Types of pumps used in the Mining Industry
Mining Pumps – There are many types of pumps used in the mining industry. High head dewatering pumps, transfer pumps, lubrication pumps, slurry pumps, fuel transfer pumps, potable water pumps, and sewage pumps, to name a few.
High Head Dewatering Pumps
High head dewatering pumps are used to remove water from pit floors, pumping it back over mine walls to storage systems away from the mine. High pressure mining pumps [usually prime assisted centrifugal pumps] are needed to pump the high vertical distances and to overcome friction losses from pumping the water over long distances. These pumps are mainly driven by large diesel engines, with pumps needing capacities from 50 litres per second [L/S] to in excess of 500 L/s, with required pressures from 50 metres [m] to in excess of 200m.
The water being pumped may be acidic or contain abrasive materials, often requiring pumps to be made from special materials such as hardened iron, high chrome iron, stainless steel or duplex stainless steel.
Mining pumps are usually “prime assisted” pumps with external priming systems such as “a compressor/venturi, diaphragm pump, or vacuum pump. All methods have their place, with the fastest priming systems [dedicated vacuum pumps] being the most expensive, and the slowest being the most cost-effective.
Gorman-Rupp has a range of dewatering mining pumps with a choice of diaphragm or compressor/venturi priming systems, with mostly ductile iron pumps, but some available in CD4MCuN [a duplex stainless steel with a PREN [pitting resistance equivalent number] of 35.3].
There are a vast range of mining pump types. These include piston pumps, diaphragm pumps, screw pumps, gear pumps [internal and external], lobe pumps, peristaltic pumps, progressive cavity pumps, and many others. We will however, concentrate this article on the centrifugal industrial pump.
Mining pumps used to move water around the pit floor don’t require the same pressure as the larger high-head dewatering pumps, so the work can often be done by submersible pumps or self-priming pumps. Self-priming pumps are easier to access and unlike larger dewatering pumps, don’t require “add-on” priming systems. These pumps can be driven by diesel engines or in some cases, by electric motors.
Gorman-Rupp has an excellent range of self-priming mining pumps for these applications, with features to minimise downtime and the reliability expected in these crucial applications. These pumps are also available in construction materials including cast iron, hardened iron, stainless steel and duplex stainless steel.
Lubrication mining pumps play an important role in mining operations. These mining pumps provide lubrication to drag lines, crushers and other mining equipment that is vital to production. Having a reliable lubrication pump keeps this equipment operational.
Rotary [or internal] gear pumps are an excellent choice for this critical application because of the pressure they can create, the viscosity they can handle and the flow rate they can deliver.
Gorman-Rupp has a range of rotary gear pumps with features that lend themselves to the rugged environment they need to operate in. They have an internal seal pressure relief system that minimises the pressure within the seal area to maximise seal life. They also have a range of bushing materials and internal lubrication systems to maximise pump life and greatly extend the time between major overhauls.
Slurry pumps are used to transfer ore that has been “Liquified” for the purpose of transporting it quickly, in large volumes where other forms of transportation [conveyor belt, road etc] are not possible or uneconomical. This can be done by large submersible pumps with high chrome internals or by large centrifugal pumps with high chrome or rubber lined internal parts.
Potable Water Pumps
Potable water mining pumps are generally stainless steel and will often be part of a constant pressure system consisting of pumps, variable frequency drives [VFD’s], and some with manifolds for multiple pump systems.
There are many Australian companies producing good quality systems.
Sewage pumps are not the most talked about pumps on a mine site, but the wrong one could mean headaches for maintenance personnel and could prove costly to asset owners. Most sewage mining pumps are submersible, with several good quality brands to choose from. But all of them require lifting apparatus, and several operators [possibly including an electrician], when the pump needs unblocking, minor or major servicing or replacement.
A self-priming sewage mining pump alleviates these problems because they are much more easily accessed.
Gorman-Rupp manufactures two ranges of sewage pumps that can be mounted on the surface [for self-priming up to 7.6 metres]. These pumps are built tough, and with features that greatly reduce operator intervention, improve operator safety, and reduce overall costs.
