Characterization of Substrate Materials of Pump Parts and Copper Ore Slurry from a Mongolian Mining Site

Slurry pumps are used to move and lift a mixture of copper ore and water at mineral processing plants. However, in the process, the pumps wear out at a high rate, which is costly and time consuming. This paper is a characterization of the chemical composition, microstructure, and hardness of samples from a copper ore mining company’s slurry pump and gravel material. With this information, studies using new technology and cladding materials can then be conducted, to compare and select the most effective treatment of the slurry pump’s surfaces to increase its operational lifetime.