WATER MANAGEMENT & TREATMENT
including Godwin Pump, Grindex and Flygt.
One of the first projects Xylem is pursuing at
the centre is a collaboration with A*STAR’s
Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC).
Xylem will combine its leading expertise in water
technologies with IHPC’s expertise in computer
modelling and simulations. Together, they will
evaluate fluid-structure interaction in pipe flow to
develop a new computational fluid dynamics
model tailored for Xylem’s applications such as
SmartBall and PipeDiver, it said. The model will
then be applied to the design and testing of other
advanced products and solutions to be deployed
in treatment plants and water distribution
networks.
Patrick Decker, President and CEO of Xylem,
said: “This new multi-disciplinary centre will
create ample opportunities to innovate and
collaborate with our customers, as we work with
them to tackle the region’s greatest water
challenges, including water scarcity, affordability
and infrastructure resilience. Bringing research
and development capability into our regional
headquarters in Singapore puts all of Xylem’s
market-leading technology capability in one
location, focused on the region’s water technology
and infrastructure solutions.”
In addition to the research and development
hub, Xylem’s new office will feature a customer
experience centre and training centre, bringing
together all of Xylem’s sales, customer support
and technical capabilities for Southeast Asia, it
said.
Tailings and dewatering
As the Global Tailings Review prepares to issue a
new industry standard in 2020, Weir Minerals has
chosen now to examine the subject of dewatering
tailings. The company, already offering solutions
to help dewater tailings, says it is developing an
“innovative tailings dewatering solution” to allow
operators to pump slurry containing an extremely
high percentage of solids. It says it plans to launch
the new technology in 2020.
Mike Swintak, Regional Senior Product
Manager for Weir Minerals, said dewatering
tailings can be a difficult process, yet, when
undertaken successfully, “it can deliver significant
benefits to mine operators.”
The foremost benefit of dewatering tailings is
the reduction of water that needs to be
transported from a process plant to a tailings
storage facility (TSF). Reduced water content
means tailings slurry volume is decreased,
allowing for smaller pipelines and pumping
equipment to be used. This can also minimise
power requirements.
Thickened tailings and paste can improve the
stability of TSFs and diminish their footprint. In
some instances where existing TSF capacities are
limited by regulatory or other environmental
32 International Mining | MARCH 2020
considerations,
thickened tailings can
help to extend the life
of the mine, Weir
says.
“Proper
containment of
tailings reduces the
risk to people and the
environment, and
when
decommissioning a
mine, thickened tailings facilities are easier to
rehabilitate,” the company added.
To a growing extent, thickened tailings are also
used for underground mine backfill. This can
increase productivity and reduce mine cycle times
as well as surface TSF disposal volumes.
Underground mining conditions can also be
improved due to decreased water and slimes
handling.
“When tailings are not properly managed, the
results can be lethal. It is vital that mine operators
have a clear understanding of key risks and
considerations related to this process, in
particular, tailings dewatering,” Swintak said.
Every mine site is different and subject to
varying environmental, regulatory, capital and
operating cost constraints. Cost is a key
consideration for many operators and can
adversely affect the viability of a mine site,
according to Weir. Therefore, it is necessary to
implement a tailings management strategy that
provides both reliability and value for money.
“Environmental limitations are also a major
factor when establishing a TSF,” Weir says. “In
parts of the world where there is challenging
topography, such as mountainous regions or other
environmentally sensitive landscapes, TSFs may
need to be built further away from the process
plant. This can result in slurry being transported
across longer distances or higher elevations.
Dewatering of tailings is a viable option in these
scenarios as less slurry needs to be moved, in turn
reducing operational costs.”
Some operations produce highly diluted tailings
that require extensive dewatering to reach the
desired level of thickness. Other slurries may
contain extremely fine particle solids that are also
difficult to manage. Large mine sites, or those with
complex orebodies, can produce many types of
tailings waste slurries, which may require varying
methods of treatment.
“Across this multitude of situations, the
operator must determine all associated costs and
assess the level of dewatering required to confirm
the most suitable solution for their site,” Weir
says.
“While some mines are in a position to increase
the size of their TSFs, many are not, and must
implement a viable dewatering process, which can
Weir Minerals is developing an innovative
tailings dewatering solution to allow operators
to pump slurry containing an extremely high
percentage of solids
involve significant capital expenditure.”
If dewatering tailings to the highest possible
degree, operators also need to develop a suitable
strategy for transporting the waste material.
Tailings that are too thick to be pumped may need
to be transported by either a conveyor system or
truck.
Finally, when a mine site reaches the end of its
life and moves into the decommissioning phase,
TSFs must be dealt with in accordance with
regulatory and legislative requirements. As many
mine sites need to be rehabilitated and restored to
a natural state, a key benefit of producing
thickened tailings is its ability to be covered with
overburden and re-planted with suitable
vegetation.
“Weir Minerals realises dewatering tailings can
be a daunting process for many operators,” it
says. “In order to provide the highest level of
support and service, the company has invested
heavily in its tailings management capabilities.
More than just a supplier, every mine site is
assessed on a case by case basis to provide a
complete tailings dewatering system customised
to the customer’s applications and constraints.”
Swintak added: “From developing flow sheets
and process requirements to supplying equipment
including dewatering systems incorporating our
Isodry thickeners and filters, Multiflo floating and
mobile pump systems for use on tailings ponds, or
GEHO positive displacement pumps capable of
transporting high density slurries up to 200 km,
we provide customers with peace of mind through
our tailings solutions.”
A key point of difference, according to Weir, is
the intensive pilot plant testing Weir Minerals can
perform at the Weir Technical Centre in Australia.
This facility is designed to test tailings samples
from around the world to help ascertain the best
way to process them in line with the customer’s
requirements. Testing is conducted using
thickeners/clarifiers, hydrocyclones, filters and
centrifuges, as well as a comprehensive pipe loop
facility for determining high density slurry pipeline
design.