Water is present in all places in mining and its management varies based on its function in the mining processes. In a latest in-depth article by pumps major KSB, the company outlines how this in flip influences the choice of applied sciences used in pumping water. “Alongside the safe supply and restoration of process water is the problem of removing floor water. Process water and groundwater comprise abrasive and corrosive parts in various portions which have an opposed affect on pump efficiency and life. Working conditions, remote locations, varying temperature ranges and the shortage of electrical energy are additionally extremely influential factors.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia could additionally be many 1000’s of miles aside, however these mining operations nonetheless require dewatering and the protected disposal of potentially contaminated water. “The identical may be stated 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 help to maximise the longevity and effectivity 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 treasured minerals and metals has opened up mining in international locations and locations where beforehand the business was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining companies and gear manufacturers have had to develop new methods and merchandise. And with the most important mining companies having operations in many international areas, turning into a most popular tools supplier is important. “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 particularly true for the big mines that realize that poorly designed gear that regularly fails, causes a big improve in substitute and servicing price. Some mining corporations are now committing to a carbon impartial goal in the subsequent 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on excessive effectivity gear. They want to section out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their native electrical grid.”
KSB says it is conscious that mining corporations are recording pump efficiency and are accumulating information to match brands and better rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is sweet information for KSB as the corporate is dedicated to delivering excessive 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’, however “by sharing experiences between offices and also frequently working with the identical international mining companies, KSB has been capable of develop applicable options. KSB’s involvement in the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia demonstrate 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 problems. To preserve steady manufacturing water needs to be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water degree that should be raised two or three times a year. 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 adjustments in the water level so there isn’t a need for the pumps to be repositioned. This leads to cost-savings to the shopper. After 20 profitable years it has become the usual 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, excessive power motors and related equipment ends in the size of the floating station being increased. Stabilizing tools that weighs more than 200 t requires plenty of planning, along with the challenge 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 places across the Chichester hub zone, an space between 5 and 9 km wide and 80 km long. The mineral deposit sits between ninety m and 117 m under the floor. With the groundwater and water table regularly replenished in wet seasons and cyclones adding to the inundation, greater than 75% of the iron ore is beneath 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 huge income losses. Also, floor dewatering processes are extremely costly if the water may be very excessive.
The accepted dewatering process within the area is to pump the water out by way of boreholes. However, this is not with out its challenges. High water temperatures and high salinity lead to extreme corrosion, whilst iron bacteria can develop on motors which prevent environment friendly motor cooling. The presence of gas is a continuing menace in some areas as this causes gasoline lock on the impellers leading to heavy vibrations, which places an excellent pressure on the motor, lack of move price and motor failure.
This means that normal off-the-shelf products 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 provides mine operators with its UPA multistage borehole pump, customised to face up to web site situations. Although a dearer product than its opponents, the UPA has been proven to deliver a significantly longer working life and reduced prices of possession. KSB’s proprietary technology that inhibits the expansion of iron micro organism makes the UPA a winner.
Trailer mounted items
In Africa the setting and minerals being mined require progressive approaches to dewatering. In the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, residence to a number of open reduce and underground copper mines rainy seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering a number of different pumping options 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 an entire package deal made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary equipment together with vacuum pump, management panels, displays and so forth that delivers high head pumping.”
A similar resolution can be provided for the open cast Moatize coal mine in Mozambique the place the water ranges should stay low for steady production reliability. Whilst borehole pumps offer good reliability on a relentless basis, when the wet season starts, extra sources are in demand KSB SA offers skid-mounted Omega units. 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 problem. According to Roberto Valenzuela, Sales Manager Mining KSB Mexico, the water incorporates solid particles so the high stress encapsulated UPA borehole pumps should be wear-resistant for long run effectivity. Because the dewatering pumps work at a high velocity, the impellers and the damage ring can undergo from premature wear. Using Multitec horizontal multistage pumps with KSB’s C6 commonplace chrome coating, put on is tremendously minimised. “We have had pumps running 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 via lowered upkeep, spare elements 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. Remote websites, mine depths and the unavailability of electrical energy needed to drive high capacity pumps complicate dewatering. High volumes of water contaminated by minerals can delay drilling and blasting and result in environmental air pollution. KSB Chile has met these challenges by supplying encapsulated borehole pumps and cantilevered Etanorm pumps, pushed by diesel motors.
“Our customers require high-pressure pumps in a modular configuration that can be moved with the growth of the open pit,” feedback Patricio Araya, Mining Head KSB Chile. “The resolution is to use horizontally positioned borehole pumps with a particular configuration for sand filters encased in a pressure shroud. This provides the client flexibility and versatility because the equipment is compact, develops high pressures and is simple to maneuver around the website.
To accommodate increasing flows and discharge stress pumps are configured in collection and in parallel specifically for the client’s necessities. Being coupled to diesel engines permits continuous, autonomous operation in locations without electricity for between 12 and 24 hours without refuelling. Vertical Etanorm pumps and cantilever-type UPA pumps installed on a raft enabling them to deal with the accumulation of water contained in the mine, eliminating elements similar to negative suction head at high altitudes. KSB equipment for mine drainage is provided in standard variations, with variations for rafts or well pumps put in in stress jackets. Having viable solutions for dewatering provides value to the customers operations and is also essential as a end result of annually minerals are discovered at deeper ranges.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is considered one of the world’s largest exporters of thermal coal, and also a significant participant in copper, gold, tin, bauxite, and nickel. Here KSB pumps are acknowledged for his or her outstanding capability to carry out in severe open pit mine websites. Its improvement of dewatering and dredge pump units (DnD), as a solution for mining functions, especially for open-pit mine websites is one example of KSB’ dedication to continuous product improvement and improvement. To เกจวัดแรงดันปั๊มลมpuma , greater 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 clients.
KSB builds the entire diesel pushed pump unit on a barge, complete with gasoline tank, vacuum pump, management panel etc, and ships them on trailers for easy commissioning at website. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering can be a seasonal exercise and this means pumps can stand idle for a quantity of months in the course of the dry durations. Recognising this example, KSB has launched a rental programme, whereby the pumps are provided fully-kitted out in accordance with the customer’s necessities. By not having to buy the pump units, customers are relieved of the costs of ownership and know that once they require models they come prepared for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering systems allow the safe and efficient 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 may match all eventualities. This scenario 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 globe, supported by extensive investment in research and improvement. Wherever a pumping resolution is required, we can convey a co-ordinated response to the desk.
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