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Staff Writer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.australianmining.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Weir-1024x756.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWeir is aiding the mining industry in rethinking tailings. Image: Weir<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While producing tailings is inevitable, Weir is here to ensure waste is removed and handled sustainably.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As millions of tonnes of ore are processed each day across the mining industry, it stands to reason that not all material is exported or used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although mine waste \u2013 also known as tailings \u2013 is unavoidable, heightened environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards in the mining industry are necessitating enhanced waste management methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luckily, Weir<\/a> is here to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Backed by an extensive portfolio of tailings solutions, technologies and processing equipment, Weir is on a mission to help the industry rethink, reduce and repurpose tailings through its transformational tailings flowsheets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are looking to engage with the market to assist with solutions that will achieve new benchmark outcomes for water recovery, energy consumption, carbon footprints and safe storage,\u201d Weir head of tailings and pipelines \u2013 Asia Pacific Simon Acutt told Australian Mining<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe want to trigger new thinking on how to treat tailings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n An example of this is Weir\u2019s Cavex DE hydrocyclon<\/strong>e, a technology that performs two stages of classification in one operational unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe larger particles move downwards under gravity and leave via the bottom outlet with a small quantity of water,\u201d Acutt said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA small amount of the fine solids remain with most of the water; this then spirals upwards through a central pipe and out the top as the overflow product. The Cavex DE hydrocyclone goes through this process twice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe aim is to separate the large particles and use them for construction material. The main use for the cyclone underflow is to build tailings dam walls.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Cavex DE hydrocyclone works without the need for intermediary pumping, piping or sumps. It\u2019s fitted with an air core booster to improve capacity and efficiency by reducing the total pressure across the hydrocyclone and increasing the volume flow split to the overflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis creates value out of the mine\u2019s waste,\u201d Acutt said. \u201cBy using sand from tailings, operators have less product going into their tailings storage facility (TSF), meaning the TSF can be smaller and save on diesel-powered earthmoving equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another example of innovation is Weir\u2019s second-generation Cavex 2 hydrocyclone, which expands upon the Cavex hydrocyclone range and marks a new era in separation technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Combined with the feed chamber, the LIG+ advanced laminar spiral inlet reduces turbulence and enables the hydrocyclone to classify up to 30 per cent more feed slurry within a similar footprint as the original Cavex hydrocyclones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alongside Weir\u2019s range of tailings products and solutions, the company carries out pipe loop testing to provide design data, centrifugal pump testing, and high-pressure positive displacement pump testing at Weir Technical Centre in Victoria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMineral slurries vary in many ways, meaning each slurry behaves differently in a pipe system,\u201d Acutt said. \u201cTherefore, pilot testing is important to help determine the best solution for each site and reduce the overall design risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWeir can run a variety of tests to identify possible operational issues, with testing able to determine how the slurry behaves when pumped in a range of different conditions, solids concentrations and velocities, all while simulating pump failure and a potential restart event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe outcome ensures the selected pump and motors are right for the job and tailored to a mine site\u2019s unique operating environments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To ensure it can offer the coarse particle flotation (CPF) technology to its customers, Weir has a cooperative agreement with Eriez, allowing the company to collaborate and apply its HydroFloat CPF technology when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The CPF solution reduces energy consumption by 10\u201320 per cent and increases water recovery by up to 85 per cent by using advanced dewatering technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe technology works by injecting air bubbles into the lower levels of the tank,\u201d Acutt said. \u201cThese bubbles lift ore to the top of the tank, which is collected via a concentrate overflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe grind size is substantially larger than conventional flotation, significantly reducing energy consumption in the comminution phase. This also makes it much easier to separate water from tailings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCPF waste stream can be used for dam wall construction and dam wall support. It requires little further treatment, hence less expensive capital equipment and energy consumption. Weir is working closely with Eriez on several pilot trials.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a long-standing global presence in tailings management, Weir is an ideal partner to help the mining industry rethink its approach to tailings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWeir is not new to the tailings space,\u201d Acutt said. \u201cWe have been actively investing in and expanding our knowledge and testing support facilities, positioning ourselves as a key partner for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This feature appeared in the August 2024 issue of Australian Mining<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.australianmining.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Cavex-CVX-DE-500-400-Cyclone-Pesrp-230822-169x300.png\")
Image: Weir<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n