The mining industry presents challenging conditions for pumping equipment. Continuous operation under harsh and sometimes unforeseen conditions accelerates the wear of mechanical components and can lead to equipment failure. However, with the right equipment, you can ensure durability, efficiency and plan for the next maintenance, says Habermann Aurum Pumpen GmbH. The firm has developed tailored solutions for every mining process, including standardised and specially designed pumps to meet these demands.
Figure 1: HPK pump at filter press. All images supplied by Habermann Aurum Pumpen GmbH
The firm was founded in 1927 when mining in Germany peaked in the Ruhr area – now a major industrial hub and one of the world’s leading mining regions. This is where Habermann Aurum Pumpen GmbH has been based ever since. Over the years, the firm has gathered valuable knowledge from the mining sector and developed robust solutions for the extraction and processing of minerals, designed to endure abrasive applications and ensure reliable performance in the toughest mining environments.
Ore and mineral processing
In ore and mineral processing, pumps face several challenges. They must handle abrasive slurries with highly coarse-grained solids, which cause significant wear on pump components. Additionally, the corrosive nature of certain ores and chemicals used in processing can deteriorate pump materials. Habermann Aurum Pumpen GmbH designs heavy-duty KBKM centrifugal pumps fabricated from highly wear-resistant high chrome steel to withstand these harsh conditions, ensuring reliable and efficient performance. An important criterion for reliable solids transport is the minimum flow speed required to avoid sedimentation. This is essentially determined by the sinking rate of the solids and therefore by the mineral weight, grain size, grain shape and transport concentration. In the case of coarse grain, it is necessary to consider that the maximum grain should not be larger than half the pipe diameter.
Figure 2: KB-series pump in aggregation mine.
Separation process: filter press/hydro cyclone/flotation
HPK-series pumps with elastic lining of all inner parts exposed to the slurry and heavy-duty NPK-series pumps made of highly wear-resistant cast material are designed to handle abrasive and corrosive slurries with ease, ensuring the continuous flow of material through various stages of separation. For instance, filter presses require pumps that can consistently deliver slurry to effectively separate solids from liquids. In this process, the media typically contains small solid particles, which can be perfectly managed with smaller HPK (40/65/80) pumps equipped with polyurethane APFlex®. This special formulation ensures resistance against wear for both abrasive and corrosive media. Similarly, hydro cyclones rely on pumps to provide a steady, high-velocity feed to separate particles based on size and density, making the robust HPK & NPK-series pumps ideal for this application, says the firm.
During flotation, handling frothy slurries with pumps presents challenges due to the presence of gas-containing media, which can disrupt continuous processing. To address this issue, Habermann Aurum Pumpen GmbH developed the HPK pumps in a vertical design. Utilizing N-series or V330 pump types ensures a continuous process.
Figure 3: HPK pump by mineral extraction.
Chemical processing
In chemical processing in mining, pumps are essential for handling various reagents and chemical slurries used in the extraction and processing of minerals. Here, pumps must be resistant to chemical corrosion and capable of handling a wide range of fluid viscosities and densities. The HPK-series pumps, with their elastic linings, are particularly suited for these environments, providing excellent chemical resistance and durability, says the firm, “Our further improvement of pump performance is the use of CeramCarbide®, a non-metallic composite material consisting of 80% silicon carbide and 20% vinyl ester resin as a binder. The pump’s wet parts are coated with CeramCarbide® which is used for application with hypochlorite and highly concentrated acids and alkalis.”
Figure 4: Vertical pumps integrated in container.
Mines and quarry dewatering
For dewatering in mines or quarries, Habermann Aurum Pumpen GmbH offers a comprehensive range of products. This includes centrifugal pumps for sludge treatment and specialised solutions such as vertical pumps installed in containers or on swimming pontoons. Additionally, the firm provides suction dredgers equipped with dredging pumps and submersible motor pumps from the Apollon® series.
These solutions will be presented by the firm’s partner, Neksol Engineering, at Electra Mining 2024 in hall 5 at stand A17.
Source: Supplied by Habermann Aurum Pumpen GmbH
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