WEIR Minerals has announced a long term strategic cooperation agreement with International technology group Andrtz to supply equipment for processing tailings in the mining industry.
As part of this agreement, Andritz will supply proven separation and dewatering technologies, thus enabling Weir Minerals to offer complete tailings solutions to its customers.
“The tailings market is experiencing growth driven by environmental and governmental pressures. We understand our customers are under increased pressure to further improve the management of their mine tailings, which is why we have partnered with Andritz,” said Weir Minerals Division President Ricardo Garib.
“We are industry leaders in mineral processing equipment, with well known brands Warman, Geho and Cavex, all of which are backed by our global service footprint. Our capabilities, teamed with Andritz’s extensive knowledge on tailings thickening, will ensure our customers receive a complete tailings solution,” Garib said.
Olaf Müller, Business Area Manager of Andritz Separation said: “Our separation technologies have been proven in a large number of industries, such as food and beverage production, chemicals, biomass, organic waste, and mining.
“We are very proud to work with Weir Minerals, who operate in over 70 countries worldwide and in the most remote locations, and to contribute to their offering of sustainable and value-added tailings solutions with our expertise and product know-how.”
For several decades, Weir Minerals has provided mines around the world with solutions for the management, disposal, and recycling of mine waste. These include the Geho positive displacement pumps.
In 2016, the company opened the Weir Technical Centre, which has enhanced the company’s global tailings offering by developing and testing pipeline and tailings solutions as well as manufacturing specific tailings-based products.
Garib said: “This latest agreement complements our overall tailings offering and enables us to provide our customers with a complete tailings solution. Under the brand name IsoDry, we will now offer customers a range of mechanical separation technologies, such as thickeners, filter presses, centrifuges, and vacuum belt filters.”
Why dry tailings?
According to a Garib, dry stack deposition removes harmful waste by-products to create a compacted dry cake that can be disposed of safely. The process is claimed to be safer than alternative solutions and better for the environment, allowing for improved recovery of process chemicals and giving back clean water.
He said the company take this offering one step further by providing sustainable management that sees tailings converted into effective products, reducing costs as well as risks for operators.
“Dry stacking of tailings is achieved by using a combination of belt, drum, stacked pressure plates, and vacuum filtration systems. We are thrilled that we can now offer this option to our customers and optimise the performance and efficiency of their tailings process.
“Our unique ability to specify the manufacture and transport of backfill products from tailings and the recovery of water from tailings slurries can significantly help our customers reduce costs and risks. Our tailings product offering with world-renowned performance combined with our global service footprint will ensure that our customers receive high-quality tailings solutions,” Garib said.