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Mining is a prominent industry in the UK, and the equipment and machinery used must be able to deliver quality results under extreme conditions. This is why INCONEL and INCOLOY alloys are so widely used in the mining industry, thanks to their super combination of corrosion resistance and the ability to withstand high temperatures.

When it comes to mining, there are a lot of different elements and components that make up the essential equipment and machines used every day. Each part needs to withstand some of the most demanding environments, with corrosive media and high temperatures causing difficult conditions.

INCONEL and INCOLOY alloys are often used for ancillary applications, such as pumps, piping and separation machinery, as well as drilling equipment and the construction of downhole shafts. These components are subject to both high pressure and heat, so materials need to be strong while also providing excellent resistance to abrasion, oxidation and corrosion. In particular, there is a real need for resistance to oxidising chemicals and high-temperature oxidising gases.

There are a few particular alloys that are used regularly within the mining industry, due to their specific specifications.

Commonly used INCONEL alloys

For example, INCONEL alloy 600 is used across a number of industries, including mining, as a standard engineering material thanks to its high strength, good workability and ability to resist the effects of corrosive media and heat. It has a high nickel content, which enables it to resist corrosion by many organic and inorganic compounds, and it is virtually immune to chloride-ion stress-corrosion cracking. The chromium content gives it resistance to sulphur compounds, as well as oxidising conditions at high temperatures.

Where exceptionally high strength is needed, an alloy like INCONEL alloy 617 can be employed. This nickel-chromium blend includes molybdenum, which is known for conferring strength into an alloy and cobalt. The carefully balanced composition has good stability, even at elevated temperatures, as well as excellent high-temperature oxidation resistance.

Both INCONEL alloy 690 and INCONEL alloy 693 are commonly used in the mining industry too. They are high-chromium nickel alloys offering a good combination of strength, stability and easy fabricability. Both offer good high-temperature resistance, but the newer INCONEL alloy 693 in particular has excellent resistance to oxidation and sulfidation, as well as improved resistance to other forms of high-temperature corrosion.

Over to INCOLOY

There are also occasions where the leaner-nickel INCOLOY alloys can be employed within mining industry applications, providing a good balance between corrosion resistance at high temperatures and lower cost.

The popular INCOLOY alloy 825 is used in shaped screening wires used to size mineral particles. This superalloy has many desirable properties that make it well suited to this kind of use. It offers excellent resistance to reducing and oxidising acids, stress-corrosion cracking, pitting and crevice corrosion. It is particularly resistance to sulphuric and phosphoric acids, which makes it good for using within oil and gas well piping.

To find out more about the INCONEL and INCOLOY alloys used in the mining industry, and to discuss your next project, contact our Sales team.

Topics: Corrotherm News

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