Tag Archives: Warman

Weir Group marks Minerals and ESCO progress in H1 results

The Weir Group has issued its half-year results to June 30, 2023, noting some significant achievements across its Minerals and ESCO divisions.

Headline numbers for the six-month period included a 19% year-on-year jump in revenues to £1.3 billion ($1.67 billion) and a 26% rise in operating profit to £212 million.

Weir Minerals continued to execute on key strategic growth initiatives, and during the first half gained market share in its core mill circuit product categories, it said.

The company said: “We converted 100% of our competitive field trials for large mill circuit pumps, and also rolled-out our latest cyclone technology.”

One highlight in the period came at a large Brazilian iron ore mine, where Weir Minerals upgraded the cyclones to its latest Cavex® 2.0 solution. The new cyclones, which are Synertrex®-enabled, have improved separation and increased mineral recovery by more than 400,000 t/y, according to the company.

Cavex 2 cyclones were launched in 2020, introducing new geometric features to offer performance unmatched by any cyclone in operation at that point, the company claimed. The advanced LIG+ design (patent pending) enables the Cavex 2 hydrocyclones to classify up to 30% more feed slurry, while occupying the same footprint as competitor hydrocyclones, according to Weir.

Weir Minerals says it also made good strategic progress in sustainable solutions during the six-month period and delivered year-on-year growth in comminution. New orders included a pebble crushing plant for a large copper mine in South America and a crushing solution for a potash mine in Canada.

The company also said it saw “very encouraging interest” from customers for its Redefined Mill Circuit, securing orders from large copper mines in South America for coarse particle flotation (CPF) pilot circuits, in partnership with Eriez.

“Through this strategic alliance, we have integrated CPF technology with our latest generation Warman® mill circuit pumps and Cavex cyclones to provide significantly improved recoveries and process efficiencies for our customers,” it said. “Once operational in the September quarter, these plants will be important reference sites for the industry.”

Around a year ago, Weir Minerals and Eriez Flotation announced a cooperative agreement to design and develop CPF systems. This allows both companies to better connect the Eriez equipment with the slurry classification and conveying expertise of Weir Minerals, according to Ricardo Garib, Division President of Weir Minerals.

Weir Minerals also launched its new, proprietary digital intelli-solutions for pumps, cyclones and high pressure grinding rolls which, coupled with its Synertrex 2.0 platform, captures critical machine health data and enables remote condition monitoring.

It concluded: “We continued to invest in research and development of our core technologies including new materials and polymers, and upgrades and range expansions for our industry leading Warman slurry pumps.”

Weir ESCO, meanwhile, reported that the number of mines using Motion Metrics™ AI-enabled vision technology increased during the first six months of the year, with new orders including a package of five ShovelMetrics™ and five LoaderMetrics™ systems to be deployed across all large mining machines at an iron ore mine in Western Australia.

“The division made excellent progress in growing market share in mining attachments, with a 37% year-on-year increase in orders,” it said. “A particular highlight included converting four cable shovel buckets from competitor products to ESCO technology for a large North American copper miner.”

The division also provided an update on trials of its proprietary ore characterisation technology, which has been leveraging the BeltMetrics™ solution from Motion Metrics positioned above a conveyor directly after the crusher in the flowsheet at an unnamed mine. As well as using the rugged vision technology Motion Metrics has previously used, the company is also incorporating hyperspectral imaging into the mix for this trial.

It reported: “Field trials of our proprietary ore characterisation technology were successfully completed during the first half. Tests enabled critical data to be collected and validated the performance of the technology in a real-world environment.”

Development has now progressed to the next phase focused on exploring “novel illumination” technologies to enhance minerals characterisation, it added.

New Motion Metrics capabilities and functions were launched during the six-month period, including an upgraded lens cleaning solution that enhances machine vision capability and improves response times.

“Other technology investments included development of a new series of mining attachments that, once launched, will expand our addressable market,” it said.

Weir Minerals offers up slurry pumping advice with updated Warman handbook

Weir Minerals, manufacturer of the Warman® slurry pump, has released the latest edition of its Warman Slurry Pumping Handbook, with the sixth edition, the company says, featuring detailed engineering data required for most slurry pumping applications.

Drawing on decades of Weir Minerals’ in-house expertise in engineering and slurry pumping technology, the new handbook has updated reference material based on new learnings, improved understanding and technological developments within the mining industry, Weir Minerals says. The handbook aims to empower engineers to achieve optimal performance from their Warman slurry pumps.

An increased global focus on the environment, energy consumption and water conservation will influence slurry pump design and considerations – making this latest handbook an essential tool for all current and future pump engineers, the company added.

Marcus Lane, Director, Slurry Pumping Technology Group, said: “Pumping slurry has many challenges and I’m excited to publish our latest handbook, packed with fundamental theory, application advice, standard practices and latest Warman learnings from the field; all aimed to help our customers, present and future, deliver with excellence.”

Weir Minerals says it is looking to shape the next generation of smart, efficient and sustainable solutions with cutting-edge science and innovation. The handbook includes over 140 pages of detailed information, including performance charts, impeller design, part configuration, assembly and slurry considerations – supported by accurate technical renders and specifications.

John McNulty, Vice President Global Engineering & Technology, said: “The high quality of the reference material in this essential resource reflects the leading status of the Warman slurry pumps. As the industry leader, we have a responsibility to develop our future engineers; we will make the latest version of the Warman Slurry Pumping Handbook available not only to our customers, but also to the leading schools worldwide, so they can learn from the best in the industry.”

As part of Weir Minerals’ commitment to investing in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education and developing the next generation of engineers, copies of this resource will be gifted to the leading mining and engineering educational facilities around the world, including the winner of the 2022 Warman Design & Build competition, Deakin University in Australia.

Weir Minerals expands local presence in Kazakhstan with new service ‘Supercentre’

Weir Minerals says it has opened a new service “Supercentre” in Almaty, Kazakhstan, marking a strategically important milestone that expands local capabilities of its engineering and service expertise to accelerate customer support in the region.

The new facility includes a customer service office; a workshop for maintenance, repair and assembly of Warman® pumps, Cavex® hydrocyclones and Isogate® knife-gate valves; and a warehouse holding strategic equipment and spare parts under Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) contracts. The 3,300 sq.m Weir Minerals Supercentre is fully equipped to perform rubber lining with premium Linatex® rubber in both cold and hot bonding, the company added.

Weir Minerals service capabilities in Kazakhstan include a complete range of services, such as installation supervision and commissioning, operational support, maintenance and troubleshooting, assistance in developing a maintenance strategy and equipment condition monitoring and analysis.

The official opening of the Supercentre was carried out by Carola Schulz, Managing Director of Weir Minerals NATCA (North Africa, Turkey and Central Asia); Gavin Dyer, Regional Managing Director of Weir Minerals ENACA (Europe and NATCA); and key customers and partners of Weir Minerals in Central Asia.

Schulz said: “Our new Supercentre in Kazakhstan will support our key customers in the region, as well as manufacture Linatex hoses and execute rubber-lining activities. This £1 million ($1.1 million) investment is core to our localisation strategy and we will continue to invest to support our ambitious growth plans in Central Asia. We have a very close strategic partnership with our customers in Kazakhstan; and we have recently been very successful with new projects in Uzbekistan. This facility will initially be supporting our customers in Uzbekistan.”

Dyer continued: “We are guided by the philosophy of supporting the local economy and always being located close to our customers. We strive to be able to contribute to our customers’ value chain and support their success; and for me the local employees are the main pillar ensuring that we are successful. It is our people that create our legacy, and we are heavily investing in the development of our employees to support our growth and the growth of our customers.”

George Sweiha, Group Procurement Director at KAZ Minerals Group, said: “From the very beginning of the mineral extraction projects at the Bozshakol and Aktogay sites, KAZ Minerals Group has been striving to ensure that original equipment manufacturers are represented in Kazakhstan to develop local capabilities; by this I mean hiring and developing local specialists and building best-in-class facilities. I am glad to see that Weir Minerals shares our vision and recognises the huge benefits of localisation for business partners, but most importantly for the country and society in which we operate.”

Weir Minerals and Andritz expand tailings processing collaboration with IsoDry

Weir Minerals and Andritz have signed an agreement at MINExpo 2021 expanding their shared commitment and strategic cooperation to supply equipment for processing tailings in the mining industry.

The foundations of this agreement have been built on a shared understanding and vision to enable the sustainable and efficient delivery of the natural resources essential to create a better future for the world, they say.

Since 2018, Weir Minerals’ and Andritz’s partnership has seen them collaborate on joint tailings projects. This shared history as partners has reinforced their abiding belief that, together, both Weir Minerals and Andritz are stronger, they said.

This shared success has led both Weir Minerals and Andritz to renew their ongoing commitment and announce they’ll be expanding their offer to all regions around the globe.

Using Andritz’s proven separation and dewatering technologies, Weir Minerals says it has strengthened its whole-of-mine capabilities, showcasing market-leading products from extraction to comminution, mill circuit and tailings management.

“Weir Minerals has been providing tailings solutions for decades; we have dedicated research facilities – the Weir Technical Centre in Melbourne, Australia, and the Sustainable Mining Centre in Venlo, Netherlands – that are challenging conventional ways of thinking about tailings, while also developing practical, innovative and sustainable solutions that will reduce operating costs and improve safety,” Ricardo Garib, Weir Minerals Division President, said.

“Decreasing ore grades mean that mines are producing more tailings than ever before. One of the challenges with tailings management is that there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach; each mine requires a tailored solution that carefully considers the minerals being processed, as well as the site’s climatic and geological conditions. Weir Minerals prides itself on having both the expertise and equipment that allows us to partner with miners everywhere to plan and implement tailings solutions based on their operations’ unique challenges and this agreement with Andritz enhances those capabilities,” he said.

Steve Huff, President Andritz Separation, said: “Andritz has a long history working across a range of different industries. We are very proud of the work we’ve done with Weir Minerals; together, we’re excited about continuing to provide a joint offering of sustainable and value-added tailings solutions. Both companies bring a different expertise and know-how to the partnership; we complement one another and ultimately, it’s our customers who’ll benefit.”

Tailings management forms an important element of Weir Minerals’ broader integrated solutions approach, which considers problems and challenges from all perspective and draws on a range of experts – process engineers, design engineers, product experts and materials scientists, among others – to identify potential challenges and opportunities and provide tailored solutions.

Charlie Stone, Weir Minerals VP Sales and Business Development-Mill Circuit, said: “This latest agreement enhances our overall tailings offering and enables us to provide our customers with a complete tailings solution. Under the brand name IsoDry, we will continue to offer customers a range of mechanical separation technologies, such as thickeners, filter presses, centrifuges, and vacuum belt filters.”

Weir Minerals has strengthened its tailings team to support the market and ensure that it can provide innovative solutions based on each customer’s specific requirements.

The agreement provides the opportunity for potential future collaboration on technology, harnessing Andritz’s separation technology in conjunction with Weir Minerals’ minerals and tailings processing technology. Many of these products – Warman® pumps to transport fluid tailings, GEHO® pumps to handle paste, Cavex® hydrocyclones to dewater tailings and the Multiflo® range of dewatering solutions – have been integral to helping miners manage their waste for generations, they said.

Weir Minerals and Andritz have also reiterated their shared commitment to sustainability; it is an essential part of both their business and corporate strategies. Both companies say they have outlined ambitious plans to reduce their carbon emissions, while their approach to ESG initiatives extends to all aspects of their organisations.

Weir Minerals pairs Multiflo, Warman and ESCO technology in latest slurry pump

Weir Minerals has launched the new Multiflo® Mudflo™ hydraulic submersible slurry pump, engineering the pump to, it says, tackle abrasive applications and large particle handling.

The Multiflo Mudflo pump features a hydraulically driven wet-end specifically designed to efficiently and safely reprocess and relocate tailings ponds, maintain water retention dams and manage slimes and sludge ponds.

It combines the Warman® MGS pump-end, Multiflo CB32 hydraulic cutters and ESCO® excavation teeth to provide efficient pumping of highly charged and abrasive slurries, the company claims.

Weir Minerals’ Ultrachrome® A05 chrome alloy impeller ensures high wear resistance and the specially engineered suction strainer minimises the risk of clogging by preventing large solids and debris from entering the pump. Drawing on decades of Warman pump design experience, the Multiflo Mudflo pump is capable of pumping between 150 cu.m/h and 1,200 cu.m/h, up to 82 m head.

The Multiflo CB32 hydraulic cutters feature the ESCO Ultralok® tooth system to prevent premature breakage, avoid tooth loss and protect the integral locking system to ensure the continuous operation of the pump, it says.

Engineered by the Weir Minerals dewatering pump experts in Australia, it is available for global customers from July 2021.

Cameron Murphy, Director of Dewatering Weir Minerals APAC, said: “The Multiflo brand is synonymous with high quality and long-lasting equipment. In designing the Mudflo pump, our dewatering experts drew from the very best Multiflo, Warman and ESCO technology and used advanced hydraulics to create an innovative and cost-effective new solution for mine dredging applications.”

The product was developed following close customer collaboration and a mutual commitment to safety and technical excellence, Weir Minerals said.

Geoff Way, Weir Minerals Dewatering Specialist, said: “It is not uncommon for sites to use a combination of pumps, shovels, excavators and trucks for dredging applications. When one of our long-time partners in Indonesia contacted us about developing a custom solution for the slurry build-up in their sumps, we knew we could provide a better solution. We are problem solvers. We considered our customer’s pain points and engineered a new solution to efficiently and safely manage their site processes.”

The Multiflo Mudflo pump can also be retrofitted to competitor OEM equipment, Weir Minerals says, with the quick-hitch plate attachment ensuring convenient installation and removal from hydraulic excavators.

The Multiflo Mudflo pump can be assembled on land, eliminating the safety risks associated with assembling pumps over water. Furthermore, the new hydraulic hose management system reduces the risk of hose entanglement and trip hazards, all the while providing a reliable hose bend radius to ensure smooth oil flow.

Weir Minerals Africa provides tailings management flexibility with mobile pumphouses

Weir Minerals Africa says its mobile pumphouse is ideally equipped for the needs of mine tailings operations.

As the company explains, pumping slurry to tailings facilities requires a solution that can move as the dam expands to allocate room for additional tailings.

Weir Minerals Africa Pumps Product Manager, Marnus Koorts, says a mobile pumphouse completely avoids the cost of any civil engineering for permanent on-site pump buildings. “Instead, it is designed to be moved as required across the site, using its own specifically engineered, skid and jack-and-roll elements,” he said.

Koorts says the offering is part of Weir Minerals Africa’s engineered-to-order solutions, which also reduces the long-term total cost of ownership. The three-point Warman® Multiflo® pump mounting system allows the base and skid to act independently. This minimises the risk of misalignment between the pump and motor shaft during operation and relocation. The unit incorporates an integral gland water supply system and a separate electronic house for power control and remote communication.

Koorts highlights that as a mine’s process plant matures, the tailings line grows with new tailings dams being created, often using Linatex hoses and Isogate valves. It is a significant advantage to be able to move the pumphouse, and to add pumps to the tailings line if the increased distance requires more pressure. It is also an important contributor to reducing initial capital costs.

The design of the mobile pumphouse, he emphasises, sets a new standard for tailings management applications, providing the customer with the tools and equipment to rapidly reconfigure their pumping network, with the ability to move it to other sections of the tailings pond.

Weir Minerals solutions include Multiflo pump barges and floating pontoons mounted with Warman SHW submersible slurry pumps for extracting the fluid tailings. Its Warman slurry pumps are ideal for boosting recovered tails from the pond, to drive the new tailings treatment process plant, the company says.

Koorts emphasises that, with increased scrutiny and pressure to improve the management of tailings, it is more important than ever to look at different methods that are innovative and fit-for-purpose.

Weir Minerals wins large comminution order from Nigeria iron ore mine

Two of the largest screens built by Weir Minerals Africa are being designed and manufactured in South Africa as part of a process solution for an iron ore mine in Nigeria.

According to Tiisetso Masekwameng, General Manager Comminution at Weir Minerals Africa, the flowsheet accepted by the customer includes equipment for screening, washing, and grinding supplied by Weir Minerals.

“Within our scope of work are the two largest Enduron® double-deck banana screens built by Weir Minerals,” Masekwameng says. “This is made possible by the depth of design expertise in our Separation Technology Group, an eight-strong team conducting research and development.”

Steven Hunter, Separation Technology Group Leader at Weir Minerals Africa, says the two 51 t Enduron double-deck banana (DBHG 43/97) screens (one pictured) for this project were built upon the designs of the existing Weir Minerals screens range. These large machines measure 4.3 m wide and 9.7 m long and can process 1,750 t/h.

“The customer’s production requirements demanded this considerable size, so we optimised the design by minimising mass without compromising structural integrity,” Hunter says. “We conducted extensive finite element analysis on the whole machine but focused on the main structural elements, ensuring that the units were fit-for-purpose while still being light enough to be driven by the exciters.”

The size of the units still demanded the design and manufacture of Weir Minerals Africa’s largest exciter yet – the Enduron LTX 10. With 120 t of excitation force (at maximum setting), these units will drive the screens at a stroke of 9.4 mm and a gravitational force of 4.6 G.

Hunter said the screens are ready to be fitted with Weir’s IIoT platform, Synertrex. “This allows the machines to be monitored remotely; the system can measure the machine’s performance and any deviations arising that may require proactive attention,” he explained.

The order for Nigeria also includes two Trio® jaw crushers, two Trio cone crushers, two large 2 m by 8 m Trio apron feeders, two Trio pan feeders, eight Enduron vibrating screens and an Enduron HPGR.

For the clay washing circuit, Weir Minerals Africa will supply the mine with a Trio twin-shaft blade mill and Trio twin-shaft coarse washers as well as Warman® slurry pumps.

Weir adds aftermarket and service contract to Iron Bridge remit

The Weir Group says it has won a £95 million ($127 million) order to provide aftermarket components and service to the Iron Bridge magnetite project in Western Australia.

The aftermarket contract follows Weir’s success in winning a record £100 million order for original equipment for the Iron Bridge project in 2019, including its Enduron® High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGRs, pictured) that, it says, will enable dry processing of ore and use at least 30% less energy than traditional alternatives.

The Iron Bridge magnetite project is a $2.6 billion joint venture between Fortescue Metals Group’s subsidiary FMG Magnetite Pty Ltd and Formosa Steel IB Pty Ltd located in the Pilbara region, around 145 km south of Port Hedland.

Both the aftermarket order and revenues will be recognised over the seven-year period of the agreement, which starts in 2022, in line with the 22 Mt/y project’s initial production.

Ricardo Garib, President of Weir Minerals, said: “This is another landmark order for Weir. Having helped design an energy and water efficient magnetite processing plant, we are delighted to provide operational support for Iron Bridge from 2022. It is an excellent example of the value that Weir’s innovative engineering and close customer support can create for all our stakeholders and reflects the key role we have to play in making mining operations more sustainable and efficient.”

Weir’s Enduron HPGRs are increasingly replacing conventional mills in comminution circuits, Weir says. In addition to their energy and water savings, they also reduce grinding media consumption, while their wearable components last longer, reducing maintenance costs. Additionally, HPGRs contribute significantly to carbon dioxide emission savings.

Stuart Hayton, Managing Director of Weir Minerals Netherlands, where the Enduron HPGRs are designed and manufactured, said: “This is an important project for Weir and for the broader mining industry. We know comminution is one of the most energy intensive parts of the mineral process and, with our Enduron HPGRs, we have a unique ability to offer significant cost, energy and water savings to customers around the world. As the mining industry evolves, we are commited to continuing to innovate, reducing miners’ costs and environmental impact.”

This latest contract award means Weir now has more than £200 million of orders from the Iron Bridge project including its Enduron HPGRs, GEHO® and Warman® pumps, Cavex® hydrocyclones and Isogate® valves.

To support the project and future growth, Weir says it will build a new service centre in Port Hedland, Western Australia, thereby providing employment and training opportunities in the area, with a particular emphasis on supporting greater Aboriginal representation in the broader mining workforce.

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

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%.”

Weir Minerals guards against Warman slurry pump maintenance problems

Weir Minerals has announced the global release of its new telescopic gland seal guards to further protect maintenance personnel performing gland seal adjustments on its Warman® slurry pump range.

The guards never need to be removed to adjust the gland seal followers, making this routine task far safer, according to the company. The telescopic design, which can be retrofitted into existing Warman pumps without disassembly, ensures secure fitment no matter how the pump is set up.

Marcus Lane, Global Product Manager, Centrifugal Pumps, said: “At Weir Minerals, we always put the safety of our customers and employees first. That’s why I’m proud to announce these innovative gland seal guards, which provide miners with an elegant solution to a long-standing safety concern – how to safely adjust the gland seal of a slurry pump while it’s operating.”

The guards, which comply with global standards including ISO 14120, ISO 13857, AS4024.1601 and AS4024.1801, are available for most Warman pumps including MCR, WBH and AH, with additional designs engineered upon request, Weir said. Manufactured from stainless steel to prevent corrosion, they are painted golden yellow to be quickly identifiable as a safety feature.

Slurry pump operators often need to adjust glands while the pump is in operation. Historically this meant removing the guard and exposing personnel to rotating parts.

“The new guards never need to be removed during pump operation and address a number of safety concerns our service teams frequently observe on site, such as the possibility for the rotating elements to forcefully eject the tool being used to adjust the gland follower,” Lane said. “Another common concern is the tendency for operators to lay cloth over the seal area during adjustment to block the water spray. These fabrics can become entangled around the rotating shaft whilst also ensnaring the tool, fingers, hand or arm of the maintenance personnel.”

He added: “Warman telescopic gland seal guards fully protect maintenance personnel from potentially dangerous situations arising from an exposed shaft.”