Water is present everywhere in mining and its control varies based on its position within the mining processes. In a current in-depth article by pumps main KSB, the corporate outlines how this in flip influences the choice of applied sciences used in pumping water. “Alongside the secure provide and recovery of course of water is the challenge of removing floor water. Process water and groundwater comprise abrasive and corrosive components in varying quantities which have an adverse have an effect on on pump performance and life. Working circumstances, remote places, various temperature ranges and the dearth of electrical power are also extremely influential factors.”
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 still require dewatering and the protected disposal of probably contaminated water. “The identical 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 environment friendly 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 changing face of mining
The search for more rare and precious minerals and metals has opened up mining in countries and locations where beforehand the business was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining companies and tools producers have needed to develop new strategies and products. And with the major mining corporations having operations in plenty of global areas, becoming a preferred equipment provider is important. “ เกจแรงดันน้ำ is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX perspective to an increasingly OPEX perspective,” reports Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is particularly true for the big mines that understand that poorly designed equipment that regularly fails, causes a significant enhance in alternative and servicing cost. Some mining firms at the moment are committing to a carbon neutral target within the subsequent 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on high efficiency gear. เกจ์วัดแรงดันแก๊ส want to phase out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their native electrical grid.”
KSB says it is conscious that mining firms are recording pump efficiency and are accumulating knowledge to check brands and better rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is nice information for KSB as the corporate is dedicated to delivering excessive reliability and effectivity pumps, so serving to to scale back 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’, but “by sharing experiences between offices and likewise frequently working with the identical international mining corporations, KSB has been capable of develop applicable solutions. 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 floor water, monsoons and underground lakes are issues. To keep continuous production water needs to be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water stage that have to be raised two or thrice 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 adjustments within the water stage so there isn’t any want for the pumps to be repositioned. This ends in cost-savings to the client. After 20 profitable years it has become the usual for this kind of equipment in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the circulate fee requested by the customer,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, high power motors and related equipment ends in the dimensions of the floating station being increased. Stabilizing gear that weighs more than 200 t requires plenty of planning, in addition to 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 around the Chichester hub zone, an area between 5 and 9 km wide and eighty km long. The mineral deposit sits between 90 m and 117 m below the floor. With the groundwater and water desk often replenished in moist seasons and cyclones adding to the inundation, more than 75% of the iron ore is below the water table. If too much water mixes with iron ore, it becomes low grade and unsuitable for export, which leads to large income losses. Also, floor dewatering processes are extremely pricey if the water could be very excessive.
The accepted dewatering course of inside the area is to pump the water out via boreholes. However, this is not with out its challenges. High water temperatures and high salinity result in extreme corrosion, whilst iron micro organism can develop on motors which prevent environment friendly motor cooling. The presence of gas is a continuing risk in some areas as this causes gas lock on the impellers leading to heavy vibrations, which locations an excellent strain on the motor, lack of move fee and motor failure.
This implies that normal off-the-shelf products are not at all times suitable and the incidence of failures is excessive. Typically, most bore pumps fail inside 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 web site circumstances. Although a more expensive product than its rivals, the UPA has been shown to ship a significantly longer working life and lowered costs of ownership. KSB’s proprietary expertise 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 progressive approaches to dewatering. In the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, residence to several open minimize and underground copper mines wet seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering a number of completely different pumping solutions involving each 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 provide Omega pumps mounted on rough terrain trailers. We supply a complete package deal made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary tools together with vacuum pump, management panels, screens and so on that delivers excessive head pumping.”
A related solution can additionally be offered for the open cast Moatize coal mine in Mozambique the place the water ranges must stay low for continuous production reliability. Whilst borehole pumps supply good reliability on a relentless basis, when the wet season begins, more sources are in demand KSB SA provides 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 constant drawback. According to Roberto Valenzuela, Sales Manager Mining KSB Mexico, the water accommodates solid particles so the high strain encapsulated UPA borehole pumps should 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 normal 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 presents, and provides worth for the shopper via decreased maintenance, spare elements and greater mining uptime.”
In Chile’s Atacama Desert copper and gold is mined at altitudes ranging between 2,000 m and 4,500 m. Remote sites, mine depths and the unavailability of electrical energy needed to drive excessive capability 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, driven by diesel motors.
“Our customers require high-pressure pumps in a modular configuration that may be moved with the growth of the open pit,” comments Patricio Araya, Mining Head KSB Chile. “The resolution is to make use of horizontally positioned borehole pumps with a special configuration for sand filters encased in a stress shroud. This gives the client flexibility and flexibility as a outcome of the equipment is compact, develops excessive pressures and is simple to maneuver around the website.
To accommodate increasing flows and discharge stress pumps are configured in sequence and in parallel particularly for the client’s requirements. Being coupled to diesel engines allows continuous, autonomous operation in locations with out electrical energy for between 12 and 24 hours without refuelling. Vertical Etanorm pumps and cantilever-type UPA pumps put in on a raft enabling them to handle the buildup of water contained in the mine, eliminating elements such as adverse suction head at excessive altitudes. KSB tools for mine drainage is equipped in commonplace versions, with variations for rafts or well pumps installed in pressure jackets. Having viable options for dewatering adds value to the customers operations and is also necessary as a outcome of every year minerals are found at deeper levels.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is amongst the world’s largest exporters of thermal coal, and likewise a serious player in copper, gold, tin, bauxite, and nickel. Here KSB pumps are acknowledged for their excellent capacity to carry out in extreme open pit mine sites. Its growth of dewatering and dredge pump sets (DnD), as an answer for mining functions, especially for open-pit mine websites is one instance of KSB’ commitment to steady product improvement and growth. 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 new model, the DnD Cruiser with enhancements requested by clients.
KSB builds the entire diesel driven pump unit on a barge, full with fuel tank, vacuum pump, management panel etc, and ships them on trailers for simple commissioning at web site. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering can additionally be a seasonal activity and this implies pumps can stand idle for a quantity of months in the course of the dry intervals. Recognising this case, KSB has launched a rental programme, whereby the pumps are provided fully-kitted out in accordance with the customer’s requirements. By not having to purchase the pump sets, prospects are relieved of the costs of ownership and know that after they require models they come prepared for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering systems enable the secure and efficient reducing of groundwater in open pit dewatering, underground drainage and borehole drainage purposes. 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 handling applied sciences that will match all eventualities. This situation has come about through the cross-fertilisation of ideas, technologies and experiences gained over many decades by our companies all over the world, supported by extensive investment in research and development. Wherever a pumping answer is required, we will deliver a co-ordinated response to the desk.
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