COPPER SLURRY

Save Time and Money When Pumping Copper Slurry

Individualised all-in-one solution reduces costs in copper processing

Are you tired of manufacturers' countless spare parts and maintenance procedures? NETZSCH Pumps & Systems, the global specialist in complex fluid management, offers you all-in-one solutions for pumping copper slurry that is individually tailored to your requirements thanks to an extensive product portfolio.

We will show you how NETZSCH Pumps & Systems can help you save money when pumping copper slimes and, at the same time, significantly increase the precision and reliability of your copper processing plant.

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Copper, NETZSCH, Pumps, Systems

Pumping copper slurry: How to save up to a million dollars

Until January 2017, a copper beneficiation plant in Zambia was using pumps from six different manufacturers. Attributable to the large number of different models, this resulted in a steadily growing inventory of similar spare parts and maintenance procedures. Thereby, the effort and costs for necessary maintenance of the pumps were constantly increasing as a result. Following a thorough review of the reliability and service life of its pumps, the plant operator decided to simplify its spare parts inventory and maintenance - and only use pumps from a single supplier. NETZSCH, represented by its subsidiary in South Africa, was chosen for the reliability of its pumps. The Zambian company replaced 36 pumps for polymer applications and saved 1 million dollars by reducing its spare parts inventory as well. Its reagent pumps were then also optimized, as the existing solution could not provide the required capacity or achieve the necessary precision and reliability.

Individualised solution for precise pumping in copper processing 

After the successful standardisation of the polymer pumps, NETZSCH was also commissioned to work out optimisation possibilities for the reagent pumps in copper processing. The copper slurry pumps that had originally been installed for this application did not deliver the required capacity. They were too inaccurate and unreliable in operation. “Since the pumps in the copper processing plant had to be installed on top of the levitation cells and it proved difficult and time-consuming to make the necessary changes on site, a special solution was needed”, explains Roger Willis, business field manager for mining at NETZSCH Pumps & Systems. The suspended cells are three storeys high. Changes would have made it necessary to work at great heights and in confined spaces. In addition, the new equipment would have had to be safely transported up to the cells under challenging conditions.

1000000

dollar saved by using NETZSCH pumps

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With the NEMO® BY progressing cavity pump in FSIP® design with xLC® stator adjustment system you can reduce maintenance time.   

Pumps for copper processing: How to reduce your need for spare parts

“Instead, we recommended to the client a plug-and-play system for pumping copper slurry that was pre-assembled onto a rack”, Willis says. This allowed the treatment plant operator to remove all existing copper slurry pumps and move the racks into position. Extensive welding and fabrication on site or on top of the cells were thus avoided. However, the customised system had to be made specifically for this application. Since there was limited space to consider, NETZSCH designed the racks to be particularly compact. The three individual frames, each of which can accommodate two pumps, including central distribution pipes, mechanical seal supply systems, and lowering lines, are designed as modular. These can be easily combined.

Product suction and discharge pipes and the distribution pipes of the mechanical seal support system are connected uncomplicated. You can also use the racks in temporary installations. They are equipped with forklift guides as well as crane mounting hooks. This allows you to feed the chemical directly from a tank to the copper slurry pumps. “By installing the new racks, the operator also streamlined spare parts inventory in this area while increasing plant availability”, says Willis. At the same time, this all-in-one solution allows you not to involve any other contractors, thus simplifying the handling of the project. The racks designed by NETZSCH also open up many different customisation options. This allows you to react flexibly to other conditions.

NEMO® BY progressing cavity pump, TORNADO® T.Envi® rotary lobe pump

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