John Crane Retrofit Cuts Water Use at Copper Mine Pump
Equipment

John Crane Retrofit Cuts Water Use at Copper Mine Pump

John Crane has retrofitted a mechanical seal on a large underflow thickener slurry pump at a major copper mining operation, reducing sealing water consumption by around 288,000 litres per day while improving maintenance efficiency on a critical asset.

The retrofit replaced the pump's traditional stuffing box arrangement, which required shaft sleeve replacement every four months due to abrasive wear. These maintenance activities involved significant downtime, a 100-tonne crane and extensive manpower.

John Crane developed a mechanical seal package that could be installed without modifying the existing Warman 550 pump. The solution included an adapter sleeve and a controlled seal-flush arrangement designed to maintain a clean fluid environment at the seal faces. Diamond-faced materials were specified to enhance durability in demanding mining conditions.

Following commissioning, the pump has been operating with a seal-flush flow of approximately 7.5–8 m³/h, compared to about 20 m³/h for a comparable packed pump. This translates to a reduction of around 12 m³/h, or approximately 288,000 litres of water per day, depending on site conditions.

The upgrade is expected to align maintenance with the mine's annual service schedule, reducing the need for additional interventions during the year.

“This project is a practical example of how improved sealing can reduce maintenance exposure and cut the clean water required for sealing, while supporting more predictable planned maintenance,” said Warren Smith, Global Mining Market Director, John Crane.

The installation also marks a company milestone, with the 270 mm shaft diameter making it the largest slurry seal sold by John Crane to date.

John Crane has retrofitted a mechanical seal on a large underflow thickener slurry pump at a major copper mining operation, reducing sealing water consumption by around 288,000 litres per day while improving maintenance efficiency on a critical asset.The retrofit replaced the pump's traditional stuffing box arrangement, which required shaft sleeve replacement every four months due to abrasive wear. These maintenance activities involved significant downtime, a 100-tonne crane and extensive manpower.John Crane developed a mechanical seal package that could be installed without modifying the existing Warman 550 pump. The solution included an adapter sleeve and a controlled seal-flush arrangement designed to maintain a clean fluid environment at the seal faces. Diamond-faced materials were specified to enhance durability in demanding mining conditions.Following commissioning, the pump has been operating with a seal-flush flow of approximately 7.5–8 m³/h, compared to about 20 m³/h for a comparable packed pump. This translates to a reduction of around 12 m³/h, or approximately 288,000 litres of water per day, depending on site conditions.The upgrade is expected to align maintenance with the mine's annual service schedule, reducing the need for additional interventions during the year.“This project is a practical example of how improved sealing can reduce maintenance exposure and cut the clean water required for sealing, while supporting more predictable planned maintenance,” said Warren Smith, Global Mining Market Director, John Crane.The installation also marks a company milestone, with the 270 mm shaft diameter making it the largest slurry seal sold by John Crane to date.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Resources

Schindler named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026

Schindler has been named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026, a global ranking recognising companies for their workplace environments.Compiled by Forbes in partnership with Statista, the ranking is based on independent employee feedback, including whether employees would recommend their organisation to friends and family.The company said the recognition reflected its focus on creating a workplace where employees can develop their expertise and build careers. ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India needs an export-execution mindset: Vishesh Jain

Interview with Vishesh Jain, Founder & CEO, EximpleWhat gaps in India’s global trade ecosystem led you to build Eximple, and what problem did you see businesses struggling with most?Eximple came out of a problem that all three founders had seen from different choke points in the trade ecosystem. India has millions of MSMEs and manufacturers, and many of them can make products that are genuinely competitive on quality. Yet only a small fraction is able to build meaningful international businesses. In our experience, the gap is usually not manufacturing capability; it is the ability to exe..

Next Story
Building Material

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid re..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code