MINING

For more than 30 years, polyethylene (PE) pipe's unique characteristics have made it the product of choice for
numerous applications in the mining industry. It is a proven product in rugged terrains, extreme climates, and
changing site environments. Heat-fused joints create a monolithic structure that allows long lengths of pipe to be
pulled from one area to another. PE pipe's flexibility, abrasion resistance and leak-free joints have helped the product
prove itself long-term in demanding environments.

Polyethylene pipe is the accepted standard for these mining applications:
Solution Mining
Heap Leaching
Process Water
Process Slurry
Water Transportation
Tailings Transportation
Dust Suppression
Mine Dewatering
Pit Dewatering
Depressurization
Specific PE pipe advantages in mining
When it comes to selecting pipe materials for mining applications, the two most important factors are security and
reliability. The pipe must be rustproof, break-resistant and corrosion-free. It must safeguard the environment and
protect the taxpayer. It must have a track record that professional engineers and installers respect.

If you want your pipe to meet and exceed those challenges, it must be polyethylene (PE) pipe.

Proven advantages of PE pipe for mining applications include:
Chemical and Abrasion Resistance
Low Cost
Ease of Installation
Pressure Surge Resistant
Chemical and Abrasion Resistance
PE pipe has proven itself over and over again in the variety of mineral process, ranging from low ph acids to
high ph caustic solutions.
PE pipe has superb chemical resistance and is the material of choice in harsh chemical environments.
PE pipe is also abrasion resistant and is well suited for the solids environment in mining applications.
Pressure Surge Resistant
PE pipe for mining applications is semi-rigid to withstand high external loads as well as high internal
pressure surges. Its flexible nature expands with pressure surges that increases the life of the pipeline and
reduces maintenance costs.
Low Cost
Polyethylene pipe installations are cost effective and have long term cost advantages due to its physical
properties, leak-free joints and reduced maintenance costs.
The polyethylene pipe industry estimates the service life for PE pipe to conservatively be 50-100 years. This
generates savings in replacement costs for generations to come.
In addition to the Life Cycle Capital Cost advantage of HDPE pipe, additional savings accrue to the owner
because the "allowable water leakage" is zero rather than typical the leakage rates of 10% to 20% for PVC
and Ductile Iron.
Ease of Installation
The combination of flexibility and leak free joints allow for unique and cost effective types of installation
methods that the rigid PVC and Ductile Iron pipes can't use with bell and spigot connections. These
alternate installation methods (Horizontal Directional Drilling, Pipe Bursting, Sliplining, Plow and Plant,
Submerged or Floating Pipe, etc.) can save considerable time and money in most applications.
Polyethylene pipe is produced in straight lengths up to 50 feet long and coiled in diameters up through 6-
inch. Coiled lengths over 1,000 feet are available depending on size providing low cost installations.
Polyethylene is about one-eighth the density of steel. It does not require the use of heavy lifting equipment
for installation
POTABLE WATER APPLICATION
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Solid Wall Pipe has been used in Potable Water applications since the '60's, and
has been gaining approval and growth in municipalities ever since. HDPE Pipe is specified and/or approved in
AWWA C901, AWWA C906, NSF 14, NSF 61 and ASTM D3035. Some distinctive advantages of HDPE pipe that
provide important benefits for water applications are listed below:
Durability
1. Heat Fused Joints -- Benefits
o HDPE pipe can be heat fused together to form a joint that is as strong or stronger than the pipe
itself and is leak free.
This eliminates the potential leak points every 10-20 feet as found with PVC and Ductile
Iron bell and spigot connections.
o The Life Cycle Cost of HDPE pipe differs from other pipe materials because the "allowable water
leakage" is zero rather than typical leakage rates of 10 to 20% for PVC and Ductile Iron.
o HDPE pipe fused joints are self restraining and costly thrust restraints or thrust blocks are not
required.
o HDPE pipe's fused joints simply do not leak, eliminating infiltration and exfiltration problems
experienced with alternate pipe joints.
2. Flexible and Fatigue Resistant -- Benefits
o HDPE pipe can be bent to a radius 25 times the nominal pipe diameter (Example: 12" HDPE can
be cold formed in the field to a 25ft radius). This can eliminate many fittings required for
directional changes in a piping system where fittings and thrust blocks or restraints are required
with alternate materials.
o The flexibility of HDPE pressure pipe makes it well suited for dynamic soils including areas prone to
earthquake.
o HDPE pressure pipe can accept repetitive pressure surges that significantly exceed the static
pressure rating of the pipe.
3. Construction Advantages -- Benefits
o The combination of flexibility and leak free joints allow for unique and cost effective types of
installation methods that the rigid PVC and Ductile Iron pipes can't use with bell and spigot
connections. These alternate installation methods (Horizontal Directional Drilling, Pipe Bursting,
Sliplining, Plow and Plant, Submerged or Floating Pipe, etc.) can save considerable time and
money in most potable water applications.
o Polyethylene pipe is produced in straight lengths up to 50 foot long and coiled in diameters up
through 6". Coiled lengths over 1000ft are available depending on size providing low cost
installations..
o Polyethylene is about one-eighth the density of steel, it does not require the use of heavy lifting
equipment for installation.
4. Cost Effective, Long Term and Permanent -- Benefits
o Polyethylene pipe installations are cost effective and have long term cost advantages due to its
physical properties, leak free joints and reduced maintenance costs.
o The polyethylene pipe industry estimates a service life for HDPE pipe to conservatively be 50-100
years. This relates to savings in replacement costs for generations to come.
5. Corrosion and Chemical Resistant -- Benefit
o HDPE pipe will not corrode, tuberculate or support biological growth.
o HDPE pipe has superb chemical resistance and is the material of choice in harsh chemical
environments
o The advantages of corrosion and chemical resistance over traditional metal pipes are shared by
many plastic pipes, but HDPE pipe uniquely combines these attributes with the aforementioned
advantages of heat fused joints, flexibility and fatigue resistance.
6. Handling -- Benefits
o It is much easier to handle and install HDPE pipe vs. the heavier, rigid metallic or concrete pipe
segments, allowing for huge cost advantages in the construction process.
o Polyethylene pipe is better able to structurally withstand an impact than PVC pipe, especially in
cold weather installations when other pipes are more prone to cracks and breaks.
7. Hazen Williams C Factor is 150 and doesn't change over time - Benefit
o HDPE pipe has a smooth ID that does not corrode or tuberculate and maintains its flow capability
over time.
o The C Factor of Ductile Iron pipe is dramatically reduced over time due to corrosion and/or
tuberculation.



According to the Federal Highway Administration, utilities spend $36 billion annually on corrosion protection of pipes.
Is your municipality contributing to these expenditures? If the answer is yes, then specify HDPE pipe. It does not
corrode or tuberculate, long-life cycle reduces your maintenance budget and increases your billable water..

M & I INDUSTRIAL
A pipe does more than just convey industrial liquids from one location to another. It must also be corrosion and
abrasion resistant. It must be flexible and easy to install, and maintain a high flow coefficient throughout its service life
of 50-100 years. And it must not leak.

With polyethylene pipe, you get all of these benefits. Because of the hazardous nature of some chemicals being
transported, it is imperative that the system not leak. Heat fusing polyethylene pipe produces a leak free joint that is
as strong if not stronger than the pipe itself in tension and pressure applications. These joints are self restrained.
They need no thrust blocks or restraint harness except where the pipe attaches to a non-polyethylene system.

Polyethylene pipe is corrosion resistant and has a long history of use as an abrasion resistant material in mining
applications. It is lightweight, easy to install, and reduces the number of fittings needed in a system because of its
flexibility.

HDPE pipe is available for pressures up to 300 psi and constant service temperatures up to 140 F. Please see the
chemical resistance chart in TR-19 for the affects of different chemicals at different temperatures.
Industries Currently Using HDPE Pipe
Fertilizer
Paper and Pulp Manufacturing
Power Plants
Petrochemical
Glass
Semi-Conductor - Wafers
Plastic resin Manufacturers
Dredge operators
o Dredging Applications of High Density Polyethylene Pipe
o Field Applications of Polyethylene Pipe in Dredging
o Polyolefin Materials in Industrial Pipe Applications
Clean and ultra-pure water process
Tank farms - fire loops and mains
LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
Applications
Acid/Caustic Lines
SX Acid Mining
Factory Mutual Piping - Fire loops and mains
Organic Chemicals
Inorganic Chemicals
Hazardous Waste
Wastewater
Process Water
Dual Contained Systems
Cooling Water
Acid bath
Barge loading and unloading Tank storage
Dual Containment Piping Systems
Aeration
Tailings lines
Liquor, bleaching, and caustic acid lines
Pipe rehabilitation in both plant and out of plant piping.
Dredge piping
Pit dewatering
Fertilizer
Power Plants, fresh water and discharge. Spent fuel slurry
(fly ash and bottom ash)