Mineral Processing – “Dry stack“ tailings production

During the past ten years, Filtaquip has successfully provided solutions for many South African Clients‘ complex filtered tailings dewatering needs. Now the team of Engineers are eager to replicate their success in similar projects in Africa.

Worldwide, changes to regulations on tailings management have compelled mining and mineral processing companies to invest in reliable techniques. Sufficiently equipped with the necessary wherewithal, Filtaquip can offer the best possible filtration solution to potential Clientele in Africa.

Specialist in solid/liquid separation equipment 

Filtaquip is a specialist in solid/liquid separation equipment and solutions and offers thickening, filtration, flocculation, electrowinning, tankage, and pumping solutions to mining and mineral processing companies. Dry stack tailings production (filtered dry tailings) is one of the areas where Filtaquip’s expertise has helped Clients solve tailings problems. The company has over ten years of experience in supplying, operating and maintaining it‘s Filter Presses on tailings applications for the Client.

Typically, tailings are considered to be a waste material with zero value and some can be difficult to filter effectively to produce a filter cake that can be conveyed and stacked. Filtaquip offers a minimalistic, low-cost solution in a small and simplistic package which is tailor-made for each tailings application.

Designed in-house, the equipment is tailored to meet specific requirements and standards that overcome the harsh environment associated with filtered tailings applications. Filtaquip supplies complete filtration plants (often on an LSTK basis) for tailings dewatering, including civils, support structures and Filter Presses c/w all ancillaries including tanks, pumps, conveyors, electricals and piping.

Tailored turnkey approach

Mindful that every project is unique, Filtaquip employs a tailored turnkey approach to ensure that the Client is supplied with the suitable solution needed. This spans from inception all the way through to services rendered beyond commissioning.

Filtaquip’s Sales & Process Manager, Malcolm Thomas, outlined the array of services the company offers: “We offer on and off-site testing and our lab scale & pilot scale filtration equipment are capable of testing a range of different types of technologies and methods of filtration. By doing this, we can determine which technology will work the best and obtain the correct parameters for the sizing and specification of the full-scale filtration plant. We also offer different plant layouts and services from which the Client can choose to meet their specific needs.”

Filtaquip’s services range from test work and design through to project management, civils, structural, electrical, piping, installation, commissioning, spares supply and aftermarket support. Additionally, the Company has a call-out crew should there be any problems on the Client‘s site with its equipment.

Project financing (BOOMT)

Depending on the scope of the Client’s turnkey requirements, Filtaquip has flexible project financing options for filtration plants. The financing package is determined by the location, size, and scope of the project.

Filtaquip can offer a Build, Own, Operate, Maintain and Transfer (BOOMT) Contract to the Client. The benefit of this approach is that the Client can, in this way, finance the filtration plant over, say 5 years. This makes the plant affordable should the Client not have the funds available immediately for direct purchase.

Furthermore, Filtaquip offers Operate and Maintain (O&M) Contracts whereby it supplies a crew to operate the plant full-time and perform maintenance as needed. The Client then pays a monthly variable fee based on the tonnes filtered.

Filtaquip’s equipment stands out

Capitalising on the increasing demand for filtration equipment in different industries, new Suppliers are entering the market. This scenario is good for end-users as they have diverse product brands to choose from. But on the flip side, as cases repeatedly indicate, the Client can get a raw deal in the form of a product that does not live up to expectations.

However, Filtaquip guarantees potential Clientele that, distinctively, its Filter Presses stand out from similar products on the market. This is based on several factors:

Filtaquip’s Filter Presses are distinctively made for local conditions (that is African mining) and contemporary filtration requirements. Besides, the Company is involved in product design, manufacturing, as well as operation and maintenance. “We don’t import our Filter Presses like almost all our Competitors. We design and manufacture Filter Presses based on our ten years of operating experience in the industry. Most Filter Press manufacturers don’t operate their Filter Presses and therefore don’t understand the challenges faced with their equipment.”

The company’s Filter Presses require less ancillary equipment, footprint, and services on-site to achieve the Clients’ required moisture content of the filter cake. Ultimately, this results in several benefits, mainly: a reduced CAPEX and OPEX, simplified maintenance and reduces staff compliment. The rule of thumb is fewer pieces of equipment results in less chance of breakdowns.

Filtaquip’s Filter Presses have a reputation as one of the fastest clearing Filter Presses on the market. This reduces the size of the Filter Press, which reduces the required footprint and CAPEX.

In most filtered tailings applications, by using high-pressure technology which feeds the slurry into the Filter Press at a much higher pressure (about double) compared to its competitors, Filtaquip can produce a filter cake with the Client’s desired cake moisture content. This eliminates the need for supplementary equipment such as air compressors and “membrane squeeze” systems, which is an expensive commodity to add to a plant.

Last but not least, the company uses components that are easily sourced around the world which makes sourcing of spares an easy task.

The rigorous quality assurance process 

Mining companies need assurance about the quality of the Filter Presses they use for their respective applications. Cognisant of this, Filtaquip is devoted to follow rigorous steps to ensure that the equipment meets the expected quality standards, mainly due to:

• Partnerships with the leading international brands to ensure that only the best components are being supplied for its Filter Presses;
• The design of every Filter Press is signed off by a Pr. Engineer, prior to commencement of fabrication;
• Using its fabrication facility to ensure complete control over the quality and fabrication time; and
• All its equipment is supplied with a quality data pack that meets the requirements of the highest standards.

Keeping pace with trends

While it is unflinching in dedication to quality, Filtaquip is aware that Client expectations in terms of product performance are changing at an unprecedented rate. Accordingly, it ensures that it is constantly abreast of recent trends. 

Regularly, Filtaquip uses Client feedback to improve on its designs, which are trialled and perfected on its own installations, before offering them into the marketplace. It also attends exhibitions around the world, as well as performs market research to ensure that it keeps up with the latest technology and innovations.

As the rollout of mining projects increases in Africa in response to the increase in global commodity prices, the team at Filtaquip are eager to provide relevant, reliable and cost-effective filtration solutions in tailings production, which have numerous benefits including: recovering water for re-use in the plant immediately, recovering a greater volume of water as less water is lost to evaporation & seepage, a reduction in the volume of tailings to dispose of, quicker approval of tailings disposal permits, reduced tailings disposal land area (compared to a wet TSF) and ultimately having a safer tailings operation.