Water is current all over the place in mining and its management varies according to its function within the mining processes. In a latest in-depth article by pumps major KSB, the company outlines how this in flip influences the number of technologies utilized in pumping water. “Alongside the secure supply and restoration of course of water is the problem of removing ground water. Process water and groundwater comprise abrasive and corrosive parts in varying portions which have an adverse affect on pump efficiency and life. Working conditions, remote areas, varying temperature ranges and the dearth of electrical power are also extremely influential elements.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia may be many 1000’s of miles aside, however these mining operations nonetheless require dewatering and the protected disposal of doubtless contaminated water. “The similar may be mentioned of the coal mines of Mozambique and the silver mines of Mexico. What they all have in frequent is a requirement for efficient and effective water and slurry pumps. Well-matched options 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 changing face of mining
The seek for more uncommon and valuable minerals and metals has opened up mining in nations and places where previously the trade was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining firms and tools producers have had to develop new strategies and merchandise. And with the major mining firms having operations in many global places, changing into a most well-liked tools supplier is crucial. “The dewatering market is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX perspective to an more and more OPEX perspective,” reviews Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is especially true for the large mines that understand that poorly designed tools that frequently fails, causes a big improve in alternative and servicing price. Some mining firms are now committing to a carbon impartial target in the subsequent 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on high effectivity equipment. They want to section out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their native electrical grid.”
KSB says it’s conscious that mining corporations are recording pump performance and are accumulating data to match brands and better rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is sweet information for KSB as the company is committed to delivering excessive reliability and efficiency pumps, so helping to scale back the carbon footprint of mining dewatering operations.
Is there a ‘one-fits-all’ pump solution?
KSB says the reply to it is a resounding ‘no’, but “by sharing experiences between places of work and likewise incessantly working with the identical worldwide mining firms, KSB has been capable of develop acceptable options. KSB’s involvement within the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia show two totally different approaches to dewatering, each using vertical multi-stage pumps.”
In Brazil’s Minas Gerais State open pit iron ore mines extreme floor water, monsoons and underground lakes are problems. To preserve continuous manufacturing water must be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water stage that must be raised two or three times a yr. 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 changes within the water stage so there is not any want for the pumps to be repositioned. This ends in cost-savings to the client. After 20 successful years it has turn out to be the usual for this kind of tools in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the circulate price requested by the client,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, excessive power motors and related gear ends in the scale of the floating station being increased. Stabilizing tools that weighs greater than 200 t requires lots of planning, along with the challenge of building a system in such a remote space.”
Boreholes in Australia
In the Pilbara Region of Western Australia iron ore is mined in a quantity of locations across the Chichester hub zone, an area between 5 and 9 km extensive and eighty km long. The mineral deposit sits between 90 m and 117 m below the floor. With the groundwater and water desk regularly replenished in wet seasons and cyclones adding to the inundation, more than 75% of the iron ore is under the water desk. If too much water mixes with iron ore, it becomes low grade and unsuitable for export, which leads to massive revenue losses. Also, surface dewatering processes are extraordinarily pricey if the water could be very excessive.
The accepted dewatering course of within 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, whilst iron bacteria can grow on motors which forestall environment friendly motor cooling. The presence of gasoline is a continuing menace in some areas as this causes gasoline lock on the impellers resulting in heavy vibrations, which locations an excellent pressure on the motor, lack of flow rate and motor failure.
This means that standard off-the-shelf products are not all the time suitable and the incidence of failures is high. Typically, most bore pumps fail within 12 months, and generally just a few weeks. At its Hope Valley facility in Western Australia, KSB provides mine operators with its UPA multistage borehole pump, customised to face up to web site circumstances. Although a more expensive product than its competitors, the UPA has been proven to ship a significantly longer working life and lowered costs of ownership. KSB’s proprietary technology that inhibits the growth of iron bacteria makes the UPA a winner.
Trailer mounted items
In Africa the surroundings and minerals being mined require revolutionary approaches to dewatering. In the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, home to a quantity of open minimize and underground copper mines rainy seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering several totally different pumping solutions involving both 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 solution has been to provide Omega pumps mounted on tough terrain trailers. We supply a complete bundle made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary equipment together with vacuum pump, control panels, displays and so on that delivers high head pumping.”
A comparable solution can be supplied for the open cast Moatize coal mine in Mozambique where the water ranges must stay low for continuous manufacturing reliability. Whilst borehole pumps provide good reliability on a continuing basis, when the wet season starts, more resources are in demand KSB SA supplies 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 continuing drawback. According to Roberto Valenzuela, Sales Manager Mining KSB Mexico, the water contains stable particles so the high strain encapsulated UPA borehole pumps must be wear-resistant for long term effectivity. Because the dewatering pumps work at a high speed, the impellers and the damage ring can suffer from untimely put on. Using Multitec horizontal multistage pumps with KSB’s C6 normal chrome coating, wear is significantly minimised. “We have had pumps operating in this mine for over two years with out the impellers being modified,” says Roberto Valenzuela. “It is an answer that no competitor offers, and provides value for the client through lowered upkeep, spare components 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 websites, mine depths and the unavailability of electricity wanted to drive excessive 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 may be moved with the growth of the open pit,” feedback Patricio Araya, Mining Head KSB Chile. “The solution is to use horizontally positioned borehole pumps with a particular configuration for sand filters encased in a pressure shroud. This offers the customer flexibility and versatility as a end result of the gear is compact, develops high pressures and is simple to move around the site.
To accommodate increasing flows and discharge stress pumps are configured in series and in parallel particularly for the client’s necessities. Being coupled to diesel engines permits continuous, autonomous operation in places without electricity for between 12 and 24 hours with out refuelling. Vertical Etanorm pumps and cantilever-type UPA pumps installed on a raft enabling them to deal with the accumulation of water inside the mine, eliminating components corresponding to negative suction head at high altitudes. KSB gear for mine drainage is supplied in commonplace variations, with variations for rafts or nicely pumps installed in stress jackets. Having viable options for dewatering adds worth to the shoppers operations and is also necessary as a end result of every year minerals are discovered at deeper levels.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is certainly one of the world’s largest exporters of thermal coal, and likewise a major participant in copper, gold, tin, bauxite, and nickel. Here KSB pumps are acknowledged for his or her excellent capability to carry out in severe open pit mine sites. Its development of dewatering and dredge pump sets (DnD), as a solution for mining applications, especially for open-pit mine sites is one instance of KSB’ commitment to steady product enchancment and growth. 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 model new mannequin, the DnD Cruiser with enhancements requested by clients.
KSB builds the entire diesel driven pump unit on a barge, full with gas tank, vacuum pump, control panel etc, and ships them on trailers for easy commissioning at site. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering can additionally be a seasonal activity and this implies pumps can stand idle for a number of months during the dry periods. Recognising this situation, KSB has launched a rental programme, whereby the pumps are equipped fully-kitted out based on the customer’s necessities. By not having to buy weksler ea14 , prospects are relieved of the prices of ownership and know that after they require items they arrive ready for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering techniques enable the secure and environment friendly reducing of groundwater in open pit dewatering, underground drainage and borehole drainage applications. 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 dealing with applied sciences that can fit all eventualities. This state of affairs has come about through the cross-fertilisation of ideas, applied sciences and experiences gained over many many years by our firms all over the world, supported by in depth funding in analysis and growth. Wherever a pumping answer is required, we can deliver a co-ordinated response to the desk.
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