Kansanshi mine, located near Solwezi in Zambia, has significantly reduced costs and improved productivity by applying solutions provider Weir Minerals’ Linatex premium rubber lining solutions.

The mine site’s remoteness meant that transporting parts and replacement material to site was time-consuming and costly.

Of particular concern for the operation was excessive wear in the tailings lines, as well as the overflow tank in the continuous counter-current decantation (CCD) circuit.

There is about 8 km of tailings pipes running from the plant to the tailings dam. The mine had previously lined its pipes with a combination of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) liners and alumina ceramic tiles. These, however, only achieved a wear life of about nine months.

Kansanshi approached Weir Minerals Africa for an alternative solution and the company specified Linatex premium rubber to line the tailings pipeline.

After 36 months in operation, the Linatex lining showed minimal signs of wear, and the installation has reduced the mine’s total ownership cost by over R1.6-million a year.

Kansanshi also needed a more cost-effective wear solution for the overflow tank in the CCD circuit. This had previously been lined with alumina ceramic tiles, which only lasted between 60 and 90 days.

In response, the Weir Minerals team specified Linagard nitrile-based rubber (NBR). The expected cost savings from the increased production and reduced maintenance offset the installation costs.

Underpinning the company’s reputation for customer support, the Weir Minerals technical lining manager was on site for the duration of the tank relining to provide technical assistance to Kansanshi’s maintenance team.

Since installation, the Linagard NBR 30 has lasted 36 months without any visible signs of wear. This represents 18 times longer wear life than the previously installed alumina ceramic tiles and has eliminated the need to repair the tank every two to three months.

Kansanshi has experienced significantly reduced downtime and increased productivity since the installation of the Linatex solutions, and mine maintenance personnel can focus on other areas of the mine. Combined, the mine’s costs have been reduced by R10.4-million a year with Weir Minerals’ Linatex solutions.