Field results from abrasive-duty operations. Every project below follows the same structure: challenge → Matec solution → measured outcome.
A copper mine in South America operates open-pit mines and a concentrator across the Americas. This case covers its primary grinding circuit, where mill-discharge is one of the most aggressive wear points in the concentrator.
We developed a Duramic™ composite throatbush — a wear-resistant compound tuned for high-impact, high-solids mill-discharge — with geometry identical to the original. It drops into the existing Pump 650 with no change to pipework, shaft or assembly clearances, and brings the throatbush service interval into line with the rest of the wet end.
Throatbush life extended from 1,800–2,200 h to up to 3,500 h, turning unscheduled change-outs into one planned maintenance event.
| Metric | Before (original) | After (Duramic™) |
|---|---|---|
| Throatbush service life | 1,800–2,200 h | up to 3,500 h |
| Surrounding wet-end life | 3,000–3,500 h | 3,000–3,500 h |
| Maintenance pattern | Unscheduled throatbush change-outs | Planned single-event wet-end replacement |
Background: A large copper concentrator needed longer intervals on its primary cyclone feed pumps. The existing liners were over-specified for the actual particle distribution and the impeller was running off the best-efficiency point.
Solution: Re-selected liner grade and impeller profile against the real duty, supplied as a high-chrome wet-end set with a spare impeller.
Background: A copper concentrator needed a reliable concentrate transfer pump. Excessive gland water was diluting the final product and affecting downstream filtration.
Solution: High-chrome metallic wet end with an expeller-type seal arrangement to minimise gland-water dilution.
Background: A horizontal slurry pump in an iron-ore concentrator was seeing coarse particle distribution and high impeller wear, disrupting the ball mill discharge circuit.
Solution: A05-equivalent high-chrome wet end matched to the coarse particle distribution, with spare impeller and full liner set for single-event refurbishment.
Background: A gold ore processing circuit needed different materials for fine inter-stage transfer versus coarse mill-discharge and tailings stages.
Solution: Rubber-lined wet ends on fine, low-head inter-stage duties; high-chrome metallic on coarse mill-discharge and tailings — material split by stage.
Background:A 14TU horizontal slurry pump re-rated to run at Best Efficiency Point for the actual duty, with a matched liner grade and heavy-duty bearing assembly.
Solution: A 14TU horizontal slurry pump drawing 1,500–2,000 m³/h, with high-chrome wet-end parts and a heavy-duty bearing assembly.
Background: A copper mine wanted to qualify an aftermarket source for MHM concentrate pumps before moving away from OEM spares.
Solution: Full MHM wet-end kit with material certificates and dimension reports, released after a trial install on one pump.
Background: A sand washing plant needed a pump that could pass occasional coarse stones without manual clearing, while running at 500–1000 m³/h.
Solution: Wide-passage 8F heavy-duty pump with metallic wear parts supplied as spares.
Background: A long-distance tailings disposal line needed stable pressure and fewer unplanned stops at 1,500–2,000 m³/h.
Solution: Heavy-section wet end, staged seal arrangement and matched bearing assembly.
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