Mining Process Flow Meter
Heavy-Abrasion Mining Build
Accuracy of ±0.5% of rate
Conductivity threshold ≥ 5 µS/cm
Velocity range 0.3 to 15 m/s
- Line sizes DN10 to DN300 (ceramic standard, polyurethane alternate, both DN300 binding)
- Ceramic (Al₂O₃) liner standard for highest abrasion, polyurethane alternate for moderate abrasion
- Tungsten carbide / Stellite electrode standard for sharp-grit and ore-concentrate service
The Mining Process EMF measures the most abrasive mining streams, tailings, ore concentrate, coal-prep wash, acid-leach circulation, across DN10–DN300 by Faraday’s law. Ceramic (Al₂O₃) liner is the standard for highest abrasion; polyurethane is the moderate-grit alternate.
Tungsten carbide/Stellite electrodes are standard for sharp-grit service (7–10 yr service vs <18 mo on 316L). Covers heavier service than the Slurry counterpart. Lead time 5–7 business days.
Benefits
- Ceramic (Al₂O₃, S) liner: DN10–DN300, rated to +120 °C; outlasts PU on >30 % solids and SAG-mill discharge.
- Polyurethane (F) alternate: DN6–DN300 for moderate grit, pulp white-water, lower-solids tailings.
- Tungsten carbide/Stellite electrodes: 7–10 yr service on sharp-grit service.
- ±0.5 % of rate at 0.3–15 m/s for tonnes-per-hour reconciliation and permit reporting.
- 5D/2D straight-pipe: fits hydrocyclone underflow, settler overflow, pond-return loops.
- CNEX Ex d optional for dust-classified zones; IP65/67/68 + EMC 2014/30/EU standard. Lead time 5–7 days.
Typical applications
Four heavy-mining service zones where electromagnetic measurement with ceramic liner and tungsten / Stellite electrode is the standard specification over rotating-element alternatives that retire within 12 months.
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Tailings transport & pond return
Grit-bearing sand/silica slurry to tailings pond; ceramic liner for pump-service and permit reporting.
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Ore concentrate & SAG-mill discharge
SAG/ball-mill discharge, hydrocyclone underflow, flotation feed above 30 % solids; ceramic + WC/Stellite.
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Coal-prep wash & dense-medium
Magnetite circulation, wash-water recovery, product-coal slurry; Ex d for dust-classified zones.
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Hydrometallurgical acid-leach
Copper/zinc/nickel/gold-cyanide leach circuits; ceramic + Stellite handles abrasion + chemistry.
Flow range by pipe size.
Volumetric flow at water reference (1000 kg/m³ carrier; correct for actual slurry density) across the 0.3 to 15 m/s velocity range. DN10 to DN300 range (binding per ceramic + PU liner); the table shows common heavy-mining service sizes.
| DN | Inches | @ 1 m/s (m³/h) | @ 3 m/s | @ 5 m/s | @ 15 m/s (max) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DN15 | 1/2″ | 0.64 | 1.91 | 3.18 | 9.54 |
| DN25 | 1″ | 1.77 | 5.30 | 8.84 | 26.51 |
| DN50 | 2″ | 7.07 | 21.21 | 35.34 | 106.03 |
| DN80 | 3″ | 18.10 | 54.29 | 90.48 | 271.43 |
| DN100 | 4″ | 28.27 | 84.82 | 141.37 | 424.12 |
| DN150 | 6″ | 63.62 | 190.85 | 318.09 | 954.26 |
| DN200 | 8″ | 113.10 | 339.29 | 565.49 | 1696.46 |
| DN300 | 12″ | 254.47 | 763.41 | 1272.35 | 3817.04 |
Specifications
| Measurement principle | Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction |
|---|---|
| Pipe size range | DN10 – DN300 (3/8″ – 12″); binding per ceramic + PU liner range |
| Accuracy | ±0.5 % of rate standard, ±0.2 % of rate high-accuracy option, ±2.5 % of rate verification grade |
| Velocity range | 0.3 to 15 m/s (1:1500 turndown maximum, typical operation 1–5 m/s) |
| Conductivity threshold | ≥ 5 µS/cm |
| Working pressure | PN10 / PN16 / PN25 / PN40 standard (ANSI 150 to 600 LB), up to PN250 (25 MPa) on request |
| Medium temperature | −10 to +60 °C with polyurethane liner; up to +120 °C with ceramic liner |
| Ambient temperature | −40 to +60 °C |
| Liner material | Ceramic (Al₂O₃, S code) DN10–DN300 standard for highest abrasion; polyurethane (F code) DN6–DN300 alternate for moderate-grit service |
| Electrode material | Tungsten carbide / Stellite standard for sharp-grit service; coupled with ceramic / PU liner per the spec |
| Connection | Flanged (PN / ANSI) standard, sandwich (wafer) optional |
| Output signals | 4-20 mA + HART, RS485 Modbus RTU, pulse, alarm contact, 4G IoT |
| Power supply | 24 V DC, 220 V AC, or battery (lithium, 5-year service life typical) |
| Ingress protection | IP65 standard, IP67 sensor + IP65 converter, IP68 sensor + IP65 converter (submersible option) |
| Hazardous area | Ex d optional for coal-prep wash, mineral-processing acid-leach, and dust-classified mining environments |
| Approvals | EMC 2014/30/EU (Annex II), CE, ISO 9001 calibration certificate with each meter |
Installation
Five install requirements. Liner material and ingress rating lock at the factory; the mount orientation, bypass plumbing, grounding discipline, and cable routing below are the on-site rules that matter.
- Mount vertical with upward flow; mandatory for liquid-solid two-phase service Per installation requirements, vertical bottom-to-top mounting is mandatory for all liquid-solid two-phase flow. On heavy-mining slurry above 30 % solids, vertical orientation is the only configuration that prevents bed-stratification at the pipe bottom that would bias the EMF reading and accelerate ceramic liner erosion at the lowest point.
- Schedule electrode wear inspection quarterly on continuous heavy-abrasion service On hydrocyclone underflow, ore-concentrate above 30 % solids continuous, and SAG-mill discharge service, schedule quarterly electrode-tip-to-bore-wall measurement. Stellite electrode upgrade extends the inspection interval from quarterly to semi-annual; tungsten carbide is standard for sharp-grit service.
- Pair with upstream grit removal on coarse-mineral lines (>10 mm particle size) Tailings and ore-concentrate transport with grit above 10 mm should pair the meter with an upstream desander, settler, or vibrating screen to remove the largest abrasive particles before they reach the meter bore. This extends ceramic liner life from 5 years to 10+ years on continuous service.
- Install metallic grounding rings on PE / HDPE-lined mining pipes Tailings-pond return loops, hydrocyclone discharge piping, and coal-prep wash circuits often use HDPE-lined steel pipe. Install metallic grounding rings (configured option) between meter flanges and pipe flanges. Ground all components ≤10 Ω, separate from other equipment ground.
- Wire empty-pipe detection on intermittent batch-conveyor and pump-discharge service Mineral-processing batch transfer and pump-discharge service produces dry-pipe and air-pocket transients. Wire empty-pipe detection so the totalizer pauses between cycles, preventing false totalized volume that would corrupt tonnes-per-hour metallurgical accounting.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Mining Process Flow Meter and the general Slurry Flow Meter?+
The two models cover overlapping markets but with different positioning. The Slurry Flow Meter targets general industrial slurry across mining, cement, paper-pulp, and sand transport with a multi-liner positioning (polyurethane standard up to DN300, hard rubber alternate DN300 to DN1200) and a 316L electrode standard. The Mining Process Flow Meter targets the heaviest mining-only service; tailings, ore concentrate, coal-prep, acid-leach; with ceramic liner standard for highest abrasion and tungsten carbide / Stellite electrode standard for sharp-grit electrode wear. DN range is DN10 to DN300 (binding per ceramic liner). For DN300 to DN1200 mining service or moderate-abrasion service, the Slurry Flow Meter is the right model.
Why is ceramic the standard liner for heavy mining service?+
Ceramic (Al₂O₃, S code) delivers wear life beyond what polyurethane or rubber liners provide on continuous sharp-grit and high-solids service. Polyurethane outlasts rubber by approximately 50 % on grit-laden slurry; ceramic outlasts polyurethane by another factor of 2 to 3 on the most aggressive ore-concentrate above 30 % solids. The cost premium versus polyurethane is significant, so ceramic is reserved for the service windows where polyurethane wear life would still be unacceptable; typical 12-month replacement on hydrocyclone underflow, SAG-mill discharge, and high-grit tailings drops to 5 to 7 years on ceramic.
When do I need tungsten carbide vs Stellite electrode?+
Tungsten carbide is standard for sharp-grit electrode wear protection on most heavy-mining service. Stellite is the upgrade for the most aggressive service; silica-rich ore concentrate, gold-cyanide leach circuits with mineral abrasion, and any service where tungsten carbide wear life would fall below 36 months. Both electrode metallurgies are paired with ceramic or PU liner per the spec. Specify electrode type at order; field upgrade requires sensor return-to-factory.
What is the maximum solids concentration for ceramic-lined mining service?+
Ceramic liner with tungsten carbide / Stellite electrode handles slurries up to approximately 60 % solids by weight on continuous service, extending the standard 50 % limit that polyurethane configurations top out at. Above 60 % solids the rheology becomes thixotropic and the velocity-distribution assumption underlying the calibration starts to drift; for ore-concentrate above 60 % solids continuous, the recommendation is a Coriolis or DP-orifice with custom calibration. Below 60 % solids, the standard accuracy of ±0.5 % of rate holds with quarterly electrode wear monitoring.
Does the meter handle hydrometallurgical acid-leach circuits?+
Yes; ceramic liner is acid-resistant across the typical heap-leach and tank-leach chemistry windows (sulfuric acid copper leach, cyanide gold leach, ammoniacal nickel leach). Stellite electrode is preferred over tungsten carbide for cyanide service. For high-acid concentration above 50 % H₂SO₄ continuous, see the Corrosive Liquid Flow Meter counterpart; PTFE liner with Tantalum electrode is the combination for that chemistry. The Mining Process meter covers the abrasion + moderate-acid combination that is typical of leach-circuit operation.
Can I install the meter in a coal-prep dust-classified area?+
Yes; specify CNEX Ex d hazardous-area certification at order for installations in dust-classified coal-prep zones. The standard install location is downstream of dense-medium magnetite circulation pumps, on the wash-water recovery line, or on the product-coal slurry transport piping. Verify the dust classification (Class II in NFPA terminology, or Zone 21 / 22 in ATEX terminology) at quote stage so the factory ships the matched cert documentation.
What is the lead time and what certification ships standard?+
Standard lead time is 5–7 business days from order confirmation, factory direct. EMC compliance to the EU Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive 2014/30/EU (Annex II) ships as standard. IP65, IP67, and IP68 sensor + IP65 converter ingress ratings are selectable at order; IP67 is typical for mining-plant indoor washdown environments, IP68 for outdoor pond-side or buried installations. Ex d hazardous-area certification is available for coal-prep and mineral-processing installations in dust-classified zones.
Need help sizing the mining process build?
Send pipe size, slurry type, solids %, D50/D90, ambient class, sized DN, liner/electrode, model code within 4 hours.