Mining

FlexSteel Resists Corrosion and Abrasion in Mining Applications

Polyethylene pipe has been widely utilized in the mining industry for more than 30 years due to its resistance to common threats including abrasion, caustic corrosion, and mechanical damage. This cost-effective material is well recognized to provide long-term reliability in demanding environments. FlexSteel’s HDPE liner and shield offer equivalent resistance to these harsh conditions, with the added benefit of a steel reinforcement layer.

FlexSteel advantages for mining applications:

  • Diameters up to 10 inches

  • Working pressures above 500 psi

  • Longer lengths in coils

Extensive industry testing has demonstrated that polyethylene is highly resistant to erosion by sand or coal particles. This has been confirmed by in-situ testing of FlexSteel pipelines used to convey natural gas with coal particles in which no erosion was observed.

In flowline applications involving slurries, field observations of pipelines in service have shown that there is minimal abrasion to the pipeline and no loss of function.

In many cases, mining applications will include significant elevation changes (e.g. mine pit to natural grade). The subsequent hydrostatic pressure created by this elevation change may render traditional HDPE pipe unfit for service. However,  the steel reinforcement in FlexSteel pipe negates this concern, offering the ability to operate at pressures up to 3000 psi. Elevated velocities may be experienced in these high-pressure conditions, but FlexSteel products are ideally suited for these environments.

Slurry

The high-density polyethylene (HDPE) liner in FlexSteel is resistant to abrasion from the solids, as well as corrosion from the soil. This makes FlexSteel highly suitable for slurry pipelines that convey concentrates of mined ore that has been mixed with water and then pumped over a long distance to a location for further processing.

Installation

FlexSteel has also been tested under the long-term tension loading which may be associated with a vertical or near vertical installation in a mining application.

Success Story

  • Operator in Chile Installs Over 1.95 km of Pipe in Less than 1 Week to Remove Water from Open Pit Copper Mine

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