Although Namibia is widely regarded as one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, many of its mines contend with persistent and often severe water ingress. According to Namibia-based Pumping Solutions sales manager Hannes Smith, underground water volumes can rapidly flood underground workings and expanding opencast pits.

Some mines have even had to close as a result of uncontrollable flooding.

As the Namibian distributor for dewatering pump specialist Integrated Pump Technology, Pumping Solutions brings high-quality pumping solutions to these operations.

“The ranges of Grindex submersible electric pumps and Godwin diesel-driven pumps that we supply and support through our collaboration with Integrated Pump Technology have proven ideal for local conditions,” he says, adding that with nearly 25 years’ experience in Namibia, mining remains one of Pumping Solutions’ key sectors, alongside national water bodies and municipalities.

Smith notes that Grindex submersible pumps are now central to dewatering strategies at many Namibian mines, where a large installed base has been built over the past decade. Some operations have even standardised their underground dewatering fleets on Grindex units.

“The performance of these pumps – backed by their robust design, construction quality and the responsive after-sales service we provide – is what customers rely on,” he says.

A major advantage of Grindex units in underground mines is their lightweight construction.

“Underground teams want a pump that a single person can move, yet still delivers the required duty,” explains Smith, adding that Grindex pumps, with their stainless steel and aluminium construction, are lighter than competitors’ equivalents – something Pumping Solutions’ customers “really appreciate”.

Smart motor protection is another differentiator, says Integrated Pump Technology sales manager Alfred Kelsey.

The range offers thermal protection, dry-run protection, direction monitoring and built-in level regulators.

“Customers want pumps that can switch on and off automatically without someone constantly watching them,” he says, adding that these features help prevent failures, especially where water ingress is unpredictable and can escalate quickly.

Higher Capacity Requirements

While Grindex submersible pumps manage routine and production-phase dewatering, deeper or expanding openpits increasingly require high-capacity Godwin diesel-driven units, especially where electrical infrastructure does not extend to the pit, explains Smith.

“Most of the older copper and zinc mines are underground but Namibia’s uranium operations are openpit and getting ever deeper,” he says, adding that the deeper they go, the more water they encounter, and they need powerful diesel-driven pump sets to keep ahead of inflows.

Godwin pumps are also vital for startup dewatering at mines that have flooded during closure or care-and-maintenance periods.

Some operations in northern Namibia have experienced water inflows of up to 6 000 m3 an hour, requiring large diesel units to bring water levels down before electrical submersibles can be deployed.