Water is present everywhere in mining and its management varies in accordance with its function in the mining processes. In a current in-depth article by pumps major KSB, the corporate outlines how this in turn influences the selection of applied sciences utilized in pumping water. “Alongside the secure provide and restoration of process water is the problem of eradicating floor water. Process water and groundwater include abrasive and corrosive components in varying portions which have an opposed affect on pump efficiency and life. Working circumstances, distant areas, 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 may be many hundreds of miles apart, but these mining operations still 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 they all have in common is a requirement for environment friendly and effective water and slurry pumps. Well-matched options help to maximize 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 search for more rare and treasured minerals and metals has opened up mining in international locations and areas where previously the industry was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining firms and equipment manufacturers have needed to develop new strategies and merchandise. And with the main mining companies having operations in many international areas, turning into a most popular tools supplier is crucial. “The dewatering market is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX point of view to an increasingly OPEX perspective,” reports Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is particularly true for the massive mines that understand that poorly designed equipment that often fails, causes a major enhance in substitute and servicing value. Some mining corporations are actually committing to a carbon neutral target within the subsequent 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on high efficiency gear. They wish to section out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their local electrical grid.”
KSB says it’s conscious that mining corporations are recording pump performance and are accumulating knowledge to match brands and higher rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is good news for KSB as the corporate is dedicated to delivering high reliability and effectivity pumps, so serving to to reduce the carbon footprint of mining dewatering operations.
Is there a ‘one-fits-all’ pump solution?
KSB says the reply to this can be a resounding ‘no’, however “by sharing experiences between places of work and in addition frequently working with the same worldwide mining companies, KSB has been able to develop applicable options. KSB’s involvement within the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia show two different approaches to dewatering, both employing vertical multi-stage pumps.”
In Brazil’s Minas Gerais State open pit iron ore mines extreme floor water, monsoons and underground lakes are problems. To keep steady production water has to be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water degree that must be raised two or three times a yr. KSB Brazil’s answer is a floating station fitted with KSB vertical turbine B pumps positioned over a pontoon (Fig.1). The pontoon rises and falls with modifications in the water level so there isn’t any need for the pumps to be repositioned. ตัววัดแรงดันน้ำมัน results in cost-savings to the shopper. After 20 successful years it has turn out to be the standard for this sort of equipment in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the circulate price requested by the client,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, high energy motors and related gear results in the dimensions of the floating station being elevated. Stabilizing equipment that weighs more than 200 t requires a lot 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 locations around the Chichester hub zone, an space between 5 and 9 km broad and 80 km lengthy. The mineral deposit sits between 90 m and 117 m under the floor. With the groundwater and water desk regularly replenished in wet seasons and cyclones including to the inundation, more than 75% of the iron ore is below the water table. If an extreme amount of water mixes with iron ore, it becomes low grade and unsuitable for export, which results in large revenue losses. Also, floor dewatering processes are extraordinarily expensive if the water may be very high.
The accepted dewatering course of throughout the area is to pump the water out by way of boreholes. However, this isn’t with out its challenges. High water temperatures and excessive salinity result in excessive corrosion, while iron bacteria can grow on motors which prevent efficient motor cooling. The presence of fuel is a constant risk in some areas as this causes gasoline lock on the impellers resulting in heavy vibrations, which locations an excellent strain on the motor, lack of flow rate and motor failure.
This implies that commonplace off-the-shelf products aren’t all the time suitable and the incidence of failures is excessive. 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 resist web site situations. Although a more expensive product than its opponents, the UPA has been shown to ship a significantly longer working life and reduced prices of possession. KSB’s proprietary expertise that inhibits the growth of iron bacteria 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, house to several open cut and underground copper mines rainy seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering several totally different pumping options involving both UPA Z borehole pumps and surface-mounted Omega pumps. “To prevent 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 supply Omega pumps mounted on tough terrain trailers. We provide a complete bundle made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary gear including vacuum pump, management panels, monitors and so forth that delivers high head pumping.”
A related solution can be provided for the open solid Moatize coal mine in Mozambique the place the water levels must remain low for steady manufacturing reliability. Whilst borehole pumps provide good reliability on a continuing basis, when the wet season starts, more resources are in demand KSB SA supplies 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 solid particles so the excessive strain encapsulated UPA borehole pumps must be wear-resistant for long term effectivity. Because pressure gauge 2.5 นิ้ว work at a high pace, the impellers and the wear ring can suffer from premature put on. Using Multitec horizontal multistage pumps with KSB’s C6 standard chrome coating, wear is tremendously minimised. “We have had pumps working in this mine for over two years without the impellers being changed,” says Roberto Valenzuela. “It is a solution that no competitor offers, and adds value for the client via lowered 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 websites, mine depths and the unavailability of electricity 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, pushed by diesel motors.
“Our prospects require high-pressure pumps in a modular configuration that could 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 strain shroud. This offers the client flexibility and versatility because the equipment is compact, develops high pressures and is easy to maneuver around the web site.
To accommodate growing flows and discharge strain pumps are configured in series and in parallel particularly for the client’s necessities. Being coupled to diesel engines allows steady, autonomous operation in locations without electrical energy 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 accumulation of water contained in the mine, eliminating factors such as unfavorable suction head at high altitudes. KSB tools for mine drainage is equipped in normal variations, with variations for rafts or properly pumps put in in strain jackets. Having viable options for dewatering adds value to the customers operations and can be necessary because annually minerals are discovered at deeper levels.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is amongst the world’s largest exporters of thermal coal, and in addition a significant player in copper, gold, tin, bauxite, and nickel. Here KSB pumps are acknowledged for their excellent capability to perform in extreme open pit mine websites. Its development of dewatering and dredge pump units (DnD), as a solution for mining purposes, particularly for open-pit mine sites is one example of KSB’ dedication to steady product improvement and improvement. To date, 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 new model, the DnD Cruiser with enhancements requested by prospects.
KSB builds the whole diesel driven pump unit on a barge, full with gas tank, vacuum pump, management panel and so on, and ships them on trailers for easy commissioning at web site. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering can be a seasonal activity and this means pumps can stand idle for several months through the dry intervals. Recognising this situation, KSB has launched a rental programme, whereby the pumps are equipped fully-kitted out in accordance with the customer’s necessities. By not having to purchase the pump sets, customers are relieved of the costs of possession and know that after they require units they come ready for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering systems allow the secure and environment friendly lowering 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 can fit all eventualities. This situation has come about via the cross-fertilisation of ideas, applied sciences and experiences gained over many decades by our corporations around the world, supported by intensive funding in analysis and growth. Wherever a pumping resolution is required, we can convey a co-ordinated response to the desk.
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