Maximize Water Recovery with SlurryFlo

Tailings thickeners play a key role in modern mining operations by supporting water recovery and reducing the environmental impact of mineral processing.

These large tanks use gravity sedimentation to concentrate tailings slurry, reclaiming water for reuse while directing solids to disposal or further processing.

Thickener underflow presents one of the most challenging slurry control applications in the industry. High solids concentrations (often exceeding 70% by weight), abrasive media, and varying flow demands place immense stress on traditional valves, leading to frequent failures, system downtime, and significant water losses.

Underflow Control Valve Challenges

Conventional underflow control valves (e.g., pinch valves, ball valves, etc.) often underperform in thickener applications due to:

Rapid wear and frequent failures
Poor flow control at high solids concentrations
Blockages and choking under variable process conditions
Manual interventions or unplanned shutdowns
Reduced water recovery efficiency

Field data from operating sites shows that, in highly abrasive service such as high-quartz tailings, underflow valves can experience extreme wear, with service life reported to be as short as 10 hours in some installations.

What Sets SlurryFlo valves Apart?

Engineered for Abrasion

‍Flow is centered through a replaceable trim (seat plate, gate, and bore liner), protecting the valve body. Only the wear components are exposed to slurry.

Extended Service Life

Proven wear resistance provides significantly longer operating life than traditional valves, with up to 95% fewer shutdowns reported in some operations.

SlurryFlo Control Valve replaceable wear components

Precision Level Control

Equal-percentage flow characteristics allow fine-tuned level management, reducing rake torque overload and preventing overflow events.

Adaptability to Harsh Slurries

Performs reliably with thickener underflows containing >70% solids and slurries exceeding 5000 cP viscosity.

Reduced Water Losses

Reliable control ensures optimal water recovery and helps meet sustainability targets.

Case Study

In Northern Mexico, a copper mine facing chronic valve failures switched to a custom SlurryFlo control valve for their thickener underflow system. Prior to the switch, no valve had lasted more than two weeks. After installation, the SlurryFlo valve delivered continuous operation with drastically reduced wear, eliminating reliance on fixed orifice plates and manual intervention.

Copper Tailings Thickener - Damaged Ceramic Liner

Left: Copper tailings thickener discharge line showing a damaged internal ceramic liner. Right: Damaged pinch valve sleeve (originally specified) installed on the copper thickener discharge line, service life approximately 2 weeks.

Other mines have reported marked improvements in water recovery, more stable thickener operation, and significant reductions in maintenance and replacement costs.

Valve Configuration

For thickener underflow applications, SAF recommends:

Valve Type: Custom-engineered SlurryFlo Control Valve with knife gate architecture.
Seat Plate: Designed for equal-percentage control curve, tailored to site-specific flow requirements.
Materials: High-hardness alloys and wear-resistant coatings for abrasive resistance.
Maintenance: Field-replaceable wear components for reduced downtime.

The Results

It is immediately apparent that the SlurryFlo control valve provides a wider control range, as shown by the following values:

SlurryFlo Control Valve Flow Curve Chart

In addition to its superior control range, the SlurryFlo control valve also delivered the following benefits:

Operated continuously for one year without interruption.
After 1 year of service, the trim (gate, bore liner and seat plate) were quickly replaced to reset the service life clock.
Reduced operating and maintenance downtime costs by avoiding approximately 24 shutdowns.
Improved control accuracy and enabled continuous control, which significantly increased water recovery.