XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 1095
and improved connectivity solutions will unlock previously
inaccessible data points, fuel innovation, and pave the way
for truly transformative pump operation across the mining
and mineral processing industry.
Challenges in Adapting the Technology from Other
Industries
Adapting existing technology from other industries such as
water, oil and gas, pulp and paper where pumps are widely
used, has been examined in detail. However, mineral pro-
cessing slurry pumping applications bring unique hurdles
that make direct implementation difficult. One example is
the use of differential technology measurement from the
water industry, where probes are inserted into pipes. In our
field trials, key factors that affected our adaption were envi-
ronmental, wear and logistics.
Pumps in the mining industry vary significantly from
those in the water industry in terms of robustness and use.
Most of the water industry pump installations are indoors,
whereas slurry pumps in many countries like Australia are
installed outdoors. The environmental setting introduces
factors such as day and night temperature fluctuations,
sunlight, and weather. All these factors contribute to the
accuracy of the data gathered.
Wear is another prominent concern in mineral pro-
cessing. To accommodate for wear, we have doubled the
probe thickness and developed a specialised grease barrier
for extending probe life. The standard probes in the water
industry are said to last over 10 years. However, the double
thickness probe in mineral processing application last less
than two weeks, as presented in Figure 2C.
Logistics and practicality contribute to the overall
cost-effectiveness for the adaptability of technology. Many
mineral processing sites are remote locations unlike for the
water industry. The specialised grease barrier proved to last
couple of months. However, it is at the additional expense
of regular inspection and maintenance (refilling of grease).
Required travel further increases the cost. Therefore, a
much robust solution is needed. We have explored alterna-
tives like ceramic technology, but at over $2,500 per unit,
it is prohibitive.
Test Rig Development—A Need for Flexibility and
Control
Given the limited practical validation of various technolo-
gies in the literature, we opted for direct field trials to
assess their real-world viability. However, this soon became
impractical due to strict operational needs and limited
Figure 2. (a) Cost of electronics as %total car cost in the automotive industry from 1950 to 2030, (b) Simple pump test loop
development and (c) Impact of wear on probes
and improved connectivity solutions will unlock previously
inaccessible data points, fuel innovation, and pave the way
for truly transformative pump operation across the mining
and mineral processing industry.
Challenges in Adapting the Technology from Other
Industries
Adapting existing technology from other industries such as
water, oil and gas, pulp and paper where pumps are widely
used, has been examined in detail. However, mineral pro-
cessing slurry pumping applications bring unique hurdles
that make direct implementation difficult. One example is
the use of differential technology measurement from the
water industry, where probes are inserted into pipes. In our
field trials, key factors that affected our adaption were envi-
ronmental, wear and logistics.
Pumps in the mining industry vary significantly from
those in the water industry in terms of robustness and use.
Most of the water industry pump installations are indoors,
whereas slurry pumps in many countries like Australia are
installed outdoors. The environmental setting introduces
factors such as day and night temperature fluctuations,
sunlight, and weather. All these factors contribute to the
accuracy of the data gathered.
Wear is another prominent concern in mineral pro-
cessing. To accommodate for wear, we have doubled the
probe thickness and developed a specialised grease barrier
for extending probe life. The standard probes in the water
industry are said to last over 10 years. However, the double
thickness probe in mineral processing application last less
than two weeks, as presented in Figure 2C.
Logistics and practicality contribute to the overall
cost-effectiveness for the adaptability of technology. Many
mineral processing sites are remote locations unlike for the
water industry. The specialised grease barrier proved to last
couple of months. However, it is at the additional expense
of regular inspection and maintenance (refilling of grease).
Required travel further increases the cost. Therefore, a
much robust solution is needed. We have explored alterna-
tives like ceramic technology, but at over $2,500 per unit,
it is prohibitive.
Test Rig Development—A Need for Flexibility and
Control
Given the limited practical validation of various technolo-
gies in the literature, we opted for direct field trials to
assess their real-world viability. However, this soon became
impractical due to strict operational needs and limited
Figure 2. (a) Cost of electronics as %total car cost in the automotive industry from 1950 to 2030, (b) Simple pump test loop
development and (c) Impact of wear on probes
