Weir will supply its Warman slurry pumps and Cavex hydrocyclones to Teck’s Highland Valley copper (HVC) mine in Canada in a new contract award.
Teck is completing its HVC mine life extension (MLE) project, aiming to extend the mine’s operational life through enhancing site infrastructure. The project is expected to yield around 1.95 million tonnes of additional copper over its lifespan.
The Warman MCR 760 pump is a cornerstone of the project, holding the title of the largest mill circuit pump in North America.
Designed to maximise wear life in arduous mill duties and facilitate easy and safe maintenance, the Warman MCR 760 pump addresses the global trend of declining ore grades that require increased throughput for economical mineral recovery.
Weir will also supply its Cavex 800CVX and 650CVX hydrocyclones for the MLE project. The solution was chosen thanks to its consistently high classification efficiency, capacity and low maintenance requirements.
Image: Weir
“Weir has a proven track record of supplying and supporting the largest, highest capacity mill pumps on the market,” Weir divisional senior product manager, pumps Quinton Sutherland said.
“Designing, manufacturing, and supporting pumps of this scale presents unique technical and engineering challenges, which is why Weir’s team of experts, drawing on decades of experience supporting customers across the globe, are the best choice when deciding who to trust with the most critical mill circuit operations.”
Weir director, capital sales North America Phil Blondin said the company priorities being close to its customers, wherever they are in the world.
“We have a service centre in Kamloops – a close drive to HVC – and a local team that can provide service and maintenance support, as well as an inventory program that encompasses the lifecycle of the products we supply,” Blondin said.
“This is the first mill pump this large in North America and, while Weir has manufactured and installed pumps this size in other parts of the world, we recognise that having a service network to support customers at every stage of the project is an essential part of what we’re offering.”