Enhancing equipment reliability in mining: The role of advanced sealing solutions

The mining and minerals industry is a study in overcoming challenges. The one constant about these operations is that there is no common denominator. Driven by geology, slurry and dewatering circuits, pumping, extraction and processing occur in different places. 

Every environment is demanding and likely to involve managing abrasive slurries, toxic and corrosive chemicals, volatile materials and high-pressure conditions every day. Everything is processed amid conditions of water scarcity and extreme temperatures. 

It’s a tough proving ground for rotating equipment, including shaft seals, pumps, agitators, mixers, conveyor belts, gearboxes, crushers, grinding mills, fans, drilling rigs and hoist systems. 

Equipment stress 

What’s more, everything is subject to vibration, leading to wear, misalignment and the potential operational downtime which has cost mining firms $67 billion over the past five years. So, reliability is a challenge but not the only one. Sustainability is another issue that presents as many hurdles as operational resilience.  

Businesses in this sector must meet increasingly stringent regulatory standards and satisfy demands around the environmental strand of the wider environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework. And, of course, plant and operator safety is paramount at every mining and minerals operation.  

The challenges for businesses engaged in mining and mineral processing are well established and unlikely to change. Neither is the need for technology to help operators establish integrated protection systems for uptime, safety and sustainability – all while meeting their individual productivity targets.  

John Crane’s commitment to sealing innovation continually drives the development of new mechanical seals, filtration systems and couplings that address these challenges to maximise uptime, reduce downtime and maintain operational efficiency.  

Supporting mining operations: The John Crane portfolio 

John Crane’s expertise in this industry has been supported by our work in other industries. The oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and chemical industries must all manage volatile materials in difficult environments.  

A century of sealing expertise supporting gold, coal, copper, rare-earth and other mineral operations worldwide has driven the evolution of sealing technology from traditional packing – including specialisms in compression, automatic, floating and injectable packing – to the mechanical seals on which key rotating equipment operates. The pumps and agitators on which every mining operation depends rely on these systems. 

Slurry seals 

Meanwhile, particularly abrasive, high-solid slurry environments demand the heavy-duty, high-performance Type 5860 series, which are compatible with advanced seal face technology, such as John Crane Diamond®. The Type 588USP uses Upstream Pumping (USP) for additional resistance.  

The Type 588 is fitted with replaceable parts, and flushless operation ticks the sustainability box, while the advanced seal face design and use of special construction materials support optimum performance in harsh slurry environments. 

 The Type 5840 is a low-cost, single-cartridge seal compatible with most OEM slurry pumps worldwide. Hydraulically balanced design with no sliding O-rings to cause hang-up; made of standard materials to meet the requirements of the mining sector and suitable for medium (50%) duty slurry environments. 

Mining support: Beyond sealing solutions