Abrasive Tailings Transport

Installation of Pexgol Pipe for the Transport of Abrasive Tailings.

Case Study Nº

83 Customer

Pirquitas Mine

Argentina

2015

Working Conditions

Temperature: ambient | Pressure: 3 bar

Pexgol Pipes

Pexgol 180 mm (6″), class 15

Application

Tailing transport

Lenght

2 m

The Challenge

Pirquitas Mine, located in the north of the Argentine territory, required the transportation of abrasive slurry composed of quartz, iron, tin, zinc and lead minerals in a 2 meter section. The old rubber coated steel pipe that was intended for that line had failed due to excess of abrasion.

The use of coated steel or plastic pipe was evaluated.

Pexgol Solution

The client finally decided to install a Pexgol pipe due to its low roughness index and strength against the abrasion presented by the fluid to be transported.

Pexgol is currently has been working 6 times more than the rubber lined steel pipe would have been. Both options were similar in cost.
For the installation, no special tools were needed as the joints were flanged. Only two joins were made.