Industry
Abrasion-resistant flow, density, level and gas detection instruments for ore handling and processing.
Mining is the sector where the instrument has to survive the process before it can measure it. Abrasive slurry, coarse solids, heavy vibration, dust and a wide ambient temperature swing are normal operating conditions rather than exceptional ones, and an instrument that would be perfectly adequate elsewhere in a process plant can be destroyed within a season by the same duty here.
That pushes the specification towards obstructionless designs and towards measurement from outside the pipe or the vessel. An electromagnetic meter with a wear-resistant liner replaces anything with a moving part; a non-contact level measurement replaces a float that the material would bury; a transmitter with a large flush diaphragm replaces one with a small port that would block. The engineering effort goes into the interface with the medium rather than into the electronics.
The measurements themselves are frequently about mass balance rather than about a precise figure. How much ore came in, how much concentrate went out, how much water is being added and how much is going to tailings - those numbers decide whether the plant is doing what it was designed to do, and they are compared with each other rather than judged individually. That is why density and flow are often measured together, and why wear resistance and drift stability matter more here than absolute accuracy.
Drilling, blasting, loading and conveying. Instrumentation here is mostly about condition and safety - vibration on crushers and conveyors, belt and chute detection, and gas or dust monitoring in enclosed spaces.
Crushing and grinding circuits, where feed rate, water addition, power draw and slurry density are controlled together. The measurements are closely coupled, and the circulating load is controlled from them rather than from a single reading.
Flotation cells, cyclones, thickeners and filters. Level, density, flow and interface detection dominate, and the media are abrasive and frequently frothy.
Tailings transport and storage, process water and site services. Flow and level measurements here carry a containment obligation, so reliability matters at least as much as accuracy.
| Measurement | What is measured in this sector | Instruments commonly specified |
|---|---|---|
| Flow | Slurry in grinding and flotation circuits, process water, reagent dosing and tailings transport | Electromagnetic meters with wear-resistant liners, ultrasonic meters where the pipe cannot be opened, and positive-displacement or mass measurement for reagents |
| Density and interface | Slurry density in the grinding circuit, underflow density at the thickener, and the bed level in the thickener itself | Radiometric density measurement, mass flow measurement where density is derived from it, and interface instruments for the thickener bed |
| Level | Crusher bins, ore stockpiles, sumps, thickeners and process tanks | Radar and ultrasonic transmitters chosen for the dust and the surface condition, hydrostatic transmitters where the medium permits, and switches that tolerate being buried or coated |
| Pressure | Slurry pumping, cyclone feed, filter presses and the water circuit | Transmitters with a flush or large diaphragm to avoid blocking, and seals where the medium would attack the element |
| Vibration and condition | Crushers, screens, conveyors, pumps and drives | Accelerometer or velocity measurement, often on a route-based inspection rather than permanently installed |
| Gas and dust | Confined spaces, reagent storage, and dust at enclosed transfer points | Portable gas detectors for entry, fixed detection where a hazard is present continuously, and dust measurement where an exposure limit applies |
Wear is a design requirement in this sector rather than a maintenance item. Where the medium is abrasive, the liner, the diaphragm and the mounting frequently decide how long the measurement lasts.
Frequently asked
The questions that come up in this sector before an order. If yours is not here, send it with the duty and we will answer it alongside the quotation.
Electromagnetic measurement is the usual answer, because slurry is conductive and the meter has no obstruction in the bore for solids to catch on or wear away. What decides the outcome is the liner and the earth arrangement rather than the electronics: an abrasive slurry needs a liner chosen for wear, and a lined pipe with no earthing can leave the meter unable to read at all. Give the solids size, the density and the abrasiveness with the flow range.
Because the tonnage through a grinding or thickening circuit is the product of the two, and a flow figure on its own does not tell the plant how much material is moving. In a closed circuit the two are controlled against each other, and the density figure also indicates whether the water addition is where it should be. Measuring one without the other leaves the mass balance undetermined.
One that does not try to touch the material. Crushed ore buries a float, coats a probe and produces a very uneven surface, so a non-contact measurement is chosen and the mounting is placed where the surface is at least partly representative. Dust in the air affects ultrasonic measurement more than radar, and the bin geometry determines what is achievable. State the material, the size range and the bin shape.
By giving the medium nowhere to settle. A large flush diaphragm presents almost no cavity for solids to collect in, whereas a small threaded port will plug. Where the process cannot be taken out of service, a seal with a flush face allows the transmitter to be isolated and removed without interrupting the line. The mounting position and the impulse arrangement matter as much as the diaphragm itself.
Only where a hazardous atmosphere can actually occur, which is usually around reagent handling and fuel or hydrocarbon storage rather than across the whole plant. What mining sites need universally is protection against dust, vibration, water and temperature - a different requirement from area classification, and one that decides the enclosure. Tell us which parts of the site are classified and we will scope those separately.
The medium with its solids size, density and abrasiveness; the measurement and the range; the pipe or vessel dimensions and material; whether the line can be opened; the environment at the installation; and any reagent or containment obligation that applies. Those answers usually settle the technology, because in this sector the medium rules out more options than the measurement does.
Published products
IPS-M18 · Proximity Sensors Reference listing
Non-contact inductive sensor detecting ferrous and non-ferrous metal targets, with an M18 barrel body, PNP or NPN output and a shielded or unshielded sensing face.
LHT-200 · Hardness Testers Reference listing
Handheld rebound hardness tester for metals, converting the result to Rockwell, Brinell and Vickers scales, for use on large or installed parts.
MGD-4 · Portable Gas Detectors Reference listing
Four-gas personal detector with a pumped or diffusion inlet, audible and visual alarms, and a datalog for confined space entry and plant rounds.
RLM-80 · Radar Level Meters Reference listing
Non-contact radar level transmitter for liquids and bulk solids, measuring through vapour, dust and foam without touching the medium.
SLM-30 · Noise Meters Reference listing
Class 2 integrating sound level meter measuring sound pressure level and equivalent continuous level, with A and C weighting and octave analysis.
Send the process conditions and the standard you have to meet, and we will confirm the instrument, availability and documentation that can accompany the order.
Request for quotation
Send the technical detail and we will confirm availability, lead time and terms. In-stock items ship within 48 hours; customized specifications typically take 2-10 days. Minimum order quantity is 1 pc.