was improved significantly after it was lined with rubber.”

Another benefit of using rubber in these large pumps is that it is relatively lightweight compared with unlined metal pumps, enhancing safety and easing maintenance of rubber parts.

“A mill pump is a mission-critical item of equipment, so maintenance really needs to be as fast and infrequent as possible,” Koorts says. “The whole plant process often comes to a halt when the mill stops if there is no standby pump, what we call a Service Class 5 pump.”

Replacing a rubber lining on a pump can be done quickly, and less often – giving the plant optimal uptime. He points out that this also provides a higher level of safety against the risk of particle wear actually breaking through the shell of the pump. In cases where these incidents have occurred, the high pressure inside the pump can spray slurry up to a couple of hundred metres – presenting considerable safety and environmental hazards.

“Where the rubber lining is present, it is encapsulated by a metal shell for added support,” he says. “Maintenance planning can be enhanced by using Weir’s Synertrex wear monitoring technology, which would alert the operators to the need for parts replacement, avoiding failures.”

He highlights that many of Weir’s pump ranges are available with the option of either rubber or metal liners. This has allowed many customers to easily trial the rubber lined option, as this can be done through a simple swap-in process during the plant’s shutdown period.

“We’ve seen a definite shift in the mining industry towards rubber lining on pumps, as mines recognise their value in these applications,” he concludes. “This is also a time when mining companies are starting to consider their upstream and downstream carbon impact. They can gain from the lower carbon footprint associated with rubber linings compared with steel.”

RMI Pressure Systems selecting winning pump formula at US longwall coal mines

Coal technology, Mining equipment, , , , , , , , , , ,

RMI Pressure Systems says it is making a name for itself in the US mining market, having supplied reciprocal pump solutions to leading players in the sector.

This includes pump systems for underground longwall mines and for industrial press applications in the aluminium segment, according to Gary Punton, RMI’s General Manager in the US.

At Warrior Met Coal’s Blue Creek longwall mine near Brookwood, Alabama, RMI is providing its hydraulic power solution for the actuation of self-advancing roof supports. “The design is based on our popular five-plunger Quinmax S500 high-pressure reciprocating pump (pictured),” Punton said. “The manufacture, assembly and testing of two pump systems is planned for completion by end of the fourth (December) quarter of 2024.”

At another of Warrior Met Coal’s operations – Mine 7 East – RMI is supplying new pumps as part of an overhaul and upgrade program for the miner’s ageing S500 units, which were first installed as early as 2011.

“We will be installing new S500 pumps on the pump systems serving the mine’s longwall equipment,” he said. “This is a testament to the longevity and reliability of our equipment, which is well referenced in the mining sector.”

In another recent contract, this time in the industrial space, RMI will be providing an additional S500 pump assembly for a press system at Arconic’s Lafayette facility in Louisiana.

“We assembled and tested this S500 pump system in our Jasper facility in Alabama, and shipped it to the customer early this year for commissioning during the third quarter of the year,” Punton said.

He highlighted that the Quinmax S500 pump at Arconic – fitted with 650 hp (485 kW) motors – provides a safe and reliable supply of high-pressure water-based fluids for both mining and heavy industrial applications. With its compact horizontal five-plunger design, this innovative pump facilitates increased crank speeds and loading.

“We use finite element analysis to validate our pumps’ performance and reliability, as well as computational fluid dynamics to maximise the efficiency of wetted components,” he explained.

Metso Outotec bolsters mining pump capability in South America

Base metals, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, ,

Metso Outotec has opened a new pump assembly plant in Lima, Peru, responding to the increasing market demand for large pumps used in mining applications in South America, and, at the same time, reducing delivery times to its customers in the region.

Once fully operational, the plant will be able to deliver standard Metso Outotec pumps with competitive lead times to regional customers, the OEM says.

Freddy Carrion, Pump Operations Manager at the new plant, said: “Pumps are critical parts in the mining process and used in various applications, from grinding to tailings. The new state-of-the-art assembly plant in Peru is specifically customised for the production of large Planet Positive MD Series pumps, which are typically used in demanding grinding circuit applications.”

Kalle Sipilä, Vice President, Pumps at Metso Outotec, added: “We selected Lima in Peru as the location for the assembly plant to reduce lead times and transport-related CO2 emissions. The plant is conveniently located close to the harbour and airport, enabling fast logistics to our end customers. Good availability and lead times are further enabled by a local supplier network, and we ensure high quality by having our own organisation carry out inspections. The new plant also has an expert proposal and engineering team to serve our customers.”

Metso Outotec has high sustainability targets for CO2 for its own operations and the supply chain. The target is net-zero CO2 emissions from the company’s own operations by 2030 and a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions from logistics by 2025.

Q.E.D. Environmental Systems launches new aggressive fluid duty landfill liquid pump

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

Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc, a manufacturer of innovative environmental products and subsidiary of Graco Inc, has launched new aggressive fluid duty landfill liquid pump for diverse range of applications, including mining.

The AutoPump® Ultra 4+ Aggressive Fluid Duty landfill liquid pump features upgraded materials that extends the pump’s service life and expands its use cases to a wider set of conditions, the company says.

The pump has stainless steel parts that have been upgraded to 316-grade, dramatically improving corrosion resistance. Its non-metallic internal parts, meanwhile, are polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), a high-grade engineered plastic that retains higher strength at elevated temperatures and has extremely broad chemical resistance. These components ensure the new pump withstands the acidic and oxidising cleaning agents sometimes used for pump maintenance.

The AutoPump Ultra 4+ Aggressive Fluids pump has a patented design to achieve chemical resistance that lasts in a host of challenging scenarios, according to the company. Specifically, it is able to provide reliability and safety in the following difficult conditions: hydrocarbon (LNAPL and dissolved phase) remediation; landfill leachate and methane condensate pumping; solvent (dissolved phase and DNAPL) clean-up; suspended solids, silts and corrosives; high viscosities; high temperatures; and frequent starts and stops.

It is available as either a 4 in (102 mm) bottom inlet or a 4 in top inlet and can withstand temperatures up to 180° fahrenheit (82°C). It has a maximum fluid viscosity of 1,000 centistokes, a maximum depth of 250 ft (76 m), and a flow range of 6-14 gallons per minute (23-53 litres per minute).

Tsurumi to bring the pump workshop to Bauma 2022

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Tsurumi, a dewatering pump leader, says it will be lifting the veil on its new safety pumps at Bauma 2022, in Munich, Germany, in October, offering visitors the chance to learn how to service a pump properly.

For the first time, the exhibitor is coming to the show with a workbench where visitors can demonstrate their skills. The task is to service a pump, especially in the sensitive areas of hydraulics and electrics, reinforcing the need to carry out regular maintenance to avoid pump failures.

Safety is also the focus of the new product presentation, which the Japan-based company has saved as a further treat.

For the first time, the company will showe the KRDX, a model in its new series of safety pumps that are approved according to IECEx and ATEX standards.

The three-phase submersible heavy-duty pumps are designed for slurry drainage/pumping and have motor outputs from 3.7 kW to 7.5 kW. They are equipped with an agitator and an outlet of up to 100 mm to pass solids up to 33 mm in size. Tsurumi states a pumping capacity of 2,200 litres/min.

Completing the safety trifecta will be Tsurumi’s Connect system for monitoring of pumps and other machines, including those from third parties. Via a small box on the unit, the operator can determine the location, read out performance data and set alarm and error scenarios. The aim is to raise safety and efficiency to a new level, with the first systems already in use on the market.

The manufacturer will also use the show, taking place on October 24-30, to provide information on many other pump models, including the residue dewatering pump LSC2.75S, and the KTZ and KRS pump series.

FLSmidth to highlight full flowsheet expertise with ShalkiyaZinc project delivery

Automation, Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FLSmidth has signed a contract, valued at around DKK950 million ($130 million), to supply a range of mineral processing equipment to ShalkiyaZinc, the operator of a zinc-lead mine in the Kyzylorda Region of Kazakhstan.

The equipment will transform the plant into a world-class facility that efficiently separates minerals with a minimised environmental impact, the OEM says.

Under the agreement, FLSmidth will supply two underground crushing stations with a materials handling system to the process plant; a full package of comminution and separation equipment, including SAG and ball mills, mill circuit pumps and cyclones; the zinc-lead concentrate flotation and regrinding circuit, including nextSTEP, VXP vertical mills, concentrate thickeners and Pneumapress filters; and reagents preparation and dosing area. Full plant automation is also included, as well as installation and commissioning supervision services.

The new concentrator will be supported from FLSmidth’s new in-country service Supercentre in Karaganda, Kazakhstan.

The equipment delivery is to be completed during 2024, with commissioning to start before the end of that year.

Mikko Keto, Group CEO at FLSmidth, said: “We are excited to receive this first order from ShalkiyaZinc, which highlights our full flowsheet expertise. The wide range of equipment included in the order will help ShalkiyaZinc save on both capital expenditure and operating expenditure; our new nextSTEP flotation technology will improve the quality of the concentrates, the SAG mill will provide more flexibility, while the automation and digital solutions will further enable water and energy savings alongside safer operations.

“We look forward to making this a success on so many levels.”

Assel Rakhimova, Chief Project Director of Tau-Ken Samruk, which owns ShalkiyaZinc, said: “After testing and basic design work executed by FLSmidth, we are pleased to enter this new phase of collaboration with the procurement of critical technologies to improve the productivity and sustainability of our plant. We believe in successful execution and look forward to receiving the ordered equipment according to the schedule for installation and to continue working with FLSmidth on commissioning services and spare parts.”

Watson-Marlow pumps perform at Cornish Lithium Shallow Geothermal Test Site

Automation, Energy minerals, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , ,

Five 500 series cased peristaltic pumps from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions are playing an important role in a demonstration plant at Cornish Lithium’s Shallow Geothermal Test Site in the UK.

Originally built to test the concept of extracting lithium from geothermal waters, Cornish Lithium is now working on an upgraded version of the test plant as its drilling program expands, ultimately with the aim of developing an efficient, sustainable and cost-effective lithium extraction supply chain.

The initial enquiry for pumps came from GeoCubed, a joint venture between Cornish Lithium and Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL). GEL owns a deep borehole site at United Downs in Cornwall where plans are in place to commission a £4 million ($5.2 million) pilot plant.

“GeoCubed’s process engineers helped us to design and commission the test plant ahead of the G7, which would run on shallow geothermal waters extracted from Cornish Lithium’s own research boreholes,” Dr Rebecca Paisley, Exploration Geochemist at Cornish Lithium, said.

Adam Matthews, Exploration Geologist at Cornish Lithium, added: “Our shallow site centres on a borehole that we drilled in 2019. A special borehole pump [not Watson-Marlow] extracts the geothermal water [mildly saline, lithium-enriched water] and feeds into the demonstration processing plant.”

The five Watson-Marlow 530SN/R2 pumps serve two different parts of the test plant, the first of which extracts lithium from the waters by pumping the brine from a container up through a column containing a large number of beads.

“The beads have an active ingredient on their surface that is selective for lithium,” Paisley explained. “As water is pumped through the column, lithium ions attach to the beads. With the lithium separated, we use two Watson-Marlow 530s to pump an acidic solution in various concentrations through the column. The acid serves to remove lithium from the beads, which we then transfer to a separate container.

“The pumps are peristaltic, so nothing but the tube comes into contact with the acid solution.”

She added: “We’re using the remaining 530 series pumps to help understand what other by-products we can make from the water. For instance, we can reuse the water for secondary processes in industry and agriculture. For this reason, we have two other columns working in unison to strip all other elements from the water as we pump it through.”

According to Matthews, flow rate was among the primary reasons for selecting Watson-Marlow pumps.

“The column needed a flow rate of 1-2 litres per minute to fit with our test scale, so the 530 pumps were ideal,” he says. “The other consideration was choosing between manual or automated pumps. At the time, because it was bench scale, we went for manual, as we knew it would be easy to make adjustments while we were still experimenting with process parameters. However, any future commercial lithium extraction system would of course take advantage of full automation.

Paisley added: “The great thing about having these five pumps is that we can use them to help evaluate other technologies moving forward. Lithium extraction from the type of waters we find in Cornwall is not undertaken anywhere else in the world on any scale – the water chemistry here is unique.

“It is really important for us to undertake on-site test work with a variety of different companies and technologies. We want to devise the most environmentally responsible solution using the optimum lithium recovery method, at the lowest possible operating cost. Using local companies is part of our strategy, particularly as continuity of supply is vital.”

To help fulfil the requirements of the next test plant, Cornish Lithium has enquired after more 530SN/R2 pumps from Watson-Marlow.

“We’ve also requested a quote for a Qdos 120 dosing pump from Watson-Marlow, so we can add a certain amount of acid into the system and achieve pH balance,” Matthews says. “We’ll be doing more drilling in the coming 12 months, which will allow us to test our technology on multiple sites.”

Sulzer upgrades VA vertical cantilever sump pump

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Water management, , , ,

Sulzer has launched an upgrade of the VA vertical cantilever sump pump, with the update focused on developing a rigid and reliable cantilever sump pump that contains the company’s most efficient hydraulics.

The VA pump range has been designed for pumping all kinds of clean and contaminated liquids and slurry.

The hydraulic coverage of the pump was extended with energy-efficient, non-clogging and wear-resistant options, and it now includes the core process and slurry pump portfolio hydraulics. With the upgrade, multiple improvements were also made to the vertical construction, Sulzer said.

The VA pump is suitable for highly demanding applications such as:

  • Industrial water;
  • Effluents;
  • Corrosive and abrasive mixtures;
  • Hazardous fluids;
  • Abrasive liquids and/or liquids containing large solids;
  • Abrasive fibrous slurries and/or fibrous slurries containing large solids;
  • Abrasive non-fibrous slurries and/or non-fibrous slurries containing large solids; and
  • Heavy slurry.

Grinding Solutions leveraging Watson-Marlow pumps for Cornish Lithium testing

Comminution of minerals, Energy minerals, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) says Grinding Solutions, a metallurgical laboratory and consultancy service, is using a 500 series peristaltic pump from WMFTG as part of a new pilot plant for Cornish Lithium’s project in the southwest of England.

The pump features six pump heads to dose reagents into all six streams of the flotation process simultaneously.

As part of the same pilot plant, the company is also using a Qdos metering pump from WMFTG to dose flocculant into settling tanks.

Grinding Solutions has taken advantage of pumps from WMFTG for many years as part of bench testing operations, but the move to pilot scale operations is a first-time venture for this progressive company, WMFTG said.

After successful bench testing, Grinding Solutions is now undertaking pilot plant testing for Cornish Lithium, helping the company to develop a process to extract lithium from micas.

Pilot-scale operations enable Grinding Solution to confirm bench test results, build confidence and generate concentrate which Cornish Lithium can use for further testing, according to the pump maker. The pilot plant will also help its client to verify processes, understand costs and minimise risks.

“We’ve been working with Cornish Lithium for a couple of years now,” Jon Rumbles, Project Metallurgist at Grinding Solutions, said. “Steadily, we’ve progressed from bench-based mineral processing and testing, to a pilot plant. Rather than processing tens of kilograms, we’re now processing hundreds of kilograms.”

Grinding Solutions crushes, mills and separates the mineral into different size fractions, processing it to generate a lithium concentrate. Vital to the success of the pilot plant is the accurate dosing/pumping of materials.

Through the pilot plant’s flotation stage, there is a need to dose reagent (collector and thickener) at a constant addition rate. Here, the company takes advantage of a Watson-Marlow 530SN peristaltic pump with six 313 pump heads.

“The use of six pump heads means we can use a single pump to dose all six streams through the rougher and scavenger as part of the flotation process, which is very efficient,” Rumbles said.

In addition, the company is leveraging the benefits of a Qdos 30 metering pump from WMFTG for dosing flocculant into settling tanks at a rate of 10-15 ml/min. The flocculant allows for better settling, permitting quicker extraction of the water ready for recirculation back through the system, according to WMFTG.

“We’ve been using Watson-Marlow pumps for years, for both dosing and slurry transfer,” Rumbles said. “They are really easy to calibrate, while their wide ranging flow rate capabilities are invaluable. We have a number of 500 series pumps on site for reagent dosing, plus the Qdos 30. A couple of the 500 series pumps are fitted with larger pump heads for slurry transfer, while some of our 600 pump series models are linked to density meters. In fact, to facilitate automatic adjustment, we’re now looking at using the 4-20 mA input for even more control from live meters.”

As well as dosing viscous reagents, Grinding Solutions uses its Watson-Marlow pumps to dose sulphuric acid, which helps the system maintain a pH of 2-3.

“By using peristaltic pumps from Watson-Marlow, we’ve not had to think about issues like strong acidity and high viscosity,” Rumbles said. “As the pump heads are self-contained, we can change a reagent – and a pump head – without having to worry about damage to pump parts or cross contamination. In addition, we get accurate dosing and continuous flow from Watson-Marlow pumps, with no reliability issues whatsoever.”