HIGHLAND VALLEY COPPER JOB DETAILS: MARKET: Metals & Mining PRODUCT: Five Star MineForm Backer Grout DATE: 2013 LOCATION: Thompson Plateau, British Columbia SUBSTRATE: Ball Mill Inset CONTRACTOR: Acres Contracting ENGINEER: Metso/Teck Metals THE CHALLENGE Highland Valley Copper, located in South Central British Columbia, produces Copper and Molybdenum concentrates. These are manufactured using a combination of both autogenous and semiautogenous grinding and flotation processes. As part of scheduled repairs to a Metso Ball Mill, a new insert was required at one end. This fabricated steel assembly had a complicated internal geometry which resonated when the mill was in operation due to the pulverizing of the ore within the drum. If unchecked this leads to weld fatigue and premature failure. THE SOLUTION Due to problems with grout sourced from another manufacturer, Metso required an alternative solution to fill this hollow section of the Ball Mill Insert. The original failed grout was mechanically removed and the insert re-prepared for grouting, this time with Five Star MineForm Backer Grout.
Due to the complicated internal shape, four grouting locations were selected, three of which were utilized during the pour. Placing a backing material into the cavity dampens the vibration energy and thus reduces the harmonics that cause weld fatigue. The entire grouting operation took approximately 6 hours and used 350 gallons of MineForm Backer Grout. Five Star MineForm Backer Grout is a two-component, 100% solids, epoxy grouting system specifically engineered for use in the demanding mining industry to secure wear plates under cone crushers, aggregate crushers, grinding mills and related heavy machinery. Five Star MineForm Backer Grout is formulated to provide high compressive and tensile strengths while bearing extreme repetitive dynamic loads.
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