Modern Mining April 2023

is conducted,” he says. “In addition to the dump valves, the solution involved isolation valves, Isogate Autoball check valves and an array of hoses – all making up a safe and flexible solution to facilitate an extra pump into the system.” Underpinning these solu tions are Weir Minerals Africa’s diverse skill sets to analyse and understand customers’ sites and requirements. The compa

all three pumps. The process is iterative, he explains, and requires close collaboration with the customer to achieve the best result. “Our engineers need to interface the pumps, valves and pipework in ways that suit the customer’s priorities while optimising cost efficiency and per formance,” he says. “The iterative process involves progressively more input – from our pumps team and engineering team to our valves team and pipes team.” Projects like these showcase Weir Minerals Africa’s diversity of skills and products, he notes, which is enhanced by the close linkages between the different lines of equipment and their interaction in the process environment. 

ny’s engineers can conduct 3D scans of the working locations where equipment is required. This facili tates 3D modelling that the company’s engineering office can use to ensure optimal designs and layouts. “When installing pumps, valves and associated equipment into existing plants, interfacing is one of the most challenging aspects,” he says. “Often the available plans are no longer accurate, so it is opti mal to scan the whole area as a starting point.” Having these spatial elements in the planning pro cess is vital to inform decisions about where exactly the pumps can be located. In this project, Weir Minerals Africa’s hydraulic experts also used finite element analysis to visualise the flow and hydraulics inside the sump – to check for equal distribution to

Above: Weir Minerals offers a wide range of pumps that integrate with valves and other mill circuit products produced by the company. Left: A Warman mill circuit pump in operation at a customer site in Africa.

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April 2023  MODERN MINING  27