FILTRATION
Metso Outotec ' s Larox PF filter can be used for both copper in concentrate filtration as well as starch in CPI filtration
Our VPA and FFP membrane filter presses can be used both for tailings but also for concentrates .” The tragic tailings disasters in recent years and the huge volumes of material still being held in wet tailings dams have without doubt made many mining companies now look to their filtration options as the level of interest in dry stacking of filtered tailings has increased significantly , even more so than that for paste / thickened tailings . “ We have optimised our filter presses for this market but also the whole filtration plants in terms of a lifecycle point of view , with a services offering , supporting customers in reaching their targeted KPIs . Our extensive portfolio means we can also serve customer needs for an overall solution , not just for the filters but also the pumps and other relevant equipment types .”
Looking at digitalisation within filtration specifically , Venäläinen argued that if you look at say the Larox PF & FFP or VPA / VPX type filters , they are to some extent digital already in the sense that the filters have already been automated for years . “ We have sensors optimising pumping times , pressing times , air drying times etc . So the filter itself is already quite ‘ smart ’ in the sense that it can optimise the cycle , and also will stop to an alarm instead of causing mechanical failure . You can really optimise the capacity and moisture content versus the energy consumption , for example . Talking about remote services digitalisation , in terms of availability of experts and troubleshooting or periodic assessments , or even equipment commissioning , this is developing more and more and has also been really accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic as it is no longer always possible to get our experts to customer sites . In the past in certain parts of the world , limited network capability and connectivity was always been an issue with remote services , but this is changing – in India for example most of the mines now have very good wireless networks so this is no longer a barrier .” Looking at service solutions for customers , Metso Outotec has a framework in place it calls OEE for Overall Equipment Efficiency . This exists to help customers through areas like connected services & asset analytics ( including data collection and periodic data assessment ) to better plan their maintenance approach . More and more in-built sensors are also being added to the equipment itself – in Larox PF filters for example , it is now possible to track diaphragm lifetimes . This again helps with maintenance and operational planning . “ Both Metso and Outotec had their own very good solutions in these areas , and again post merger we are aligning these to make sure we can offer the best of both worlds within the new company .”
In terms of making sure the customer can
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38 International Mining | OCTOBER 2020