In the mining industry, the extreme processing environments will severely punish most valves. Transporting tailings or concentrate slurries through a long distance pipeline presents tough challenges for valves. The slurry's abrasive nature and associated particle build-up can be tortuous to the sealing surfaces of valves. Dependable operation becomes more critical in remote areas where scheduling repairs or the replacement of parts is especially difficult.
Pump Station
When hydro-transporting mineral concentrates — such as copper, nickel, iron or gold long distance slurry pipelines most often will require various types of pump stations. When the topography cannot accommodate a gravity flow pipeline, either centrifugal pumps or positive displacement pumps must be used.
Operating Conditions
Charge
Pump isolation
Drain
Charge pump isolation
Choke Station
When engineering a long distance pipeline with significant changes in elevation and diverse terrain. Choke facilities are used for reducing pressure in a slurry pipeline and provide back-pressure necessary to prevent slack flow in the pipe.
Operating Conditions
Choke station emergency shut down
Choke loop cut
Choke loop seal
Choke loop isolation
Main slurry line isolation
Isolation Station
For slurry pipelines that must full bore ball valves, as they allow free passage of the pigs. These pigs launching and receiving stations are at regular intervals along the pipe, often in remote locations.
Operating Conditions
Main isolation
Pigging isolation
Emergency dump
Pig receiver discharge
Pig launch charge
