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Old mine, new technology: Metering bulk goods on a large scale

In the Swedish town of Garpenberg, north-west of Stockholm, metal ores have been mined since the early 13th century. At the beginning of 2011, operator Boliden decided to invest a large sum in the expansion of the mine.

Im schwedischen Garpenberg nordwestlich von Stockholm werden seit Anfang des 13. Jahrhunderts Metallerze abgebaut. Anfang 2011 beschloss der Betreiber Boliden, die Mine mit erheblichen Investitionen auszubauen.

Expansion of an old mining town

The hills around the small town of Garpenberg conceal zinc, silver, copper, lead and gold. The ores have been mined for around 800 years, but the mine is still a long way from being depleted: even today, 1.4 million tonnes of ore are extracted every year. In January 2011 the owner of the mine, Swedish mining company Boliden AB, decided to expand the mine with a view to almost doubling annual production. By 2014 the company had invested around USD 600 million in the project. Metal is separated from the rock on site using different methods. Nine different chemicals are used, so Boliden required nine metering systems to store, meter and feed the necessary chemicals, plus a tenth system as a reserve.

Key figures

  • Expansion of a Swedish ore mine to double the annual output of 1.4 million tonnes of ore
  • Metering of the nine chemicals required for on-site ore extraction
  • Planning and installation of 10 complete systems for bulk goods handling,
  • including silos, mixing containers and big bag emptying stations
  • Preparation for the installation of the large facilities with 3D simulation

Bulk goods handling with all the trimmings

Boliden tasked technology service provider Metso with the planning of the project, and due to many years of fruitful collaboration, Metso brought ProMinent subsidiary Tomal on board. The size of the systems and the sheer number of different chemicals needing to be handled presented a challenge on a scale that Tomal had never tackled before. Tomal was involved in the planning process from an early stage and subsequently delivered all the system components, including silos, powder and mixing containers, pump skids and big bag emptying stations along with discharge aids, level indicators, measuring equipment and multi-screw feeders. To ensure that installation could proceed smoothly, a 3D simulation was carried out to make sure the system fitted into the available space.

ProMinent delivers reliability on a large scale

  • Installation completed in 7 weeks, final commissioning in another 6 weeks, to be completed by the beginning of 2014
  • Cost-saving and efficient operation thanks to reliable metering
  • Fault-free operation thanks to intelligent silo planning and suitable discharge aids that ensure continuous flow of all chemicals
  • Safe handling of toxic and hazardous chemicals
  • Low-wear equipment means minimal maintenance and downtime costs
  • For the operator: partnership with an experienced and reliable provider who takes full responsibility for delivering safe and accurate metering

Used Products - Old mine, new technology: Metering bulk goods on a large scale

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Yestin Ng

Managing Director, ProMinent Fluid Controls (M) Sdn Bhd

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