From Flotation Devices to Hands-Free Tools in Measurement Systems

The mining industry is eager to incorporate new products that can not only facilitate ore processing but also make the processes involved safer. José Juan Cruz, Director of VEGA Measurement Mexico, says measuring tools are the way to anticipate and prevent accidents. “The 2014 accidental spill on the Sonora river was caused by a leakage of chemicals that could have been prevented with the right tools,” he says. “To avoid similar accidents, it is important to have strong, state-of-the-art measurement systems in place.”
Vega Measurement considers mining to be a key market, after the chemical and aggregate sectors. “VEGA Measurement Mexico is part of VEGA Americas and the company decided to open a branch in Mexico two years ago because of the geographical proximity,” says Cruz. Despite these obstacles, the company expects to grow 10-12 percent on average in the Mexican mining industry over the next five years. “We like that Mexico does not rely on a single metal, unlike in Chile, which depends almost 100 percent on copper,” says Cruz. “The fact that the country has such a wide portfolio of minerals that even includes lithium greatly diversifies risk.”
In the past, companies would depend on flotation devices and buoys to measure level and density, a process that was highly inefficient. Cruz explains that electronic differential pressure sensors can facilitate this process and that they can even be used in a wide variety of industries. “The use of electronic differential pressure sensors in mining can be beneficial as the sector uses them to measure the density of tanks or deposits with dangerous chemicals,” he says.