A SlurrySucker dredging unit, locally manufactured by Integrated Pump Rental, will ensure optimal operation of Tronox’s dams at the heavy mineral miner’s operation on the West Coast of South Africa.

Following a successful one-week trial, heavy minerals company Tronox Mineral Sands took delivery of a SlurrySucker dredging unit from Integrated Pump Rental.

The SlurrySucker will remove sand from the process dams near the Tronox mining operation on South Africa’s West Coast. This installation enhances the safety and efficiency of the dredging process, which previously had to be carried out manually by a team of underwater divers.

“The pumping capacity of the dredging unit will ensure optimal operation of Tronox’s dams which need to be kept at the required storage volumes at all times,” says Ruaan Venter, rental development manager at Integrated Pump Rental.

The dredging unit will assist Tronox to regularly clean sediment from our process dams, reducing the risk of pump blockage or failure. This solution aims to provides rapid results on a cost-effective basis, while the remote operation raises safety levels.

To withstand the corrosive effects of salt water, the SlurrySucker has been equipped with a stainless steel casing as well as stainless steel components including wear plates and impellers. The units were manufactured locally at Integrated Pump Rental’s facility in Jet Park, Johannesburg.

The SlurrySucker dredging unit comprises a floating barge with an electric hoist operated from the side of the dam. This ensures a high level of safety with the barge being operated remotely, including the lifting and lowering of the pump. At Tronox, the SlurrySucker is designed to pump 150 cubic metres per hour of sediment – with a solids content of 50% – back to the thickener in the plant.

“The electrically-driven unit also makes sure that there is no risk of contaminating the water in the dams with diesel or oil leakage,” Venter says. The compact unit is easy to transport between the dams requiring dredging, making for optimal usage of the equipment.

With its local manufacturing capability and technical support offering, Integrated Pump Rental is well equipped to maintain the SlurrySucker out of its modern Johannesburg facility.