Water is current all over the place in mining and its management varies based on its position in the mining processes. In a latest in-depth article by pumps main KSB, the corporate outlines how this in flip influences the selection of technologies utilized in pumping water. “Alongside the safe supply and recovery of course of water is the problem of eradicating floor water. Process water and groundwater contain abrasive and corrosive components in varying quantities which have an antagonistic affect on pump performance and life. Working conditions, distant areas, various temperature ranges and the shortage of electrical energy are additionally highly influential factors.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia could additionally be many hundreds of miles apart, but these mining operations nonetheless require dewatering and the safe disposal of potentially contaminated water. “The identical could be mentioned of the coal mines of Mozambique and the silver mines of Mexico. What all of them have in frequent is a requirement for efficient and effective water and slurry pumps. Well-matched options help to maximize the longevity and effectivity of the system and also optimise cost-performance ratios, all attributes fulfilled by KSB’s Hard Rock Mining Division.”
The altering face of mining
The search for extra uncommon and treasured minerals and metals has opened up mining in international locations and areas the place previously the business was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining companies and gear manufacturers have had to develop new strategies and merchandise. And with the main mining firms having operations in lots of international areas, becoming a most popular equipment supplier is crucial. “The dewatering market is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX viewpoint to an more and more OPEX perspective,” reports Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is very true for the large mines that notice that poorly designed gear that regularly fails, causes a big increase in replacement and servicing price. Some mining companies at the moment are committing to a carbon impartial goal in the next 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on high efficiency gear. They want to part out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their local electrical grid.”
KSB says it’s conscious that mining companies are recording pump efficiency and are accumulating knowledge to match manufacturers and higher rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is good information for KSB as the company is committed to delivering excessive reliability and efficiency pumps, so serving to to minimize back the carbon footprint of mining dewatering operations.
Is there a ‘one-fits-all’ pump solution?
KSB says the reply to this could be a resounding ‘no’, however “by sharing experiences between workplaces and likewise incessantly working with the same worldwide mining firms, KSB has been able to develop acceptable solutions. KSB’s involvement in the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia demonstrate two different approaches to dewatering, each using vertical multi-stage pumps.”
In Brazil’s Minas Gerais State open pit iron ore mines excessive floor water, monsoons and underground lakes are problems. To preserve continuous production water needs to be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water level that should be raised two or 3 times a year. KSB Brazil’s solution is a floating station fitted with KSB vertical turbine B pumps positioned over a pontoon (Fig.1). The pontoon rises and falls with changes within the water level so there isn’t any need for the pumps to be repositioned. This ends in cost-savings to the customer. After 20 successful years it has turn out to be the standard for this sort of tools in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the move rate requested by the customer,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, excessive energy motors and related tools leads to the dimensions of the floating station being elevated. Stabilizing gear that weighs more than 200 t requires lots of planning, along with the challenge of building a system in such a remote area.”
pressure gauge in Australia
In the Pilbara Region of Western Australia iron ore is mined in a quantity of places across the Chichester hub zone, an space between 5 and 9 km broad and eighty km lengthy. The mineral deposit sits between 90 m and 117 m below the floor. With the groundwater and water table regularly replenished in moist seasons and cyclones including to the inundation, greater than 75% of the iron ore is beneath the water desk. If too much water mixes with iron ore, it becomes low grade and unsuitable for export, which leads to massive income losses. Also, surface dewatering processes are extremely expensive if the water could be very high.
The accepted dewatering process within the area is to pump the water out via boreholes. However, this is not without its challenges. High water temperatures and excessive salinity lead to extreme corrosion, whilst iron micro organism can develop on motors which forestall efficient motor cooling. The presence of gasoline is a constant menace in some areas as this causes gasoline lock on the impellers leading to heavy vibrations, which places an excellent strain on the motor, lack of circulate rate and motor failure.
This means that standard off-the-shelf merchandise are not always appropriate and the incidence of failures is excessive. Typically, most bore pumps fail within 12 months, and sometimes just a few weeks. At its Hope Valley facility in Western Australia, KSB offers mine operators with its UPA multistage borehole pump, customised to withstand site conditions. Although a more expensive product than its rivals, the UPA has been shown to ship a considerably longer working life and reduced prices of possession. KSB’s proprietary technology that inhibits the growth of iron micro organism makes the UPA a winner.
Trailer mounted models
In Africa the surroundings and minerals being mined require revolutionary approaches to dewatering. In the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, residence to several open minimize and underground copper mines rainy seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering a quantity of completely different pumping options involving both UPA Z borehole pumps and surface-mounted Omega pumps. “To forestall 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 supply Omega pumps mounted on rough terrain trailers. We supply a complete package deal made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary gear together with vacuum pump, control panels, monitors etc that delivers high head pumping.”
เกจ์ลมsumo related resolution is also offered for the open forged Moatize coal mine in Mozambique the place the water ranges must stay low for steady manufacturing reliability. Whilst borehole pumps offer good reliability on a relentless basis, when the rainy season starts, more assets are in demand KSB SA provides skid-mounted Omega models. To date, KSB SA has equipped 152 items and all are working reliably.
Latin America
In Mexico’s Zacatecas silver mines underground water is a constant drawback. According to Roberto Valenzuela, Sales Manager Mining KSB Mexico, the water incorporates strong particles so the excessive pressure encapsulated UPA borehole pumps should be wear-resistant for long term efficiency. Because the dewatering pumps work at a excessive speed, the impellers and the wear ring can suffer from premature wear. Using Multitec horizontal multistage pumps with KSB’s C6 normal chrome coating, wear is significantly minimised. “We have had pumps running on this mine for over two years with out the impellers being modified,” says Roberto Valenzuela. “It is an answer that no competitor presents, and adds worth for the client via lowered upkeep, spare parts and higher mining uptime.”
In Chile’s Atacama Desert copper and gold is mined at altitudes ranging between 2,000 m and 4,500 m. Remote sites, mine depths and the unavailability of electrical energy wanted to drive excessive capacity pumps complicate dewatering. High volumes of water contaminated by minerals can delay drilling and blasting and lead to environmental air pollution. KSB Chile has met these challenges by supplying encapsulated borehole pumps and cantilevered Etanorm pumps, driven by diesel motors.
“Our clients require high-pressure pumps in a modular configuration that can be moved with the enlargement of the open pit,” comments Patricio Araya, Mining Head KSB Chile. “The resolution is to use horizontally positioned borehole pumps with a special configuration for sand filters encased in a strain shroud. This gives the customer flexibility and flexibility as a result of the gear is compact, develops high pressures and is easy to maneuver across the site.
To accommodate growing flows and discharge pressure pumps are configured in collection and in parallel particularly for the client’s necessities. Being coupled to diesel engines allows steady, autonomous operation in locations without electrical energy for between 12 and 24 hours without refuelling. Vertical Etanorm pumps and cantilever-type UPA pumps installed on a raft enabling them to handle the buildup of water inside the mine, eliminating elements similar to unfavorable suction head at high altitudes. KSB tools for mine drainage is provided in normal variations, with variations for rafts or well pumps put in in stress jackets. Having viable options for dewatering provides worth to the purchasers operations and is also necessary as a end result of every year minerals are discovered at deeper levels.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is doubtless one of 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 capacity to carry out in severe open pit mine sites. Its development of dewatering and dredge pump units (DnD), as an answer for mining applications, particularly for open-pit mine sites is one instance of KSB’ commitment to steady product enchancment and improvement. 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 prospects.
KSB builds the complete diesel pushed pump unit on a barge, complete with gasoline tank, vacuum pump, control panel etc, and ships them on trailers for straightforward commissioning at web site. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering can also be a seasonal activity and this implies pumps can stand idle for several months in the course of the dry intervals. Recognising this case, KSB has introduced a rental programme, whereby the pumps are supplied fully-kitted out in accordance with the customer’s requirements. By not having to buy the pump sets, customers are relieved of the prices of ownership and know that when they require units they arrive prepared for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering methods enable the secure and efficient lowering of groundwater in open pit dewatering, underground drainage and borehole drainage purposes. 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 handling applied sciences that can fit all eventualities. This situation has come about by way of the cross-fertilisation of ideas, technologies and experiences gained over many a long time by our firms around the world, supported by extensive funding in analysis and growth. Wherever a pumping solution is required, we are ready to convey a co-ordinated response to the desk.
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