Whether it’s an open-cut or underground site, the transfer for groundwater, runoff, and seeping is a critical process to prevent safety risks and interreference with fast-paced mining operations. The development of pumps specifically designed for dewatering has made this process increasingly efficient, catering to even the deepest and widest mines that may be experiencing water or slurry-build up.
Where a particular location may be experiencing water build-up, it can be transferred and deposited away from the site, or into a purpose-built containment area. Due to the particularly rugged conditions in many mines, the equipment – pumps, hosing, and any required attachments – must possess durable qualities to avoid failure and consequential downtime.
This is where the team at Advanced Industrial Products (AIP) have built a name catering to the unique challenges of Australia’s harshest worksites. Tony Brown, AIP Category Specialist, looks after supply, handling overseas importing and making sure that each branch has the correct amount of stock on order. Collaborating with Motion Australia’s supply chain experts, he ensures that all of AIP’s products arrive on time and to specification.
“AIP is a very recognisable name in the mining industry’s supply market,” he says. “We work alongside a lot of Australia’s biggest manufacturers and ventures within the sector, liaising with a far-reaching distributor network to service even the most remote locations with the best quality hosing product and accessories.”
He adds that, based in central Queensland, AIP’s Mackay branch works alongside customers from Port Douglas all the way to Gladstone and as far west as Longreach, liaising with highly knowledgeable distributors in every regional town across the Bowen Basin.
“We supply a lot of dewatering hose to open-cut mines, usually fitted up with Bauer or pump line couplings. These are predominantly sturdy and long-length hoses, designed to run over the mine’s high wall.”
With underground mining comes a lot of additional safety factors, Tony explains, including static electricity and the risk of fires. AIP caters to this with a comprehensive selection of FRAS rated (heavy-duty, fire resistant, anti-static) hoses, putting together bespoke assemblies in-house that meet each site’s unique safety guidelines.
“We are cognisant of the fact that as an industry, mining has extremely specific requirements for equipment used underground, and our portfolio aims to hit the mark in terms of quality, reliability, and meeting those standards accurately.”
Underground mines contend with a myriad of risks associated with methane gas, and ignition around running equipment. In addition to dewatering, AIP is involved with methane drainage for these applications, and has increased their in-house capabilities for crimping.
“This allows us to do away with standard run-of-the-mill clamps,” Tony points out. “AIP isn’t really focused on supplying what’s always been done for the last ten or 15 years; it’s about listening to people and coming up with new ways to create safer, more productive environments.”
Harnessing a wealth of experience in assessing customer needs, AIP offers viable alternatives, prioritising cost-saving and longer lasting options that will outlast standard hosing products.
“The biggest priority for mines is to get years of use from their componentry, to reduce shutdowns, failures, and unplanned halts. We provide a selection of brass and stainless-steel accessories including couplings, camlocks, valves, and gauges, establishing ourselves as a convenient one-stop-shop which makes everything easier on the customer’s end – one purchase order, one collection point, and one invoice.”
