Two Sykes XH150 trailer mounted pumps will soon be doing dewatering duty at a mine in Africa, supplied by southern African distributors Integrated Pump Rental based in Jet Park, Gauteng.

This range of diesel powered units is ideal for dewatering an open pit, offering characteristics that include high head and head flow, according to Lee Vine, managing director of Integrated Pump Rental.

Vine emphasises that even the best run mine sites can be plagued by expensive challenges if they do not effectively control groundwater ingress into the open pit.

“This can cause not only programme delays but could also adversely affect health and safety on site,” he says. “So, when addressing the need for dewatering, it is vital that contractors deal with a supplier that understands dewatering applications and is able to provide the correct level of technical assistance; this will ensure that the most efficient methods are selected for the demands of a specific site.”

The Sykes Xtra High Head pump set boasts automatic priming and solids handling, so it dewaters more efficiently and effectively; it also has one of the best shaft stiffness ratios of any automatic priming pump on the market.

“These are fully automatic priming pumps and can run dry for extended periods due to the oil bath mechanical seal assembly,” he adds. “The low fuel consumption makes them cost effective to use for extended periods for time when dewatering.”

The pumps – designed for robust and reliable performance with high volumes of water – have an established reputation for the fast and effective control and removal of sub-surface water, he says. They can be primed with long suction hoses and can manage suction lifts of up to nine metres.

The pumps can even operate in ‘snore’ condition, which accommodates fluctuating suction levels; the pump will snore until the liquid is available for the pump to fully reprime itself automatically.