A set of hydraulically operated Corflex pinch valves, installed in 2018 at a major North African gold mine, has delivered seven years of uninterrupted service in one of the continent’s most demanding slurry-handling applications.

These robust pinch valves, which were designed and manufactured in South Africa by Corflex Engineering, in partnership with industrial equipment supplier BMG Fluid Technology, offer a dependable solution that demonstrates sustained performance under abrasive, high-pressure conditions, with less maintenance.

The valves also boast zero operational failures to date, BMG reports.

The installation comprised 400 mm pinch valves rated to 25 bar, each actuated by a purpose-built hydraulic power pack, which was developed by BMG.

The system was commissioned with integrated programmable logic controller and supervisory control and data acquisition functionality, enabling full remote operation and automated safety responses.

The system incorporates fail-safe closure, pressure-rated sleeves and a robust manifold configuration customised to the application, also meeting stringent uptime requirements.

The reliability of this installation is attributed to both the valve construction and the hydraulic system design. The core wear component – the sleeve – was pressure-tested to 40 bar, ensuring a 60% safety margin over system pressure, BMG reports.

With no internal obstructions or mechanical components exposed to media, the valve body has required no servicing since commissioning.

“We didn’t just supply a valve, we engineered a system,” says BMG Fluid Technology fluid tech projects business development manager Taylor Black, adding that seven years on, those units are still in service and still outperforming expectations.

“That’s testament to proper specification, quality components, robust local manufacturing and successful technical partnerships.”

The hydraulic power units, engineered by BMG and manufactured in South Africa, use premium hydraulic components and are custom built for the rigours of mineral processing environments.

Key features include condition monitoring compatibility, simplified maintenance access and operational resilience in the event of power loss.

Corflex pinch valves, widely deployed across South African mines, are increasingly being selected for international projects as a result of their full-bore, low maintenance design and ability to accommodate challenging flow conditions.

Units have been exported and installed in mining operations across Africa, Australia, Asia and the Americas.

The wear sleeve is the only wetted component and is designed for fast replacement, without removing the valve from the line, significantly reducing downtime.

Each unit is individually tested to withstand pressures up to 200 bar, ensuring consistent reliability in both greenfield and retrofit operations.

Going forward, BMG Fluid Technology reports that it will continue to collaborate with Corflex Engineering on integrated solutions that align valve and hydraulic system performance with the operational objectives of the mining sector, including safety, uptime and life-cycle cost efficiency.

The BMG Fluid Technology team designs and manufactures advanced lubrication systems, hydraulic power packs, bulk fuel filtration systems, grease systems, cylinders, manifold blocks and electrical panels.

This equipment is supplied for various projects, including crushers, thickener drives, tailings applications, ball mills, filter presses, stacker reclaimers, fuel and oil filtration, furnace and winder applications, as well as load out stations.