Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In

Geomechanics.io

Geomechanics, Streamlined.

© 2026 Geomechanics.io. All rights reserved.

Geomechanics.io

CMRR-ioGEODB-ioHYDROGEO-ioQCDB-ioFree Tools & CalculatorsBlogLatest Industry News

Industries

MiningConstructionTunnelling

Company

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyLinkedIn
    AllGeotechnicalMiningInfrastructureMaterialsHazardsEnvironmentalSoftwarePolicy
    Projects
    Product
    Safety
    Sustainability

    Boliden Garpenberg Bredel pumps: reliability and slurry handling lessons for engineers

    July 15, 2026|

    Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

    Boliden Garpenberg Bredel pumps: reliability and slurry handling lessons for engineers

    First reported on International Mining – News

    30 Second Briefing

    Boliden’s Garpenberg underground mine in Sweden is deploying Bredel peristaltic hose pumps from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions for abrasive slurry duties in zinc, lead, silver, copper and gold ore processing, replacing conventional centrifugal units in several circuits. The hose pumps handle high solids and chemically aggressive process streams without seals or valves, reducing leakage risk and lowering water and reagent consumption. For plant engineers, the move points to lower unplanned downtime and more predictable maintenance intervals in critical dewatering and tailings-transfer applications.

    Technical Brief

    • Peristaltic hose pumps isolate process fluid within a reinforced hose, eliminating rotating wetted components.
    • Absence of mechanical seals removes a common leakage and spray hazard around high-pressure slurry lines.
    • Dry-running tolerance and self-priming behaviour reduce risk of cavitation-related vibration and pipework fatigue.
    • Pumping action is fully reversible, allowing rapid line clearing to mitigate blockage and overpressure incidents.
    • Fixed, low-speed operation for abrasive duties limits heat generation and hose rupture risk versus high-speed impellers.
    • Maintenance is largely confined to scheduled hose replacement, reducing live-line interventions and confined-space exposure.
    • Enclosed pump casings contain any hose failure, limiting operator contact with corrosive or metal-laden slurries.

    Our Take

    Garpenberg’s use of Bredel pumps sits alongside Boliden’s autonomous haulage work at the same Swedish zinc mine with Volvo Autonomous Solutions (June 2026), signalling that this site is becoming a testbed for layered automation and reliability upgrades rather than just isolated equipment swaps.

    With Boliden exploring a major zinc portfolio expansion via talks over Nexa Resources, incremental reliability and sustainability gains at Garpenberg in Sweden strengthen its operational credentials in zinc ahead of any large corporate move, which can matter in regulatory and stakeholder scrutiny of base metals growth strategies.

    Geotechnical Software for Modern Teams

    Centralise site data, logs, and lab results with GEODB-io, CMRR-io, and HYDROGEO-io.

    No credit card required.

    • Save and export unlimited calculations
    • Advanced data visualisation
    • Generate professional PDF reports
    • Cloud storage for all your projects

    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

    Related Articles

    Mining
    about 7 hours ago

    Glencore’s US$250m Cat order for Alumbrera: fleet renewal lens for mine planners

    Glencore has placed a US$250 million order with Finning’s South America business to supply more than 20 large Caterpillar mining trucks, ancillary equipment and technology support for the planned 2026 restart of the Alumbrera copper mine in Argentina. The package, disclosed in Finning’s Q1 2026 results, centres on fleet renewal and digital support rather than life-extension of legacy units. For mine planners and maintenance teams, the scale and timing signal a shift towards a modernised, OEM-supported truck fleet ahead of full production ramp-up.

    MAX Power’s Lawson hydrogen project expansion: scale and infrastructure lens for engineers
    Mining
    1 day ago

    MAX Power’s Lawson hydrogen project expansion: scale and infrastructure lens for engineers

    MAX Power Mining has secured an additional 155,125 acres (628 sq. km) of permits contiguous with its 1,224 sq. km Lawson natural hydrogen project in south-central Saskatchewan, creating the newly named Aurora project on a basement-controlled structural play along the Paleoproterozoic–Archean contact of the Sask Craton. The company has now accumulated 660,263 acres (2,672 sq. km) of provincial permits across the Genesis Trend while running a multi-well commercial validation drill programme at Lawson targeting large-scale natural hydrogen. An MOU with the City of Moose Jaw links potential hydrogen development to a nearby heavy industrial and major data centre corridor, signalling early focus on local offtake and infrastructure integration.

    American Mineral Resources’ diversified portfolio: capex and jurisdiction risk lens
    Mining
    1 day ago

    American Mineral Resources’ diversified portfolio: capex and jurisdiction risk lens

    American Mineral Resources is assembling a seven-jurisdiction portfolio across Quebec, British Columbia, Yukon, Chile, New Zealand, Western Australia and Tanzania, with its Piscau North polymetallic project in Quebec earmarked for a separate Canadian Securities Exchange listing, as it targets a Nasdaq uplist within 12 months via the OTCQB. CEO Ryan Cunningham is prioritising projects with existing permits or modest capex and argues that jurisdictional risk now rivals grade, citing Quebec’s Gaspé oil drilling ban as a warning. He also points to Canada’s flow-through share regime as a key financing advantage over US markets still fixated on AI and tech.

    Related Industries & Products

    Mining

    Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.

    Tunnelling

    Specialised solutions for tunnelling projects including grout mix design, hydrogeological analysis, and quality control.

    CMRR-io

    Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.

    HYDROGEO-io

    Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.

    GEODB-io

    Centralised geotechnical data management solution for storing, accessing, and analysing all your site investigation and material testing data.