Water is present in all places in mining and its control varies according to its position within the mining processes. In a recent in-depth article by pumps main KSB, the company outlines how this in turn influences the number of applied sciences used in pumping water. “Alongside the secure supply and recovery of process water is the challenge of eradicating ground water. Process water and groundwater include abrasive and corrosive elements in varying quantities which have an adverse affect on pump efficiency and life. Working conditions, remote locations, various temperature ranges and the dearth of electric energy are also highly influential elements.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia may be many 1000’s of miles apart, but these mining operations still require dewatering and the safe disposal of doubtless contaminated water. “The identical may be said of the coal mines of Mozambique and the silver mines of Mexico. What all of them have in widespread is a requirement for environment friendly and effective water and slurry pumps. Well-matched options assist to maximise the longevity and effectivity of the system and in addition optimise cost-performance ratios, all attributes fulfilled by KSB’s Hard Rock Mining Division.”
The altering face of mining
The seek for extra rare and precious minerals and metals has opened up mining in countries and locations where beforehand the trade was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining companies and equipment producers have needed to develop new techniques and products. And with the major mining companies having operations in plenty of global locations, turning into a preferred tools supplier is crucial. “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 very true for the massive mines that notice that poorly designed gear that frequently fails, causes a significant improve in substitute and servicing cost. Some mining firms at the moment are committing to a carbon impartial target in the subsequent 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on high efficiency equipment. They need to section out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their local electrical grid.”
KSB says it’s aware that mining companies are recording pump efficiency and are accumulating data to match brands and better rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is good information for KSB as the corporate is dedicated to delivering excessive reliability and efficiency 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 reply to it is a resounding ‘no’, however “by sharing experiences between workplaces and likewise incessantly working with the identical worldwide mining companies, KSB has been able to develop applicable options. KSB’s involvement within the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia reveal two totally 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 preserve pressure gauge ราคา ถูก manufacturing water must be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water degree that should be raised two or 3 times a 12 months. 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 within the water level so there is no need for the pumps to be repositioned. This ends in cost-savings to the client. After 20 profitable years it has turn into the usual for this kind of equipment in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the flow fee requested by the shopper,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, high power motors and associated gear ends in the scale of the floating station being increased. Stabilizing tools that weighs more than 200 t requires plenty of planning, in addition to 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 places across the Chichester hub zone, an space between 5 and 9 km wide and 80 km long. The mineral deposit sits between 90 m and 117 m beneath the floor. With the groundwater and water desk often replenished in wet seasons and cyclones including to the inundation, more than 75% of the iron ore is beneath the water table. If an excessive quantity of water mixes with iron ore, it turns into low grade and unsuitable for export, which leads to large revenue losses. Also, surface dewatering processes are extraordinarily expensive if the water may be very high.
The accepted dewatering course of inside the region is to pump the water out via boreholes. However, this isn’t without its challenges. High water temperatures and high salinity result in excessive corrosion, whilst iron bacteria can grow on motors which forestall efficient motor cooling. The presence of gasoline is a continuing risk in some areas as this causes gasoline lock on the impellers resulting in heavy vibrations, which locations an excellent pressure on the motor, loss of circulate rate and motor failure.
This means that commonplace off-the-shelf merchandise are not all the time appropriate 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 supplies mine operators with its UPA multistage borehole pump, customised to resist web site conditions. Although a dearer product than its opponents, the UPA has been shown to ship a significantly longer working life and lowered costs of ownership. KSB’s proprietary know-how that inhibits the expansion of iron bacteria 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, home to several open reduce and underground copper mines wet seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering several completely different pumping options involving both 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 made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary gear including vacuum pump, management panels, screens and so on that delivers high head pumping.”
A comparable resolution is also 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 continuing basis, when the rainy season starts, more sources are in demand KSB SA supplies 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 drawback. According to Roberto Valenzuela, Sales Manager Mining KSB Mexico, the water accommodates strong particles so the high pressure encapsulated UPA borehole pumps must be wear-resistant for long run efficiency. Because the dewatering pumps work at a high pace, 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 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 value for the shopper through reduced 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 4,500 m. Remote websites, mine depths and the unavailability of electrical energy needed to drive high capability pumps complicate dewatering. High volumes of water contaminated by minerals can delay drilling and blasting and lead to environmental pollution. KSB Chile has met these challenges by supplying encapsulated borehole pumps and cantilevered Etanorm pumps, pushed by diesel motors.
“Our clients require high-pressure pumps in a modular configuration that can be moved with the enlargement 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 stress shroud. This offers the customer flexibility and flexibility as a end result of the tools is compact, develops high pressures and is easy to move across the web site.
To accommodate rising flows and discharge pressure pumps are configured in series and in parallel particularly for the client’s necessities. Being coupled to diesel engines allows continuous, autonomous operation in places with out 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 buildup of water inside the mine, eliminating factors such as unfavorable suction head at high altitudes. KSB tools for mine drainage is provided in normal variations, with variations for rafts or properly pumps put in in pressure jackets. Having viable solutions for dewatering adds value to the purchasers operations and is also essential as a result of annually minerals are discovered at deeper ranges.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is certainly one of the world’s largest exporters of thermal coal, and in addition 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 improvement 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 enchancment and development. To date, more than 260 DnD pumps with GWI® LCC and LSA pumps have been installed in mines throughout Indonesia and South East Asia. In 2013, KSB Indonesia launched a brand new model, the DnD Cruiser with enhancements requested by customers.
KSB builds the complete diesel driven pump unit on a barge, full with gasoline tank, vacuum pump, management panel and so on, and ships them on trailers for easy commissioning at site. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering is also a seasonal exercise and this implies pumps can stand idle for a number of months in the course of the dry durations. Recognising this example, KSB has introduced a rental programme, whereby the pumps are provided fully-kitted out in accordance with the customer’s requirements. By not having to buy the pump units, clients are relieved of the prices of possession and know that when they require units 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 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 dealing with applied sciences that will match all eventualities. This situation has come about via the cross-fertilisation of concepts, technologies and experiences gained over many many years by our firms around the globe, supported by in depth investment in analysis and growth. Wherever a pumping solution is required, we will bring a co-ordinated response to the table.
Share