Posted by Daniel Gleeson on eighth November 2024
In each open-pit and underground mines, sudden water ingress can severely disrupt manufacturing until an efficient dewatering answer may be rapidly utilized; some forethought will go a good distance in making this occur.
In keeping with Marnus Koorts, Normal Supervisor Pump Merchandise at Weir, one of many key challenges is that unplanned dewatering normally requires sizeable tools to be retrofitted into areas the place there’s typically no infrastructure to help it.
“In lots of open pits, for instance, the voltage within the energy community is completely different to regular motor voltages,” Koorts says. “This subsequently requires the appliance of transformers to realize the proper provide voltage.”
The underground surroundings could have its personal restrictions, corresponding to the necessity for any tools and motors to be flameproofed. It rapidly turns into obvious, he explains, that any options supplier wants not solely an in-depth data of the pump responsibility requirement. Additionally they want to grasp the varied peripheral tools that can render the pump appropriate for the appliance.
“Satisfying these parts will permit the problem to be extra successfully addressed, however what about related incidents sooner or later?” he asks. “The subsequent vital step is to look forward and ask what the mine can be doing – and the place mining can be going down – in a 12 months from now.”
He highlights the danger that water is perhaps pumped throughout an emergency to a close-by holding location, the place it creates an impediment for future operations on the mine. With a bit extra planning, the dewatering course of can be certain that water is eliminated additional away on the outset. This, he suggests, may require the usage of booster stations.
“There should not many pumps that may dewater a deep underground mine or open pit in a single elevate,” Koorts says. “This implies discovering appropriate locations to put in booster pumps, and guaranteeing that the suitable energy provide is obtainable there. This may occasionally not at all times be simple, if sure ranges of an operation have been mined out and not have lively infrastructure.”
With a forward-looking method, a mine can even determine the depths at which dewatering could also be required in two to 3 years’ time, and when extra booster pumps will have to be put in to cater for deeper operations.
“At this level, the conditions can begin turning into fairly advanced, and each web site calls for a extremely customised answer,” he says. Among the many extra progressive options, he notes, is the usage of pontoons for open-pit mines – with know-how to automate their operation. A pump mounted on a pontoon may be positioned in an open pit, and might float if the realm begins to flood. Fitted with the related sensors, the pump will choose up the rising water ranges and start dewatering.
“The pontoon answer can be helpful for emptying holding dams, particularly since it may possibly draw water from the center of a dam, the place it’s cleaner and simpler to pump,” Koorts explains. “In fact, the standard of the water will decide the pump sort to be employed, as clear and soiled water current very completely different calls for for a dewatering pump.”
“Within the SADC area, a diamond producer procured a bespoke dewatering answer to facilitate the removing of collected water within the pits,” Koorts says. “This was achieved by a collection of diesel-powered booster pumps, enabling uninterrupted operations all through the wet season. One other instance is a copper producer in Central Africa that procured a bespoke answer to help within the dewatering of surplus water collected throughout their operations. This measure not solely complied with their environmental commitments but additionally ensured the protected and sustainable relocation of water away from operational areas.”
He concludes that prospects can save significantly on discovering the proper answer upfront. With pumps corresponding to Multiflo®, Warman®, Envirotech® and GEHO®, Weir can contribute in-house design capability and area of interest experience, even in much less acquainted fields corresponding to buoyancy, the corporate says.
