Reducing Expensive Pump System Energy Consumption

Q: How has the Herencia Minera program developed?

A: We launched the first season of Herencia Minera two years ago in conjunction with the Sonora Mining Cluster with the goal to highlight the amazing work that the mining companies have done and the investments they have made in their communities, which supported them during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, people would not have had access to clean water or elaborate infrastructure without the mine’s investment in the community.

Herencia Minera is evolving and we are now co-producing the second season with WIM (Mujeres WIM de México), and with the contribution of the Mining Cluster of Sonora (CCC) and other actors of our mining ecosystem, we aim to shed light on the stories that add-up to the change of society’s preconceived, and often negative, perspectives around mining.

Q: How have your Mexican operations recovered post-pandemic?

A: Our activity increased during the pandemic, so there was not really a recovery process for the company. The main change is that now we can go back into the mines, which is essential for assessing pump systems. Through these assessments, our goal is to reduce both energy use and water consumption. This cannot be done from a desk. This part of our business is growing the most because there is greater demand.

Q: What does Sinaloa mean for your portfolio and how can the state achieve mining levels comparable to Sonora or Chihuahua? 

A: One year ago, we were asked by the Sinaloa Mining Cluster (CLUMISIN) to join the first International Mining Congress of Sinaloa, mainly because the congress does not have the same high number of suppliers as Chihuahua or Sonora.

For Dynapro, this is exciting. It is a natural transition because we are already operational in Sonora. Moreover, Sinaloa is very active in development, with a few good projects already in production. There appears to be a great deal of potential for growth in the coming years.

Q: Other than the company’s expansion to Sinaloa, what value can Dynapro add to other markets?

A: The mining industry has become very focused on reducing consumption to become more sustainable, making all markets important. To reduce consumption in pump systems is a long process and we follow an ISO-certified program, recognized by the UN. The results are significant: we can reduce energy consumption in these systems by 50 percent, which is a tremendous amount of electricity saved, especially considering that 20 percent of the world’s energy is consumed by pumps. We are also developing additional training programs to reduce water consumption and parts consumption.  The combination of efforts that we are putting into all of our programs are aiming to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable industry, and we are already seeing the results in reducing consumption.

 Q: How are you convincing operators to invest in these benefits?

A: It depends on who we are assisting. We mainly work with maintenance professionals, whose goal is to reduce maintenance time. At the end of the day, the energy consumption of a pump system is directly correlated to the required maintenance. Therefore, if you fix the problems causing increased energy consumption, you reduce a pump system’s downtime. We focus on explaining these benefits, since this added value will appeal to anyone in the operation.

Q: How do you see these environmental and energy efficiency standards becoming more relevant for operators in Mexico?

A: To be fully honest, energy use is out of sight and, therefore, out of mind for most operators. Most people do not really understand the impact they could have by reducing their electricity consumption and emissions by something as simple as implementing efficient pump systems. The ISO program provides a clear path for any company that wants to reduce its energy consumption, we really need to broadcast this option.

Q: What are your main objectives for 2022?

A:  The main objectives are to broadcast the benefits of efficient pumping systems to the mining industry and to train more of their staff to meet this coming demand. Right now, we are building  the Pump Systems Academy, which will be tailored to mining professionals. We are at the very beginning of the transition toward sustainability and our goal is to become an ally in this mission for our clients. Many mines are looking to invest in technology like solar energy to reduce their carbon footprint and save energy costs but their energy consumption remains the same. Pump systems represent a different approach by cutting the energy use of one integral operational component. Dynapro does not have shareholders to report to or an obligation to meet quotas for pump sales, thus, our focus is not there; we have a purposeful goal to reduce consumption.

Dynapro Pumps Leader in solutions for the industrial pumping market reducing consumption of energy, water & wear parts leading to reduced maintenance and lower total cost of ownership.