With mines’ ever-expanding need for efficient dewatering solutions in remote locations, pumps rental specialist Integrated Pump Rental has added the stainless steel Sykes diesel-driven pump to its portfolio.

Integrated Pump Rental development manager Ruaan Venter tells Mining Weekly that this pump is ideally suited to applications where there is no electricity supply, which is often the case with mines in Africa and some remote parts of South Africa.

He describes the range as “large pumping units that are skid- or trailer-mounted for ease of use and are engineered for optimum pumping with minimal energy consumption”. The range is currently available as a rental option, or as an outright purchase.

With the Sykes diesel-driven pump available in stainless steel, it is ideally suited to operations in highly corrosive environments. Venter says the stainless steel works well in applications with high or low pH level water – which is often the case at coal mines – as it ensures robustness under water.

“Until the addition of the Sykes unit, we used our Grindex submersible range for these high and low PH applications with great success, but the demand for stainless steel pumps has grown in applications where diesel-driven units are required,” remarks Integrated Pump Rental MD Lee Vine.

The Grindex pumps are electric-driven sludge, slurry and dewatering submersible pumps.

Vine points out that the Sykes units, similar to the other ranges on offer, are equipped with a priming system that enables the pump to run in “snore conditions” and automatically prime, re-prime and run dry for extended periods without damaging the pump.

Working Capacities

The Sykes pumps are powered by high-performance diesel engine brands, such as Caterpillar, Perkins, Cummins or John Deere, which bodes well for parts availability as well as aftermarket service.

The Sykes units offer pumping capabilities of up to 1 130 ℓ/s and maximum heads of up to 208 m; series and parallel configurations are available to facilitate higher heads and increased flow rate.

However, when “smaller” applications require a maximum head of 22 m and a maximum flow of 96 ℓ/s, as well as a solids handling capability of 50 mm, Venter recommends that mines can opt for the company’s six-inch submersible Quax hydraulic pump, which was launched last month.

This range includes a four-inch screw submersible pump with a maximum head of 45 m and a maximum flow of 39 ℓ/s. It can pump solids of up to 70 mm.

Venter says the recent additions to Integrated Pump Rental’s fleet enable the company to cater for almost any application in the mining industry.

The company’s fleet comprises submersible drainage and dewatering pumps, diesel-driven pumps, slurry and sludge pumps, dredging systems, hydraulic submersibles, flotation devices and accessories.

The accessories include hose and cable floats, pump floats with brackets, piping, fittings and panels.

The company’s pumps are popular at opencast mines that need dewatering pumps or dredging and pumping solutions for process water and settlement ponds and in underground mines where water needs to be drained for operations to continue.

Venter notes that the company’s pumps rental market offering includes site assessments, installations, project management, maintenance contracts and servicing 24/7.

Venter emphasises that there has consistently been a need for specialised pump equipment in Africa, especially currently with the economy and mining development in South Africa remaining constrained.

It is tough economic times that often lure mine managers into buying cheap imports, which, as they tend to soon discover, fail to function after some time and there is no aftermarket service to support clients or maintain the products. Integrated Pump Rental only supplies trusted brands with proven track records and this is underpinned by the company’s service offering, which Venter believes sets it apart in the mining sector.

Venter and Vine agree that mining “will always be a huge focus for foreign investors and we are optimistic about future growth for South Africa. “Meanwhile, we will continue to service the mining industry with our high-quality products and services.”