Thickener underflow pumps play a critical role in mining and mineral processing, where dense, abrasive slurries must be transferred reliably and efficiently. These applications involve high solids concentrations, elevated slurry densities and challenging operating conditions that can significantly reduce the performance and lifespan of conventional pumping equipment.
Global Pumps delivers engineered thickener underflow pumping solutions designed to improve reliability, reduce maintenance and handle high-density slurries with confidence.
Thickener underflow pumping involves transferring concentrated slurry from thickeners, typically containing high levels of abrasive materials such as copper, nickel and other mineral concentrates. These slurries can exceed 70% solids and reach densities above 4.0, creating demanding conditions for standard pumping systems.
Common challenges include:
Accelerated wear from abrasive particles
Reduced efficiency at high solids concentrations
Frequent maintenance and downtime
Blockages and pipeline choking
High water usage from gland sealing systems
Effective pump selection is essential to ensure consistent performance, minimise downtime and reduce overall operating costs in these environments.
Centrifugal slurry pumps are commonly used across mining operations and perform well in lower solids applications. However, as slurry density and abrasiveness increase, these pumps often experience reduced efficiency, higher wear rates and increased maintenance due to components such as mechanical seals and gland packing systems.
Peristaltic hose pumps provide a reliable alternative for thickener underflow applications involving high solids and abrasive slurries. They deliver consistent performance regardless of slurry density and are unaffected by air entrainment or variable flow conditions. With no mechanical seals or gland water requirements, maintenance is significantly reduced. Their simple design - featuring a single wearing component - combined with the ability to handle solids up to 80% and run dry without damage, results in improved reliability, lower water consumption and reduced total cost of ownership.
To improve reliability and reduce maintenance in a thickener underflow application, Verderflex VF80 hose pumps were installed to replace soft rubber lined (SRL) centrifugal slurry pumps at a mine site handling abrasive concentrate slurry.
The application involved slurry drawn from three sources: high-grade nickel concentrate, copper-nickel mixture and lower-grade copper slurry. Flow rates reached up to 359 L/min, with solids concentrations up to 72% and slurry densities between 4.29 and 4.97.
To optimise performance and minimise operational issues:
Air domes (80 litres) were installed on discharge lines to reduce pulsation and slurry settling
Undersized discharge lines were addressed to prevent blockages
Expansion bellows were installed on the suction line to improve flow conditions
This resulted in:
Typical hose life of up to 4,000 hours
Reduced maintenance frequency
Estimated maintenance savings exceeding 100 hours annually
This installation highlights the effectiveness of peristaltic hose pumps in replacing centrifugal slurry pumps in high-density, abrasive thickener underflow applications.
Verderflex Dura80 Pump The Verderflex Dura 80 peristaltic pump is designed for metering, dosing and transfer duties involving sludges, slurries and abrasive fluids. In thickener underflow applications, it is often used where controlled flow or integration into broader process systems is required.
For higher capacity requirements, Global Pumps supplies duplex Dura 80 configurations engineered for high solids, high-viscosity slurry applications. These systems are designed for situations where increased flow rates or discharge pressures exceed standard pump capabilities.
Key benefits of duplex configurations include:
Increased flow and pressure capacity
Improved performance in demanding slurry conditions
Retention of the simplicity and reliability of hose pump technology
This approach enables mining operations to scale performance while maintaining low maintenance requirements and consistent operational efficiency.
Global Pumps supplies ultra-tough pumps and spares for every stage of the mining process, from borefield operations through to thickener underflow and tailings transfer. Our team works closely with site engineers to deliver fit-for-purpose solutions that improve productivity, reduce downtime and lower operating costs.
If you need some guidance on how to select the right pump then you’re not alone! There’s such a wide range of pumps in Australia, from centrifugal pumps to hose pumps to diaphragm pumps. The options available to you can make it a difficult choice, so we’ve created this special guide to help step you through the process of selecting the ideal pump for your requirements.
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