Integrated Solutions that Add Value to Mining Processes
HEAVY ENGINEERING & WEAR PARTS
rebound . There will be little or no wear and no permanent deformation , according to Doyle . However , if the particle momentum is too great relative to the rubber thickness , the impact force cannot be absorbed , and the rubber may cut or tear .
In impact and sliding abrasion situations , there is a critical speed above which elastomers are unable to recover and absorb energy . In this case , the product ’ s resilience cannot be used to its full extent and the surface may deteriorate more rapidly .
Moreover , the angle of the impact of the particle relative to the wear surface is also significant when it comes to designing chutes , hoppers and rubber linings , in general , since it affects the rate of wear .
For instance , at 90 ° impact angle , resilience is the major factor in resisting wear , but , as the impact angle reduces to around 50 °, tear resistance becomes more important . At very low impact angles , for wet sliding abrasion , slurries are best handled by Linatex rubber , according to Doyle . This applies to pipe lining and chute lining and applications involving general sliding wear , where the abrasive force is tangential or in-plane to the surface .
Broadly speaking , harder rubbers such as the Linard ® range are preferred for combatting high impact / cutting forces that often occur when
handling coarse materials , Doyle says . Linatex Premium Rubber , which is a low durometer rubber , gives excellent results when used in abrasive slurry service or sliding abrasion where fine to medium particles are being handled , he added .
Health and safety considerations are an increasingly important factor when it comes to selecting wear lining solutions , with , for example , many countries requiring that industry complies with specific noise level standards for the protection of employees .
Rubber-lined structures and fabrications play a prominent role in creating a more comfortable working environment , according to Doyle . “ This is done by reducing noise and vibrations , often with the additional benefit of controlling dust dispersion . Weir Minerals has a multitude of Linatex Premium Rubber reference sites on which it can draw upon when advising on how best to reduce noise and vibrations .”
These considerations , among others , were weighed up when Weir Minerals recently partnered with KAZ Minerals at its Bozshakol copper mine complex in northern Kazakhstan to help it reduce downtime .
Weir Minerals has been servicing Bozshakol since 2016 , when the mine site commenced production . A service engineer recognised that the operation was facing continuous difficulties with high wear rates on the rubber- and ceramiclined launders in the primary hydrocyclone clusters , which resulted in downtime every twoto-three months . The repairs required timeconsuming ceramic / rubber patching by the Bozshakol maintenance team . The Bozshakol team worked closely with Weir Minerals to develop a solution that improved wear performance and increased uptime , according to Doyle .
After conducting 3D scanning of the cyclone cluster launder , the Weir Minerals wear experts proposed to line it with the high-wear-resistant 25 mm Linatex rubber , steel-backed bolt-in modular panels . This solution would allow KAZ Minerals to replace the worn parts one by one , without the need to patch-repair , according to Doyle .
Some of the first Linatex modular antiabrasion panels had to be replaced 21 months after they were installed .
Doyle said : “ To put this into perspective , the Weir Minerals solution delivered an increased wear life of 584 %, compared to the incumbent ceramic and rubber liners , which only lasted up to three months . KAZ Minerals Bozshakol reduced their maintenance interventions by 6.84 times , which resulted in approximately 450 labour hours of work saved over the 21-month period , significantly decreasing risks associated with work in confined spaces .” IM
Integrated Solutions that Add Value to Mining Processes
International Mining | JUNE 2023