Acid Slurry Pumping in Active Copper Mines — 24 Hours a Day

Xstrata Copper — Acid Slurry in Chilean Copper Mines

The Challenge

Xstrata Copper (now Glencore, one of the world's largest commodity companies) operates copper mines in Chile where the process streams combine two of the most destructive forces a pump can face: highly abrasive mineral solids and aggressive acid chemistry. Acid slurry from copper processing attacks metal components chemically while simultaneously grinding them down mechanically. Most pump types fail rapidly under this dual attack.

Xstrata required two pump sizes for different flow rates on the same acid slurry duty: a smaller installation at 3.8 m³/h and a larger at 34 m³/h, both operating 24 h/day at 20–40°C.

The Solution

KECO specified Rotho MS2 (M Series) for the smaller installation and Rotho DF100 (LD Series) for the larger. Both pumps were fitted with Hypalon (HY) tube material — the correct choice for acid-containing applications. Hypalon provides 3x the acid resistance of standard EPDM tube on chlorinated and mineral acid duty.

The peristaltic design keeps all metal components completely outside the product zone. The acid slurry never contacts the pump housing, rollers, or drive components — only the Hypalon tube interior. When the tube wears, replacement takes minutes and requires no specialized tools or pump expertise.

Xstrata Results

Cia. Vale do Rio Doce — Caustic Soda and Salt Slurry

Cia. Vale do Rio Doce (now Vale S.A., one of the world's largest mining companies) operates multiple process streams in Brazil that require chemical-resistant, abrasion-tolerant pumps.

Caustic Soda Transfer — DF215 AB (LD Series)

Vale deployed a Rotho DF215 AB (large-frame LD Series) for caustic soda transfer at density 1.52 and 40 m³/h flow, 2.5 bar pressure. The mining environment with highly abrasive products, high solids content, and strong chemical acidity makes this one of the most demanding pump applications documented. The peristaltic design ensures all mechanical parts remain completely outside the product zone — tube-only replacement on every maintenance cycle.

KCl/NaCl Salt Slurry — MS3 (M Series)

A second Vale installation uses the Rotho MS3 for abrasive crystalline potassium chloride and sodium chloride slurry at 13 m³/h, 2 bar, 24 h continuous. Crystalline salt slurry destroys mechanical seals and metallic components rapidly. With Rotho, the tube is the only wear item — maintenance cost is a fraction of alternative pump types on this duty.

Why Mining Operations Choose Peristaltic Pumps

Mining process streams represent some of the most aggressive pumping environments on earth — combining abrasive mineral solids with corrosive acid or alkaline chemistry, often in remote locations where maintenance access is difficult and downtime is extremely costly. Peristaltic pumps offer specific advantages that no other pump type can match:

• No wetted metal: In acid or alkaline slurry applications, metallic pump internals corrode and abrade simultaneously. Peristaltic pumps have no wetted metal — only the tube contacts the product. Tube replacement is a complete process-path renewal in minutes.
• High solids passage: Mining slurries often contain coarse mineral solids. Peristaltic pumps pass solids up to 45% of tube bore diameter without plugging — far exceeding centrifugal or progressive cavity alternatives.
• Self-priming: Mining installations frequently involve variable head conditions and intermittent operation. Peristaltic pumps self-prime reliably every time, with no need for foot valves or priming systems.
• Tube material selection: Hypalon for acid service, natural rubber for abrasive slurry — the tube material is selected for the specific chemical and wear profile of each application.