- 15th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings 16–19 April 2012 · Sun City, South Africa
Paterson & Cooke Sudbury Office
Paterson & Cooke opened a Canadian office effective February 2010. The office principal is Rob Brown. Rob has worked on paste backfill and surface tailings applications since 1997. He has extensive international experience with paste plants, delivery systems and underground backfill placement.
Paste & Thickened Tailings Course, Golden, Colorado, USA
Paterson & Cooke presented the second course on Paste and Thickened Tailings (P&TT) at the Colorado School of Mines. P&TT has developed into a mature technology with wide application in mine tailings management. The application of P&TT technology requires a sound understanding of slurry colloidal behavior, thickening and thickener operation, rheology, pump and pipeline transport systems, and disposal methodologies.
This four day course, presented in conjunction with Prof. Andy Fourie of the University of Western Australia, provides delegates with a thorough background to the field so that they are better equipped to successfully implement P&TT systems. The next course will be presented at the Colorado School of Mines during January 2012.
Thickened and Paste Slurry Transportation Course: Santiago, Chile
More than 80 delegates attended this two day course held on 29 - 30 November 2007. Delegates who attended can click here to download the additional powerpoint slides presented in Section 8 on gland sealing arrangements.
New On-line Process Viscometers at Voorspoed Mine
Two new Paterson & Cooke On-line Process Viscometers have been shipped to Voorspoed Mine where they will be installed as part of the GLV thickener underflow system.
The new viscometers will be used as part of a unique underflow control philosophy that monitors the thickener underflow viscosity as opposed to density; maximising tailings concentration.
The monetary incentive to dewater has risen dramatically and an increasing number of process plants are starting to install thickeners and disposal pumping systems that have to handle very viscous slurries. The only way to handle these slurries reliably and safely is to include viscosity data in the control philosophy.
Joint Saskatchewan Research Council / Paterson & Cooke Slurry Pipeline Course
The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) and Paterson and Cooke Consulting Engineers (PCCE) joined forces to offer a comprehensive course in slurry pipeline design and operation in Saskatoon from 2 – 5 October 2006. The SRC has conducted hundreds of slurry pipeline R&D programs and developed a primarily mechanistic model describing the pipeline flow of settling slurries. This model has been presented previously by the SRC as part of their usual two day course, and together with aspects of PC’s established four day course, it was decided that a unified four day course should be developed.
The course was offered in two parts: an introductory course that focused on the basic principles of slurry pipeline flows and an advanced course that provided the participant with experience in applying the basic principles to actual design situations, including conventional slurry and thickened slurry (paste) systems. The advanced course included an afternoon practical session where groups had to measure the flow behaviour of a range of slurries using bench top viscometers and 75 mm and 300 mm test pipelines. The data was analysed by each group and presented to the class. This provided excellent hands on experience to many of the theoretical problems presented in the course. 22 delegates attended the course, and based on the enthusiastic response, the course will become a regular feature for the Canadian mining industry.
Slurry Pipeline Course: CPD credits
We are pleased that the Slurry Pipeline Design Course is the first course approved by the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits. In terms of the newly promulgated rules of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), professional engineers and technologists need to maintain their professional development through the CPD programme. Credits are awarded for developmental work (courses, conferences), work based activities (work of an engineering nature) and individual activities (publications, research). For more details on the CPD requirements, visit the ECSA website at www.ecsa.co.za. The Slurry Pipeline Design Course is accredited for four CPD credits.
If you are interested in attending this course please complete the online registration form or contact Terry Carolin on +27 (0) 21 683 4734 fax +27 (0) 683 4168 or e-mail slurry@patersoncooke.com if you require any further information.
2006 is the fifteenth year of operation of Paterson & Cooke. We are extremely satisfied to have seen the company grow, and to achieve the stature and reputation it has during this time, and would like to express thanks to our committed staff that are always prepared to go the extra mile.
2005 Slurry Pipeline Course, Guiyang, China
In October 2005, Brad Ricks and Dr George Shou of Brass and Dr Angus Paterson of Paterson & Cooke presented a joint three day course on the design of slurry pipeline systems in Guiyang, China. More than 30 delegates attended, including senior mine managers, project engineers and consultants. The course included a field trip to the Weng Fu phosphate pipeline pump station.
