Customer Case: Manual jack pressurized filter press helps Chilean small copper mine solve the problem of dehydration
In a small copper mine processing plant in the northern part of Chile, approximately 50 tons of ore are processed daily. The mine is located at the edge of the Andes Mountains, with unstable power supply and the mining area being far from the urban power grid, resulting in high costs for diesel power generation. For a long time, the solid-liquid separation process of the tailings slurry in this mine has relied on an old centrifugal dehydration machine, but the operation effect has always been unsatisfactory.
The main problems reported by the mining company include: the centrifuge operates with high power consumption, resulting in a disproportionately high monthly electricity bill; the equipment requires frequent maintenance, and the cost of replacing core components is extremely high; the moisture content of the filter cake discharged is too high, which leads to an increase in tailings transportation costs, and in the arid mining area environment, valuable water resources cannot be effectively recycled and reused.
"We need a device that doesn't rely on a stable power supply, is easy to maintain, and can actually squeeze out the water."
After on-site condition assessment and equipment selection comparison, the mine owner finally chose a XAQ1-320/30 type manual hydraulic pressurized filter press. The following characteristics of this equipment fully meet the special requirements of the mine owner:
Manually press the jack, and it operates with zero power consumption
The equipment uses a screw jack as the pressing device, and does not require any power drive at all. This means that for remote mining areas with unstable power supply, the filtration process can be freed from the reliance on diesel generators, significantly reducing operating costs.
Carbon steel frame coated with SS316L
Achieving both corrosion resistance and strength. The mineral slurry usually contains ions of copper, iron, etc. as well as acidic substances. Ordinary carbon steel frames are prone to rust. This equipment adopts a full coating of SS316L stainless steel on the outside of the carbon steel frame, which not only ensures the structural strength but also endows excellent acid and alkali resistance, making it suitable for long-term open-air or semi-open-air operation environments in mining areas.
Single dark flow sealed effluent, filtrate centralized recovery
The single dark flow design enables the filtrate to be centrally discharged through internal pipes, avoiding open-type leakage. In the mining area in northern Chile where water resources are extremely scarce, every drop of recovered water is extremely precious. The sealed structure also effectively reduces the diffusion of mine slurry odors and dust, improving the working environment.
Box-type 380 model PP filter plate with EPDM seal
Low moisture content of filter cake. The 380×380mm PP filter plate combined with EPDM sealed filter cloth, under the stable pressing force provided by the manual jack, can form a dense filter chamber. During actual operation, the moisture content of the filter cake of copper mine tailings slurry can be reduced to below 20%, which is much better than the processing effect of the previous centrifuge.
SS316L receiving tray with wheels
Enables smooth and convenient material discharge. The SS316L receiving tray with wheels is not only corrosion-resistant but also facilitates the collection of filter cakes and the relocation and cleaning of equipment, making it suitable for small-scale, multi-batch production modes.
The equipment was installed and debugged in May 2024 and put into operation. After a continuous three-month follow-up, the mine management collected the following improvement data:
The pressing process no longer requires high-power motors for driving. It can be completed by simply operating the hydraulic jack manually, and the load of the diesel generator has significantly decreased.
Drier filter cakes mean fewer trips of the tailings transport vehicles and a corresponding reduction in logistics costs.
The single dark discharge liquid method enables the clarified filtrate to be collected centrally and reused for water replenishment in the beneficiation process, thereby reducing the need for external water intake.
There are no hydraulic cylinders, no electrical components, and no PLC control system. There are very few fault points. The mine operators only need half an hour of training to be able to operate independently.
"This little machine has solved a big problem for us. What makes us most satisfied is that it doesn't require electricity. Even when the power supply in the mining area is cut off, it can still work. Moreover, the filter plate has excellent sealing, and the filter cake pressed out can't be moistened by hand at all."
Based on the successful application of this equipment, this Chilean copper mine has planned to introduce the manual jack-end sealed filter press to another more remote small-scale mining site in 2025. For overseas mining areas with weak power infrastructure but urgent demand for solid-liquid separation, this zero-power consumption, highly corrosion-resistant, and easy-to-maintain filter solution is demonstrating unique and lasting market value.