Modern Mining May 2015

PRODUCT News

Gear pump range popular in SA market fluids up to 440 000 cSt.

be foot-mounted or close-coupled to IEC frame motors for a compact footprint. General purpose foot-mounted pumps in 14 sizes aremade of cast iron for medium duty applications. Jacketing options are available. C-flange mounted pumps in eight sizes are made from cast iron for medium duty applications. No speed reducer is required. For applications in which leakage and fugitive emissions must be eliminated, or where downtime for seal maintenance would be problematic, there are mag-drive pumps in 12 internal gear and 22 external gear sizes to replace shaft seals with mag- netic drive. Mather+Platt can custom build Viking pumps for special applications. Examples include abrasive liquid pumps with hard- ened construction and silicone carbide seals, and ammonia pumps with double mechanical seals, pressurised seal cham- bers and oil reservoirs, lubricated idler bushings, and adjustable return-to-tank bypass valves. Mather+Platt, tel (+27 11) 824-4810 providing 24/7 technical direction, support and consultancy,” says Carl van Heerden, Hydrex Industrial Manager, Veolia Water Technologies South Africa. As part of this agreement, Veolia supplied 12 new treatment solutions, including: new chemical dosing stations; flocculants, coagulants, anti-scalant and micro-biocide chemical treatment; a semi- automated duplex flocculant plant; and coagulant plants to address the water treat- ment problems. Veolia also supplied its range of Hydrex™ chemicals at a variable fee after a weekly stock-take – meaning the mine will ultimately only pay for chemicals it has used. Veolia Water Technologies South Africa, tel (+27 11) 974-8161

The Viking range of internal gear pumps continues to sell steadily into South Africa through local distributor Mather+Platt, which reports that carefully maintained local stock holdings are helping to secure urgent orders. Wadeville-based Mather+Platt has distributed Viking pumps for more than 20 years. Viking Pump is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading companies in internal gear pumps, external gear pumps, vane pumps and rotary lobe pumps. In South Africa, the pumps are widely used in mining and industrial applications, where they transfer viscous

The internal gear pumping principle, invented by Viking Pumps co-founder Jens Nielsen, uses two rotating gears which un- mesh at the suction side of the pump to create a vacuum which pulls fluid into the pump. The spaces between the gear teeth transport the fluid on either side of a cres- cent to the discharge side, where the gears re-mesh to discharge the fluid. Mather+Platt’s range of Viking gear pumps is extensive, comprising six distinct lines. There are universal seal pumps in 12 sizes, comprising heavy duty, foot- mounted models with enlarged bearing housings that allow seals and seal technol- ogies to be exchanged without removing the pump from the flow line. High speed compact pumps in six sizes are recommended for medium to heavy duty applications. No speed reducer is required. Motor-speed pumps in six sizes are manufactured in ductile iron, and may any chemicals due to faulty dosing stations while other parts of the circuits were facing dangerous chemical spillages where dos- ing station pumps had broken. As a result, highly corrosive water and scale were flow- ing through the above and below ground water circuits, decreasing the mine’s cooling and ventilation efficiency while damaging its equipment. “We opted for a full operation and main- tenance agreement with Evander Gold Mine, where we will manage the entire water treatment system. As part of the agreement, a Veolia specialist will remain on-site for the duration of the contract,

Viking gear pumps from Mather+Platt.

Veolia reduces water treatment costs at Evander Veolia Water Technologies South Africa has assumed the day-to-day chemical supply and servicing of the on-site water treatment for Evander Gold Mining in Mpumalanga. Four months into the three-year agreement, Veolia has reportedly already improved sub- stantially on past practices and increased efficiency while reducing overall water treatment costs for the mine.

Veolia embarked on this total water management agreement in November last year following a full site survey of Evander’s metallurgical plant as well as 7 and 8 shafts. This survey revealed that large parts of the water circuits were not being treated by

68  MODERN MINING  May 2015