Hundreds of ITT Mining Products Help Users
to Extract and Process Minerals Efficiently
September 21, 2008, Las Vegas, Nev. – Three thousand meters (1.86 miles) above sea level, the world’s largest open pit copper mine in Chuquicamata, Chile, produces nearly a million tons of ore each year. More than 3,770 meters (2.34 miles) beneath Savuka, Africa, the deepest underground mine produces more than 70,000 ounces of precious gold.
These and every mine in between share the challenge of moving water, chemicals and slurries to extract and process valuable minerals while safely disposing of waste. Thousands of mine managers turn to the Fluid Technology division of ITT – a $3.5 billion business in 2007– for pumps, valves, automatic pump controllers and related products that help them to do this hard work more efficiently.
ITT mining products, showcased here at MINExpo, are marketed under many brand names familiar to the mining industry such as Goulds, Flygt, Fabri-Valve, and DiaFlo. They give mine managers thousands of options for size, power and manufacturing materials to meet a specific pumping need or valve application. All of these different products share three characteristics in common.
“Mining used to be about brawn more than brains, as men with picks and shovels worked under dangerous conditions to extract minerals from the earth in a largely manual process,” said Tony Przybylek, Global Marketing Manager for Mining. “Modern mines are highly mechanized and employ industrial processes to improve productivity and enhance safety. At every stage of the process that involves moving liquids or slurries, ITT offers pump and valve solutions that can help customers to maximize the efficiency of their mining operation.”
From extraction to processing to waste disposal
Millions of ITT pumps and valves are in use today by thousands of customers in surface and underground mines on six continents. These ITT products support virtually every type of mine and every step in the process – from dewatering as mines are established, to processing diverse slurries, to water treatment and finally, waste tailings disposal after minerals have been processed.
Applications for ITT Fluid Handling Systems in Mining
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Surface mines |
Underground |
Mineral processing |
Mine infrastructure |
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Active dewatering Drill hole drainage Main drainage Raft drainage (for slurry and sludge removal) Slurry pumping Stage drainage Tailings disposal Water supply Water handling |
Face and stage dewatering Main drainage stations Shaft bottom drainage Slurry pumping Water treatment |
Acid feed systems Carbon fines Clean-up sumps Crushing/grinding/classification/ enrichment processes Decant pond pumping Dense media separation Dewatering Emergency dam drainage Filter press operations Heap leaching Metal refinery lines Phosphoric acid slurry Raw coal slurry Sedimentation processes Slurry handling Solvent extraction (SX) Tailings disposal Washdown Water supply and handling |
HVAC systems for mine buildings Water supply Wastewater treatment Water desalination Water treatment including Ozone and UV processes
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Here are a few specific examples that illustrate how ITT products are used to improve efficiency and even save lives in mining applications.
Multiple brands, one focus
The applications described above demonstrate how products from different ITT companies work together to offer complete mining-process solutions that are “engineered for life.” The brands and products most commonly used in mining include:
Along with products sold under other brands, ITT provides systems that support mine infrastructure including water filtration and supply, water treatment, wastewater treatment, water desalination systems and HVAC systems.
The company’s mining portfolio includes thousands of individual products from a wide range of ITT value centers. All are unified by a central value proposition – helping mine managers and operators to do their jobs more efficiently, with products that are engineered for reliability and low costs of ownership, and that are backed by outstanding service and support.
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About ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation (www.itt.com) supplies advanced technology products and services in several growth markets. ITT is a global leader in water and fluid transport, treatment and control technology. The company plays a vital role in international security with communications and electronics products; space surveillance and intelligence systems; and advanced engineering and services. It also serves a number of growing markets—including marine, transportation and aerospace—with a wide range of motion and flow control technologies. Headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., the company generated $8.8 billion in 2007 sales.