• CRADLE TO GRAVE
SLURRYSUCKER CUSTOMISED TO TREAT ACID MINE DRAINAGE
As a result , the custom-engineered Mini SlurrySucker was designed to pass under the walkways of the reactor , allowing it to manoeuvre through the channels . To resist the acidic water , the construction frame is stainless steel .
“ We equipped the unit with a Toyo heavy duty GR20 submersible slurry pump , which is part of our range – as the official distributor in southern Africa ,” he says . “ This heavy duty pump , with its solids handling capability of up to 30mm particles , is ideally suited to this application , where the slurry comprises about 60 % water and 40 % solids .”
This 15kW pump can deliver up to 190m 3 an hour at a maximum head of 30 metres , although the plant will be required to meet the volume limits of the downstream gold processing plant . This model was chosen due to its robust performance and low maintenance requirements , which deliver low total cost of ownership to the user .
Supplied by IPR
Pump and dredging specialist IPR has contributed to the treatment of acid mine drainage from historic mine workings in Gauteng .
Two treatment plants for Acid Mine Drainage ( AMD ) near Johannesburg have received a boost to their efficiency , due to IPR ’ s innovative SlurrySucker dredging unit .
The problem of AMD has beset historic mining areas around Johannesburg , where water in deep underground mining areas has become contaminated through its contact with broken rock containing sulphur-bearing minerals . As it rises and decants on surface , it poses a serious health risk – and contaminates other water resources .
As part of the treatment process , this highly acidic water is treated with lime and flows through two reactors at the AMD plant , where sediment settles and gradually fills up the concrete channels of each reactor . According to Ruaan Venter , Business Development manager at IPR , this was causing extensive downtime for the plant , as each reactor had to be emptied of water before the acidic silt could be excavated .
“ To allow one reactor to be cleaned , it had to be closed off – reducing plant throughput and placing extra strain on the other reactor ,” Venter explains . “ The customer needed a solution that would allow them to gain more uptime from the plant , as digging out the silt was disruptive and time consuming .”
IPR ’ s SlurrySucker is a dredging system that suspends a heavy duty submersible slurry pump from a specially designed flotation raft , allowing continuous dredging with minimal supervision . For the AMD plant , a customised solution was required due to the specific structure of the reactors . Initially , IPR had made a standard version of its smaller unit – the Mini SlurrySucker – available on rental to the plant . This proved itself in the application , and the plant chose to invest in its own unit but required some special adaptations to be made – especially to improve mobility .
“ Using our depth of in-house design and engineering expertise , we created a custom version of our Mini SlurrySucker ,” he explains . “ A key aspect of the customer ’ s requirement was that the unit would not require any lifting by an on-site crane , from one part of the reactor to another .”
Supplied by Weg Africa
In addition to this , the SlurrySucker is equipped with an Atlas Copco Weda D50 pump which will be used to force clean water to the main slurry pump assisting with agitating the slurry . This unit is capable of handling dirty water with a specific density of up to 1.1 and has a solids handling capability up to 12mm particles .
Source : supplied by IPR
This heavy duty pump , with its solids handling capability of up to 30mm particles , is ideally suited to this application , where the slurry comprises about 60 % water and 40 % solids .
SCOPE FOR PRIVATE STEAM TURBINES TO FEED GRID
Measuring of labyrinth seals on a turbine rotor .
Steam turbines represent mission critical equipment for a range of industries from sugar and paper to steel and petrochemicals , but there is now greater opportunity among these sectors to generate more energy to sell into the national grid .
62 • African Mining • January 2025 www . africanmining . co . za