Slurry pumping is one method of removing mine waste as slurry from mine sites. This method is used by mines around the globe because it is simple and does not cause any disturbance to the environment.

What is slurry exactly?

It is a viscous fluid and/or corrosive fluid made of water and solids that are transferred using heavy-duty mining slurry pumps. It is usually composed of waste from mining or paper manufacturing processes, or waste management industries.

The most common solid materials used in mining include lead, coal, and iron as well as copper, bauxite, and zinc. You can choose from fine particles and suspended solids to more complex, irregularly shaped solids.

There are three main types: fine, medium, and light. The majority of light slurries do not carry solids and are primarily accidental. To transport the material, a heavy slurry must contain a carrying fluid. The medium slurry is somewhere in the middle.

What is slurry pumping exactly?

Although the concept is well-known since the beginning of the century it was only popularized in 1957 when the first long-distance slurry pipe measuring 115km was installed in the USA. All over the globe, mining pipelines are used. These pipelines have a tremendous capacity. A 20cm diameter pipeline can transport 250 tonnes of solids per day.

What is a slurry pump?

Slurry pumping transport requires pumps with different capacities and sizes depending on the type and solid contents of the slurry. Larger solids in the slurry can cause severe corrosive reactions and abrasions. This is why it is important to use corrosion- and abrasion-resistant pumps. These pumps must be made in a way that erosion can be minimized and wear can be reduced, as wastewater and mining slurry can contain high amounts of acid and grind.