South Africa’s Bongela Mining & Industrial Services makes the case for high-pressure water jetting as part of planned maintenance
In mining and mineral processing, material that sticks to equipment rarely stays a housekeeping issue for long. Deposits in flotation cells, mills, silos and thickeners can restrict flow, affect equipment performance and make later maintenance harder. Left long enough, they turn into unplanned downtime.
That is the argument put forward by Bongela Mining & Industrial Services, a South African provider of specialised industrial and civil services to the mining sector, which sees high-pressure water jetting as a maintenance and efficiency tool rather than a simple cleaning method.
Where it is used
Bongela’s water jetting work covers the removal of build-up in flotation cells and high-pressure cleaning of plant structures and mills. The company also offers hydro mining and slurry removal for process water dams, tailings thickeners and dams.
The approach, the company stresses, depends on the job. The type and extent of the deposit, the equipment being cleaned, access to the work area and the operating environment all shape the right method.
“Water jetting can be a highly effective maintenance tool when the approach is matched to the application,” said Raymond Graham, Chief Executive Officer of Bongela. “The objective is not simply to remove material, but to do so efficiently and safely while helping clients maintain the performance of their equipment and infrastructure.”
From reactive to planned
For mine maintenance teams, the key point is timing. Equipment that is out of service for long periods disrupts production, so cleaning that fits into planned intervention is far less costly than dealing with a blockage that has already grown into an operational problem.
Regular removal of accumulated material can also be an inspection opportunity. With surfaces clean, teams can assess the condition of equipment and spot areas that need further work. Bongela links this to its wider offering, which includes silo cleaning and inspection, structural repairs and refurbishment, concrete and civil works, chute and feeder refurbishment, conveyor belt maintenance and thickener inspection and repair.
Safety in confined, awkward spaces
Removing build-up manually in silos and process equipment can expose workers to difficult access and challenging conditions. A properly planned water jetting solution can reach some of those areas while reducing manual intervention.
The company is clear that this only works when the equipment, pressure and method suit the application and the work is carried out by experienced personnel.
For operations under pressure to extend the life of existing assets rather than replace them, the message is practical: treat cleaning as part of the maintenance programme, and plan it with the same care.
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