Water is present everywhere in mining and its control varies in accordance with its position in the mining processes. In a latest in-depth article by pumps main KSB, the corporate outlines how this in turn influences the number of applied sciences utilized in pumping water. “Alongside the safe provide and restoration of process water is the problem of eradicating ground water. Process water and groundwater include abrasive and corrosive parts in various portions which have an adverse have an effect on on pump performance and life. Working circumstances, distant areas, various temperature ranges and the lack of electrical power are also highly influential elements.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia could also be many hundreds of miles aside, however these mining operations nonetheless require dewatering and the secure disposal of potentially contaminated water. “The similar could be stated of the coal mines of Mozambique and the silver mines of Mexico. What they all have in frequent is a requirement for environment friendly and effective water and slurry pumps. Well-matched solutions assist to maximize the longevity and efficiency of the system and likewise optimise cost-performance ratios, all attributes fulfilled by KSB’s Hard Rock Mining Division.”
The altering face of mining
The seek for more rare and precious minerals and metals has opened up mining in international locations and areas where previously the trade was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining corporations and equipment producers have had to develop new techniques and merchandise. And with the main mining corporations having operations in many world locations, becoming a most well-liked tools provider is crucial. “The dewatering market is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX perspective to an increasingly OPEX perspective,” stories Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is particularly true for the big mines that notice that poorly designed equipment that regularly fails, causes a big increase in substitute and servicing value. Some mining firms are now committing to a carbon neutral target within the subsequent 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on high effectivity equipment. They need to part out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their native electrical grid.”
KSB says it’s aware that mining corporations are recording pump efficiency and are accumulating data to match brands and higher rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is good information for KSB as the company is committed to delivering excessive reliability and effectivity pumps, so helping to reduce the carbon footprint of mining dewatering operations.
Is there a ‘one-fits-all’ pump solution?
KSB says the answer to this is a resounding ‘no’, however “by sharing experiences between workplaces and in addition frequently working with the same worldwide mining corporations, KSB has been able to develop acceptable options. KSB’s involvement in the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia reveal two completely different approaches to dewatering, both employing vertical multi-stage pumps.”
In Brazil’s Minas Gerais State open pit iron ore mines excessive ground water, monsoons and underground lakes are issues. To keep continuous production water has to be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water stage that have to be raised two or thrice a 12 months. KSB Brazil’s resolution is a floating station fitted with KSB vertical turbine B pumps positioned over a pontoon (Fig.1). The pontoon rises and falls with modifications within the water stage so there is not a need for the pumps to be repositioned. This ends in cost-savings to the shopper. After 20 profitable years it has turn into the usual for this kind of equipment in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the flow price requested by the client,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, high energy motors and related tools leads to the size of the floating station being elevated. Stabilizing equipment that weighs more than 200 t requires lots of planning, along with the challenge of building a system in such a remote area.”
Boreholes in Australia
In the Pilbara Region of Western Australia iron ore is mined in a number of areas around the Chichester hub zone, an area between 5 and 9 km extensive and eighty km long. The mineral deposit sits between ninety m and 117 m below the surface. With the groundwater and water desk frequently replenished in wet seasons and cyclones including to the inundation, more than 75% of the iron ore is under the water table. If an excessive amount of water mixes with iron ore, it becomes low grade and unsuitable for export, which ends up in large income losses. Also, surface dewatering processes are extraordinarily pricey if the water may be very excessive.
The accepted dewatering process within the area is to pump the water out through boreholes. However, this is not without its challenges. High water temperatures and excessive salinity lead to extreme corrosion, while iron micro organism can grow on motors which prevent efficient motor cooling. The presence of fuel is a constant risk in some areas as this causes gas lock on the impellers resulting in heavy vibrations, which locations a great strain on the motor, lack of move price and motor failure.
This implies that normal off-the-shelf products usually are not always suitable and the incidence of failures is excessive. Typically, most bore pumps fail inside 12 months, and sometimes just a few weeks. At its Hope Valley facility in Western Australia, KSB supplies mine operators with its UPA multistage borehole pump, customised to face up to web site situations. Although a more expensive product than its competitors, the UPA has been shown to deliver a considerably longer working life and reduced costs of ownership. KSB’s proprietary know-how that inhibits the growth of iron micro organism makes the UPA a winner.
Trailer mounted models
In Africa the environment and minerals being mined require revolutionary approaches to dewatering. In the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, residence to a quantity of open reduce and underground copper mines rainy seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering several totally different pumping options involving each UPA Z borehole pumps and surface-mounted Omega pumps. “To stop mining operations from being shut down, a fast localised response is required,” says Rob Bond, Area Manager Mining-Sub-Saharan Africa. “Our answer has been to provide Omega pumps mounted on tough terrain trailers. We provide an entire bundle made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary equipment including vacuum pump, management panels, screens etc that delivers excessive head pumping.”
A similar solution can additionally be offered for the open forged Moatize coal mine in Mozambique where the water ranges should remain low for continuous manufacturing reliability. Whilst borehole pumps supply good reliability on a continuing foundation, when the wet season starts, more sources are in demand KSB SA provides skid-mounted Omega items. To date, KSB SA has equipped 152 units and all are working reliably.
Latin America
In Mexico’s Zacatecas silver mines underground water is a continuing drawback. According to Roberto Valenzuela, Sales Manager Mining KSB Mexico, the water accommodates stable particles so the high stress encapsulated UPA borehole pumps should be wear-resistant for long term effectivity. Because the dewatering pumps work at a excessive speed, the impellers and the wear and tear ring can undergo from premature put on. Using pressure gauge octa with KSB’s C6 normal chrome coating, put on is tremendously minimised. “We have had pumps running on this mine for over two years with out the impellers being changed,” says Roberto Valenzuela. “It is an answer that no competitor provides, and provides worth for the shopper via lowered upkeep, spare parts and larger mining uptime.”
In Chile’s Atacama Desert copper and gold is mined at altitudes ranging between 2,000 m and four,500 m. Remote websites, mine depths and the unavailability of electricity needed to drive high capability pumps complicate dewatering. High volumes of water contaminated by minerals can delay drilling and blasting and end in environmental air pollution. KSB Chile has met these challenges by supplying encapsulated borehole pumps and cantilevered Etanorm pumps, pushed by diesel motors.
“Our customers require high-pressure pumps in a modular configuration that can be moved with the expansion of the open pit,” feedback Patricio Araya, Mining Head KSB Chile. “The solution is to make use of horizontally positioned borehole pumps with a particular configuration for sand filters encased in a pressure shroud. This provides the client flexibility and versatility because the equipment is compact, develops excessive pressures and is simple to move around the web site.
To accommodate growing flows and discharge stress pumps are configured in series and in parallel specifically for the client’s requirements. Being coupled to diesel engines permits continuous, autonomous operation in locations without electrical energy for between 12 and 24 hours without refuelling. Vertical Etanorm pumps and cantilever-type UPA pumps put in on a raft enabling them to deal with the buildup of water contained in the mine, eliminating components similar to adverse suction head at excessive altitudes. KSB equipment for mine drainage is equipped in commonplace versions, with variations for rafts or properly pumps installed in stress jackets. Having viable solutions for dewatering adds value to the customers operations and can be important as a end result of annually minerals are discovered at deeper levels.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is amongst the world’s largest exporters of thermal coal, and in addition a significant participant in copper, gold, tin, bauxite, and nickel. Here KSB pumps are acknowledged for his or her excellent capability to perform in extreme open pit mine websites. Its development of dewatering and dredge pump units (DnD), as a solution for mining purposes, especially for open-pit mine sites is one example of KSB’ dedication to continuous product enchancment and development. To date, more than 260 DnD pumps with GWI® LCC and LSA pumps have been installed in mines throughout Indonesia and South East Asia. In 2013, KSB Indonesia launched a new mannequin, the DnD Cruiser with enhancements requested by customers.
KSB builds the whole diesel pushed pump unit on a barge, complete with gas tank, vacuum pump, control panel etc, and ships them on trailers for easy commissioning at website. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering is also a seasonal activity and this implies pumps can stand idle for a quantity of months during the dry periods. Recognising this example, KSB has launched a rental programme, whereby the pumps are provided fully-kitted out according to the customer’s requirements. By not having to buy the pump sets, prospects are relieved of the prices of ownership and know that when they require models they come ready for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering systems allow the protected and efficient decreasing of groundwater in open pit dewatering, underground drainage and borehole drainage applications. Regardless of a mine’s location, the type of mining operation being carried out, the geological and the aggressive and corrosive nature of the water, KSB has fluid dealing with applied sciences that will fit all eventualities. This situation has come about via the cross-fertilisation of ideas, technologies and experiences gained over many many years by our firms around the world, supported by in depth funding in analysis and improvement. Wherever a pumping solution is required, we are able to deliver a co-ordinated response to the desk.
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