Argento Mining distribute and become the main partner in PEXGOL™ pipes that have been installed in mines across the globe function more efficiently and reliably than any other types of pipe systems in conventional use.
In the traditional mining industry large sums of money are invested in the maintenance and endless replacement of damaged pipes. Ordinary pipes become worn-out due to abrasion and corrosion, sometimes shortly after installation. Since mining engineers have been introduced to the advantages of PEXGOL pipes – which are extremely reliable and provide long-term solutions for the well-known wear-out problem of slurry pipelines – the demands for installation or replacement of traditional pipes with PEXGOL pipes are continuously increasing.
During the past decade, copper, gold and salt mines in South Africa, Chile and Colombia have replaced their piping systems with PEXGOL pipes. These pipes are revolutionizing the way engineers now calculate the time and money invested for maintenance in mines.
- Mine Dewatering Pipe
- Process Piping
- Wear Resistant Pipe
- Slurry Pipeline
- Abrasion & Crack Resistance
- Transportation
Dewatering Solution
Dewatering is the removal of groundwater from an area by lowering the water table. There are several methods of removal:
- Well points
- Deep boreholes
- Dewatering galleries
- Drains
- Sump pumping
Combination of the methods listed in the PEXGOL™ mine dewatering pipe system is used to remove or drain groundwater or surface water from the mine shaft or from the open mine by pumping, which lowers the water table. In open pit mining or in closed mines, the dewatering operation is often implemented prior to actual mining operations.
Transporting Materials Used in Manufacturing Processes
The PEXGOL™ process piping system is a cost-effective solution for transporting materials used in industrial processes and manufacturing. The piping system includes:
- Pipe
- Fittings (elbows, reducers, branch connections)
- Flanges, gaskets, bolting
- Pipe supports
The process piping system can be individually designed for specific applications, while maintaining required regulatory standards. To ensure that the appropriate pipe elements and components meet the specifications of a particular application, completing a short one-page questionnaire is required. The questionnaire covers details such as pressure and temperature specs and chemical composition.
PEXGOL™ Wear Resistant Pipes
Properties |
Advantages |
| Working temperature up to 110° | Transports high temperature fluids |
| Flexible | Easy to bend long lengths, so fewer fittings required |
| Extra smooth internal surface | Energy efficient due to smooth surface |
| UV resistant | Withstands exposure to direct sunlight (installation and storage) |
| Excellent resistance to chemicals, corrosion and abrasion | Transports corrosive chemicals and materials and abrasive fluids |
| Durability over time | Proven solution to existing problems and challenges for piping systems |
PEXGOL™ Slurry Pipeline Advantages
Traditionally, the mining industry has employed slurry pipelines, using water as the liquid, to transport mine wastes and tailings, to disposal sites. Dredging operations also use slurry pipelines. The sand, gravel, or soil dredged from rivers is often pumped with water through a slurry pipeline to a construction site at a distance of up to several miles.
A slurry pipeline carries a mixture of solid particles and a liquid, usually water. The particles of the slurry pipeline range in size—from greater than four inches in diameter to less than one-thousandth of an inch. When the solid particles in the slurry pipeline liquid are small and finely ground, the mixture is called fine slurry. Coarse slurry is the name for the mixture, when larger particles are found in the slurry.
PEXGOL™ Pex pipes are currently used in slurry pipelines across the globe. They have been systematically proven more efficient and reliable than ordinary pipes, due to their smooth interior, which prevents blockage or build-up on the pipe walls from the substances transported through the pipes.
Abrasion & Crack Resistance
Transporting solid materials in the form of slurry is common in industry, mining and many piping systems. In most cases, the flow is kept turbulent to avoid sedimentation. The rate of abrasion for various slurries is determined by many factors such as the density of the particles, size distribution of the particles, hardness of fragments, liquid temperature and viscosity. Resistance to abrasion is an important PEXGOL characteristic.
Resilient and tough, PEXGOL™ pipes provide better resistance to abrasion than ordinary metal and PE pipes as a result of the unique structure of cross-linked polyethylene. The ability of the Pex pipe material to absorb the kinetic energy of the hard particles inside the slurry, and its resistance to deformation, make PEXGOL pipes extraordinarily abrasion-resistant conduits.
The cross-linked molecular structure is the main reason for the PEXGOL pipes’ resistance to scratches. The pipes are also resistant to slow crack growth, due to the restraining action of the adjacent molecular chains which form the cross-linked network-absorbing the energy of tearing forces.
Transportation
PEXGOL pipes are produced in long, continuous lengths which are coiled on special drums suitable for land transport on trailers or sea transport in containers. The pipe can then be easily uncoiled and placed directly on the ground near the trench. For example, while 6-inch steel pipes are supplied in bars of 6 or 12 meters, 160 mm Pexgol pipes can be supplied on drums in lengths of 600 m.
The following table shows the long, continuous lengths of flexible pipethat can be supplied on drums. Straight PEXGOL pipe bars can also be supplied according to customer request.