Australia’s mining and resources sites have a major need to manage and store water, chemicals and other liquids in a safe and environmentally responsible way. The rules and regulations applying to mine sites mean there cannot be any slip ups which result in spills of waste water or chemicals into the environment. The penalties for these types of breaches are expensive and disruptive to the operations and will also cause damage to a company’s reputation.
There are many areas within a mine site where storage of liquids is required. The most common areas are in the processing operations, water treatment facilities, workers camps, workshops and general buildings on site. Each of these areas has different requirements in terms of how water or chemicals are used and stored. For example contaminated water may need overflow facilities, chemical storage will normally need to be held in a bunded storage area and clean water does not have the same requirements for environmental and safety protection.
The types and configurations of water and industrial tanks on site can be extensive as polyethylene tanks can be designed and built for a specific application. The different types of tanks can be as simple as having one or two specialised fittings up to unique moulds built to fit into a specific location or process. Rotomoulded tanks and other polyethylene products used on the mine site can have specific designs to suit an individual application.
Bushmans Industrial has extensive experience in the mining and resources sector. BushmansIndustrial approach is to work closely with the engineers designing and building a processing plant or other facilities where tanks are going to be used. The process includes the following steps:
- Assessing customer requirements by defining the location and use of the tank including what type of impurities are in the water, and the temperature or chemicals that are to be stored.
- Analysing what and how pipes and other processing equipment needs to be connected to the tank.
- Consideration of any ongoing servicing and installation issues.
- Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and design drawings that are required to ensure project compliance with engineering and safety requirements.
- Estimating and planning the timeframe for the product to be produced and installed.
- Consideration of any special delivery requirements.
The key to a successful installation is to undertake a specific analysis of the location and operational requirements and then design a storage tank or a system that meets the needs of the site. Inappropriate design could lead to the increased risk to the operations. In such cases costs associated with any damage caused by the wrong tank will be significantly higher. For example it is recommended that all tanks on mine sites are at least a heavy duty and if chemicals are to be stored then specific chemical grades should be used. If an inappropriate tank is used for storing chemicals or contaminated water then there may be a heightened risk of a spill.
Consideration should also be given to the fittings attached to storage tanks as they have to be chemical resistant.
For more information on Bushmans Industrial storage tanks and other rotomoulded products for mine sites visit www.bushmansindustrialtanks.com.au or phone on 1800 00 88 88
