Pump applications · Mining
Pumps in Mining
Abrasive slurry, dewatering and mine services water.
Mining pumps live in the harshest duty there is — grit, high solids and long, high-head runs. Abrasion drives everything: material selection, running speed and whether you reach for a centrifugal or a positive-displacement pump.
Pump types
Which pump does what
Slurry centrifugal
Tailings & process slurry
Heavy-duty, hard-metal or rubber-lined pumps built for abrasive mineral slurry at high flow. Replaceable liners and impellers absorb the wear.
Multistage centrifugal
Mine dewatering & service water
High-head vertical multistage or horizontal multistage pumps lift clarified water out of deep workings and pressurise service-water rings.
Progressive cavity
Thick slurry, paste & reagent dosing
For high-viscosity paste backfill, thickener underflow and accurate reagent/flocculant dosing where centrifugals lose efficiency.
Submersible dewatering
Sumps & pit dewatering
Agitator-equipped submersible sludge/slurry pumps clear gritty water from sumps, pits and development headings.
Duty guide
Matching the pump to the job
| Application / duty | Typical pump type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Abrasive mineral slurry | Slurry centrifugal (lined) | Run slow; hard-metal or rubber liners; expect wear-part replacement. |
| Thickener underflow / paste | Progressive cavity | High viscosity and solids — constant flow, abrasion-resistant build. |
| Mine dewatering (deep) | Multistage centrifugal | High head to lift water out of the workings; watch NPSH at the pump. |
| Service / process water | End-suction or multistage | Clarified water at pressure to distribution rings. |
| Pit / sump dewatering | Submersible slurry | Agitator suspends grit; portable, rugged, submerged operation. |
| Reagent & flocculant dosing | PC dosing pump | Accurate metering of process chemicals proportional to speed. |
Key considerations
What to get right in mining
- Abrasion is the enemy: run pumps slower, choose hardened/rubber-lined wetted parts, and plan for wear-part replacement.
- For slurry, positive-displacement PC pumps run slower and last longer on high-solids paste; centrifugals suit lower-solids, higher-flow slurry with liners.
- High head dewatering needs multistage pumps and careful NPSH — long suction lifts and warm water erode the margin.
- Solids concentration and particle size (d50, top size) drive the whole selection — measure them before sizing.
- Remote sites reward rugged, easily-serviced designs (maintain-in-place PC, replaceable liners) to cut downtime.
Size a pump for your duty
Use our selectors to match a pump to your flow and pressure, or talk to our engineers about a complete skid.