Water is current everywhere in mining and its control varies based on its position within the mining processes. In a latest in-depth article by pumps main KSB, the company outlines how this in turn influences the choice of applied sciences utilized in pumping water. “Alongside the secure provide and recovery of course of water is the problem of eradicating ground water. เกจวัดแรงดันลมดิจิตอล and groundwater include abrasive and corrosive elements in various quantities which have an antagonistic affect on pump efficiency and life. Working situations, remote places, various temperature ranges and the dearth of electrical energy are also highly influential factors.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia may be many 1000’s of miles apart, however these mining operations still require dewatering and the secure disposal of probably contaminated water. “The same could 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 maximise the longevity and efficiency 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 places the place previously the industry was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining corporations and tools manufacturers have had to develop new techniques and products. And with the major mining companies having operations in many world locations, changing into a most popular tools supplier is essential. “The dewatering market is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX point of view to an more and more OPEX perspective,” reviews Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is especially true for the massive mines that realize that poorly designed gear that often fails, causes a big improve in substitute and servicing price. Some mining corporations are actually committing to a carbon neutral goal within the subsequent 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on high effectivity tools. They want to phase out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their local electrical grid.”
KSB says it is aware that mining firms are recording pump performance and are accumulating data to check manufacturers and higher rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is good news for KSB as the corporate is committed to delivering high reliability and efficiency pumps, so serving to 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 places of work and likewise frequently working with the identical international mining corporations, KSB has been in a position to develop applicable options. KSB’s involvement in the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia show two totally 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 preserve steady manufacturing water must be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water degree that should be raised two or thrice 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 changes in the water degree so there is not a need for the pumps to be repositioned. This leads to cost-savings to the customer. After 20 successful years it has become the standard for this kind of gear in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the circulate fee requested by the shopper,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, high power motors and related tools ends in the size of the floating station being elevated. Stabilizing gear that weighs more than 200 t requires lots of planning, in addition to the challenge of building a system in such a distant area.”
Boreholes in Australia
In the Pilbara Region of Western Australia iron ore is mined in a quantity of areas around the Chichester hub zone, an space between 5 and 9 km broad and eighty km long. The mineral deposit sits between 90 m and 117 m under the surface. With the groundwater and water table frequently replenished in moist seasons and cyclones including to the inundation, more than 75% of the iron ore is below the water table. If an excessive quantity of water mixes with iron ore, it becomes low grade and unsuitable for export, which finally ends up in huge revenue losses. Also, floor dewatering processes are extremely expensive if the water could be very high.
The accepted dewatering process inside the region is to pump the water out through boreholes. However, this isn’t with out its challenges. High water temperatures and high salinity lead to extreme corrosion, while iron bacteria can grow on motors which prevent environment friendly motor cooling. The presence of gasoline is a constant threat in some areas as this causes fuel lock on the impellers leading to heavy vibrations, which locations a fantastic strain on the motor, loss of circulate rate and motor failure.
This implies that standard off-the-shelf merchandise aren’t all the time suitable and the incidence of failures is excessive. Typically, most bore pumps fail within 12 months, and generally only some weeks. At its Hope Valley facility in Western Australia, KSB supplies mine operators with its UPA multistage borehole pump, customised to withstand site conditions. Although a costlier product than its competitors, the UPA has been proven to deliver a considerably longer working life and decreased prices of possession. KSB’s proprietary technology that inhibits the growth of iron bacteria makes the UPA a winner.
Trailer mounted items
In Africa the setting and minerals being mined require revolutionary approaches to dewatering. In the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, house to several open minimize and underground copper mines wet seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering a number of different pumping solutions involving both UPA Z borehole pumps and surface-mounted Omega pumps. “To forestall 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 supply Omega pumps mounted on tough terrain trailers. We provide a whole 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 related answer is also offered for the open forged Moatize coal mine in Mozambique the place the water levels should stay low for continuous production reliability. Whilst borehole pumps supply good reliability on a constant basis, when the wet season starts, more sources are in demand KSB SA supplies skid-mounted Omega models. To date, KSB SA has supplied 152 items and all are working reliably.
Latin America
In Mexico’s Zacatecas silver mines underground water is a continuing problem. According to Roberto Valenzuela, Sales Manager Mining KSB Mexico, the water incorporates solid particles so the high stress encapsulated UPA borehole pumps ought to be wear-resistant for long run effectivity. Because the dewatering pumps work at a high pace, the impellers and the put on and tear ring can suffer from untimely wear. Using Multitec horizontal multistage pumps with KSB’s C6 standard chrome coating, wear is significantly minimised. “We have had pumps running on this mine for over two years without the impellers being changed,” says Roberto Valenzuela. “It is a solution that no competitor offers, and provides worth for the shopper through reduced maintenance, spare parts 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 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, driven by diesel motors.
“Our customers require high-pressure pumps in a modular configuration that may be moved with the expansion of the open pit,” comments Patricio Araya, Mining Head KSB Chile. “The answer is to make use of horizontally positioned borehole pumps with a special configuration for sand filters encased in a pressure shroud. This provides the shopper flexibility and versatility as a result of the gear is compact, develops excessive pressures and is easy to move around the website.
To accommodate growing flows and discharge stress pumps are configured in series and in parallel specifically for the client’s necessities. Being coupled to diesel engines allows steady, 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 buildup of water inside the mine, eliminating components corresponding to negative suction head at excessive altitudes. KSB equipment for mine drainage is provided in normal variations, with variations for rafts or nicely pumps installed in strain jackets. Having viable solutions for dewatering provides worth to the shoppers operations and can be essential 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 also a major player in copper, gold, tin, bauxite, and nickel. Here KSB pumps are acknowledged for his or her outstanding capacity to carry out in extreme open pit mine sites. Its development of dewatering and dredge pump sets (DnD), as an answer for mining functions, particularly for open-pit mine websites is one instance of KSB’ commitment to steady product enchancment 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 model, the DnD Cruiser with enhancements requested by customers.
KSB builds the whole diesel pushed pump unit on a barge, full with fuel tank, vacuum pump, control panel and so forth, and ships them on trailers for simple commissioning at site. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering can also be a seasonal activity and this implies pumps can stand idle for a number of months in the course of the dry durations. Recognising this situation, 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 purchase the pump sets, customers are relieved of the prices of possession and know that after they require items they arrive prepared for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering methods enable the secure and efficient reducing of groundwater in open pit dewatering, underground drainage and borehole drainage applications. Regardless of a mine’s location, the kind of mining operation being carried out, the geological and the aggressive and corrosive nature of the water, KSB has fluid dealing with technologies that may match all eventualities. This state of affairs has come about via the cross-fertilisation of concepts, applied sciences and experiences gained over many many years by our corporations all over the world, supported by in depth investment in research and improvement. Wherever a pumping answer is required, we will deliver a co-ordinated response to the desk.
Share