PROCESSING

SlurrySucker desilts process water tank at Botswana diamond mine

Integrated Pump Rental's SlurrySucker has resolved a process water challenge for a diamond mine

Staff reporter
The SlurrySucker offers optimum versatility to the diamond mine as it can be moved from one location to another with ease

The SlurrySucker offers optimum versatility to the diamond mine as it can be moved from one location to another with ease

Lee Vine, managing director at Integrated Pump Rental, said that attempts by the mine to desilt the main process tank using different methods of dredging had proved inadequate and the challenge of this reservoir continuously filling with slurry remained a concern, especially with regards to storage capacity. In addition, the silt build-up was causing damage to the process pumps, resulting in unscheduled downtime and unnecessary maintenance expenditure.

Initially, Integrated Pump Rental proposed a SlurrySucker rental unit as this was deemed the quickest solution. However, there were also some reservations on the part of the mine due to failures with other equipment. The rental unit was installed on the main process tank for a trial period of two weeks.

The SlurrySucker dredging unit was required to pump 250m3 of mixed material out of the 40m-diameter, 8m-deep process water tank. This translates into 60t of dry material per hour.

Vine commented: "The performance of the SlurrySucker in that initial two week period was so good the mine made the decision to purchase its own unit. Our equipment quickly proved itself capable of dealing with the silt issue, and keeping the level of the main process water tank within acceptable parameters."

Vine said that the SlurrySucker, which is equipped with a Grindex Bravo 700 submersible pump, suited the mine so well because of the mobility it offers. He concluded: "The unit can be moved from one tank to another, facilitating desilting of all process water and other water storage tanks and dams ensuring these remain fully operational and silt free."

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Magazine Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Magazine Intelligence team.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2024 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of exploration trends and technologies, highlighting the best intercepts and discoveries and the latest initial resource estimates.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2024

The report paints a picture of the equipment landscape and includes detailed profiles of mines that are employing these fleets

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Digitalisation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations that use digitalisation technology to drive improvements across all areas of mining production

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Automation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations using autonomous solutions in every region and sector, including analysis of the factors driving investment decisions