John Crane Retrofit Cuts Water Use at Copper Mine Pump

03 Jun 2026 CW Team

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.

Real Estate

05 Aug 2026

CREDAI-MCHI to Host 10th Design & Construction Conference

CREDAI-MCHI will host the 10th anniversary edition of its Design & Construction Conference on August 19, 2026, at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.The event is expected to bring together more than 500 procurement leaders, construction heads, architects, consultants and senior real estate decision-makers, alongside over 50 construction and ancillary brands.The conference will feature product launches, technology showcases, knowledge sessions, strategic business-to-business networking and recognition of procurement professionals contributing to the transformation of the construction..

BorgWarner Wins Extension for High-Voltage Inverter Programmes

BorgWarner has secured a major extension of several high-volume high-voltage inverter programmes from a leading European automotive manufacturer.The contracts cover updated inverter designs for plug-in hybrid and 800V battery-electric vehicle applications. Production is scheduled to begin in 2029.Isabelle McKenzie, President and General Manager, BorgWarner PowerDrive Systems, said the programme extensions demonstrate the company’s position in power electronics and reflect the strength of its technology, in-house expertise and customer relationships.For plug-in hybrid vehicles, BorgWarner wil..

Castrol India Q2 Profit Rises 43% to Rs 3.48 bn

Castrol India reported a 43 per cent year-on-year increase in profit after tax to Rs 3.48 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, supported by growth across its consumer, industrial and institutional businesses.Revenue from operations increased 25 per cent to Rs 18.71 billion during the second quarter of 2026, compared with Rs 14.97 billion in the corresponding period of 2025. EBITDA rose 41 per cent to Rs 4.94 billion from Rs 3.50 billion.Sequentially, revenue increased from Rs 15.45 billion in the first quarter of 2026, while EBITDA rose from Rs 3.29 billion. Profit after tax increased ..