Water is present in all places in mining and its management varies in accordance with its position within the mining processes. In a recent in-depth article by pumps major KSB, the company outlines how this in turn influences the choice of technologies utilized in pumping water. “Alongside the safe provide and restoration of process water is the problem of removing ground water. Process water and groundwater contain abrasive and corrosive parts in varying portions which have an opposed have an result on on pump performance and life. Working conditions, remote areas, varying temperature ranges and the dearth of electrical energy are additionally extremely influential components.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia could also be many hundreds of miles apart, however these mining operations nonetheless require dewatering and the secure disposal of probably contaminated water. “The similar could be stated of the coal mines of Mozambique and the silver mines of Mexico. What all of them have in widespread is a requirement for environment friendly and effective water and slurry pumps. Well-matched solutions help to maximise 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 seek for more uncommon and precious minerals and metals has opened up mining in international locations and areas where previously the business was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining corporations and gear manufacturers have needed to develop new methods and products. And with the main mining corporations having operations in many global areas, changing into a most well-liked tools provider is important. “The dewatering market is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX point of view to an more and more OPEX perspective,” stories Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is especially true for the large mines that realize that poorly designed gear that regularly fails, causes a major increase in replacement and servicing price. Some mining firms are actually committing to a carbon neutral goal in the next 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on excessive efficiency equipment. They need to phase out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their local electrical grid.”
KSB says it is aware that mining corporations are recording pump performance and are accumulating data to check manufacturers and higher rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is good information for KSB as the corporate 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 is a resounding ‘no’, however “by sharing experiences between workplaces and likewise regularly working with the same worldwide mining firms, KSB has been capable of develop applicable options. KSB’s involvement within the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia reveal two completely different approaches to dewatering, each using vertical multi-stage pumps.”
In Brazil’s Minas Gerais State open pit iron ore mines extreme ground water, monsoons and underground lakes are issues. To maintain continuous manufacturing water must be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water degree that must be raised two or 3 times a year. KSB Brazil’s answer 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 degree so there is no need for the pumps to be repositioned. This leads to cost-savings to the customer. After 20 profitable years it has become the standard for this kind of equipment in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the circulate price requested by the shopper,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, high power motors and related gear results in the dimensions of the floating station being increased. Stabilizing gear that weighs greater than 200 t requires a lot of planning, along with the problem of building a system in such a distant space.”
Boreholes in Australia
In the Pilbara Region of Western Australia iron ore is mined in a number of locations around the Chichester hub zone, an space between 5 and 9 km extensive and 80 km lengthy. The mineral deposit sits between ninety m and 117 m beneath the floor. With the groundwater and water desk often replenished in wet seasons and cyclones adding to the inundation, greater than 75% of the iron ore is under the water table. If an extreme quantity of water mixes with iron ore, it turns into low grade and unsuitable for export, which finally ends up in large income losses. Also, floor dewatering processes are extraordinarily pricey if the water is very high.
The accepted dewatering course of inside the area is to pump the water out via boreholes. However, this isn’t without its challenges. High water temperatures and excessive salinity end in excessive corrosion, while iron bacteria can grow on motors which stop environment friendly motor cooling. The presence of gasoline is a constant threat in some areas as this causes gasoline lock on the impellers resulting in heavy vibrations, which locations a fantastic pressure on the motor, loss of move fee and motor failure.
This implies that commonplace off-the-shelf products are not always appropriate and the incidence of failures is excessive. Typically, most bore pumps fail inside 12 months, and sometimes only a few weeks. At เกจวัดแรงดันถังออกซิเจน in Western Australia, KSB offers mine operators with its UPA multistage borehole pump, customised to face up to web site circumstances. Although a more expensive product than its opponents, the UPA has been proven to ship a significantly longer working life and decreased costs 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 innovative approaches to dewatering. In the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, residence to several open cut and underground copper mines rainy seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering a number of different pumping options involving each UPA Z borehole pumps and surface-mounted Omega pumps. “To stop mining operations from being shut down, a quick localised response is required,” says Rob Bond, Area Manager Mining-Sub-Saharan Africa. “Our resolution has been to provide Omega pumps mounted on tough terrain trailers. We supply an entire bundle made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary equipment including vacuum pump, management panels, monitors and so on that delivers excessive head pumping.”
A related solution is also supplied for the open solid Moatize coal mine in Mozambique the place the water ranges should remain low for steady production reliability. Whilst borehole pumps supply good reliability on a continuing foundation, when the rainy season starts, more resources are in demand KSB SA offers skid-mounted Omega items. To date, KSB SA has supplied 152 units 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 high velocity, the impellers and the wear ring can undergo from untimely wear. Using Multitec horizontal multistage pumps with KSB’s C6 commonplace chrome coating, wear is tremendously minimised. “We have had pumps working on this mine for over two years without the impellers being modified,” says Roberto Valenzuela. “It is an answer that no competitor offers, and provides value for the customer via decreased maintenance, spare components 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. เพรสเชอร์เกจไฮดรอลิค , 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 lead to environmental pollution. KSB Chile has met these challenges by supplying encapsulated borehole pumps and cantilevered Etanorm pumps, pushed by diesel motors.
“Our clients require high-pressure pumps in a modular configuration that might be moved with the expansion of the open pit,” feedback Patricio Araya, Mining Head KSB Chile. “The solution is to use horizontally positioned borehole pumps with a special configuration for sand filters encased in a stress shroud. This offers the client flexibility and versatility as a end result of the gear is compact, develops high pressures and is easy to move across the web site.
To accommodate growing flows and discharge stress pumps are configured in collection and in parallel specifically for the client’s requirements. Being coupled to diesel engines permits continuous, autonomous operation in locations with out electricity 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 accumulation of water contained in the mine, eliminating elements corresponding to adverse suction head at high altitudes. KSB tools for mine drainage is provided in standard versions, with variations for rafts or nicely pumps installed in pressure jackets. Having viable solutions for dewatering adds value to the purchasers operations and is also necessary as a outcome of each year minerals are found at deeper ranges.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is amongst the world’s largest exporters of thermal coal, and likewise a significant participant in copper, gold, tin, bauxite, and nickel. Here KSB pumps are acknowledged for their excellent capability to carry out in extreme open pit mine websites. Its improvement of dewatering and dredge pump units (DnD), as an answer for mining applications, particularly for open-pit mine websites is one instance of KSB’ commitment to steady product improvement and development. To date, more than 260 DnD pumps with GWI® LCC and LSA pumps have been installed in mines across Indonesia and South East Asia. In 2013, KSB Indonesia launched a model new mannequin, the DnD Cruiser with enhancements requested by prospects.
KSB builds the whole diesel driven pump unit on a barge, complete with gas tank, vacuum pump, management panel and so forth, and ships them on trailers for simple commissioning at website. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering is also a seasonal exercise and this means pumps can stand idle for several months during the dry periods. Recognising this situation, KSB has launched a rental programme, whereby the pumps are supplied fully-kitted out according to the customer’s necessities. By not having to purchase the pump units, prospects are relieved of the costs of ownership and know that once they require models they arrive ready for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering methods enable the protected and environment friendly lowering of groundwater in open pit dewatering, underground drainage and borehole drainage functions. Regardless of a mine’s location, the sort 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 via the cross-fertilisation of ideas, applied sciences and experiences gained over many decades by our corporations around the globe, supported by intensive funding in analysis and development. Wherever a pumping answer is required, we will deliver a co-ordinated response to the table.
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