Water is present in all places in mining and its management varies in accordance with its function within the mining processes. In a recent in-depth article by pumps major KSB, the company outlines how this in flip influences the selection of applied sciences used in pumping water. “Alongside the safe provide and recovery of process water is the challenge of eradicating ground water. Process water and groundwater comprise abrasive and corrosive components in varying quantities which have an opposed affect on pump performance and life. Working situations, remote areas, various temperature ranges and the shortage of electric power are additionally extremely influential components.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia could additionally be many thousands of miles aside, but these mining operations still require dewatering and the secure disposal of probably contaminated water. “The same could be stated of the coal mines of Mozambique and the silver mines of Mexico. What they all have in widespread is a requirement for environment friendly and efficient water and slurry pumps. Well-matched solutions assist to maximise the longevity and efficiency of the system and in addition 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 valuable minerals and metals has opened up mining in countries and places the place beforehand the trade was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining corporations and gear producers have needed to develop new strategies and merchandise. And with the major mining corporations having operations in many world places, turning into a most well-liked tools supplier is essential. “The dewatering market is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX viewpoint to an increasingly OPEX perspective,” stories Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is particularly true for the big mines that understand that poorly designed tools that frequently fails, causes a significant enhance in alternative and servicing price. Some mining companies are actually committing to a carbon neutral goal in the next 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on high efficiency equipment. They need to part out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their native electrical grid.”
KSB says it’s conscious that mining corporations are recording pump performance and are accumulating information to compare manufacturers and higher rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is good information for KSB as the company is dedicated to delivering excessive reliability and effectivity pumps, so helping to scale back 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 workplaces and likewise regularly working with the same worldwide mining corporations, KSB has been in a place to develop acceptable options. 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 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 answer 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 isn’t any need for the pumps to be repositioned. This leads to cost-savings to the customer. After 20 profitable years it has turn out to be the usual for this type of equipment in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the flow fee requested by the customer,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, excessive power motors and related tools results in the size of the floating station being increased. Stabilizing equipment that weighs greater 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 several locations around the Chichester hub zone, an space between 5 and 9 km extensive and 80 km lengthy. The mineral deposit sits between 90 m and 117 m under the surface. With the groundwater and water table often replenished in wet seasons and cyclones including to the inundation, more than 75% of the iron ore is under the water table. If too much water mixes with iron ore, it turns into low grade and unsuitable for export, which leads to huge income losses. Also, floor dewatering processes are extraordinarily costly if the water could be very excessive.
The accepted dewatering course of inside the region is to pump the water out through boreholes. However, this is not without its challenges. High water temperatures and high salinity end in extreme corrosion, whilst iron bacteria can develop on motors which forestall environment friendly motor cooling. The presence of gasoline is a continuing threat in some areas as this causes gasoline lock on the impellers resulting in heavy vibrations, which locations a great strain on the motor, loss of flow rate and motor failure.
This signifies that normal off-the-shelf products usually are not always suitable and the incidence of failures is excessive. Typically, most bore pumps fail within 12 months, and sometimes only a few weeks. At its Hope Valley facility in Western Australia, KSB offers mine operators with its UPA multistage borehole pump, customised to withstand site circumstances. Although a costlier product than its rivals, the UPA has been proven to ship a considerably longer working life and lowered prices of possession. KSB’s proprietary know-how that inhibits the growth of iron micro organism makes the UPA a winner.
Trailer mounted items
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 a number of open minimize and underground copper mines wet seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering a number of totally different pumping options involving each UPA Z borehole pumps and surface-mounted Omega pumps. “To forestall mining operations from being shut down, a fast 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 provide a complete package deal made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary gear including vacuum pump, management panels, displays etc that delivers high head pumping.”
A related solution is also provided for the open solid Moatize coal mine in Mozambique the place the water levels should remain low for steady manufacturing reliability. Whilst borehole pumps supply good reliability on a constant foundation, when the wet season begins, more resources are in demand KSB SA offers skid-mounted Omega units. To date, KSB SA has equipped 152 items and all are working reliably.
Latin America
In Mexico’s Zacatecas silver mines underground water is a constant problem. According to Roberto Valenzuela, Sales Manager Mining KSB Mexico, the water contains solid particles so the excessive stress encapsulated UPA borehole pumps should be wear-resistant for long run efficiency. Because the dewatering pumps work at a excessive pace, the impellers and the put on and tear ring can endure from premature wear. Using Multitec horizontal multistage pumps with KSB’s C6 standard chrome coating, put on is greatly minimised. “We have had pumps working on this mine for over two years with out the impellers being changed,” says Roberto Valenzuela. “ เกจวัดแรงดันน้ำดิจิตอล is an answer that no competitor offers, and adds worth for the customer through lowered upkeep, spare parts 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 sites, mine depths and the unavailability of electrical energy needed to drive excessive capacity pumps complicate dewatering. High volumes of water contaminated by minerals can delay drilling and blasting and result in environmental 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 may be moved with the expansion of the open pit,” comments Patricio Araya, Mining Head KSB Chile. “The solution is to use horizontally positioned borehole pumps with a particular configuration for sand filters encased in a stress shroud. This provides the customer flexibility and versatility because the gear is compact, develops excessive pressures and is simple to maneuver around the web site.
To accommodate increasing flows and discharge strain pumps are configured in sequence and in parallel particularly for the client’s necessities. 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 put in on a raft enabling them to handle the buildup of water contained in the mine, eliminating elements such as negative suction head at high altitudes. KSB equipment for mine drainage is supplied in standard versions, with variations for rafts or properly pumps put in in pressure jackets. Having viable options for dewatering adds value to the customers operations and is also necessary as a result of every year minerals are found at deeper ranges.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is amongst 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 perform in extreme open pit mine websites. Its growth of dewatering and dredge pump units (DnD), as an answer for mining purposes, particularly for open-pit mine websites is one example 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 mannequin, the DnD Cruiser with enhancements requested by customers.
KSB builds the entire diesel driven pump unit on a barge, full with fuel tank, vacuum pump, management panel and so on, and ships them on trailers for easy commissioning at website. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering is also a seasonal exercise and this means pumps can stand idle for several months during 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 purchase the pump units, prospects are relieved of the costs of possession and know that when they require models they arrive ready for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering systems enable the safe and efficient decreasing of groundwater in open pit dewatering, underground drainage and borehole drainage functions. 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 may fit all eventualities. This state of affairs has come about via the cross-fertilisation of ideas, applied sciences and experiences gained over many decades by our companies around the globe, supported by extensive funding in research and improvement. Wherever a pumping resolution is required, we will deliver a co-ordinated response to the table.
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