Testimonials from our customers
Read real stories from the field.
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Troy Boyles, Maintenance Superintendent, Cosmic Boy Concentrator
100% longer pump life is a great result.
Mining Contractor Electrical Superintendent
If I had to put a figure on it I’d say we’ve seen an extra 50% more life.
Gold Mining Project Supervisor
In a typical week with our last supplier, we’d be sending off two or three pumps for maintenance. These days we’d be lucky to send out two or three in a whole month.
Nickel Concentrator Maintenance Superintendent
The switch to ScatPump has meant we’ve doubled the pump life and it could work out to be even better than that.
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Choose from a topic, mine type or pump type.
What Maintenance Teams Say About ScatPump
The Cosmic Boy Concentrator treats raw nickel ore using a three-stage crushing circuit. These comments came directly from Troy Boyles, the Maintenance Superintendent for the Cosmic Boy Concentrator.
ScatPump Trial
“We trialled a ScatPump 5.5 submersible pump in our harshest floor sump environment under our crushing circuit. Not only did the pump last 100% longer, but it greatly increased the ease of replacement due to its smaller size compared to the previous vertical cantilever pump. We are now in the process of installing these ScatPump 5.5 pumps all around our plant, with positive feedback from maintenance and operations.”
This type of feedback is so valuable to the design team who worked on the ScatPump. The design team were particularly keen to take on board feedback from maintenance crews about what was needed. They are particularly pleased that our efforts to ensure a longer pump life are achieving the objective – 100% longer pump life is a great result.
We are also pleased that this smaller pump size means that when a pump does eventually need to be replaced, this can happen with greater ease for the maintenance team.
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Testimonial Link: What Maintenance Teams Say About ScatPump
Sumatra Copper & Gold Rapt With Raptors
PumpEng has been working with Sumatra Copper & Gold now for just over a year, supplying the Raptor, 1000v dewatering submersible pumps, as well as parts for their Tembang Project located in South Sumatra. Sumatra Copper & Gold use the 8kW and 20kW, 1000v Raptor pumps in their underground operation.
Dan Pember and Stan Oliver, the Underground Mine Operations Superintendents, have this to say:
“Working as Underground Mine Operations Superintendents has its challenges! PumpEng has been very professional and helpful, and their Raptor pumps have proven themselves time and again!”
PumpEng looks forward to continuing its support of Sumatra Copper & Gold in years to come.
Read more:
Testimonial Link: Sumatra Copper & Gold Rapt With Raptors
ScatPump Performance Reviewed In Gold Mining Trial
This is an interview with the Maintenance Superintendent for a gold plant about the recent trial of PumpEng ScatPumps in his plant.
How do you describe your operation?
We’re just a standard gold plant. We crush the rocks to pour in gold.
What were the problems you were having with your old pumps?
They weren’t lasting because of the conditions and the applications. They just weren’t lasting very long.
Why did you decide to go with ScatPumps and PumpEng?
We searched online and considered a few options. PumpEng were prepared to give us a trial. That trial has been successful.
How many pumps do you currently have?
Four.
Where do you use them?
We use them in the mill discharge sump and the gravity sump. We’ve also got a Scatpump for our main feed conveyor and also one in our belt room.
How would you describe their performance?
Oh, they’ve been magic. That’s why we’ve just trialled one in the gold room. We’ve only just put this one in. They’ve been great.
How do you find the exchange program?
We had a 22 kW pump the other day that we exchanged, and it was back within a week. It was magic. It’s definitely a better option for us.
What are the main benefits for you?
Well, lead time. The pump’s performance is magic. It’s good. Exchange turnaround is efficient.
How would you describe PumpEng customer service?
I found your people in Perth very easy to get on with. They’ve been great.
What sort of feedback are you getting from your crew?
It’s been good. Costs are down, pumps are easy to instal, and the life we’re getting from the pumps is great. We nearly doubled the life we were getting from the one in the gravity sump.
The performance we were getting from the ScatPump that we are using in our mill sump has actually let us lower the kilowatt rating on one of the pumps and allowed us to put in a smaller pump. This works out better for handling which is a safety factor.
What would you say to someone thinking about engaging PumpEng and putting in their pump range?
I’d say you’re mad if you don’t. What’ve you got to lose? They offer a free trial. Why would you not do it? There are no hidden costs, and there’s no Catch 22. So why wouldn’t you do it?
I think PumpEng have got a winning product, and I congratulate them. They’ve done well. The service exchange is the way to go. The whole company is very easy to deal with. I’m glad we found PumpEng. We appreciate their services.
Read more:
Testimonial Link: ScatPump Performance Reviewed In Gold Mining Trial
Reducing Dewatering Pump Failure In Underground Gold Mines
In this interview, a Project Supervisor talks about the issues he has experienced with the dewatering pumps in underground gold mining. He discusses how those problems were solved and the cost-saving that strategy represents.
How do you describe your operation?
We are an underground gold mine. We’ve got some water to manage. We use PumpEng to supply us with underground de-watering pumps to help us stay on top of de-watering underground.
What were the problems you were having with your old pumps from your previous supplier?
We were having issues with the poor standard of the old pumps. The repair invoicing was ridiculous. We were paying for pump repairs which weren’t issues when we sent them off-site. The pumps that we were sending off-site weren’t the same pumps that we were getting back. The pumps we were getting back were a combination of several pump parts put together with each having different serial numbers. We discovered this when we pulled some apart on-site. That led us to go down the path to finding a new supplier.
Why did you decide to go with PumpEng?
I called a few different suppliers and told them what I was trying to do. We invited three companies up on-site. We met with them and arranged pump demos. Our final decision was a combination of how we felt about the face-to-face interaction as well as how well the product performed. PumpEng came out on top.
How many pumps have you got working on-site at the moment?
I’ve got just under twenty. Eighteen are on contract. I’ve also got a few extras that I can increase and decrease when peak periods demand.
Where do you use them?
In the sumps underground as well as at the face. These are pretty disgusting, dirty places. We’ve got lots of muck, fines and shotcrete fibres underground. All the bad stuff winds up in the sumps. It is a hard environment, so you need a tough pump to keep on top of things.
How would you describe the performance of the PumpEng pumps?
Sensational. In a typical week with our last supplier, we’d be sending off two or three pumps for maintenance. These days we’d be lucky to send out two or three in a whole month. That in itself speaks volumes.
How would you describe the customer service from PumpEng?
Great. I am in constant contact with them. They’re always very open and honest. There’s no secrets or anything like that. It’s straight down the line and what you see is what you get.
They pride themselves on delivering a good product. If there are any issues or questions, they’re more than happy to listen and take things on board. They’ll work with you if you want to do something a little bit different or if you’ve got a special problem to solve. If I say, ” I need this pump to do this”, they’re more than happy to work with me and get that outcome.
What sort of feedback are you getting from your crew?
The crew themselves don’t access the pump, but the electricians and pump fitters usually had to handle issues with the pumps from the previous suppliers. Those electricians don’t even put a tool on these new pumps. The contract we have in place with them is a full-service agreement. Feedback from the site says it frees up many man-hours for us because we don’t have to worry about the pumps.
Read more:
Testimonial Link: Reducing Dewatering Pump Failure In Underground Gold Mines
50% More Life from PumpEng MetalVest™ High Head Pump
This is an interview with the Electrical Superintendent of a West Australian underground mining contractor. He is using forty PumpEng pumps across four different mining sites. Here is his feedback on the performance of the 37kW MetalVest™High Head Pump and Raptor® as well as PumpEng customer service and product life.
What were the problems you were having with your old pumps?
We were having a supply problem with the 37kW pumps. We just couldn’t get a hold of them quick enough. That is why we switched over to PumpEng and their pumps.
How many pumps do you currently have?
We are using PumpEng pumps over the four sites. I’d estimate that would be a total of about forty pumps, all used underground.
You are using a 37kW MetalVest™High Head Pump. What’s been your experience with them?
You do get a longer life out of them. That is particularly the case in underground mines where there’s a lot of sediment.
You’ve also used some of the PumpEng Raptor® pumps. What’s your experience with them?
We’ve had a good experience with them. The original pumps of this style were the Flygt pumps. In my opinion, these are every bit as good as the original product.
How would you describe PumpEng customer service?
Excellent. PumpEng is very good to deal with. The local office always answers the phone, which is great.
What sort of feedback do you get from your crew about this sort of equipment?
All positive. They don’t really get to knock the PumpEng gear, which is good.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about switching to PumpEng for their dewatering pumps?
I’d say yes, do it. PumpEng pumps will be equally as good, if not better, than what you are using. You’ll definitely get a longer life out of the standard 37kW pumps. If I had to put a figure on it, I’d say we’ve seen an extra 50% more life.
Read More:
Testimonial Link: 50% More Life from PumpEng MetalVest™ High Head Pump
Mining Dewatering Pumps For Salty Water & Harsh Conditions
Grant Kemp is the Mining – General Foreman for Mining SXO Underground Operations at Minjar Gold Pty Ltd which is part of their Southern Cross Operations. In this interview, he discusses using PumpEng Raptor and MetalVest submersible pumps for their underground mine dewatering where managing water volume and extreme salinity were a challenge.
Large Water Volume
How do you describe your operation?
Ours is a small underground operation with a lot of water issues. There are huge volumes of water we have to pump out from underground.
Old Pumps Not Coping with Capacity
What were the problems you were having with your old pumps?
They couldn’t handle the capacity of the water coming in. Due to the nature of the water, we were always having maintenance issues with them. Since changing over to PumpEng, we get good service.
Service From PumpEng
Why did you decide to try PumpEng pumps?
The contractor we were using was using them. We could see that they were getting a really good service from PumpEng. That is the reason we changed. We actually took over the contract, and the service has been extraordinary. If we strike a large volume of water unexpectedly we can ring them and get pumps to us. They offer a really good service.
How many pumps do you currently have?
I think it’s about 18, a combination of Raptor and MetalVest. These are all used underground for dewatering.
Efficient Turnaround
How would you describe PumpEng customer service?
They offer a great service, in particular the turnaround. Due to the nature of the water here, it’s very harsh. It’s a couple of hundred times saltier than seawater. It is extremely tough on any pumping equipment. For that reason, we need someone who can repair these pumps and turn them around efficiently. That turnaround is exactly the service that we get from PumpEng.
Reliable Pumps
What sort of feedback are you getting from your crew?
The only feedback I hear is about the reliability of the pumps. Very occasionally, we might have to use another supplier. PumpEng doesn’t have something available. Due to the nature of the conditions and the water we’re pumping, those other pumps just don’t last. That just reinforces that the PumpEng pumps do a good job.
Related Performance Reviews:
- 50% More Life from PumpEng MetalVest™ High Head Pump
- PumpEng Reducing Mine Dewatering Pump Replacement From 12 to 4 Per Year
Read more about the pump specs:
Testimonial Link: Mining Dewatering Pumps For Salty Water & Harsh Conditions
Lithium Processing Plant Uses ScatPumps to Reduce Pump Maintenance
Stewart Bailey is the Area Manager – Process Infrastructure for Altura. The company is on track for the commissioning of its lithium processing plant in the Pilbara. In this interview, Stewart discusses deploying the ScatPump submersible slurry pumps to replace existing pumps that were struggling to handle the operating conditions.
Can you describe your operation?
We’re a junior mining company with a brand-new process plant that we are commissioning and ramping up to nameplate completion.
What were the problems that you were having with your old pumps?
The original equipment selection was based on trying to standardise our pumps across the site. The pumps we’d chosen are generally regarded as the industry’s best, but there are very few spodumene process plants currently in operation to take the experience from, and under our particular conditions, the originally chosen pumps were not performing as expected.
Because they weren’t performing both in terms of efficiency and wear life, they became an ongoing maintenance and operational burden on the team. Thus, the project team, which I head up, was tasked with finding an alternative pump type that would perform better and reduce the amount of labour required to keep the pumps operational.
Why did you decide to try PumpEng?
PumpEng were recommended by another supplier as being the most suitable for our application. This led me to make an enquiry.
PumpEng gave me a brief run-through of their products over the phone and quickly followed up by issuing all of their pump data and stock availability. They had pumps available immediately off the shelf, and this was one of the deciding factors in going with PumpEng initially as a short-term solution.
Official quotes were quickly received, showing competitive pricing, much lower than the current pumps that we were using. An order was placed for a trial pump, and within days, the pump arrived on site.
How many pumps do you have there now?
Our initial order was for one trial pump which was used to replace our hardest-working and most problematic sump pump. That pump was received very well by the guys on site because of the ease of installation. This was especially because it was compatible with all of our existing control set-up. Then as soon as it was put into use, it started performing well, and the Projects Team quickly received requests to commence with ordering further pumps for some of the other problem areas. It was decided that these pumps were more than a short-term solution, and because of their suitability and value, they should be used sitewide. Another three were immediately ordered, taking us to four, with three in use and one spare. We ordered a spare as part of the PumpEng exchange program, which was also part of the deciding factors.
Since then, we’ve received a request for a further three, which are now on site, with further requests coming in each time one of the original pumps has a problem.
Which of the pumps do you have there?
We try to standardise them by having all 9kW Scatpumps. There was a bit of lead time with a later order of 9kW pumps due to stock availability, so we went ahead and purchased two 7.5kW and one 15kW from the ScatPump range. This wasn’t a problem for us as the different-sized pumps are interchangeable in our setup, and it allowed us to trial the smaller pumps to reduce our power consumption.
Can you describe where you are using them?
In our sumps under the fixed plant. There’s slurry, wash down and also ferro silicate product from our dense media separation units. Recovering the water from the sumps is essential for our water balance. Therefore, it’s essential that the sump pumps perform well so no water is wasted. Making the sump pumps an essential part of the process.
How do you describe their performance?
They are performing excellently in carrying out their duty and doing exactly as we require them to do. The previous pumps had a two-stage operation where in the first stage, they agitated the material in the liquid, and in the second stage, they pumped. The ScatPump doesn’t need agitation prior to pumping. They just agitate as they pump, resulting in continuous pumping. This means that the pumps are able to keep up with high demand and maintain lower levels of liquid in the sumps, which means the faster recovery of the water into that water circuit.
There is also a safety factor to add in there. The ScatPump maintains a lower level in the sump which means the operators aren’t working around higher water levels.
Is it too early to tell how much more performance you’re getting out of these than the others?
It is early days, but we haven’t had an issue with any one of them. Two have been on site for four months, so that is a big improvement. Previously the old pumps were a constant, almost daily, maintenance issue for us.
To date, I have not received any negative reports. The only feedback that I’ve received is the requests that come in to purchase more of them.
How would you describe PumpEng’s customer service?
The PumpEng people we deal with have been excellent. They’ve been very responsive with everything we’ve needed. They are quick with quotes and making the pumps available.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about switching to PumpEng for their dewatering pumps?
I’d say there’s no reason not to use them because they’re available in WA, serviced in WA and their performance, reliability and price is right. They don’t come with a big brand name reputation that you end up paying for. In this case, you get the pump you want at the cost you want, and it performs.
The PumpEng pumps save us time in pump maintenance. They save plant operator time in cleaning up around the areas because the pump is maintaining a lower level of liquid in the sumps. They increase the water recovery which we need from the sumps.
We are a brand new process plant so there are lots of issues we need to tackle. Having these success stories allows our time to be spent focussing on other issues. You want to find a solution and implement it, you don’t want your solution to end up being one of the problems. So, finding PumpEng ScatPumps was a success which took one of our problems away.
View Pump Specifications: ScatPump Submersible Slurry Dewatering Pump
Testimonial Link: Lithium Processing Plant Uses ScatPumps to Reduce Pump Maintenance
How A WA Gold Miner Selected Its Dewatering Pumps
Adam Dardha, is the Electrical & Dewatering Coordinator, at Agnew Gold Mine Australasia. Here he discusses a trial of dewatering pumps. He talks about his experience with the PumpEng dewatering pumps that are now installed on-site.
How do you describe your operation?
We run an underground gold mine here. We use submersible pumps in all our sumps.
Why did you want to change suppliers?
We were experiencing very high levels of pump failure, which was putting our costs up. I decided to run a trial of alternative Vendors
Did you try anyone else before choosing PumpEng?
Yes, I went through two different vendors. PumpEng was the third vendor we used for a three-month trial period. After the trial was over, we looked at who had ticked the boxes according to our criteria, and that was PumpEng.
We were assessing whether a pump does what it says it’s going to. We also had our own company criteria. We evaluated engagements, and feedback, and had discussions on how we can do things better. Pricing is obviously one of those components, but our decision-making wasn’t limited to that.
What was the most important issue?
Pump failure was the biggest issue for me. It wasn’t so much the turnaround time but the pump failure. The pumps weren’t lasting as long as I thought they should.
What has been your experience with PumpEng?
PumpEng met the criteria in terms of communication, feedback and ideas. We could learn as a company from them. Importantly I’ve had a higher usage rate from the pumps, which meant less downtime.
How many pumps do you currently have?
We’re currently using about 52 underground pumps. They’re all used in underground sumps for dewatering. Some piggyback from sump to sump, some direct to mono’s.
How would you describe their performance?
Performance is consistent. They’re doing their job, and the turnaround is a lot less these days. It’s been a decision that puts money back into the company because I haven’t had such a high turnaround of the assets.
How would you describe PumpEng customer service?
This was one of the trial criteria that ticked a box for us. I’ve been dealing with the PumpEng people here, and their service has been great.
What sort of feedback are you getting from your crew?
Well, I can’t say I’ve been getting a lot of feedback, but no feedback is sometimes a good thing. There are certainly no negative comments.
What would you say to someone thinking about switching to PumpEng for their dewatering pumps?
I’ll definitely say go with these guys. They’ve got a lot of good ideas. They have been around for a while. They’re open to looking at new ways. They told me that the product speaks for itself and that has been my experience.
Related Performance Reviews:
- ScatPump Performance Reviewed In Gold Mining Trial
- Reducing Dewatering Pump Failure In Underground Gold Mines
Read more:
Testimonial Link: How A WA Gold Miner Selected Its Dewatering Pumps
Submersible Pump Life Doubled at Nickel Concentrator
A Maintenance Superintendent at a Nickel Concentrator reviews the performance of PumpEng dewatering pumps.
Problem with Pump Failure
We are a hard rock mine producing a nickel concentrate. The pumps we were using were not as efficient as we would have liked. They were very susceptible to product size and would block up all the time. It was just a constant drama, especially in the crushing area.
PumpEng Trial of ScatPump
I had dealt with PumpEng before at a previous site, and we had some success there. We decided to put a trial in and it coincided with the time I was having pumping issues. Ever since then, the new ScatPump has been a success story. We have five in service, and we carry two spares.
Trials in Different Areas
We put the first pump in the high-wear areas, which is our crushing area. We then added ScatPumps in the other areas of the plant, where the pumps only pump a very fine slurry.
ScatPump Performance
In terms of performance, the ScatPump is plug-and-play. You can install it and forget about it. Once you put them in they just do their job, you don’t have to worry about them.
Double Pump Life
We’ve definitely seen a longer product life already. The old pumps we had in the crushing area lasted between about two to five months. The ScatPump is still going after six to eight months now. The switch to ScatPump has meant we’ve doubled the pump life, and it could work out to be even better than that.
PumpEng Service
The PumpEng people are always willing to help. We get good responses to our questions. I think we’ve got a first exchange contract in place with the pumps, which is great for us. So we can virtually just put a new pump in and send the old one back, and it gets rebuilt and put back on the shelf.
Maintenance Crew Feedback
In terms of feedback, the crew love the new pumps. There’s less time they have to spend unblocking and changing pumps, which is not our core function. As the maintenance team, we’re there to stop things from breaking and make them reliable, whereas the old pumps were just absorbing a lot of our time. Already there have been suggestions from the crew about other areas they want to use ScatPumps – when they start doing that, you know they are happy. They’re actually suggesting, “Why don’t we put these pumps here, there, and there and there?”
ScatPump Improves Safety
There is a safety aspect, as well. The less time you can have guys putting their hands where they shouldn’t be, the better. It makes the areas where they’re in, especially in the crushing area, safer. The old pumps were buried in dirt and the crew had to get in there and dig them out. It was an absolute hazard. Whereas now, you can drop the ScatPumps straight in the slurry. Pump out, pump in, and away they go.
ScatPump Smaller & Easier To Move
In terms of physical size, they are a lot smaller, so it’s easier for us to get them in and out. The older pumps we were using were four or five times the size. There was a much greater risk involved in moving them about.
PumpEng Offer Recommended
If someone is thinking of switching over to PumpEng, I’d say make sure you take them up on your trial before you buy offer, because that’s what really sold us. We could put one in as a trial, and if it didn’t perform, then PumpEng were willing to take it back. The offer, combined with the level of commitment and good case studies, convinced us to take up the trial. We are very pleased with the ScatPump.
Read More:
Testimonial Link: Submersible Pump Life Doubled at Nickel Concentrator