When a blocked decant pipe brought production to a crawl at a Western Australian mine, Goldfields Protective Coatings (GPC) were called in to assess and resolve the issue. Located in Norseman, a region known for its tough working conditions, the process water pond at the site had become choked with slurry following a thickener malfunction during the commissioning of a new plant. The impact was immediate and severe: the plant’s water feed dropped to just 15 percent capacity, prompting the installation of temporary pumps to maintain minimal function.
GPC are specialists in the removal of solids and liquids from tanks, pits and ponds, with a history of work in the mining sector. Their expertise is in delivering safe and effective cleaning under demanding conditions. KOR supplied the robotic technology used in this project, as a trusted provider of industrial cleaning equipment and exclusive distributors of Gerotto products across Australia and New Zealand.
Challenge: Difficult Working Conditions
The urgency of the job was compounded by a range of logistical and environmental constraints. Norseman’s December temperatures regularly push 50 degrees Celsius, posing a serious risk to worker safety. The pond itself contained hyper-saline water, introducing corrosion risks for standard equipment. Traditional cleaning techniques such as water cannons were considered, but they raised further challenges such as sourcing large quantities of water, increased labour demands, and the potential to extend project duration due to increased disposal loads. Additional logistical concerns included the disposal site for the slurry, which had not been confirmed at the time of planning, meaning significant uncertainty about where material could be taken once removed. These variables made estimating a project timeline difficult. GPC initially provided a 12-day estimate based on similar work completed using water cannons, though noted this would depend on many external factors.
Solution: Robotic Technology
Instead of relying on labour-heavy or water-intensive methods, GPC opted to deploy the Gerotto Lombrico S, a remote-operated vehicle engineered for confined and hazardous environments. Constructed from stainless steel, the robot is resistant to the corrosive effects of hyper-saline water. It could be operated from an air-conditioned truck using a camera system, eliminating the need for workers to enter the pond. The Lombrico S was placed on top of the slurry, allowing it to break down and extract material without requiring extra water. This approach reduced both environmental impact and project duration. Support was provided by KOR to ensure full confidence in the solution throughout.
Outcome: Project Completed Safely and Swiftly
Work began with vacuum trucks removing material around the pond to create a safe operating area. Once cleared, the Gerotto Lombrico S was deployed directly into the pond. Its remote-controlled manoeuvrability allowed the team to accurately position the unit and avoid the risks associated with manual hose handling. Over 14 days, the robot successfully removed 5.2 million litres of slurry. The slight overrun from the original 12-day estimate was due to a change in disposal site location midway through the job, requiring travel to a site over 30 minutes away. Importantly, the project was completed with no incidents, equipment issues or downtime.
Testimonial: What This Meant for GPC
The client had originally expected the operation to take up to a month. Instead, the job was completed safely, ahead of schedule, and at a cost well below budget. Most importantly, the site was restored to full operating capacity. By eliminating the blockage, GPC helped ensure the plant could scale up without the risk of recurring pipe obstructions. Mick Darwen, Operations Manager at GPC, reflected on the performance of the Gerotto Lombrico S:
“The great advantage of using the Gerotto robot is that it can be placed exactly where the slurry is and therefore can soften up the product instead of having to use a vacuum hose in the one spot and having to hose it.
It also cuts down on fatigue, as our crew were able to operate from an air-conditioned truck running off a TV screen, as well as increasing safety by 100 percent as none of the crew had to enter the pond and the manual handling of hoses was not an issue as the robot did all the work”.
Learn More About Solutions for Demanding Environments
This case study demonstrates the value of robotic cleaning equipment for mining operations.
The Gerotto Lombrico S solved an urgent and complex problem, and was faster, safer, and more cost-effective than traditional methods. For operations dealing with harsh conditions, water limitations or confined space access, it represents a proven and scalable alternative.
Learn more about the Gerotto range or contact KOR to discuss how robotic cleaning solutions can be deployed at your site.
