Reducing Mine Dewatering Pump Replacement From 12 to 4 Per Year

The Pumps Manager for a large West Australian underground nickel mine discusses his experience changing over to use PumpEng Raptor pumps.

How would you describe your role?

I manage the underground dewatering pump systems used in our underground nickel mine.

What issues were you experiencing with your previous pump provider?

The previous supplier was charging me for hiring pumps even when they weren’t on-site because they were constantly breaking down. I was also being charged a ridiculous amount to get them repaired.

On top of that, there was a slow turnaround in getting repaired pumps back to us. That is why we decided to change over to PumpEng pumps.

Can you tell me how many pumps you’ve currently got there?

We are using forty PumpEng Raptor pumps underground and in all the sumps.

How would you describe their performance?

Excellent. These pumps are of higher quality, and they last longer. They are easier to clean out. The actual pump, impeller, and workings of the pump are easier to access. The electricians are very happy with the set-up of the electrical side of it. We see consistently good results with the pumps.

How would you describe the customer service you get from PumpEng?

They’ve done the right thing. They’ve looked after us very well.

Can you tell me what sort of feedback you are getting from your crew about these pumps?

The crew who put them in are very pleased. The pumps have run for three or four months at a time. Before that, we had to change the pumps every month.

It’s less rigorous for the crew to change them out and bring them up to the surface. The turnaround time from PumpEng is excellent.

What would you say to someone who is thinking of switching to PumpEng for their dewatering pumps?

I’m happy to recommend PumpEng and their Raptor pumps. We are a nickel mine, so we are hard on our pumps, and these do the job.

I’ve actually got other sites asking what we’re using and seeking a supplier recommendation. We are happy to recommend PumpEng to them.

Read more:

• • PumpEng Dewatering Pumps
  • The Business Case for Dewatering Pump Hire on Mine Sites