When Australia's largest nickel mine turned to Flowrox pinch valves

In 2018, Valmet helped Australia’s largest nickel mine overcome a critical slurry challenge – a solution that remains a trusted choice years later.

This case highlights a common issue in mining operations, where abrasive slurries place high demands on equipment. Handling tailings and concentrate pipelines requires flow control solutions that keep operations safe and efficient.

During a site visit to meet the pump customer, Valmet’s team identified a recurring issue: conventional valves on the customer’s slurry transfer lines were seizing during long periods of inactivity. These failures increased maintenance needs, caused delays, and raised total ownership costs – giving the customer plenty of headaches.

The challenge

Across the site, particularly in tailings dam operations, the end user had been relying on conventional slurry knife gate and diaphragm valves, which suffered from:

Seizure during non-actuation
Corrosion of the knife and body due to harsh environmental exposure
Slurry settling on the seat, preventing full closure after long intervals
Heavy, complex construction, making handling and maintenance difficult.

These challenges resulted in reliability concerns and continuous maintenance demands.

Flowrox PVEG pinch valve is a robust and low‑maintenance choice for slurry transfer and spigot isolation. Image: Valmet

Solution: Flowrox pinch valves

Flowrox pinch valves are engineered for abrasive slurry environments, offering proven reliability and low total cost of ownership. They feature a full-bore design for unobstructed flow, only the rubber sleeve in contact with the medium, and bubble-tight shut-off even with solids present. These qualities make them ideal for demanding mining applications.

For this special customer case Valmet experts proposed the Flowrox PVEG series pinch valve as a robust but cost-effective alternative for their slurry transfer and spigot isolation applications. After initial trials, the end user quickly recognised several key advantages:

Lightweight polyamide body for easy handling and installation
Fully enclosed design that keeps the actuator spindle protected from contamination
Rubber sleeve as the only wetted component, minimising wear and eliminating corrosion risks
Reliable performance even during extended periods of non‑actuation
Low total cost of ownership thanks to minimal maintenance requirements

Over the following years, the mine progressively installed PVEG valves across the tailings dam infrastructure, confirming their performance consistency and operational benefits. This resulted in a substantial installed base of Valmet’s flow control solutions, with over 160 PVEG DN100 pinch valves supported by Flowrox LPP-T hose pumps used in demanding applications such as thickener underflow (LPP-T100) and onstream analyser sample lines (LPP-T50 pumps). The installed base also includes approximately fifty Flowrox heavy‑duty valves in filtration processes, forming a broad portfolio of Valmet technologies across key areas of the plant.

Customer impact

The transition to PVEG pinch valves significantly improved reliability in critical slurry isolation points, reduced downtime, and simplified field operations. The mine benefited from a valve solution engineered specifically for abrasive and demanding environments.

“We focus on providing the best customer service by having the customer at the centre of our operations,” Valmet regional sales director Santo Varghese Rajan said. “With local stock and assembly, our experienced team has been helping mining customers across Oceania for decades.”

Reliable flow control is essential for mining operations worldwide, where handling abrasive slurries in tailings and concentrate pipelines directly impacts safety, efficiency, and sustainability.

Learn more about Valmet’s solutions here.

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