Water is current all over the place in mining and its management varies in accordance with its position within the mining processes. In a current in-depth article by pumps major KSB, the company outlines how this in turn influences the choice of technologies used in pumping water. “Alongside the protected provide and recovery of process water is the challenge of eradicating floor water. Process water and groundwater contain abrasive and corrosive parts in varying portions which have an opposed have an effect on on pump efficiency and life. Working conditions, remote locations, various temperature ranges and the shortage of electrical energy are additionally highly influential components.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia could additionally be many thousands of miles aside, however these mining operations nonetheless require dewatering and the secure disposal of potentially contaminated water. “ เกจวัดแรงดันแบบแห้ง may be said of the coal mines of Mozambique and the silver mines of Mexico. What all of them have in common is a requirement for environment friendly and effective water and slurry pumps. Well-matched solutions assist 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 search for more uncommon and treasured minerals and metals has opened up mining in international locations and areas the place beforehand the industry was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining firms and gear manufacturers have needed to develop new methods and merchandise. And with the major mining companies having operations in many international places, changing into a most well-liked equipment supplier is essential. “The dewatering market is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX point of view to an increasingly OPEX perspective,” reviews Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is very true for the big mines that understand that poorly designed equipment that regularly fails, causes a significant increase in alternative and servicing price. Some mining companies are now committing to a carbon neutral goal in the subsequent 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on high efficiency gear. They want to section out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their local electrical grid.”
KSB says it is conscious that mining firms are recording pump efficiency and are accumulating information to match brands and higher rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is sweet news for KSB as the company is committed to delivering high reliability and efficiency pumps, so helping to reduce 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 offices and also frequently working with the identical international mining firms, KSB has been capable of develop appropriate solutions. KSB’s involvement in the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia show two completely different approaches to dewatering, both employing vertical multi-stage pumps.”
In Brazil’s Minas Gerais State open pit iron ore mines extreme ground water, monsoons and underground lakes are problems. To keep steady manufacturing water must be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water level that have to be raised two or three times a yr. 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 modifications within the water degree so there is not any want for the pumps to be repositioned. This leads to cost-savings to the customer. After 20 successful years it has turn into the standard for this type of gear in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the flow fee requested by the customer,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, high energy motors and related equipment ends in the dimensions of the floating station being increased. Stabilizing equipment that weighs greater than 200 t requires plenty of planning, along with the challenge of constructing a system in such a distant area.”
Boreholes in Australia
In the Pilbara Region of Western Australia iron ore is mined in a number of places around the Chichester hub zone, an area between 5 and 9 km extensive and 80 km lengthy. The mineral deposit sits between ninety m and 117 m under the surface. With the groundwater and water desk frequently replenished in wet seasons and cyclones adding to the inundation, greater than 75% of the iron ore is under the water desk. If an extreme amount of water mixes with iron ore, it becomes low grade and unsuitable for export, which finally ends up in massive income losses. Also, surface dewatering processes are extraordinarily costly if the water may be very excessive.
The accepted dewatering process throughout the region is to pump the water out via boreholes. However, this is not with out its challenges. High water temperatures and excessive salinity result in excessive corrosion, while iron micro organism can develop on motors which prevent environment friendly motor cooling. The presence of gasoline is a continuing threat in some areas as this causes gas lock on the impellers leading to heavy vibrations, which places a fantastic pressure on the motor, lack of flow fee and motor failure.
This signifies that normal off-the-shelf products usually are not at all times appropriate and the incidence of failures is high. Typically, most bore pumps fail inside 12 months, and sometimes only some weeks. At its Hope Valley facility in Western Australia, KSB offers mine operators with its UPA multistage borehole pump, customised to face up to website conditions. Although a more expensive product than its rivals, the UPA has been shown to ship a significantly longer working life and decreased costs of ownership. KSB’s proprietary technology that inhibits the expansion of iron micro organism makes the UPA a winner.
Trailer mounted units
In Africa the environment and minerals being mined require innovative approaches to dewatering. In the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, residence to a number of open cut and underground copper mines wet seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering a quantity of totally different pumping solutions 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 answer has been to provide Omega pumps mounted on tough terrain trailers. We supply a whole package made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary equipment including vacuum pump, control panels, screens etc that delivers excessive head pumping.”
A related resolution can also be provided for the open solid Moatize coal mine in Mozambique the place the water levels should remain low for continuous production reliability. Whilst borehole pumps provide good reliability on a relentless foundation, when the wet season starts, more resources are in demand KSB SA offers skid-mounted Omega items. To date, KSB SA has provided 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 incorporates stable particles so the high strain encapsulated UPA borehole pumps must be wear-resistant for long run effectivity. Because the dewatering pumps work at a excessive speed, the impellers and the damage ring can suffer from untimely wear. Using Multitec horizontal multistage pumps with KSB’s C6 commonplace chrome coating, wear is tremendously minimised. “We have had pumps working in this mine for over two years with out the impellers being changed,” says Roberto Valenzuela. “It is a solution that no competitor offers, and adds worth for the customer through reduced upkeep, spare elements and higher mining uptime.”
In Chile’s Atacama Desert copper and gold is mined at altitudes ranging between 2,000 m and four,500 m. Remote sites, mine depths and the unavailability of electrical energy needed to drive excessive capacity pumps complicate dewatering. High volumes of water contaminated by minerals can delay drilling and blasting and result in environmental 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 could be moved with the enlargement of the open pit,” feedback 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 pressure shroud. This provides the client flexibility and versatility as a result of the equipment is compact, develops high pressures and is simple to move around the website.
To accommodate increasing flows and discharge stress pumps are configured in sequence and in parallel specifically for the client’s requirements. Being coupled to diesel engines permits steady, autonomous operation in locations with out 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 buildup of water inside the mine, eliminating components similar to unfavorable suction head at high altitudes. KSB gear for mine drainage is supplied in normal variations, with variations for rafts or properly pumps put in in strain jackets. Having viable options for dewatering provides value to the purchasers operations and is also necessary because every year minerals are found at deeper ranges.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is probably considered one of the world’s largest exporters of thermal coal, and in addition a serious 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 websites. Its improvement of dewatering and dredge pump units (DnD), as a solution for mining applications, particularly for open-pit mine sites is one example of KSB’ dedication to steady product enchancment and improvement. To date, more than 260 DnD pumps with GWI® LCC and LSA pumps have been put in 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 gas tank, vacuum pump, control panel and so forth, and ships them on trailers for easy commissioning at website. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering is also a seasonal activity and this means pumps can stand idle for a quantity of months through the dry periods. Recognising this example, KSB has launched a rental programme, whereby the pumps are equipped 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 once they require models they arrive prepared for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering techniques enable the safe and environment friendly decreasing 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 dealing with applied sciences that may fit all eventualities. This state of affairs has come about through the cross-fertilisation of ideas, applied sciences and experiences gained over many decades by our corporations all over the world, supported by intensive investment in research and development. Wherever a pumping answer is required, we are ready to convey a co-ordinated response to the desk.
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