WATER MANAGEMENT relocation and will significantly increase pump operating costs . With a pontoon barge , either way the equipment can make its own adjustments and continue operating .”
ALROSA on water as a resource
Water is a multi-functional resource for mining enterprises : it is used both directly at various stages of the production process and for business purposes . In view of the possible environmental risks and negative consequences for the environment and people in connection with water use , there is a pressing need to implement sustainable water management practices , and Russian diamond mining giant ALROSA recently outlined its approach .
The company does not withdraw water in areas with water resources scarcity , the availability of which is assessed at the stage of planning an activity . “ Technical decisions are made taking into account the forecast of availability and quality of water resources based on the results of long-term observations by the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring ( Rosgidromet ). In
Weir Minerals Multiflo ® Mega Barge installation In Brazil
hours compared to the previous relocations , which took up to six weeks .
Kielar continues : “ Not only does our Multiflo barge system remove the need for digging new deep wells on site , but we were also able to
reduce on-going operational costs for our customer and eliminate the process plant production losses experienced in the past due to lack of reclaim water supply .”
Skid mounted pumps can be a better option for traditional short term emergency dewatering applications , fluctuating environmental loads ( snow & ice ) or in bodies of water with limited level fluctuations traditional and emergency dewatering applications . Weir argues that pontoon barge systems can offer several advantages over a skid mounted solution . “ For example , vertically mounted barge pumps do not experience NPSH issues ( ie cavitation ) or priming problems associated with the skid-mounted horizontal pumps . Where land-based pump skids require close proximity to the shoreline due to their limited lift capability , lift capability is maintained on barges through automatically adjusting to pond level fluctuations . This eliminates any potential for cavitation and , unlike skid-mounted horizontal pumps and pump houses , barges can employ submersible or vertical pumps that do not require priming systems which adds additional complexity to the pump system and maintenance .”
“ Avoiding NPSH and priming problems helps prolong the life of the pump , but being floated on the water source itself rather than on land has other advantages too ,” Weir Minerals ’ Ian Ross , Dewatering Global Product Manager , explains . “ If the water level of the tailings pond rises unexpectedly , pump skids run the risk of being flooded and ruining either the diesel or electric drive units . If changes to the water level are planned , skids and pump houses require
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