WATER MANAGEMENT & TREATMENT
Sykes Group recently launched the Sykes / Primax XH250
launched its latest innovation , the Sykes / Primax XH250 for mining and quarry applications . The XH250 it says “ is set to revolutionise dewatering operations in these sectors , offering a reliable solution for operations that are continually expanding , reaching greater depths and widths .”
The pump , which complements Sykes ’ existing range of Extra High Head pumps , delivers higher heads and flow rates than its predecessors to ensure consistent equipment access to all areas of mining and quarry sites , the company says .
Key features of the Sykes XH250 as stated by the company include : n Versatile drive options : The XH250 is available in both diesel- and electric-drive configurations , and it can be mounted on skids , trailers , or pontoons ; n Impressive performance : The XH250 is engineered to deliver 200 litres / second at 220 m or 250 litres / second at 200 m ,
ensuring reliable and efficient dewatering ; n Innovative pump design : The pump ’ s design incorporates several key features to enhance its longevity and performance , including extraordinary shaft stiffness ratios , multiple priming options , advanced bearing arrangements and exceptional sealing solutions ; n Front and rear wear plates : Sykes Pumps ’ inclusion of wear plates offers the ability to make fine adjustments to the impeller-wear plate clearance , enabling customers to restore pump efficiency without the need for extensive overhauls ; n Material options : the Sykes XH250 is available with various material options to suit specific applications , including 316 SS Impeller , wear plates , and SG iron Volute , among others . Other options are Full 316 SS , CS340 , CS500 , CD4MCU , H7A SS , CD4MCU , SAF2205 and SAF2507 .
The company concluded : “ The Sykes XH250 is a testament to our commitment to providing efficient and reliable dewatering solutions for the mining and quarry industries .” Sykes Group recently became part of the Atlas Copco Group
Power and Flow Division . In addition to the XH250 , Sykes told IM that it has many cases of other pumps in this range XH 100 , XH150 , XH200 and XH300 having installed in mining worldwide .
Customers for the XH250 include coal miner Bengalla New Hope Group in Australia . Scott Cannon , Pumping Supervisor , Bengalla Mining Company : “ One of the challenges Bengalla had was as the mine gets deeper and the mining process didn ’ t allow us to pump out one end of the strip , it made us have to pump the water a lot higher than what we ’ d previously had to do . We were running it through a few staging pumps , and that ’ s why we looked at the XH250 as an option so we can remove one of the staging pumps because of the ability for it to pump a lot more head . Sykes was able to tailor-make walk platforms around the XH250 for Bengalla to assist in the maintenance and the pump crews getting on and off the platforms .” Rodney Hamson , also from Bengalla , adds : “ We only get a short period of time we can pump water , because with the draglines behind us and the way it moves , we ’ ve got to get in and remove the water as quick as we can so they can recover the coal .”
BQE Water and a disruptive approach to selenium removal
BQE Water made a major announcement in February 2024 when it advised that it had completed the commissioning phase and transitioned to the operating phase of the agreement for a water treatment plant at a base metal mine in the southwestern US . Utilising its award winning Selen-IX™ process technology , BQE Water treats mine impacted waters , removing selenium to below 2 ppb ( parts per billion ), as well as dissolved metals , in compliance with applicable effluent quality regulations .
Under the agreement , BQE Water is responsible for clean water production for environmental discharge . Compensation for operations services consists of a base monthly fee and a supplemental fee for additional water treated over and above the base . The base monthly fee is payable regardless of the volume of water reporting to treatment but is subject to the plant being available for treatment . Both fees are paid subject to the plant effluent meeting the target effluent water quality .
Since the completion of commissioning , BQE Water says the plant has been operating 24 / 7
with an overall plant availability more than 95 %. It is expected to run year-round and treat up to 4,500 gallons of water per minute , making it the largest Selen-IX plant currently in operation . The plant first removes a host of dissolved metals , followed by selenium removal . The key aspects of the plant design that led to the selection of Selen-IX technology for selenium removal included the stringent selenium effluent limit , the requirement for a rapid ramp-up in selenium removal capacity depending on flow and selenium concentrations , and the need to produce a stable non-hazardous residue .
David Kratochvil , President & CEO at BQE Water told IM : “ This project is a major development for us but it is important to emphasise that addressing selenium in waters is not all we do – today it probably represents about a quarter of our active projects . It includes a broad range of water treatment for environmental compliance including : achievement of ultralow discharge limits for a host of metals and cyanide ; the recycling of cyanide using SART , and ion exchange based technologies to selectively remove sulphate , ammonia , and thiosalts which are regulated directly or through effluent toxicity . The common denominator for all our projects is reduction of waste and generation of residues that are suitable for re-use ."
But undoubtedly , selenium is a big problem in mining – and BQE Water ’ s journey in that respect began way back in 2012 with a reaction to two things . Kratochvil : “ One – we started to get a lot of specific enquiries from mining companies around the world about dealing with selenium so there was a tangible market interest uptick . And at the same time , a major consultancy released a report stating that the best available technology to treat selenium in mining was biological treatment . But this was based on two installations of selenium removal technology at FGD plants in coal fired power plants , an application that could not be more different from mine waters with an entirely different setting and criteria including the flow , stability of the flow , the temperature of the water , what ’ s in the water , the discharge limit and receiving environment – everything is different . The reality is while consultancies have a role to play , fundamentally they tend not to be the technology innovators themselves with the associated in-house R & D – they usually apply what has been done before and tend to be conservative in terms of not wanting to take a risk with a new solution , even if it has a clear potential to address the problem in a more effective way .”
BQE Water started from the basis that every mine and every deposit is different therefore the water quality is different . “ We thought , why not be contrarian and look at something nonbiological , as we believed the mining industry needs a technology that to be able to adapt to changes in flow and water quality , that will still
MARCH 2024 | International Mining