FILTRATION & THICKENING
application within zinc processing. DELKOR has supplied more than 30 HBFs for jarosite applications worldwide, supported by extensive process knowledge and operating experience.
A recent example is an 85 m ² DELKOR HBF commissioned in India in 2025. DELKOR’ s scope included the design and engineering of the filter and associated ancillary equipment, manufacturing, delivery to site and supervision of erection and commissioning. The filter operates in accordance with the specified process requirements.
DELKOR also has extensive experience in the phosphate and fertiliser industry. The company has worked with major phosphoric acid process technology providers and supplied HBFs for phosphate ore beneficiation, concentrate filtration, tailings filtration and phosphoric acid production.
In March 2026, DELKOR commissioned a 145.8 m ² HBF for phosphoric acid filtration. The installation is the world’ s largest HBF in this service and demonstrates DELKOR’ s capacity to engineer large-scale equipment for demanding fertiliser-industry applications.
In phosphate ore processing plants, DELKOR HBFs perform both concentrate and tailings filtration duties. The filtered phosphate concentrate is used in downstream phosphoric acid production. Tailings filtration can support dry stacking, improve water recovery, extend the operating life of tailings storage facilities and reduce the risks associated with conventional wet disposal.
DELKOR on high density thickener technology
DELKOR is also an established supplier of thickening technology for concentrate and tailings dewatering, counter-current decantation( CCD) and chemical processing applications. Its solutions are engineered to improve water recovery, maximise valuable mineral recovery and enhance overall process efficiency.
In tailings management, DELKOR High- Density Thickeners support safer and more sustainable operations by reducing water content, lowering storage risks and extending the operating life of tailings storage facilities.
For Codelco’ s Talabre Thickened Tailings Project in Chile, DELKOR supplied seven 60 m diameter high-density thickeners, each fitted with a drive rated for 14 MNm of torque. The installation represents one of the world’ s largest thickened tailings projects and demonstrates DELKOR’ s ability to engineer robust systems for demanding dewatering duties. Large-diameter thickeners and high-density underflows with elevated yield stress require substantial
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DELKOR thickener supplied to a potash project in Turkmenistan
torque. DELKOR addresses these demands with thickeners up to 110 m in diameter and heavy-duty drives rated at up to 14 MNm.
DELKOR also brings extensive expertise to CCD circuits, in which multiple thickeners are used to maximise the recovery of valuable dissolved metals through efficient washing. Slurry and wash liquor move in opposing directions. As the slurry passes through each thickener, the solids settle and advance through the circuit while the overflow solution containing dissolved metals is recovered. Wash liquor introduced at the final stage progressively displaces the remaining valuable solution from the solids. One recent example is a major gold project in Uzbekistan, for which DELKOR supplied four 22 m-diameter CCD thickeners, one 22 m-diameter pre-leach thickener and one 38 m-diameter tailings thickener.
DELKOR also delivers specialised thickening solutions for chemical processing applications, including high-temperature potash service. For Arab Potash Company’ s 50 m-diameter hot leach plant thickener, DELKOR engineered a system capable of reliable operation at process temperatures of up to 110 ° C while maintaining effective separation performance and long equipment life. In the hot leach process, potassium chloride is selectively dissolved from crushed ore using hot brine, typically at 90 to 110 ° C.
Because potassium chloride is considerably more soluble than sodium chloride at elevated temperatures, it dissolves preferentially. A high-temperature thickener then separates insoluble solids and clarifies the potassium-rich solution.
The DELKOR design incorporates corrosionresistant superalloy steel components, a sealed tank cover and full tank insulation. These features provide resistance to aggressive process conditions, minimise heat loss, support energy efficiency and promote reliable long-term operation.
Dewater on the up with filtration solutions
Looking at fast growing new players, Dewater Filter Press Srl was founded in Italy by engineers with long experience in design, manufacturing, and operating filter presses for mineral concentrate, tailings and metallurgical applications. Baidyanath Mandal, Dewater Global Sales Director told IM:“ It was founded with the vision to deliver tailings and concentrate filtration at lowest operating cost per tonne and to make large scale filtered tailings affordable. Begun as an innovative start-up, Dewater has received four international patents on its innovations in filter press designs. The biggest of them all is our patented automatic plate and cloth replacement technology, which is getting a lot of attention from the large and mid-tier mining companies for its ability to substantially increase productivity at highest industrial safety standards.”
The Dewater product range covers medium capacity FAST SP range to large capacity FAST HP 4x4 and HP 6x6 filters. The complete product range are fully automatic, with membrane, mixed or chamber plate pack configurations with filtration capacities from 120 t / d up to 12,000 t / d of mineral tailings per filter press. Purposely built for mineral concentrate
International Mining | OCTOBER 2026