Influence of guar gum on the flow characteristics and wear performance during pipeline transportation of coarse iron ore slurry

This investigation focuses on the effectiveness of Guar gum (GG) as a rheology modifier, slurry stabilizer, drag reducer, and wear inhibitor for handling concentrated and coarse iron ore slurries in pipelines. The rheological data indicate that incorporating 0.05-0.15% GG into 60.8 wt.% ore slurries reduces thickening properties and causes a shift toward shear-thinning flow characteristics. The addition of GG also lowers the particle settling rate, stabilizing the ore slurries. Moreover, the frictional pressure drop, which typically increases with slurry velocity and ore concentration, can be reduced by 50% with 0.15% GG. The pressure drop calculated using rheology is comparable to the data measured from the pilot pipe loop. Additionally, the erosion and corrosion rates can decrease by up to 50% when GG is introduced into ore slurries. GG also reduces the abrasiveness of the ore slurries, enhancing the material's resistance to abrasion. The presence of GG minimizes the degradation of ore size and quality, making it better suited for subsequent processing. The authors propose that GG can serve as an environmentally friendly, low-cost substitute to chemical reagents, enabling the efficient handling of coarse iron ore slurries through the pipeline.