Written by Kerryn Caulfield, Executive Director, Composites Australia Inc.
Covering some of the most arid parts of Australia, South Australia has a diverse commodity base beneath its many geological terrains. The engine room of the South Australian economy, the mining industry plays a crucial role in driving economic development, investment, and exploration and export opportunities for the state.
Covering some of the most arid parts of Australia, South Australia has a diverse commodity base beneath its many geological terrains. The engine room of the South Australian economy, the mining industry plays a crucial role in driving economic development, investment, and exploration and export opportunities for the state.
BHP’s colossal Olympic Dam, located 560km north of Adelaide, and boasts the world’s fourth largest copper resource as well as the largest single deposit of uranium. These ore deposits – which also contain gold and silver – are mined through a labyrinth of above and belowground operations, including more than 450km of underground roads and tunnels.
The hydrometallurgical technique of extracting and separating valuable minerals from ore requires a series of expertly designed processing ponds. ‘Heap leaching’ is a process using sulfuric acid and cyanide salts to trigger a set of chemical reactions that dissolve copper from pulverised ores; the liquid result holding the valuable dissolved metals is called the ‘pregnant leach solution’. These are harsh and unforgiving conditions for the best of materials.
Newell Composites has operated for 55 years from its Murray Bridge site, 78 kilometres east-southeast of Adelaide. The company’s mainstream products are industrial chemical storage tanks, pressure vessels and custom built items such as large fire retardant tanks for water cartage. Its reputation for niche and large-scale project manufacturing, particularly filament wound corrosion resistant fibreglass reinforced plastic (FRP) industrial products, is well earned.
One recent project, destined for BHP’s Olympic Dam site, is a 3m diameter x 5m high Feed Tank, 1.1m wide x 0.7m deep Feed Launder, 1.5m diameter x 2.9m high Drop Well and 8.1m diameter x 1.315m high Feed Well. These four pieces of vital industrial equipment form part of the mineral refining for extracting precious metals, copper and other compounds from ore.
According to Robert August, Managing Director of Newell Composites, “Mining equipment is expected to operate for many decades with ongoing integrity, reliability and productivity in the region’s desert climate that often sees winter temperatures drop below zero, rising to close to 50 degrees in the summer months. FRP suits this environment. It requires minimal maintenance, is long-lasting and cost-effective for mineral processing.”
All made from C Glass, ECR and E Glass fibreglass, the equipment was designed externally and verified by Mike Leggett of Oceania Engineering Composites to the stringent BS EN 13121-3:2016 requirements. The Feed Tank was filament wound using the company’s ‘Hoop-Chop’ method, with its complex parts hand laminated. Connecting the Feed Tank to the Feed Well is a 24.65 metre long ‘Feed Launder’ which is built to move crushed ore or sediment. The 1.1m wide by 0.7m high rectangular shaped ‘Feed Launder’ was made in four sections, each with edge flanges that are covered and joined by ribs. The last and shortest 2.4 metre section runs into the Drop Well. The snail-shaped Evolute™ Feed Well, designed to improve flow distribution, has a hollow centre and is 8.1 metres in diameter.
“Given the science we know about the corrosive mineral processing environment, we used Hetron 922 Vinyl Ester resin system with a double synthetic corrosion barrier. All products are post-cured to ensure total quality and strength. A highly durable UV stabiliser was added to the resin system to protect the chemical bonds from the likely effects of degradation,” advised Robert.
As with all Newell Composites products, this suite of FRP industrial equipment will operate for decades with ongoing integrity, reliability and productivity in the region’s harsh desert climate.
