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The illustration shows two complete 200mm pipes
that have been connected and above that is a 400mm and a 200mm pipe
showing their proportions. |
Multotec Pipe
Launder Systems Offer Lightweight Solution For
Mineral Sands Operations
Minerals sands operations by their very nature often
dictate the use of innovative technology. An
application which showcases the value that can be
added through technology is the installation of
Multotec Pipe Launder Systems at Richards Bay
Minerals (RBM) in 1998.
In a South African mineral sands industry first, a
custom-developed pipe launder system was installed
in the process plant on Pond A at RBM. Although a
totally new direction for the minerals sands sector
at the time, today no-one can argue with the wear
resistance or longevity being achieved by this
original Multotec Pipe Launder installation.
Pipe launder systems were developed to cater for a
specific need within the minerals sands sector.
Typically the pipe launder is installed on the
process plant on the pond where it is necessary to
limit the weight of equipment. Pipe launders are
manufactured from UPVC and lined with an 8 mm
polyurethane lining, making them an extremely
lightweight option when compared to rubber lined
steel or HDPE piping. In addition, this material
offers the advantage of being corrosion resistant,
with generally fewer or no steel components being
used. |
“Since the initial installation on Pond A
proved itself as effective and durable, sections of pipe
launders have been supplied for Pond B and subsequently an
order was received for the manufacture and supply of pipe
launder systems for Pond E at RBM,” Rohan Biddulph, factory
manager at Multotec Process Equipment, says.
Following this an order to supply a complete pipe launder
system to handle concentrate, middlings and tailings for all
the different sections within the process plant was received
for Rio Tinto’s Mandena Joint Venture Project in Madagascar.
Additional advantages of the pipe launder system include the
ease of installation. “With the sections being lightweight,
it is easy to transport and handle once on site. The modular
design means it can be configured to any plant layout
including heavy minerals, chrome or iron ore operations,”
Biddulph says.
The materials of construction for the pipe launders
installed in 1998 have proved themselves in terms of wear
resistance and longevity and this polyether polyurethane
lining material is still being used today. Multotec Pipe
Launders are available in a range of outside diameters from
160 to 400 mm UPVC sections with an 8 mm lining on the
inside.
“As a result of ongoing development within Multotec Process
Equipment, new configurations are being made available to
suit a number of applications. This underpins our innovative
approach to add value through the use of technology within
the minerals processing market, as well as the ongoing
product evolvement through partnerships with customers,”
Biddulph concludes. |
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