Tag Archives: Weir Minerals

Weir’s Warman AHF slurry pumps cut through the froth in South Africa

Comminution of minerals, Energy minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Precious metals, Water management, , , , , , , , , ,

Weir Minerals’ Warman® AHF pumps have been put to the test at two mines in South Africa’s Limpopo Province, the company said.

The pumps were tasked with pumping frothy, high density and viscous slurries at the platinum and phosphate mines.

Weir said: “Handling froth in some process circuits can be very challenging, as froth will air-bind a conventional slurry pump. In froth applications, the Warman AHF inducer impeller solves this problem, producing far less surging. The inducer impeller and oversized inlet enhance the movement of the froth, high density or viscous slurries into the impeller, facilitating effective transportation.

“In addition, its higher efficiencies mean a smaller pump will deliver the required results.”

At the platinum operation, a Warman AHF 2 pump was commissioned in early 2016. It has met the specified flow rate of 40 m3/h with no pump-related stoppages, repairs or replacements, according to Weir.

A 12-month trial period showed the unit saved the mine over R200,000 ($14,153) when compared with the cost of the competitor pump installed previously. Based on this, the mine replaced another eight competitor products with Warman AHF pumps, Weir said. It has approved the Warman AHF 3 pumps as standard for all frothy applications at the plant’s first flotation section, and Warman AHF 2 pumps for the second flotation section, the company added.

The Warman AHF pumps – with Hi Seal® expeller (dry gland) design – were also tested in a viscous slurry application at the phosphate mine in Limpopo for six months. According to Weir, they demonstrated they could continuously pump the high-density viscous underflow slurry at relative densities above 1.9. “As a result, the customer purchased the pump and began upgrading all the remaining concentrate thickener underflow pumps to the Warman AHF pump technology,” Weir said.

This reduced the plant’s operational costs significantly, decreased dewatering and concentrate moisture extraction operations, improved filtration efficiency and increased concentrate throughput to the dryers, according to Weir. The Warman AHF pump also extended the underflow pumping boundaries and the overall reliability of the thickener underflow pumping system.

“Other field and laboratory tests have proven that the Warman AHF pump has largely overcome the problem of high-density viscous underflow slurries, with negligible effects on head at slurry yield stresses up to 200 Pa,” the company said.

Jacques Pretorius, Weir Minerals Africa’s Pump Product Development Specialist, said the approach to solving any thickener underflow pumping problem must be based on a thorough understanding of the entire application, the mineralogy and rheological behaviour of the slurry.

“Successful thickener underflow pumping projects are only achievable through involving a team of thickener engineers, pumping engineers and rheological consultants,” he said. “Weir Minerals’ pump trial campaigns confirm the successful operability of the Warman AHF pumps in viscous slurry applications.”

Weir Minerals Warman WBH pumps make the most of slurry handling tech

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Weir Minerals Africa says its locally manufactured Warman ® WBH® range of pumps provide access to the latest slurry pumping technology, helping ensure productivity demands are met.

Typically used in heavy duty applications such as mill discharge, slurry transfer and process pumping applications, the Warman WBH is suitable for both greenfields and brownfields installations, according to the company.

With a “revolutionary” one-piece frame for correct alignment of bearings, seal and impeller to front liner, the Warman WBH is engineered for enhanced efficiency and operational savings in mind, the company says. “The pump incorporates a fully-adjustable and rotatable throatbush to more evenly spread the wear and maintain the pump’s performance for longer periods.”

The ‘One Point’ front liner adjustment feature allows both rotation and axial movement to minimise front impeller gap to reduce wear and maintain performance. “Significantly, this adjustment can be made while the pump is running, eliminating the need to stop production resulting in cost savings for the plant,” Weir says.

The company continued: “The streamlined impeller inlet of the Warman WBH pump facilitates enhanced handling of even the most difficult slurries. While the low-flow gland seal, expeller seal and mechanical seal options on the pump mean there is less dilution of the slurry and lower required flow of gland water.”

Equipped with large capacity bearings, the pump can withstand high loads without affecting bearing life, according to the company. “The impeller and volute flow paths are streamlined to enhance efficiencies and extend component wear life,” Weir says.

Weir Minerals Africa on the Cavex CVXT hydrocyclone

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Weir Minerals Africa says its locally-manufactured Cavex® CVXT tile lined hydrocyclone features unique laminar spiral inlet geometry designed to deliver sharper separation, maximum capacity and longer wear life.

The CVXT tile lined hydrocyclones are available in a large range of sizes to process any feed tonnage requirement, the company said. All components are designed for ease of maintenance and efficient operation, it added.

“This innovative design provides a natural flow path into the cyclone body, allowing the feed stream to blend smoothly with the rotating slurry inside the chamber,” Weir said. The result is greatly reduced turbulence through the whole cyclone, dramatically improving the separation efficiency of the hydrocyclone, according to the company. It is also offers a much longer wear life than conventional involute and tangential feed inlet designs, the company added.

The Cavex® CVXT hydrocyclone can be fitted with an extended barrel which, again, increases efficiency by increasing the residence time in the hydrocyclone. This is especially for use with ores carrying a high content of near-density materials. The hydrocyclone is also available with different overflow configuration options to suit operational needs.

To maintain separate efficiency at different operating yields and spigot sizes, a wide range of vortex finder sizes ranging from 0.4 to 0.5 are available. “These are designed to maintain a strong air-core at the different sizes. The spigot sizes range from normal to extra high capacity to accommodate low yield ores. These can also be manufactured in different material to prolong the hydrocyclone life and efficiency,” Weir said.

Weir Minerals on optimising mine dewatering

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As public scrutiny over the mining sector’s use of water continues to grow amid global shortages, Weir Minerals has issued its own guide on how to optimise the dewatering component of a mine site.

“Water is critical for every mine site, it’s used for minerals processing to dust suppression and slurry transport, and without it the entire operation would stop,” Weir said. “Every mine site faces a different challenge with water; it’s either scarce, or in excess and causing an issue.”

A comprehensive, reliable and flexible dewatering plan is essential to ensuring there is a steady supply of process water throughout the site, according to Weir. Conversely, the removal of excess water from working areas to allow excavation to continue while safeguarding the operators and maintaining productivity also requires a dewatering plan.

Ian Ross, Global Product Manager for Dewatering at Weir Minerals, said: “There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to dewatering. It can be an expensive and complex challenge, which is why we deliver bespoke strategies that are cost effective and manageable.

“At Weir Minerals our strength lies in our engineering and project management capabilities. We have the knowledge, expertise and range of equipment to optimise the entire dewatering component of a site.”

Major considerations for any dewatering project

Weather and environment

Each site’s dewatering requirements vary and present unique challenges, with environmental and geological considerations, as well as local climatic variations.

Differences in weather conditions and environmental changes can have a significant effect on an operation. The challenges operators face with water will change from region to region.

“From the outback of Australia where water is scarce, the recovery of water is desperately required compared to the tropical climates of Brazil, where open pits rapidly fill with water, or sub-zero (-50°C) arctic operations in northern Canada that operate year-round – they all require effective water management systems,” Weir said. “Every site, in every country, experiences varying issues with water management and requires a strong partner to support them, whatever the issue.”

Ross said: “We have extensive experience helping either open-pit or underground mine sites with their water management challenges. From designing and implementing a unified, fully-automated dewatering system in Czech Republic to delivering a dewatering system to withstand high wind speeds and tropical storms in Africa, we rarely meet a challenge we cannot overcome.”

There are also a number of factors affecting the dewatering system, from the permeability and porosity of the ground, the amount of surface water, and geological features such as seasonal rainfall.

All of these must all be assessed and factored into a detailed dewatering system before work can begin, Weir said. The dewatering system put in place must be able to cope with this to provide a safe solution and minimise production delays.

What’s in the water?

The composition of water being moved has a notable impact on the equipment and materials used, according to Weir. “The pH range, temperature, corrosive and abrasive content all play a critical role in selecting the equipment to transport water effectively. The presence of solids in the water, the specific gravity, size distribution and content percentage will determine the type of pumps required.”

Equally, the pipework and valves are also subject to corrosion and abrasion from the products handled and must be designed accordingly, the company said.

“For every dewatering project, it’s important the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) understands the environment before developing the strategy, to deliver the optimal solution,” Weir said.

“The pitfalls of over- or under-sized equipment include excessive energy use, high cost investment and maintenance and also risk to equipment and personnel, as well as lost production in the case of insufficient capacity.”

Cameron Murphy, Regional Director of Dewatering for Weir Minerals, said the company has a range of flexible solutions that allow it to use several types of pumping equipment, from self-primed diesel driven, submersibles, vertical turbine and multi-stage to high-wall pump designs for sites that have limited access due to high-sided mine pits.

“Our development of sophisticated pontoon and barge designs allows our equipment to float out over water bodies for easier access. All designs are rigorously tested and include safety features to help prevent risk to operators. Each of our pontoons is designed with a fully-tested anchoring system and can be customised for extreme weather conditions,” he said.

Waste not, want not

With depleting ore grades around the world, there is an emphasis on turning waste into energy, and the dewatering process is no different. Weir Minerals produces equipment which not only dewaters mine sites, but also enables the operator to recycle and re-use back through the plant, it said.

Weir said: “Reclaiming process water for reuse is an increasing demand from operators as it can help overcome the issue of water scarcity, and ensure the operation is gaining maximum use of its resources. Weir Minerals has successfully partnered with a number of customers around the world to make this happen.”

There are multiple ways in which Weir can help its customers reclaim water from their tailings and re-use it throughout the mine site, according to Ross. “From pump house systems to innovative and customised barge solutions, we find a solution that is right for the customer. These options can be complex, and we work with the customer to educate them on how the systems work and showcase the benefits, it’s a collaborative approach,” he said.

More than just equipment

“Operators usually rely on multiple OEMs for dewatering projects; a labour intensive task dealing with different providers and ensuring a solution comes together in a streamlined process,” Weir said.

“Weir Minerals can remove this headache by project managing the entire dewatering solution, utilising products from our extensive dewatering range. This involves a thorough assessment of the requirements of the site, including the mine plan, operating depths, and existing infrastructure, as well as required water in-flow.”

Ross concluded: “We provide a resilient process against the backdrop of increasingly difficult conditions in which many of our customers operate. What we deliver is an optimal dewatering plan, backed up by recommendation for regular equipment maintenance to keep unscheduled stoppages to a minimum.”

Weir’s Trio feeders, crushers and screens up production at Pattison Sand

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Weir Minerals has delivered a custom designed plant that has boosted production and increased the product range at a sand and aggregates miner in Iowa, US.

Family-owned Pattison Sand produces a diverse range of products, servicing several industries including infrastructure and construction.

Weir said: “After successfully using a number of Weir Minerals products at their site, Pattison Sand wanted a custom designed plant capable of producing more than seven materials: concrete stone, road rock and base material, asphalt stone, asphalt chips, railroad ballast and manufactured sand. This was a challenging demand considering most aggregates sites in the region typically focus on producing only a few products.”

Eric Jones, Global Service Director of Comminution Aftermarket for Weir Minerals, said when Pattison Sand presented the plan for their sand plant, the company’s integrated solutions team “worked with them to make it a reality”.

The facility, comprising both an underground and open-pit mine, is located on the Mississippi River. It processes highly abrasive materials and, combined with the physical diversity of the site, presented a number of technical and engineering challenges to Weir. On top of this, the company had three months to deliver and commission the plant.

Chance Harvey, Director of Engineering at Pattison Sand, said: “We develop these solutions with Weir Minerals through a lot of trials, successes and failures, and end up getting the results that we need to continue to survive in the marketplace.

“A lot of the options that other equipment manufacturers supply are standard and by the book. Weir Minerals has the ability to work with us to create solutions for our individual issues.”

The site has a unique rail loadout setup where product is dispatched to customers as soon as gradation and quality data is approved. This meant Pattison Sand needed an efficient, dependable plant to meet stringent delivery requirements.

Weir Minerals supplied a number of products to create two primary and secondary crushing stations at the operation. These included a Trio® TF5220 vibrating grizzly feeder, two Trio EF3603 pan feeders and two Trio TP450 cone crushers. Trio scalping, incline and wet incline screens, as well as a Trio TSW4432 fine material washer, were also supplied.

Full training and support was provided, with Weir Minerals regularly on site to help Pattison Sand optimise their entire process and achieve the desired result, Weir said.

It continued: “The flexibility of the custom built plant has allowed Pattison Sand to operate more efficiently, exceed production target and increase their product range.”

Since commissioning the plant, Pattison Sand has been able to produce 500-800 t/H of high-quality aggregate material, which equates to around 2.5 Mt/y of raw product. Four hoppers provide a loadout rate of 500 t/h enabling Pattison Sand to produce a diverse range of products and still meet demanding customer delivery schedules, Weir said.

Jones said: “When customers purchase Trio products they are buying years of experience from people within an organisation that is dedicated to the industry and its customers. We constantly strive to be closer to our customers. It’s not always perfect, but we work through projects together and are honest with each other. It’s that transparency and working with customers like Pattison Sand which really drives the end solution.”

Weir Cavex hydrocyclones prove their worth at South Africa diamond mine

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Weir Minerals’ Cavex® hydrocyclones have been put to the test at a diamond mine in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province, proving the technology can be applied in dense medium separation (DMS) plants treating diamondiferous material, according to the company.

In her presentation to the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) diamond conference in Johannesburg in 2018, Weir Minerals Africa’s Senior Process Engineer, Boitumelo Zimba, said the hydrocyclones improved plant efficiency and produced 40% more tonnage than the mine’s target.

“As the Cavex hydrocyclone is tried and tested in hard-rock mining and coal classification, the Cavex 360° laminar spiral inlet profile was used as a basis for the development of a dense medium cyclone,” Zimba said. “Individual casting patterns were developed and produced in order to fabricate the Cavex dense medium hard chrome cyclone with the exact laminar spiral feed chamber that exists when moulded out of rubber.”

The customer required a solution that could offer at least six months wear-life, and a probable error of separation (Ep) of no greater than 0.08 at a cut density of 3.1 t/m³. Tracer tests were used to monitor the efficiency of the separation achieved by the Cavex hydrocyclones to ensure all of these requirements were met.

“Ep values achieved were 0.042 for the 4 mm tracer tests and 0.035 for the 8 mm tracer tests, which were below the set maximum target of 0.08 from the mine,” Zimba said. “This highlighted the benefits and improved efficiencies of the Cavex laminar spiral feed inlet.”

The lower the Ep – or probable error of separation – the more efficient the separation; it is defined as half the difference between the density at which 75% is recovered to sinks, and that at which 25% is recovered to sinks, Weir said.

“The customer’s tracer tests on the Cavex hydrocyclones showed that cut points of 3.08 t/m³ were achieved for both the 4 mm and 8 mm tracers,” Zimba said. “This was within the performance levels of 3.1 t/m³ that the customer had specified.”

Initially, the hydrocyclones were commissioned to treat only fines at the diamond plant – the minus 8+1 mm material. Later however, the mine decided to run a combined DMS, after which the full DMS size range of minus 20+1 mm was treated through all the fines DMS hydrocyclones.

“The unique design of the laminar spiral inlet geometry delivers sharper separation and maximises capacity while delivering a longer wear-life than conventional involute or tangential feed inlet designs,” Weir says. “By providing a natural flow path into the hydrocyclone body the design allows the feed stream to blend smoothly with the rotating slurry inside the chamber, reducing turbulence and improving separation efficiency.”

Zimba explained: “Combining our cone and spigot components in the hard metal range is an important contribution to the reduction in turbulence. Another vital factor is the Cavex inlet design with 360° scroll; this design was proven through extensive computational fluid dynamics analysis as well as our multiple installations to date.”

Weir Minerals also conducts ongoing research and development on methods to minimise turbulence on assembled casted components. The Cavex hydrocyclones are designed with a variety of inlet sizes to accommodate a wide top size at specified medium-to-ore ratios. The inlet sizes range from 0.2 to 0.33 as a function of the hydrocyclone diameter.

“The Cavex CVX hydrocyclone also has a wide range of vortex finder sizes to maintain separation efficiency at different operating yields and spigot sizes. The vortex finder sizes range from 0.4 to 0.5 as a function of cyclone diameter, and are designed to maintain a strong air-core at different spigot sizes,” Weir says.

To prolong life and efficiency, the hydrocyclones can also be manufactured with different materials.

“Cavex CVXA hydrocyclones are hard-wearing and are cast in 27% chromium iron for maximum abrasion resistance; components are designed for ease of maintenance, with all surfaces joined with a layer of epoxy cement,” the company says.

Weir Minerals Africa operates two foundries in South Africa – one at its Isando facility and the other at its Heavy Bay Foundry in Port Elizabeth. “This allows the organisation to cast items in-house leveraging its local foundry personnel’s knowledge, experience and expertise, ensuring that the highest standards are maintained,” Weir says.

“This approach ensures optimal life of the hydrocyclone in operation, and reduced maintenance costs by replacing worn parts in situ. It also eliminates the risk of any adverse effects on performance arising from mixing old and new hydrocyclone components. Further, safety on site is enhanced by minimising the maintenance work necessary on the installed hydrocyclones.”

Zimba said future work will include the investigation of various alloys to combat high wear rates on some of the hydrocyclone components, in particular the vortex finder and the cone sections. “This will allow longer operation and plant stability,” she said.

Weir Minerals Africa’s expertise pays off for Rio mineral sands mine in Madagascar

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Weir Minerals Africa has come to the rescue of Rio Tinto’s QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM) operation, providing the mineral sands miner with a solution to its recurring process pond challenge.

According to Weir Minerals Africa’s Dewatering Product Specialist Neil Matthews, the mine was experiencing continual collapse of the 20 m suction hose to the Warman® AH® 12/10 pump mounted on a skid at the back of the process pond. This resulted in the need to keep priming the pump and, therefore, regular downtime.

“Unpacking the issues facing the customer was the first part of upgrading the mine’s process water utilisation,” said Matthews. “We discussed several options with the customer after which our dewatering and engineering teams collaborated closely to design a solution. It was vital to carefully consider the problem in the context of the geographic and site conditions, as well as the local fauna and flora.”

To provide the most suitable Weir Minerals products and solutions, the team specified a Warman® AH® 10/8 pump mounted on a Multiflo® pontoon (pictured) with the pump coupled to a variable frequency drive facilitating greater flexibility in dealing with varying site conditions. A second pontoon was fitted with a Warman® AH® 6/4 pump with motor and fixed speed drive as design conditions should remain constant throughout the life of mine.

Both pontoons are connected to a floating docking station which is, in turn, connected to a 20 m walkway fixed to the bank-side landing.

“It is standard practice in most of our pontoon designs to mount the pump sets at 30° to submerge the suction eye of the impeller, thereby ensuring consistent priming,” Matthews says.

One of the most important factors affecting the solution was Madagascar’s weather conditions, according to Weir. This includes regular tropical storms and high wind speeds, which have the effect of creating wave action and wind loading on the pond during storms. The pontoon solution had to accommodate this.

To address the wave action and minimise possible structural damage, the fixed walkway was designed to incorporate a pivot system on the bank landing structure. This allowed the entire assembly, including the docking station, to rotate 90° and still be tied down to the shore during these storms.

Matthews said: “Madagascar is also known for its varied wildlife, including crocodiles, so the design of the handrails and other structures needed to prevent crocodiles from gaining access to the deck space.”

These reptiles would tend to climb onto the deck to bask in the sun, making it almost impossible for staff to conduct routine maintenance. Restricting this access was achieved by closing all the gaps between the handrails and the separate structures.

“Our design took all the site conditions into account, making for better and more predictable operational reliability,” Matthews said. “Both the pontoons and the pumps can now be easily moved for servicing or for securing during bad weather.”

He highlights that Weir Minerals Africa’s team’s experience with mounting pump sets onto pontoons and its extensive process-related knowledge played a significant role in developing the product offering for the customer.

“It was also important for the design engineers to be present during the commissioning process to ensure support,” Matthews concluded.

Weir Minerals offers productivity, safety and throughput improvements with Synertrex

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Weir Minerals has announced the launch of its Synertrex® platform, an advanced Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology, which, it says, is set to transform the mining industry.

Delivering an advanced level of understanding, it allows operators to monitor every aspect of their equipment’s operation, prevent problems and increase throughput, according to Weir.

It uses network connectivity to capture equipment data and relay it to service centres, service technicians, their customers and Weir’s design centres for trend monitoring, proactive components supply and product improvement.

Ricardo Garib, Minerals Division President, said: “We believe our Synertrex platform will have a significant impact on the mining industry, transforming customer operations through improved productivity and safety.”

The company worked with technology market leaders Microsoft and Dell to develop “sophisticated predictive software and hardware” robust enough to operate in extreme conditions across the globe, he added.

IIoT is a network of equipment that connects to the internet and shares data that can be converted into unique insights. Demand for IIoT-enabled products is growing rapidly, particularly in the mining industry where it is being used in a number of areas including analytics, machine learning, and robotics.

“Synertrex is a cutting edge IIoT platform which harnesses the latest digital technology to transform productivity, foresee risk and enhance performance,” Weir said.

Using cloud computing, it involves placing smart sensors on an array of Weir Minerals’ products to gather critical operating data for advanced analysis. The data is transformed into powerful insights relayed to the customer through a digital interface.

“It can identify problems before they occur, reducing downtime, and optimise equipment performance across an entire circuit,” Weir said.

“Remote management allows for simplified maintenance. Wear and tear can be easily monitored, and trouble spots detected before they escalate into major issues. Whether it’s a drive system, structural or lubrication issues, Synertrex provides the tools to keep mining equipment at its most profitable.”

Through the platform, customers have detailed real-time insight into how equipment is performing, and machines will be able to learn over time, according to Weir.

Information is displayed on an easy to understand dashboard, which can be accessed via any device or integrated into existing operational systems. It will convey real-time, fact-based insights into machine performance and health, remaining useful life and other crucial indicators.

Fred Bradner, Vice President of Global Strategy, Sales and Marketing, said: “This platform will redefine field service standards and lead to greater performance, reliability and ultimately return on investment.”

At this stage, the platform can be paired with Warman® pumps, Cavex® hydrocyclones, GEHO® PD pumps, Enduron® HPGR, Enduron® screens and Enduron® crushers; however Weir has plans to expand the range of compatible products.

Customers with existing Weir products who wish to enable Synertrex will be able to retrofit sensors to equipment.

John McNulty, Vice President of Global Engineering and Technology, said: “This technology is backed by our 147 years of experience and unrivalled service support. Our team travel to the customers’ site to install the sensors, connect to the cloud and provide training to ensure they fully understand how the Synertrex platform works and what it can do.

“The data gathered from Synertrex combined with our in-depth product knowledge, provides unique insights on performance that only the OEM can deliver. Our extensive service network can quickly act on the outputs from Synertrex to provide unrivalled on-site support to our customers.”