• CRADLE TO GRAVE
Supplied by Weir Minerals Africa
EFFECTIVE DEWATERING – MASTERING THE FUNDAMENTALS
Envirotech Spiroglide multistage dewatering pump set installed at a platinum mine .
With every mine or quarry site needing to evaluate dewatering requirements at some point , it is important to determine the exact nature of potential water problems to inform the design of a fit-forpurpose dewatering solution . Marnus Koorts , GM Pump Products at Weir Minerals Africa , advises that for every dewatering project it is important that the customer works with an original equipment manufacturer ( OEM ) that understands the environment , site conditions and specialises in dewatering solutions .
In any mining environment , water comes from several sources , with rain being the most prolific in some regions . However , other sources such as natural seepage and aquifers can yield a significant amount of groundwater , especially in underground mining operations which can lead to considerable disruption of operations with costly consequences . A comprehensive , reliable and flexible dewatering plan is therefore essential to remove excess water from working areas in order to allow operations to continue while safeguarding operators and maintaining productivity .
Several factors are worth considering before selecting and installing a dewatering solution , and this should start with a thorough assessment to facilitate the design and build of a fit-forpurpose dewatering solution that is site-specific , cost effective and manageable . “ Each operation ’ s dewatering requirements are different ,” says Koorts . “ At Weir Minerals , we don ’ t supply a dewatering solution without first going to the site to assess the different parameters that determine an optimal solution for the operation .”
Another critical factor to consider is the head pressure required to pump the water out of the pit . Many of the pits are very deep , which means additional booster pumps are needed to overcome the large
The characteristics of the water can have an impact on the final equipment and materials used .
72 • African Mining • January 2024 www . africanmining . co . za