The Slurry and Mechanical Engineering Group within ATC Williams offers engineering solutions and services for mechanical infrastructures associated with any Tailings Management System.
In our view, slurry and mechanical engineering is an integral part of tailings and water management systems throughout the life of any mining project.
Our primary functions are to provide specialist laboratory testing, and leading design and project optimisation services, for mechanical infrastructures. The mechanical infrastructure of a typical TSF can consist of:
- Tailings Dewatering System (i.e. thickeners, filters etc.)
- Tailings Transportation System
- Tailings Distribution System
- Decant Water Return System
- Seepage and Underdrainage Collection System
Driven by Innovation
Innovation, research and development play a significant part in our business practices, with ATC Williams continuing to support and fund research specific to tailings and all of its associated aspects. We are growing fast and committed to benefiting your projects with new and constantly evolving engineering methods. One example is sponsoring a PhD student who is characterising the laminar regime transport of thickened tailings.
Comprehensive Service Areas
Based in our Melbourne Head Office, the Slurry and Mechanical Engineering Group focuses on these areas:
Specialist Laboratory Testing
The design of the slurry transport system heavily relies on tailings characteristics. Depending on the study level, ATC Williams recommends at minimum, material testing be undertaken.
A fully equipped NATA accredited laboratory in Melbourne conducts specialised tailings transport testing such as:
- NATA Accredited Material Basic Characterisation
- Rheological Bench-Top Scale and Pipe Loop Testing
- Slurry Pipe Blockage and Resuspension Assessment
Tailings Delivery and Distribution and Water System Design
We provide design and analysis for the mechanical infrastructures associated with the tailings management system at various design levels and project definition – from a scoping level study to detailed design.
Our services include:
- Comprehensive Hydraulic Assessment of pressurised and open channel flow (water, non-Newtonian tailings and complex settling slurries)
- Process and Mechanical Design of tailings delivery and water system
- Pipelines Stress and Transient Analysis
- Training, commissioning and start-up planning and management
- Quantities, Technical Specifications and Project Cost Analysis
Other Services
- Conceptual and feasibility assessment of tailings conventional and new dewatering process technologies (i.e., thickening, filtration, ultra-paste, cyclone etc.)
- Tailings beaching and deposition formation prediction/modelling and definition of tailings discharge strategies
- Assessment, troubleshooting and debottlenecking of existing slurry systems
- Coal tailings storage hydraulic capping assessment and design
- Tailings pipeline failure assessment and environmental control tailings discharge system design
- Review, validation and improvement of third-party designs
- Tender Package Preparation, RFQs and Tender Technical Specification
Adding value to your project
When applying our extensive past experiences in the tailings management system with our engineers’ specialised expertise and commitment, we add the most value while minimising collective project costs, risks and environmental impacts.
Please contact Sadegh Javadi Rudd, Senior Associate and Process Engineer, or Behnam Pirouz, Principal Engineer on 8587 0900 to learn more.
