Pumps for Mining — mine dewatering, ore slurry & tailings
Select pumps by process stage in the mine & processing plant: submersible slurry pump for dewatering and dredging, abrasion-resistant slurry centrifugal pump for cyclone feed and tailings, high-pressure plunger pump for mine hydraulics and water jetting — combined with tailings dewatering and water recirculation.
Vietnam's mining industry contributes approximately 2.48% of GDP (2023), with more than 5,000 mines and approximately 60 mineral types — coal (reserves ~8 billion tonnes), bauxite (~5.8 billion tonnes) and apatite (~2,374 million tonnes). Each mine is a chain of pump application points from dewatering to tailings. (sourced data — the-shiv / dgmv.gov.vn / Wikipedia)
Where are pumps used in the mining & mineral processing chain?
Each stage involves different fluids and requirements — mine water with sand, abrasive ore slurry, high-pressure water, tailings. The diagram below maps the appropriate pump/equipment family to each application point, so selection is by process stage rather than by a general category.
Mine Dewatering (dewatering)
Turbid mine water containing sand/sludge; continuous operation, variable flow rate.
Mine hydraulics / roof support
High-pressure clean water supply for hydraulic jacks and longwall roof support.
Hydro-mining / water jetting / descaling
Ultra-high-pressure water jets for ore breaking/washing, descaling and dust suppression.
Cyclone feed / mill discharge
Highly abrasive ore slurry, high solids content — primary centrifugal slurry line.
Concentrate transport (hydrotransport)
Long-distance concentrate pipeline pumping; flow control to reduce erosion.
Wet sand/ore dredging
Pumping sand/ore from the bottom of ponds, rivers and flooded pits; very high solids content.
Tailings pump (tailings)
Transfer tailings to the tailings dam / dewatering area; abrasive, continuous duty.
Tailings pond recovery & tailings dewatering
Re-dredging settled sludge; screening, washing, sand separation, flocculation, filter pressing.
9 pump/equipment application points in the mine → processing plant → tailings chain: mine dewatering · mine hydraulics/roof support · hydro-mining/water jetting · cyclone feed/mill discharge · concentrate transport · wet sand/ore dredging · tailings pump · tailings pond recovery · tailings water dewatering & treatment (Matec). Match the model to each actual operating point — contact for datasheet
Three challenges in mines & processing plants — and how to address them
Abrasion from hard ore particles, continuous dewatering with variable groundwater flow, and tailings water treatment and reuse are three recurring problem groups. Each card below describes the mechanism causing the issue and the corresponding technical approach.
Ore particle abrasion damaging pumps and seals
Hard ore particles (quartz, iron, polymetallic ore) abrade the impeller, casing and flow passages in centrifugal slurry pumps; abrasive slurry combined with pressure breaks rotating mechanical seals causing leaks & downtime.
Wear-resistant material centrifugal slurry pump — hi-chrome (Cr 32–35%, ≥450 HBN) for coarse particles, or rubber-lined for fine particles (Schurco). Dragflow submersible pumps use hi-chrome wear parts for high solids content.
Continuous dewatering, variable flow rate
Dewatering pumps run 24/7 with groundwater that varies seasonally → prone to overloading or running dry; turbid mine water with sand/sludge quickly wears standard pumps. Acid mine drainage (AMD) with low pH also corrodes materials.
Abrasion-resistant submersible pump (Dragflow) for sandy pits/sumps; deep-shaft high-pressure drainage uses Kamat plunger pump (tolerates poor-quality water, filtration down to 250 µm, speed control 10–100%). Match the operating range to actual site conditions.
Tailings water treatment & reuse
Tailings must be transferred to the tailings dam then dewatered; environmental pressure and water costs require water recovery for reuse. Long-distance slurry transport also causes pipeline and valve erosion.
Equipment Matec (screening, washing, sand separation + filter pressing, flocculation) separate solid–liquid, producing dry filter cake and recovering water. On the pipeline, the control valve SlurryFlo helps reduce erosion of the valve body and downstream piping.
Pumps by duty: submersible slurry, centrifugal slurry, high-pressure plunger & control valve
Four solution families for different process stages. Data is based on verified manufacturer/TKT data; maximum range figures represent the full-series envelope, not a single model — specific operating points (Q×H×%solids×particle size) are noted as "contact for datasheet".
Dragflow EL Series electric submersible pump
- Drive
- Electric motor · up to ~180 kW
- Solids handling
- up to 70% solids (w/w), agitator
- Applications
- Dewatering, dredging, tailings pond
- Per-model Q/H
- contact for datasheet
Dragflow HY Series hydraulic submersible pump
- Flow rate
- 75–4.000 m³/h (full range)
- Power
- 13–475 kW (full range)
- Head
- up to ~78 m (mid-size HY35–HY85)
- Applications
- Dredging, sand extraction, mining
S Series Lined Slurry Pump
- Flow rate
- up to 5,000 m³/h
- Head
- up to 73 m
- Discharge port
- 25–450 mm · slurry Class I–IV
- Materials
- Rubber-lined / metal (hi-chrome M09)
H Series high-pressure slurry pump
- Head
- up to 100 m
- Working pressure
- up to 5,170 kPa (~51.7 bar)
- Flow rate
- up to 700 m³/h
- Applications
- Hydrotransport, tailings
V Series vertical slurry pump
- Type
- Vertical (vertical cantilever) · sump
- Solids handling
- up to ~60% solids (w/w)
- Discharge port
- 40–250 mm · depth up to ~3,600 mm
- Applications
- Collection sump, tailings sump
Kamat K-series high-pressure plunger pump
- Pressure
- up to 3.500 bar (theo model)
- Flow rate
- 6.8–10,529 L/min (series range)
- Fluid
- High-pressure clean water · filtration down to 250 µm
- Applications
- Mine hydraulics, water jetting, deep-shaft dewatering
View submersible pumps View high-pressure pumps Slurry & solids pump
Kamat K-series table, pump family & material selector
Kamat per-model data sourced from verified kamat.de (bar, L/min, kW). Unverified values for specific operating points are noted as "contact for datasheet".
| Model | Configuration | Max pressure | Flow rate | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K100-3 | Triplex | 2.000 bar | 6,8 L/min | 15 kW |
| K4500-3 | Triplex | 2.125 bar | 232 L/min | 45 kW |
| K8000-3G | Triplex | 2.950 bar | 283 L/min | 75 kW |
| K9000-3G | Triplex | 3.140 bar | 283 L/min | 90 kW |
| K11000-3G | Triplex | 2.665 bar | 454 L/min | 110 kW |
| K18000-3G | Triplex | 3.500 bar | 522 L/min | 180 kW |
| K25000-3G | Triplex | 3.185 bar | 1.148 L/min | 250 kW |
| K45000-3G | Triplex | 3.500 bar | 1.310 L/min | 450 kW |
| K55000-5G | Quintuplex | 3.500 bar | 1.913 L/min | 550 kW |
| K100000-5G | Quintuplex | 3.500 bar | 3.482 L/min | 1.000 kW |
| K300000-5G | Quintuplex | 1.000 bar | 10.529 L/min | 3.000 kW |
Source: kamat.de (per-model). TKT's Kamat page lists 15 K-series models but does not specify bar/L-min values — actual operating points for dewatering/water-jet: contact for datasheet
Pump family selection guide by process stage
- Sandy pit/sump dewatering: submersible slurry pump (Dragflow) — installed directly in water/slurry.
- Deep-shaft drainage / mine hydraulics / water jetting: high-pressure plunger pump (Kamat) — high-pressure clean water.
- Cyclone feed / mill discharge / tailings: surface-mounted centrifugal slurry pump (Schurco) — hi-chrome / rubber-lined.
- Dredging / tailings pond recovery with high % solids: submersible pump with agitator (Dragflow) + dredging head.
- Exact model match for each actual operating point — contact for datasheet
Submersible or surface-mounted centrifugal pump?
Installed directly in water/slurry (pit, pond, underwater), self-priming, very high solids content (up to 70%), agitator to lift settled solids — suitable for sandy dewatering & dredging.
Surface-mounted (horizontal or vertical) for fixed process lines: cyclone feed, mill discharge, tailings, hydrotransport. Select material by particle size and pH.
Wear-resistant & corrosion-resistant material selector
Coarse ore slurry, high abrasion
- Hi-chrome
- Cr 32–35%
- ≥450 HBN
Coarse/highly abrasive particles favor hi-chrome (gang-crom) — Schurco M09 and Dragflow wear parts use hi-chrome.
Fine ore slurry / neutral pH
- Rubber lining
- Rubber-lined
Fine particles, neutral pH typically suit rubber-lined (Schurco S/L/H lined). Match slurry class (Class I–IV) to actual operating conditions.
Acid mine drainage (AMD)
Acid mine drainage (low pH, dissolved metals) corrodes standard materials. Material selection for AMD depends on specific pH/composition — contact for datasheet
Precisely match materials by slurry class, % solids, particle size and pH — contact for datasheet
Select correctly by process stage
Four dedicated solution families for dewatering, mineral processing slurry, high pressure and flow control — rather than grouping under a generic "slurry pump".
Wear-resistant materials
Hi-chrome for coarse particles, rubber lining for fine particles — extending service life of components in contact with ore slurry.
Continuous 24/7 operation
Kamat speed control 10–100% (1 variable frequency drive for multiple pumps); Dragflow submersible self-priming for variable water flow rate.
Closed water loop
Pump + screening/washing/sand separation + filter press dewatering of tailings (Matec) within a single solution package.
Four brands, four roles in mining & mineral processing plants
Two complementary slurry pump lines (Dragflow submersible, Schurco dry-installed centrifugal), one high-pressure clean water pump line (Kamat), and tailings dewatering equipment (Matec) — covering the full chain from mine to tailings. Each brand's role is presented accurately.
Positive displacement plunger pump for high-pressure clean water — mine hydraulics & powered roof supports, high-pressure washing/hydraulic mining, descaling, deep shaft dewatering. Pressure up to 3,500 bar (model-dependent), speed control 10–100%, tolerates low-quality water filtered to 250 µm. This is a clean water pump, not for direct slurry pumping.
See Kamat brandSubmersible pump installed in pit/pond/underwater, handles slurry up to 70% solids by weight, agitator impeller lifts settled solids, hi-chrome wear parts. Optional dredging head, dredging system, amphibious excavator — suitable for sandy dewatering, dredging and tailings pond recovery.
See Dragflow brandDry-installed slurry centrifugal pump for fixed process lines: cyclone feed, mill discharge, tailings, hydrotransport. Series S/L/H/U/P/Z/V; hi-chrome M09 (Cr 32–35%, ≥450 HBN) or rubber-lined; discharge port 25–550 mm. Manufactured in the USA, ISO 9001:2015.
See Schurco Slurry brandSolid–liquid separation & mineral/water processing equipment: vibrating screen (Screentec), classifying screen (Aggretec), sand separation & recovery (Sandtec), ore scrubbing (Scrubtec), filter press + flocculation/decanter station. Handles tailings dewatering & wash water recycling — not a fluid transfer pump.
View Matec brandSlurryFlo — slurry flow control valve on pipeline (not a pump)
SlurryFlo is a VALVE for slurry flow control, not a type of pump. The valve is installed on the pump pipeline (cyclone feed, hydrotransport, tailings) to control flow. The patented trim acts as a variable restrictor, "centering" the slurry flow within the pipe to reduce erosion of the valve body & downstream piping. This is a device complementary to Schurco/Dragflow pumps, for tailings reclamation and cyclone feed applications. Size/material range — contact for datasheet
Learn about SlurryFlo — slurry flow control valveMining segments served
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Q&A on pumps for the mining industry
Which pump type should be used for mine dewatering?
Why do slurry pumps wear quickly in mineral processing plants, and what material should be selected?
Which pump is used for cyclone feed / mill discharge and tailings pumping?
Which pump is used for underwater sand/ore dredging or tailings pond slurry recovery?
What is the high-pressure plunger pump used for in a mine?
Is SlurryFlo a pump or a valve?
What equipment is used to treat and reuse wash water/tailings water?
How does a submersible pump differ from a dry-installed slurry centrifugal pump in a mine?
Pump selection consultation for your mine
Provide the process stage, fluid, flow rate, head, % solids and particle size — sufficient for us to recommend the right pump family and model. Call directly, message via Zalo or submit a request through the form.
- Process stage
- Fluid
- Flow rate / head
- % solids / particle size
- Fluid pH
Corrosive chemical transfer pumps for the mining industry
Mineral processing and recovery processes use highly corrosive acids (sulfuric, leaching solutions) — where mechanical seals are prone to leakage and chemical spills. Finish Thompson (FTI) — the magnetic drive centrifugal pump line sealless (sealless mag-drive) distributed by TKT as authorized — eliminates the shaft through the pump casing so there is no longer a leakage path through the seal.
Magnetic coupling replaces the through-shaft — eliminating shaft seal leak points when pumping corrosive chemicals.
Select wetted-end materials based on actual chemical concentration and temperature at each process stage.
Multiple FTI series use carbon bearings, enabling dry running when the tank is empty — useful for processes with suction-dry risk.
Detailed technical guide for Sandpiper diaphragm pumps — correct selection, installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting.