Protecting pumpsets from rock fall

Sykes Group was recently approached by one of its mining customers to assist in solving an age-old problem - how to avoid damage to pumpsets from rock fallout during blasting.

High head mining pontoon-mounted pumps are often left in place in high wall sumps when blasting takes place and have traditionally been protected by means of a solid 6 mm canopy covering the engine.

As pumping technology improves and ancillary software and devices installed onto pumpsets to monitor flow rates, pressure, temperatures, shutdowns and telemetry improve, it has become necessary to protect these items from damage. The cages also act as a deterrent to vandals, as well as protecting the unit from day-to-day damage.

The solution was not a new one as Sykes has been building cages and canopies around pumpsets for years. However, these cages, around the entire pumpset, needed to be engineered to ensure complete protection from fallout of large rocks and debris during blasting.