Tag Archives: pumps

Metso Outotec bolsters mining pump capability in South America

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 COemissions. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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.”

Metso Outotec slurry pumps to treat tails at SevGOK iron ore project

Engineering Dobersek in Germany and Severniy Mining and Processing (SevGOK) in Ukraine have selected Metso Outotec’s mill discharge pumps for Severniy’s greenfield process waste thickening plant, the OEM says.

Metso Outotec’s pumps will be used to pump the iron ore concentrate plant’s waste sludge into the settling ponds from the thickeners. The 22 pumps to be delivered by Metso Outotec include 10 large high-capacity MDM700 pumps. Together, the pumps are capable of handling a total volume of 117,500 cu.m/h of waste sludge.

“SevGOK’s complex is the second of its kind in Ukraine, and Engineering Dobersek in Germany has designed it,” Axel Stappen, Managing Director, Engineering Dobersek GmbH, says. “With this investment, SevGOK aims to decrease environmental impacts and costs by lowering energy consumption and water usage. They chose Metso Outotec pumps because of their reliability and efficiency, and the good support Metso Outotec has provided in their previous projects.”

Michael Nienhaus, Head of Sales, Slurry Pumps, Germany, Metso Outotec, says: “We are delighted to have been selected to supply our MD series pumps to SevGOK’s project. To give an idea of the size of an MDM700 pump, it can weigh as much as 31 t and be 2.8 m in diameter, and have an impressive pumping volume of up to 9,650 cu.m/h. The MDM pumps operate in very demanding conditions, and we’ve designed them to operate reliably and to withstand exceptional wear.”

Metso Outotec mill discharge pumps have been designed for mill circuit applications, such as SAG/ball mill discharge pumps and hydrocyclone feed. Special emphasis has been placed on components that have to withstand exceptional wear from coarse heavy solids and flow turbulence, the company says.

ALROSA looks to ABEL HM pumps for filter press feeding

Piston diaphragm pumps from ABEL are helping Russia’s ALROSA with its filtration process at one of its diamond mines in the country.

In Spring 2021, ABEL received an order for the delivery of six of these piston diaphragm pumps, HM pumps, following an initial HM pump order in 2020. This inaugural pump was delivered to ALROSA in February 2020 as replacement for a centrifugal pump previously used for filter press feeding. At the beginning of August, the ABEL pump was commissioned at the diamond producer’s plant. The dewatering result (higher solids content, shorter filtration time) was so convincing that ALROSA decided to feed all filter presses in this plant with the pumps, ABEL said.

The latest delivery is being facilitated by ABEL’s official distributor in Russia, SibComplectService.

ABEL’s HM pumps are available as single- or double-acting versions. They come with a high flow rate, reliable function and particularly low operating and maintenance costs, the company says.

In addition to filter press feeding, the hydraulic diaphragm pumps are also used for sludge transport, spray dryer feeding, rotary kiln feeding, autoclave feeding, and sealing/rinsing water supply, among other applications.

Anglo American pursues 3D printing of spare parts with CSIR and Ivaldi Group

Anglo American has partnered with the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and US-based technology company, Ivaldi Group, to explore opportunities to digitally distribute spare parts for mining and processing equipment to be manufactured locally using 3D printing.

The project includes an analysis of Anglo American’s inventory of spare parts, such as impellers for pumps, shaft sleeves, gasket bonnet valves, and mining rock drill bits, exploring the impact of adopting a digitally distributed supply chain, and then digitising, locally producing and testing these parts at Anglo American’s operations in South Africa, Anglo said.

This partnership is the latest manifestation of Anglo American’s Collaborative Regional Development (CRD) approach to helping create “thriving communities”, as part of the company’s Sustainable Mining Plan commitments.

“Through strategic partnerships, CRD aims to create long-term economic prosperity within Anglo American’s host communities and regions beyond the expected life of a mine,” the company said. “To that end, Anglo American launched the Impact Catalyst in 2019 together with its partners the CSIR, Exxaro, Zutari, World Vision SA and the provincial government of Limpopo.”

Matthew Chadwick, Head of Socio-Economic Development and Partnerships at Anglo American, said: “Our FutureSmart Mining™ approach to sustainable mining is presenting us with new and innovative opportunities to build thriving and resilient communities, now and into the future. Through partnerships like this one with CSIR and Ivaldi, we are re-imagining long-established norms to help deliver enduring value to society.

“The ability to send files – not physical spare parts – will reduce our carbon footprint, delivery lead times and logistics costs. Importantly, this has the clear potential to create industrial and service jobs for host communities and surrounding regions through on-demand manufacturing systems to produce spare parts locally.”

Espen Sivertsen, CEO of Ivaldi, said: “We believe that digital distribution of physical goods is a natural next step for the global spare parts supply chain. It is part of the fourth industrial revolution. Working with world-leading organisations like Anglo American and the CSIR, we are now practically demonstrating that there are significant savings for businesses and a net positive impact for the environment and associated communities.”

Charl Harding, CSIR’s Business Development Manager, added: “When we first explored this opportunity to develop sustainable local on-demand manufacturing solutions we saw an immediate fit with our additive manufacturing and materials expertise. The 3D printing of parts along with the application of additive manufacturing technologies to refurbish worn parts offers the potential to create local jobs, promote innovation for the inclusive and sustainable advancement of industry and society whilst responding critical issue of climate change.”