Metso has introduced three next-generation cone crushers to its Nordberg HPe series.
The new HP600e, HP800e and HP900e units maintain the trusted Metso HPe features that customers have come to rely on while extending the series to larger crushing capacities for both aggregates production and high-demand mining applications.
“The evolution of Metso’s cone crusher technology brings multiple benefits and presents a true step change in terms of performance, uptime, serviceability and application coverage,” Metso product manager of HP cones Ilkka Somero said.
“We are excited to expand the Nordberg HPe series and bring to market a wider offering of these high-performance crushers fit for different production purposes.”
The HP600e and HP900e are an evolution to the existing range and have been built and based on class-leading proven technology.
HP800e features as a new addition to the series with a crushing size option of 600 kilowatts/800 horsepower. All three units come with two modern automation platform options: IC70C and MCP.
“Efficiency is the key to meeting the industry’s needs,” Metso director of gyratory and large cone crushers Nicolas Gallay said. “With the robust new HPe units, we can offer performance, longer lifetime and higher cost efficiency to our customers.”
Metso also provides the installation and commissioning, inspections, refurbishment and shutdown support for its products, executing all upgrades and services to its high standards.
The company’s distribution network offers an additional layer of support and services by providing localised expertise, rapid response times and tailored service solutions.
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Ernst Bekker, Product Specialist – Cyclones, for the Multotec Group, talks to MechChem Africa about hydrocyclones and dense medium cyclones: how they work, their different applications and some of things to look at and to avoid for best possible separation, production and recovery efficiencies.
“Cyclones are divided into two main categories: hydrocyclones and dense medium cyclones, which are fundamentally different in terms of the principles that apply, and the mineral separation processes they can be used for,” begins Multotec’s Ernst Bekker.
Hydrocyclones use water as the transport medium. The solids that require separation are mixed with water to form a slurry, before being pumped into the cyclone near the top and at a tangent to initiate spiralling flow. A strong vortex forms at the centre of the cyclone, with an air core through its centre passing from the spigot at the bottom to the vortex finder at the top.
“Centrifugal forces from the spiralling flow tend to throw particles to the outside, while drag forces from the water being pulled towards the air core at the vortex pull particles in the opposite direction. So a balance of the forces emerges,” says Bekker. “The coarser particles tend to be thrown to the stream spiralling downwards on the outside, while the finer particles tend to migrate into water surrounding the air core, which is being forced upwards by the vortex. The water closest to the air core takes the finer particles up and out of the overflow at the top, while the coarse particles continue to flow down the outside of the spiral, passing through the spigot at the bottom as underflow,” he explains.
It is this balance of the forces that dictates the cut size of a hydrocyclone. “It is important to remember that a hydrocyclone predominantly separates the mineral particles in the slurry based on size, with larger coarse particles reporting to the underflow while smaller or finer particles are taken up and through the overflow,” Bekker informs MechChem Africa.
Ideally, he says that Multotec recommends a ratio of solids to water of about 20% solids by volume in 80% water. “Sometimes people try to push more solids into the cyclone to raise the throughput of the plant, or tonnes/m2 of processing footprint. But this will tend to inhibit the performance of the hydrocyclone, so we never like to exceed 30% solids by volume,” he advises, adding that higher solid volumes tend to result in lower separation efficiency and poorer recoveries and/or increased product circulation.
“When multi-density particles enter the mix, then a hydrocyclone, in essence, separates based on mass. With homogeneous ores, mass and size are directly related, because bigger particles always have bigger mass, so we can still use the term cut-size to describe the separation process. But when the densities are different, this is not the case. In a multi-density classification application, a larger fraction of the high-density material will report to the underflow compared to a mineral that has a lower particle density. This is a challenge for hydrocyclones in a multi-density environment,” he says.
Bekker cites an example in the PGM industry. “The UG2 ore body consists of silicates, which are platinum bearing and are generally lower density mineral ores. But chrome, which has a significantly higher density, is also present.
“If the hydrocyclone is being used in a closed-loop milling application, the chrome should leave the cyclone at the same particle size as the silicates, but due to its higher density, the chrome keeps reporting to the underflow as oversized material and is sent back to the mill for further grinding. This leads to overgrinding of the chrome ore, which comes out so fine that it contaminates the platinum concentration process downstream,” he explains.
“In this case, the use of an ultra-fine screen might be introduced, but this is expensive, so a lot of operations decide to continue to use hydrocyclones, while understanding its limitations,” Bekker says.
Hydrocyclone applications
“Hydrocyclones are quite versatile. In some cases, we can even use them for dewatering instead of using dewatering screens, which are sometimes expensive, and they have a larger footprint,” he says. Similarly, desliming is also common, where 98% of the solids are taken out at the spigot, with relatively clean water being taken from the overflow.
“In applications where the quality of the clean water produced is less important, hydrocyclones can also be used for mine water processing in place of thickeners. And there is also now a focus on hydrocyclones being used for tailings dam management, depositing sand on the dam walls while recovering as much water as possible for reuse back in the process,” says Bekker.
On chrome mines, hydrocyclones called stacker cyclones sit on booms, discharging the product underflow into a heap. After leaving the material to dry further for a couple of days, this product will be taken away by trucks for further processing.
While in the minerals sands industry, where beaches are often mined for heavy minerals such as zircon and rutile, hydrocyclones are used to separate ultra-fine material before spirals and to dewater the product. The sand containing no valuable material anymore is returned onto the beach. Compared to using a screen for separation, a hydrocyclone is far easier to move along the beach as mining progresses, the sand being redeposited behind the operation.
A most common application, is for hydrocyclone clusters to be used as part of the mill circuit to classify right-sized material and to send the oversized fraction back to the mill for further grinding. Here, the cut size needs to be optimised to best match the downstream recovery process. “It is important for operators to remember that there is a limited amount of grinding energy from a mill, so raising throughput should be undertaken with care. Unless mill capacity can be increased in some way, any increase in throughput will result in more oversized material returning to the mill, which can cause the spigot to choke-up, a condition known as roping in the cyclone fraternity,” he warns.
“To get a finer product for processing at a higher production rate, the milling energy must also be raised and the cyclone re-optimised to match the new operating point,” suggests Ernst Bekker.
Dense medium separation (DMS)
Instead of using pure water as the slurry medium, dense medium separation uses a combination of water mixed with very fine particles of either magnetite or ferro-silicon. This creates a higher density separation medium than water, so that when the ore is added, the slurry is better able to separate based on the different densities of the particles in the mix.
“If you took a truck load of ore and dumped it into a pool of water, everything would sink to the bottom. But if you replaced the water with a magnetite- or ferro-silicon-based dense medium with an elevated density relative to water of, say, 1.6 then lower density ores will float and any of the particles that do sink will have a density of above 1.6,” he says.
“With a dense medium cyclone, low density materials, called floats, can’t break into the medium and so they remain in the centre of the cyclone and are drawn to the cyclone’s vortex and leave through the overflow. Dense minerals sink inside the spiralling dense medium flow and are propelled towards the outside of the cyclone. They leave through the underflow. So, separation is largely based on low density and high-density minerals, irrespective of particles size.
“To control the cut density on a DMC (Dense Medium Cyclone), we have to adjust the density of the media being used, based on the densities of the ores being separated. The density of the medium governs separation and there is very little we can change in the cyclone itself to improve separation performance,” Bekker points out.
Reverting back to hydrocyclones, he says that the diameter of the vortex finder is the principal cut-point adjustment, with a smaller vortex finder diameter providing a finer cut point and vice versa. Feed conditions such as pressure or flowrate and feed solids concentration can also be used to manipulate the cut size of items reporting to the overflow and underflow of a hydrocyclone. “This is not the case for dense medium cyclones, however. The operating pressure or head remain constant in dense medium separation, and the separation efficiency of the unit cannot be changed by adjusting the size of the vortex finder or the spigot,” he adds.
The supplier designs the DMC based on the ore body densities and the separation requirements, selecting a dense medium that delivers the low-density material to the overflow and the high densities to the underflow. “Unless there are significant changes to tonnages or the densiometric profile of the ore body, there should not be any need to change the DMC units themselves. Any adjustments should be made externally, to the dense medium and the feed parameters, for example,” Bekker suggests.
Dense medium cyclones and coal quality changes
“South Africa’s coal quality used to be very good. When using a dense medium cyclone in the early years, this resulted in easy separation, typically with 70% being coal at the overflow and only 30% being rejected as waste rock to the underflow. But we are now dealing with much lower grade coal ore, so the ratio is more or less the other way around, 70% being rejected as waste material through the spigot and only 30% being separated out as coal at the vortex finder in some cases,” Bekker notes.
“This causes capacity issues at the spigot in handling the larger volumes of waste materials and a decision has to be made as to whether to make the spigot bigger or to replace the dense medium cyclone with a bigger one,” he adds.
He says that certain design ratios apply between the cyclone diameter, the vortex finder, the spigot and the inlet diameter. If the cyclone diameter is D, for example, then the vortex finder is normally 0.43×D and the spigot can be anything between 50% and 70% of the vortex finder diameter. The standard inlet opening of a dense medium cyclone is normally 20% of the cyclone diameter.
“If the inlet opening is made bigger, more volume can be introduced into the unit, but this reduces the residence time inside the cyclone, which results in more misplacement of waste in the overflow and/or coal in the underflow, particularly of the case where the near density materials (NDM) is high. Near density material is defined as the amount of material present around the expected cut density in a band of +/- 0.1 RD units e.g. If the cut density is RD1.6, then the material present in the density range of RD1.5 to RD1.7 would be classified as near density material.
If the percentage of NDMs is very high, let’s say above 65%, then separation is difficult. Easy separation has anything between 20 to 25% NDMs and for medium density cyclones treating very good quality coal, NDM percentages can be as little as 2% in some of Multotec’s overseas operations.
“But here in South Africa, we use a lot of low-grade coal and it is quite difficult to distinguish clearly between the good coal and the waste. There are operations that can have up to 90% of the ore coming into the dense medium cyclone that is classified as near density material, making separation very difficult,” Bekker tells MechChem Africa, adding that cyclones for these applications need to be sized correctly, with very accurate feed conditions.
Diamonds and pre-concentration prior to milling
Alongside coal, Bekker says that dense medium cyclones are widely used as part of diamond pre-processing from run-of-mine ore prior to sorting. “Here only 1 to 2% of the inflow is diamond bearing and this passes through the spigot. The rest all goes out through the overflow. And if the underflow ratio goes up to just 4 or 5%, it becomes a problem because of the very accurate diamond sorting processes that must take place downstream of the cyclone, which can easily become overloaded,” says Bekker.
In a similar way, he adds that dense medium cyclones are now being looked at to pre-concentrate iron ore; manganese; and for some PGM and copper applications. “The idea is to remove waste rock before sending the product to the grinding mill, so that all the milling energy is focused only on the valuable target material, which is an interesting cost saving and productivity increasing concept,” he adds.
“While a small percentage of the valuable material is likely to be lost to the DMC, if you can recover, 90 to 95% of the valuables from 30% of the total ore mass, then the savings and productivity improvements from reduced milling can far outweigh this loss,” he points out.
“At Multotec we are process specialists who offer a variety of different minerals processing solutions and combinations. We spend time with the clients, building trust and sharing knowledge, regardless of any associated order or monetary value. And because we are an OEM supplier of several different technologies, we are able to steer our clients towards the right combination of technologies, whether those involve hydrocyclones, dense medium cyclones or combinations of several technologies.
“Every system we design and build is customised for specific client needs to be fit-for-purpose – and we take responsibility for ensuring this is the case,” Ernst Bekker concludes.
For Australia’s discrete manufacturers, inventory management is pivotal in ensuring the smooth operation of production processes, maintaining product quality, and achieving sustainable growth.
Efficient inventory management helps manufacturers save resources, cut costs, and avoid disruptions. This is especially relevant to Australia’s discrete manufacturers.
According to the data, strong inventory management has helped Australian manufacturers to maintain their competitive edge. The Grant Thornton 2024 Manufacturing Benchmarking report found that manufacturers with strong inventory turnover ratios averaged 8.5. This figure highlights the importance of effectively managing stock levels to meet customer demand without overproducing.
By improving inventory turnover, manufacturers can free up money. You can use this money for other parts of the business, like research and development or training workers.
Technology plays a crucial role in modern inventory management. Advanced software solutions enable real-time tracking of inventory levels, automate reordering processes, and provide valuable insights through data analytics.
These tools help manufacturers forecast demand more accurately, reducing the risk of stockouts or overstock situations. As a result, businesses can operate more efficiently and make informed decisions based on current market trends.
The significance of inventory management for discrete manufacturers
Inventory management is not just about storing goods. It strategically manages the movement of materials and components to support production goals while minimising associated costs. For discrete manufacturers, effective inventory management is crucial for several reasons:
Ensuring production flow: Maintaining adequate inventory levels of raw materials and components is essential to prevent production disruptions and delays. Stockouts can lead to downtime, missed deadlines, and potential losses in revenue.
Maintaining product quality: Consistent product quality relies on the availability of the right components at the right time. Inventory management ensures that production lines have the necessary materials to produce high-quality products consistently.
Optimising resource use: Allocate resources efficiently to avoid overstocking and under-stocking. This reduces carrying costs, such as storage expenses and insurance premiums and minimises the risk of obsolescence.
Enhancing customer satisfaction: Promptly fulfilling customer orders and maintaining product availability is essential for customer satisfaction. Inventory management is critical in preventing stockouts that lead to backorders and unhappy customers.
Inventory management challenges in discrete manufacturing
Inventory management in discrete manufacturing presents a unique set of challenges.
Discrete manufacturers often deal with products that have intricate bills of materials (BOMs). These require the tracking and management of numerous components and subassemblies. This complexity increases the risk of stockouts or excess inventory if not carefully managed.
Additionally, components may have different lead times, meaning some may take longer to procure than others. Managing inventory with varied lead times requires careful planning and coordination to ensure materials are available when needed.
Australian manufacturers are particularly vulnerable, with events like the COVID-19 pandemic exposing Australia’s supply chain weaknesses and reliance on imports. Supply chain management can make or break Australian manufacturers. Poor inventory planning can leave manufacturers without essential materials and components.
Production schedule changes, common in discrete manufacturing, can also disrupt inventory plans, leading to stock shortages or excess inventory. This highlights the need for flexibility in inventory management practices.
Discrete manufacturers operating multiple facilities or warehouses need a centralised inventory management system to track and manage stock across different locations. This centralised approach ensures visibility and control over inventory movement, preventing discrepancies and optimising resource use.
ERP system benefits the backbone of inventory management
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have emerged as powerful tools for Australian discrete manufacturers to manage inventory. These integrated systems provide a centralised platform to streamline inventory processes, from demand forecasting and procurement to inventory tracking and replenishment.
Key features of ERP systems that support effective inventory management include:
Demand Forecasting: ERP systems utilise historical sales data, market trends, and external factors to predict future demand, enabling informed inventory replenishment decisions.
Material Requirements Planning (MRP): These modules create schedules for buying and receiving materials based on production and inventory.
Inventory Tracking and Replenishment: ERP systems provide real-time visibility into inventory levels across all locations, enabling proactive replenishment to maintain adequate stock levels.
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) Integration: ERP systems can integrate with specialised WMS software to optimise warehouse operations, improve picking efficiency, and reduce inventory discrepancies.
Benefits of manufacturing ERP for inventory management
Implementing ERP-driven inventory management strategies can bring significant benefits to discrete manufacturers:
Reduced production downtime: ERP systems minimise production disruptions and downtime by ensuring timely availability of materials and components.
Improved product quality: The timely availability of the right components and materials ensures consistent product quality.
Enhanced customer satisfaction: Prompt order fulfilment and reduce the risk of stockouts, leading to improved customer satisfaction.
Improved cash flow: Optimised inventory levels free up capital, improving cash flow and financial flexibility.
Enhanced decision-making: ERP systems provide real-time data and insights into inventory performance, enabling data-driven decision-making.
Managing inventory across multiple facilities
ERP software plays a crucial role in managing inventory across multiple facilities or warehouses. These systems provide a centralised platform to track and manage stock levels across different locations. This ensures visibility and control over inventory movement.
These ERP features can also streamline inter-facility transfers, optimising the movement of goods between locations. This helps to minimise transportation costs and ensure timely availability of materials at the right production facility.
By centralising inventory management, ERP software enhances operational efficiency, reduces stock shortages or sell outs, prevents overstocking, and improves decision-making. This approach is easy to use. It reduces delays and lowers costs. It also ensures that each facility has the materials it needs to meet demand.
Utilising powerful inventory tools
Inventory management is essential to Australia’s manufacturing success, ensuring production flow, maintaining product quality, and optimising resource use.
Harnessing the power of technology is key to Australian manufacturers improving inventory management.
ERP systems have emerged as powerful tools for managing inventory effectively. They provide centralised control, data-driven insights, and streamlined processes.
Utilising powerful inventory tools through ERP systems is crucial for Australian manufacturers to optimise stock levels, reduce waste, and improve production efficiency. These systems enable real-time tracking, enhance decision-making, and ensure seamless inventory control, ultimately boosting productivity and profitability across operations.
Choosing a solution that works
M1 ERP from ECI Solutions stands out as a powerful choice for inventory management for Australia’s discrete manufacturers. It offers a comprehensive suite of features and capabilities that empower manufacturers to optimise inventory processes and achieve sustainable growth.
This cloud-based ERP software has an integrated material requirements planning (MRP) module. It generates detailed schedules for purchasing and receiving materials based on production plans and inventory levels. This automated approach procures materials in the right quantities and times. This supports production schedules, preventing disruptions and delays.
In addition to its MRP capabilities, M1 provides real-time visibility into inventory levels across all locations. It enables manufacturers to make informed decisions about inventory replenishment and distribution. Centralised control keeps stock levels balanced, reducing costs and preventing outdated inventory.
With M1 ERP, Australia’s discrete manufacturers can streamline inventory management processes, enhance decision-making, and achieve significant benefits. This includes reduced costs, improved efficiency, and enhanced customer satisfaction.
Metso has successfully conducted crushing and screening training courses with plans to expand the offering in 2026.
Starting at the fundamental level for all competencies, Metso expert Glenn Oldfield is conducting a one-day course on crushing and screening nationwide.
Metso’s focus was to provide non-partisan training for any quarry industry professionals, aiming to allow better understanding and hopefully optimisation of their plants, whatever the equipment brand. With more than 30 years with Metso and 17 years before that in the industry on the customer side of the fence, Oldfield’s contribution to the industry is invaluable.
“Our goal is to grow industry knowledge of the aggregate processing field for the benefit of all. Quarrying is a field we all want to grow and retain staff, by sharing our experience Metso hope to assist in this endeavour,” Metso senior application and project manager for Asia Glenn Oldfield said.
“So far, we have had a fantastic take up of this opportunity with Boral, Heidelberg, Holcim, Adbri, and many other industry players.”
In February, a group of industry leaders from Queensland, including 20 personnel from Boral, participated in Metso’s Crushing and Screening Fundamentals Course. The Boral team comprised quarry managers, supervisors, leading hands, and fixed plant operators. The primary goal of the training sessions was to refresh skills and reinforce fundamental knowledge on this crucial topic.
Several Boral employees attended the training. Image: Metso
Boral asset manager for SEQ Quarries Michael Long shared his feedback with John O’Reilly and Glenn Oldfield after the training.
“The feedback after the session was overwhelmingly positive. The course was well-paced, and the content was delivered excellently by a respected industry expert. Glenn’s style of delivery was unbiased, balanced, and well-informed, providing valuable insights on a range of equipment and processes,” Long said.
“The objective of the sessions was to refresh the skills of our key personnel, whose roles include management, supervision, operations, asset care, and quality assurance.
“I highly recommend this program to anyone in our industry who is looking for foundational training and an understanding of the basic theory behind crushing and screening technology. It’s a valuable investment for both businesses and individuals.”
Metso’s focus was to provide non-partisan training for any quarry industry professionals. Image: Metso
Institute of Quarrying Australia president Michael Close welcomed the initiative which helps all industry professionals.
“I found the course very informative and flowed well for the day. Glenn did say it would be fairly basic content, but with 20-plus years of crushing and screening experience, I still got a lot out of it and takeaways to discuss back with our operations,” he said.
“I think it is a great training initiative that Metso is providing for the industry “free of charge”, and I fully encourage operations managers, process improvement, quarry managers, site supervisors and plant operators to attend.
“The content will help provide a skills gap with the aging quarrying workforce. With the mix of people attending the course, further learning and insights are gained as we share our own experiences and issues, making big ones into little ones.”
Courses will continue around Australia throughout 2025 and expand in 2026 and beyond.
The Whyalla steelworks in South Australia. Image: Alexander/stock.adobe.com
Bluescope has been appointed as a steelmaking advisor to KordaMentha, the administrators of the Whyalla steelworks business in South Australia.
Known as Australia’s largest steel manufacturer, BlueScope will provide technical and operational support in an advisory capacity to the administrators as they try to secure ongoing operations at the Whyalla steelworks.
“BlueScope has a long-standing history with the Whyalla steelworks, and we know its people and assets well,” BlueScope managing director and chief executive officer Mark Vassella said.
“We recognise the ongoing importance of Whyalla to the Australian economy and sovereign capability. This is a difficult time for the steel industry in the Asia Pacific region, but we are in a position to help.
“Accordingly, we will provide a team of experts from Port Kembla Steelworks to assist the administrators work through their process.”
BlueScope has not provided investment or corporate support to the administration process, nor has it decided to participate in any potential sale at this stage.
However, Vassella said BlueScope becoming an advisor to Whyalla steelworks’ administrators may help inform potential participation.
BlueScope’s appointment comes as the $2.4 billion support package from the SA and Federal Governments is progressing to plan, with funds flowing to the local Whyalla community.
The support package was announced in late February to support local jobs and stimulate growth in SA’s steel sector following the Whyalla steelworks’ owner, OneSteel Manufacturing, being placed under administration amid various operational challenges at the site.
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Leading mining technology and service supplier FLS will open or expand seven service centres in strategic locations across the globe in 2025.
These facilities are in direct support of FLS’ CORE’26 mining strategy that includes targeting service growth, and adds to the company’s already comprehensive global network of service centres that can enhance mining customers’ productivity.
New facilities will open in Accra, Ghana; Surabaja, Indonesia; and Dammam, Saudi Arabia, while FLS’ operations in Mackay, Australia will relocate to a larger facility.
Expansions are planned in Parauapebas, Brazil; Karaganda, Kazakhstan; and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Operations in each of these new locations will begin within the coming months with official opening details to be announced at a later date.
In addition, an expansion of the service centre in Chloorkop, South Africa is ongoing and will be completed in 2026.
Image: FLSmidth
“Our service centres serve primarily as workshops for improving or repairing customer equipment and can also have warehousing capabilities for distribution,” FLS head of professional services Christian Fabry said.
“With these new openings and expansions, we further strengthen our service capabilities and best-in-class service offerings to customers.”
“We can do that by shortening the operational down time for customers thanks to the service centres’ strategic proximity to mine sites and greater availability of spare and wear parts to local customers.”
FLS offers a comprehensive range of service offerings that allow mining companies to maximise productivity.
The company has developed the strategic global presence and advanced service-based solutions required to provide responsive support wherever customers are located.
This includes:
Strong inventory of OEM spare parts and consumables in service centres around the world
Regional and global field engineers, plus remote asset health and performance optimisation services
Mineral laboratory services for fast, accurate mineralogical and metallurgical testing
Upgrades, rebuilds and exchange services to help you get more from your equipment.
FLSmidth work on the ground, and know that in a 24/7 process every hour of downtime adds up to very high costs in lost productivity.
That’s why its mining service centres are strategically located to offer local support to its customers operations – wherever they are in the world.
The company has service centres in East (Pinkenba, Beresfield, Mackay, Rockhampton) and the West (Henderson & Welshpool).
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Horizontal slurry pumps are indispensable in moving abrasive and corrosive liquids efficiently. These pumps are designed to handle liquids containing solid particles, making them the right choice in various industries such as mining, construction, and wastewater treatment. Here below you’ll find all the Pemo horizontal slurry pumps, while in the news section we go deeper into the definition, types, uses, and advantages of horizontal slurry pumps.
Pemo horizontal slurry pumps
Pemo’s horizontal slurry pumps are specifically designed for specific industry and purpose, we can build it in the V-Belt and Direct Transmission versions. All the Pemo horizontal pumps have the sealing system that consists of mechanical seals, with faces that are made of Tungsten Carbide (widia) or of Silicium Carbide. Lubrication of the mechanical seals, when there is a pair per pump, can be made with flushing water at a determined pressure, depending on the version, or with water/glicole by means of different closed circuits with natural or forced circulation. Instead, lubrication of the bearings is made with grease or oil.
Pemo Pumps models
Pemo Pumps has three different series of horizontal sludge pumps:
AO-AO/AD Series are standard horizontal pumps with frontal inlet. Based on our standards, the maximum available pressure should never exceed 2 bar (29 psi). Since there is only one mechanical seals these models are used to pump only water like fluids with almost no abrasive particles.
AO/TD – AO/TD/AD Series are horizontal pumps with frontal inlet and double mechanical seals, flushing must be done at a pressure that must be about 1 bar (15 psi) higher than the slurry outlet pressure. They can be used to pump abrasive and/or acid liquids. Maximum outlet pressure should not exceed 3-4 bar (45 – 60 PSI). Designed for heavy duty slurry and/or acid applications, these pumps have capacities from 1 to 1500 m3/h (5 to 6613 gpm).
AO/AB – AO/AB/AD Series are one of the most popular and distinctive products of the Pemo Pumps range. Thanks to the side inlet, the maximum pressure that the mechanical seals see is the fluid inlet pressure, greatly increasing life expectancy. For this reason, flushing must be done at a pressure that must be about 1 bar (15 psi) higher than the slurry inlet pressure instead. When pumping acid liquids, the shaft and the mechanical seals chamber can be made of special alloys.
Designed for slurries and/or acid applications, these Pemo pumps are truly unique! Maximum particle size is 2 mm though this is dependent on the specific application, capacities are from 1 to 900 m3/h (5 to 3,968 gpm), and maximum discharge head is 90 m (295 ft) in the Hardalloy PEMO design.
Primary markets
These are the primary markets where Pemo horizontal slurry pumps are used, we also can provide to our clients references and case studies.
Mining, Quarries, and Mineral Extraction Aggregate Industry Chemical Industry Food Industry Industrial Wastewater Treatment.
AO/TI and AO/TD Series, main characteristics
Designed for heavy duty slurry and/or acid applications.
These are end suction slurry pumps with single or double mechanical seals.
Capacities from 1 to 1500 m3/h (5 to 6613 gpm).
Usually maximum discharge pressure should not exceed 3 bar or 43 psi.
AO/AB Series, main characteristics
Designed for slurries and/or acid applications.
The heart of the PEMO product line, the AO/AB Series pumps are truly unique. Due to the side inlet, the maximum pressure the mechanical seal will see is the fluid inlet pressure, greatly increasing life of the seal.
When pumping acid liquids, the shaft and the mechanical seal housing can be made of special alloys.
Maximum particle size is 2 mm though this is dependent on the specific application.
Capacities from 1 to 900 m3/h (5 to 3,968 gpm).
Maximum discharge head is 90 m (295 ft) in the Hardalloy PEMO design.
Pemo Pumps is an Italian excellence in the custom pumps market. With a production 100% made in Italy, 50% of Pemo Pumps revenues comes from direct sales worldwide. Just one third of our sales are to Italian companies for direct use and for selling worldwide. Pemo Pumps has subsidiaries, representatives, and agents in 20 Countries and has more than 4,000 customers in the World.
Contact today our consultants to learn more about the complete range of Pemo Pumps.
Minprovise, a leading supplier in the mining and quarrying industries, has recently expanded its product range to include a variety of wear parts and liners.
This new offering includes high-quality manganese crusher liners, apron feeder pans and jaw crusher wear parts. The new range of high-performance crusher liners can also be supplied with tungsten inserts (TIC) offering unmatched toughness and extended service life, increasing plant availability and reducing costly downtime.
By offering a comprehensive range of wear parts and liners, Minprovise aims to provide reliable and high-quality alternatives to expensive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, helping clients reduce costs and improve operational performance.
Further to that, Minprovise has recently introduced bi-metal wear plates and composite white iron wear bars (chocky blocks) into their suite of wear products.
Image: Minprovise
To assist clients with reliable supply and the shortest possible lead time, Minprovise hold considerable stock of various sized chocky blocks to suit the majority of more common wear applications.
From a quality standpoint, Minprovise’s commitment is evident in its rigorous selection, auditing and qualification process for all suppliers. Independent metallurgical test reports from both Australian and international laboratories are available on request for the Minprovise range of wear products.
This dedication to excellence has made Minprovise a forward thinking and trusted partner for many mining and quarrying operations, with well established relationships with organisations such as Rio Tinto, BHP, FMG, AngloGold and Roy Hill to mention just a few.
Product range support
Minprovise boasts a dedicated technical team with decades of experience in both Australian and international mining and quarrying industries.
Where required, Minprovise technical experts work alongside client teams to analyse areas of high wear with the goal of developing and implementing custom wear solutions. These can generally be implemented quickly, drawing from the extensive stock on hand and utilising rapid turnaround fabrication via the Welshpool-based workshop facility.
With this expansion, the company’s focus on innovation and safety first ensures that clients receive the best possible solutions for their needs. For more information about Minprovise’s new product range, including wear parts, liners, and chocky blocks, visit the Minprovise website.
While the likes of Kazakhstan, Canada and Namibia are known for being dominant uranium producers, Australia lays claim to the world’s largest uranium deposit.
Olympic Dam, which is seemingly one of the most geologically and mineralogically diverse mines globally, holds more than two million tonnes of uranium oxide.
The mine also produces copper, gold and nickel from its polymetallic treasure chest, demonstrating the range of revenue pathways on offer for its owner BHP.
Olympic Dam produced 3189 tonnes of uranium in 2024. By comparison, the nameplate capacity of Boss Energy’s recently reopened Honeymoon operation is 2.4 million pounds (1088 tonnes) per year.
Boss is targeting 850,000 pounds (386 tonnes) of uranium production in the 2024–25 financial year.
BHP is looking to more than double the copper production capacity of Olympic Dam by the middle of next decade. Uranium production isn’t expected to increase at the same scale, however, which has been news to the ears of many investors.
The Australian Financial Review reported that BHP disclosed such plans in paperwork concerning its Olympic Dam expansion, with only a one per cent uplift in uranium production expected.
A boost in Olympic Dam uranium supply would flood the market and potentially suppress prices and uranium stocks.
This comes despite expectations that global uranium demand is expected to increase by 28 per cent between 2023–30, according to the World Nuclear Association (WNA).
The WNA also predicts that between 2031–40, demand would double by 51 per cent.
Honeymoon is not the only uranium upstart of recent times, with Lotus Resources looking to bring its Kayelekera project in Namibia online in the near future. Deep Yellow is also looking to commence production at its Tumas uranium project in Namibia.
Uranium prices have dropped below $US70 per pound to begin 2025, having traded above this mark since October 2023. This is still much higher than historical levels, with uranium not reaching $US40 per pound for the better part of six years between 2015 and 2021.
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The Whyalla Steelworks has been placed into administration after the South Australian government rushed legislation through parliament and pledged “one of the most comprehensive industry support packages that this nation has ever seen”.
The move gives the government authority to act on debts owed by GFG Alliance and secure the future of the mid-north operations.
