Outotec, which supplies paste and high rate thickening technology, designed and installed the first paste thickener in Australia’s coal industry and has won a further five orders in the past year.

“We expect this [demand] to expand even further as environmental demands and risk management policies make paste and high rate increasingly attractive,” Outotec thickening global technology development manager Brad Garraway said.

“Thorough testwork is essential for the correct sizing and configuration of thickeners.

“Outotec has a range of dynamic bench and pilot scale testwork techniques, which accurately simulate the high-rate principle.

“Outotec deep bed test units for high compression and paste applications have been invaluable for the coal industry.”

Another emerging trend is the use of bolted tanks in the design which can reduce site installation time as the bolted tank can be delivered pre-painted with no site welding required.

Bolted thickeners are also easier to relocate should future operations require.

To date, Outotec has specified bolted designs for Carborough Downs, Mt Arthur, Clermont, Stockton and Bulga mines.

At Carborough Downs in Queensland a 25m Outotec High Rate Thickener bolted tank with Outotec Turbodil feed dilution system was installed early in 2009.

This year a 24m HRT bolted tank will be supplied and installed at the Stockton Opencast Mine in New Zealand. The tank featured Outotec’s recently launched Vane Feedwell.

In New South Wales, Mt Arthur Coal has ordered a 35m HRT bolted tank with both Vane Feedwell and Turbodil. The tank will be supplied and installed next year.

The Clermont Coal mine in Queensland will have a 12m Outotec High Compression Paste Thickener bolted tank installed in the first quarter of 2010.

At the Bulga Coal in NSW an 18m HCPT bolted tank was installed in September 2007.

Outotec will also supply the new Cameby Downs mine in Queensland with a 22m HRT piecewise tank with Turbodil installation in the first quarter of 2010.