Water is present everywhere in mining and its management varies according to its position within the mining processes. In a recent in-depth article by pumps main KSB, the corporate outlines how this in turn influences the selection of applied sciences utilized in pumping water. “Alongside the safe supply and restoration of course of water is the challenge of eradicating floor water. Process water and groundwater comprise abrasive and corrosive elements in various quantities which have an antagonistic affect on pump performance and life. Working conditions, distant areas, various temperature ranges and the dearth of electrical power are additionally highly influential components.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia could additionally be many hundreds of miles aside, but these mining operations nonetheless require dewatering and the secure disposal of probably contaminated water. “The identical could be mentioned of the coal mines of Mozambique and the silver mines of Mexico. What all of them have in common is a requirement for efficient and efficient water and slurry pumps. Well-matched solutions help to maximise 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 search for more rare and precious minerals and metals has opened up mining in nations and areas where previously the industry was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining corporations and tools producers have had to develop new strategies and products. And with the major mining firms having operations in lots of world locations, becoming a most popular equipment supplier is important. “The dewatering market is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX perspective to an increasingly OPEX perspective,” stories Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is very true for the big mines that understand that poorly designed equipment that often fails, causes a significant improve in replacement and servicing price. Some mining firms are now committing to a carbon neutral goal within the subsequent 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on high effectivity tools. They wish to phase out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their local electrical grid.”
KSB says it’s aware that mining corporations are recording pump performance and are accumulating information to compare manufacturers and better rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is nice 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 answer to it is a resounding ‘no’, however “by sharing experiences between offices and likewise regularly working with the identical international mining firms, KSB has been able to develop acceptable options. KSB’s involvement within the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia demonstrate two different approaches to dewatering, each employing vertical multi-stage pumps.”
In Brazil’s Minas Gerais State open pit iron ore mines excessive floor water, monsoons and underground lakes are problems. To maintain continuous production water needs to be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water degree that must 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 adjustments in the water stage so there isn’t a need for the pumps to be repositioned. This ends in cost-savings to the client. After 20 successful years it has become the usual for this sort of equipment in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the move price requested by the shopper,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, excessive power motors and associated equipment leads to the scale of the floating station being increased. Stabilizing equipment that weighs more than 200 t requires lots of planning, along with the problem of building a system in such a distant area.”
Boreholes in Australia
In the Pilbara Region of Western Australia iron ore is mined in several areas across the Chichester hub zone, an area between 5 and 9 km broad and eighty km lengthy. The mineral deposit sits between 90 m and 117 m under the floor. With the groundwater and water table often replenished in wet seasons and cyclones adding to the inundation, greater than 75% of the iron ore is below the water desk. If an extreme amount of water mixes with iron ore, it turns into low grade and unsuitable for export, which results in large income losses. Also, floor dewatering processes are extremely pricey if the water may be very high.
The accepted dewatering course of throughout the region is to pump the water out via boreholes. However, this is not without its challenges. High water temperatures and excessive salinity end in extreme corrosion, while iron micro organism can grow on motors which prevent environment friendly motor cooling. The presence of fuel is a continuing threat 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 circulate price and motor failure.
This means that standard off-the-shelf merchandise usually are not all the time suitable and the incidence of failures is high. Typically, most bore pumps fail within 12 months, and generally only 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 website circumstances. Although a costlier product than its competitors, the UPA has been shown to ship a significantly longer working life and reduced prices of ownership. KSB’s proprietary technology that inhibits the expansion of iron micro organism makes the UPA a winner.
Trailer mounted models
In Africa the setting and minerals being mined require progressive approaches to dewatering. In the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, house to a number of open minimize and underground copper mines wet seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering a quantity of completely different pumping options 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 produce Omega pumps mounted on rough terrain trailers. We provide a whole package made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary equipment including vacuum pump, control panels, screens and so forth that delivers high head pumping.”
A comparable answer can also be supplied for the open cast Moatize coal mine in Mozambique where the water ranges should stay low for continuous manufacturing reliability. Whilst borehole pumps provide good reliability on a continuing basis, when the rainy season begins, more sources are in demand KSB SA supplies skid-mounted Omega units. To date, KSB SA has supplied 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 contains strong particles so the high stress encapsulated UPA borehole pumps ought to be wear-resistant for long term efficiency. Because the dewatering pumps work at a excessive speed, the impellers and the damage ring can endure from premature put on. Using Multitec horizontal multistage pumps with KSB’s C6 standard chrome coating, wear is significantly minimised. “We have had pumps running in this mine for over two years with out the impellers being modified,” says Roberto Valenzuela. “ เกจอาร์กอน is a solution that no competitor presents, and provides worth for the shopper by way of lowered maintenance, spare components and larger 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 wanted to drive high capacity pumps complicate dewatering. High volumes of water contaminated by minerals can delay drilling and blasting and end 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,” feedback Patricio Araya, Mining Head KSB Chile. “The solution is to make use of horizontally positioned borehole pumps with a special configuration for sand filters encased in a stress shroud. This offers the customer flexibility and flexibility as a end result of the equipment is compact, develops high pressures and is simple to move across the web site.
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 allows steady, 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 handle the accumulation of water inside the mine, eliminating elements such as adverse suction head at high altitudes. KSB gear for mine drainage is equipped in commonplace versions, with variations for rafts or well pumps installed in stress jackets. Having viable solutions for dewatering adds value to the purchasers operations and can be necessary as a result of each year minerals are discovered at deeper ranges.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is doubtless certainly one of the world’s largest exporters of thermal coal, and also a significant player in copper, gold, tin, bauxite, and nickel. Here KSB pumps are acknowledged for their excellent capacity to carry out in severe open pit mine websites. Its improvement of dewatering and dredge pump sets (DnD), as an answer for mining functions, particularly for open-pit mine websites is one example of KSB’ dedication to steady product enchancment and growth. 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 customers.
KSB builds the entire diesel pushed pump unit on a barge, complete with fuel tank, vacuum pump, management panel and so forth, and ships them on trailers for simple commissioning at web site. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering is also a seasonal exercise and this means pumps can stand idle for several months during the dry periods. Recognising this case, KSB has launched a rental programme, whereby the pumps are provided fully-kitted out based on the customer’s requirements. By not having to buy the pump sets, clients are relieved of the prices of possession and know that after they require items they arrive ready for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering techniques allow the safe and environment friendly decreasing 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 handling applied sciences that can fit all eventualities. This scenario has come about by way of the cross-fertilisation of concepts, applied sciences and experiences gained over many many years by our firms all over the world, supported by in depth funding in analysis and development. Wherever a pumping resolution is required, we are ready to bring a co-ordinated response to the table.
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