Modern Mining May 2015

PRODUCT News

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MODERN MINING

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May 2015

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

Gear pump range popular in SA market

fluids up to 440 000 cSt.

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

Viking gear pumps from

Mather+Platt.

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

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

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,

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