Ausenco was retained by Anglo American to perform a full range of pipeline engineering services on the Minas-Rio iron project. The Brazilian project is an integrated system comprising open-pit mines, a beneficiation plant, a 529 km slurry pipeline, a filtering plant and an export terminal at the Atlantic port of Açu.
The pipeline is the longest iron concentrate pipeline in the world, in addition to being the largest tonnage. The pipeline traverses difficult terrain over much of its route. Control of internal pipeline wear is a special concern that is handled via unique hydraulic design concepts.
The 24/26-inch diameter pipeline system is designed to transport 26.5 million tonnes per year of iron ore from the Conceição do Mato Dentro mine site in Minas Gerais (elevation of 770 metres), through 33 municipal districts, to terminal facilities at Barra do Açu in Rio de Janeiro, on the coast of Brazil.
The pipeline system includes:
- one pump station with 8 pumps located at the beneficiation plant
- one intermediate pump station with 10 pumps and associated orifice station
- 10 pressure monitoring stations
- one mainline valve and orifice station
- a buried 529 km, 24/26-inch outside diameter steel pipeline
- pipeline terminal facilities.
Ask us how we provided successful solutions for the Minas-Rio iron concentrate slurry pipeline project, and can also for yours. #AskAusencoHow #mining #pipeline
For more details on our pioneering pipeline designs click here.