Gold Tailings transportation
Gold Tailings transportation
(OP)
Hello everyone,
We design a piping trasportation system for the TSF (Tailings Storage Facility).
Slurry : Gold Slurry Rougher Tails
Liquid: process water
Slurry temp: 5-20C
Design flow rate: 511 m3/hour
% solids: 32%
SG slurry: 1.25
Slurry velocity: 2.36 m/s
We will use 315mm OD, HDPE PN10, twin pipes to transport the slurry (tailings) over 1.6 km over a hill (no data on latitude yet)
Climate: cold weather -35C to -38C
Project is in a part of Russia where an accidental shut- downs are very likely to happen anytime; the preventive maintenance very poor.
Is insulation of the HDPE pipes required?
Please, reason your answer.
Thank you in advance for your time.
We design a piping trasportation system for the TSF (Tailings Storage Facility).
Slurry : Gold Slurry Rougher Tails
Liquid: process water
Slurry temp: 5-20C
Design flow rate: 511 m3/hour
% solids: 32%
SG slurry: 1.25
Slurry velocity: 2.36 m/s
We will use 315mm OD, HDPE PN10, twin pipes to transport the slurry (tailings) over 1.6 km over a hill (no data on latitude yet)
Climate: cold weather -35C to -38C
Project is in a part of Russia where an accidental shut- downs are very likely to happen anytime; the preventive maintenance very poor.
Is insulation of the HDPE pipes required?
Please, reason your answer.
Thank you in advance for your time.





RE: Gold Tailings transportation
is the pipe above or below ground?
if below ground, how deep?
if above ground, insulation is recommended since once the pipe freezes you could be out of commission until spring. However, insulation alone will do very little good if you have a protracted shutdown, it will freeze solid anyway. What is your plan for thawing the line?
RE: Gold Tailings transportation
RE: Gold Tailings transportation
I'm not sure if insulation alone is sufficient. -35 to -38 °C under extreme conditions means the water will freeze as soon as the system stops. So, I guess you need pipe heating.
RE: Gold Tailings transportation
Yes, I concluded the heat tracing is a must. The project is in Kyrgyz Republic (one of the former comunist country); the power failure is very likely to happen and to last; yes, we will flash the tailings immediately, but in that part of the world "immediately" has a different meaning. Unfortunately I shall gather all the good arguments to convince people in charge that heat tracing/ electrical tracing is required and to get their approval.
Thanks again.