Slurry pump technology company Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa has extended its range of slurry pumps for the mining industry to include an acid-resistant super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) slurry pump, and a hydraulically-driven submersible slurry pump – SlurryChamp.

The SlurryChamp is available as a standard fixed-installation and an excavator-mounted version.

The submersible slurry pumps are routinely used in mine tailings recovery and reprocessing, minerals processing plant sumps, spillage clean-up applications, power plant ash dam cleaning, river and dam desilting, as well as steel slag and rolling mill scale pumping.

They have also been used in light dredging and marine dredging applications in harbours and dry docks.

The company has been manufacturing submersible slurry pumps since 1982, with the pumps having a reputation of being the “world’s most dependable submersible slurry pumps”.

They are used across a multitude of commodities including gold, copper, platinum, coal, diamonds, steel, iron-ore, uranium and mineral sands.

The company’s pump impellers, casing and wear plates are manufactured from a wear resistant Ni-Hard material, which promotes efficient running times between maintenance shutdown periods.

Technological Advancements

Goodwin Africa has stressed the imperative of incorporating technological innovations into its range of slurry pumps.

A new innovation of the SDSS slurry pump is the Inconel-impregnating technology in the casting of wear parts that can be used in applications such as chemical ponds and minerals processing, where corrosive acids and abrasive elements are often found.

Goodwin Africa operations and marketing director Rui Gomes explains that Iconel is a nickel/chromium-based superalloy that is highly resistant to high temperatures and corrosion.

“Goodwin is a long-established British engineering company specialising in casting and machining parts for the petrochemicals, nuclear, defence and power generation industries. All research and development remain in the UK, with some manufacturing in India, at a purpose-built factory.”

Goodwin submersible slurry pumps offer carefully selected wear-resistant materials to increase service life and the company attributes this to its four decades of engineering expertise.

These pumps feature a non-pressurised mechanical seal and heavy-duty bearings that have been specifically designed to offer a reliable pump, capable of operating for longer periods in some of the most arduous applications in the mining industry.

Challenges, Projects

Goodwin Africa is cognisant of the rising cost of logistics inefficiencies, particularly in shipping delays, but also stresses the importance of regularly reviewing suppliers and customer trends.

The company also facilitates the in-house management of slurry pump manufacturing costs to ensure that its customers are offered the best services without significantly affecting financial restrictions.

While capital constraints often pose challenges, Gomes says the company prides itself on offering an attractive return-on-investment proposition by virtue of its pump design.

“The Goodwin pumps are specifically designed to handle heavy-density slurries and can outlast other brands. The Goodwin submersible slurry pumps are more reliable.”

He notes that Goodwin Africa has successfully expanded its reach into “less urban outposts” in South Africa, in addition to having opened sales operations in Zambia and Ghana.

It has also cemented its brand and service offering on the continent, highlighting the inefficiencies of non-original equipment manufacturer (non-OEM) replacement parts.

Gomes adds that the apparent initial cost saving soon “spirals out of control and results in catastrophic failures” that do not feature when using genuine OEM parts.

The company has noted an upturn in in-house repairs and in the market acceptance of some of its larger units. The Goodwin Africa customer base has also grown, with the company now dealing with more customers directly, consequently enabling it to form long-term business relationships.

In many cases, Goodwin Africa has been closely involved in improving the wear life of its pumps by advocating for the proper use of equipment and by gaining a better understanding of its customers’ requirements.

The company relies heavily on the mining industry, for which its slurry pumps are best suited, and hopes to consolidate its presence in Africa, given the extensive range of commodities that are mined on the continent.

Further, it aims to remain flexible to meet the varying commodity requirements.

“Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa remains true to its core values of engineering excellence. We strive to offer our customers unmatched service and a long-term partnership.

“Through our regional expansions, we will always prioritise local employment and internal growth. Goodwin Africa incorporates an all-inclusive ethos and a supportive work environment,” concludes Gomes.