Safe Installation of a 355 mm Mine DewateringLine

A ﬂexible and durable solution designed to adapt to pit benches, operate outdoors, and minimize connection work in difﬁcult-to-access areas.

Case Study Nº

197 Customer

MMG

Perú

2024

Working Conditions

Temperature: 27°C / 80.6° F | Pressure: 25 bar / 363 psi pumping pressure | Fluid: Mine water, 5% solids, pH 6

Pexgol Pipes

Pexgol 355 mm

Application

Mine dewatering

Lenght

870 m / 2,854 ft

The Challenge

Las Bambas needed to install a dewatering line capable of transporting mine water at a pumping pressure of 25 bar in an environment characterized by steep slopes, benches, and mining conditions.

The pipeline had to adapt to the irregular terrain geometry and operate safely outdoors, exposed to solar radiation and low temperatures, without needing to be buried.

Another critical requirement was to minimize installation work on the pit slope. Conventional steel or HDPE pipes are typically supplied in sections approximately 12 or 14 m long, which would have required a greater number of ﬁeld connections. This meant additional labor, longer installation times, and greater exposure of personnel to high-risk work. In addition, every additional joint represented a potential failure point in a location subject to high operating pressures.

The Solution

A 355 mm Pexgol pipe was selected and supplied in coils with continuous sections of up to 90 m.

The coiled format signiﬁcantly reduced the number of connections required along the 870 m installation. Compared with the shorter sections commonly used in steel or HDPE systems, this solution reduced labor requirements and minimized potential pipeline failure points.

The inherent ﬂexibility of Pexgol pipe allowed the line to follow changes in direction and adapt to the irregular terrain, making it easier to install along the pit benches without burying the pipeline.

Specialized equipment was used for the installation, including a vertical pay-offvunit due to the size and weight of the coils. Connections were completed using electrofusion couplings, stub ends, and ﬂanges installed at the pipe ends. The use of long sections also made it possible to complete numerous joints away from the pit slope, reducing the time personnel spent in difﬁcult-to-access areas and improving overall installation safety.

As a result, Las Bambas obtained a ﬂexible, high-pressure-resistant pipeline suitable for open-air mine operation, with fewer joints, faster installation, and reduced personnel exposure to high-risk work.