Mining Agitators & Mixers for Sale

What is a Tank Mixers Agitators?

Table of Contents

• What is a Tank Mixers Agitators?
• What are Main Types of Mixing Tank with Agitator for Mineral Processing?
• What is the Applications of Industrial Agitators and Mixers?
• The Function of Agitating Tank
• What is the Structure of Agitators and Mixers?
• The Working Principle of Agitating Tank
• What is Features of ZONEDING Agitators Mixers?
• What are Advantages of Using Industrial agitator?
• Technical Parameters for ZONEDING Tank Mixer Agitator
• What is Key Differences Between Agitators and Mixers?
• What Exactly Do Industrial Agitators and Mixers Do in a Mining Plant?
• How to Choose the Right Agitator for Mixing?
• How Do You Correctly Size the Agitator in a Tank or Mixing Pit?
• How to Choose a Reliable Agitator Manufacturer?
• What Key Factors Determine the Final Price of a Tank Mixer Agitator?
• How to Improve Maintenance for Your Mixers Agitators?
• FAQ
• Related Products

What are Main Types of Mixing Tank with Agitator for Mineral Processing?

Not all agitators and mixers are created equal. The most significant difference lies in the design of the impeller, which creates the flow inside the tank. Choosing the right impeller type is essential for efficiency. A poor choice can lead to high energy costs, incomplete mixing, and lower mineral recovery.

Impeller Type	Flow Pattern	Best For…	Why it matters for you
Hydrofoil	Axial (High Efficiency)	Solids suspension, blending	Uses the least power to keep your valuable minerals from settling.
Pitched Blade Turbine	Axial (High Pumping)	General purpose mixing, heat transfer	A versatile, all-around choice for many slurry applications.
Rushton Turbine	Radial (High Shear)	Gas dispersion (flotation), emulsification	Perfect for when you need to mix air or chemicals aggressively into the slurry.
Anchor/Helical	Close Clearance	High viscosity slurries	Necessary for thick, paste-like materials that won’t flow easily.

Axial flow impellers push the slurry straight down the middle of the tank, which then flows up the sides. This is excellent for keeping solids suspended with the least amount of power. It creates a full top-to-bottom turnover. Radial flow impellers push the slurry outwards toward the tank walls. This creates high shear, which is great for breaking up clumps or dispersing gas bubbles, a vital process for flotation.

At ZONEDING, our engineers analyze your specific slurry and process goals to select the perfect impeller design.

What is the Applications of Industrial Agitators and Mixers?

Industrial agitators are used everywhere in a modern mining plant where you have a liquid and a solid that need to be mixed. Their role is central to the success of many processes.

Here are some of the most common applications you will find:

• Leaching Tanks: In gold and copper processing, the ore must be constantly mixed with a chemical solution (like cyanide or acid) to dissolve the metal. An agitator ensures every particle makes contact with the chemical for maximum extraction.
• Slurry Storage and Surge Tanks: Before feeding slurry to the next process, it is held in large tanks. The agitator prevents valuable, heavy minerals from settling at the bottom, which would be a direct loss of profit.
• Reagent Mixing: Small, powerful chemical agitators are used to mix and dilute various chemicals (like flocculants or collectors) before they are added to the main process, ensuring they are effective.
• Flotation Conditioners: Before flotation, an agitator is used to thoroughly mix the slurry with special reagents that make the valuable minerals float.
• Backfill Plants: Mixers agitators are used to combine tailings with cement to create a paste. This paste is then pumped back underground to support mined-out areas, improving safety and stability.
• Mixer consumables: copper ore, gold ore, lead-zinc ore, fluorite ore, coal, ore, coal mine, bauxite ore, iron ore, talc, etc.

The Function of Agitating Tank

Compact structure and reliably sealing. Besides, there is an ash damper installed at the mouth of the discharging gate, which can prevent water and flog to enter in.

It has advantages of evenly mixing, sector shape of propeller and large contacting proportion.

There are many rows of nozzles, which can guarantee water to flow evenly.

An agitating tank, also known as a mixer or blending tank, is used in industrial processes to ensure thorough mixing of materials. Its main functions are:

1. Mixing: Homogenizing liquids, slurries, or powders.
2. Dissolving: Facilitating the dissolution of substances.
3. Aeration: Introducing air into the mixture.
4. Suspension: Keeping solids in suspension.
5. Uniformity: Ensuring a consistent mixture for quality control.

What is the Structure of Agitators and Mixers?

An industrial agitator appears simple, but it is a robust system of several key parts working in harmony. Understanding this structure helps with maintenance and troubleshooting.

• Electric Motor
  • Description: The power source.
  • Function: Provides the energy to turn the shaft and impeller.
• Gearbox Reducer
  • Description: Reduces speed, increases torque.
  • Function: It slows the motor’s high speed to the slow, powerful rotation needed to move heavy slurry.
• Shaft
  • Description: A long, strong steel rod.
  • Function: Connects the gearbox to the impeller, transferring the rotational force down into the tank.
• Impeller(s)
  • Description: The “propeller” at the bottom.
  • Function: This is the part that does the actual mixing by creating a strong flow pattern in the slurry.
• Mixing Tank
  • Description: The vessel holding the slurry.
  • Function: Contains the process. Its shape and size are critical to the system’s overall performance.
• Baffles
  • Description: Vertical plates on the tank wall.
  • Function: These are essential. They prevent the slurry from just spinning and force it to mix properly.

The Working Principle of Agitating Tank

The working principle of a mixers agitators system is straightforward but effective. The system’s job is to convert electrical energy into the mechanical energy of fluid motion. The process starts with the electric motor, which provides high-speed rotational power. This power is fed into a gearbox. The gearbox is critical; it acts like the transmission in a truck, reducing the high speed of the motor to a much slower rotational speed while dramatically increasing the torque. This high torque is what gives the agitator the raw strength to move dense, heavy slurry.

This low-speed, high-torque power is then transferred down a long, solid steel shaft. At the end of the shaft is the impeller. As the impeller rotates, its specially designed blades push against the slurry, creating a powerful flow pattern inside the tank. This continuous flow lifts particles from the bottom, blends liquids together, and creates the uniform mixture your process needs to be efficient.

The Agitating Tank is composed of a motor, an impeller, a stator, a bearing and the like, and is stirred by a mechanical stirring method of a flat bottom barrel-shaped radiation circulating spiral impeller. When the agitating tank is working, the motor traction triangle belt drive device drives the impeller to rotate, and the slurry and the medicament are fully mixed with each other under the uniform stirring of the impeller, increasing the reaction time of the medicament on the pulp, and strengthening the reaction quality of the medicine, so that the material is obtained. Adequate mixing and mixing to prepare the necessary conditions for the next stage of flotation production.

What is Features of ZONEDING Agitators Mixers?

When you select an industrial agitator, you are choosing a piece of equipment that must run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in a very tough environment. At ZONEDING, we build our agitators and mixers to last, focusing on features that deliver unmatched reliability and a long service life.

These are the core features of every ZONEDING tank mixer agitator:

• High-Strength Steel: We use high-quality, thick steel for the shafts and impellers to resist the powerful bending forces and constant abrasion from heavy, rocky slurry.
• Advanced Welding Technology: Our welders are highly skilled and certified. All welds are rigorously inspected to ensure there are no weak points. A bad weld on an impeller can lead to a catastrophic failure inside your tank.
• Robust Gearbox and Motor: We partner with trusted, world-class brands for our gearboxes and motors. We then carefully size them to handle the high torque demands, especially for starting up in settled slurry.
• Customizable Engineering: We do not offer a one-size-fits-all product. Our 15 engineers design the impeller type, size, and speed specifically for your slurry’s density, particle size, and viscosity.
• Durable Coatings: Depending on your application, we provide thick rubber lining or special epoxy coatings to protect all wetted parts from corrosive chemicals and abrasive particles.

What are Advantages of Using Industrial agitator?

Using the right industrial agitator provides several major advantages that directly impact your plant’s profitability. It is not just about stirring a tank; it is about process optimization. A properly designed mixing tank with agitator from a reliable agitator manufacturer like ZONEDING can be one of the best investments you make.Here are the key advantages for your operation:

• Improved Mineral Recovery: By keeping solid particles fully suspended, you ensure they have enough time to react with chemicals (in leaching) or attach to bubbles (in flotation). This directly increases your overall metal recovery and profit.
• Consistent Process Flow: Agitators provide a steady, uniform slurry to downstream equipment like pumps and cyclones. This prevents blockages and keeps the entire circuit running smoothly and predictably.
• Reduced Reagent Costs: Effective mixing ensures that expensive chemical reagents are distributed quickly and evenly throughout the tank. This means you can often use less chemical to get the same result, saving you a lot of money over time.
• Prevention of “Sanding”: It prevents heavy solids from settling and hardening at the bottom of the tank. This “sanding” can damage equipment and require a costly and difficult plant shutdown to dig out.
• Enhanced Safety: By keeping slurries mixed, you prevent the sudden release of settled solids which can overload and damage pumps or other equipment, creating a safer work environment.

Technical Parameters for ZONEDING Tank Mixer Agitator

What is Key Differences Between Agitators and Mixers?

“Mixing” is the overall process of making a substance more uniform. “Agitation” is the action of inducing motion in a material to cause that mixing. Therefore, an industrial agitator is the machine that causes the mixing to happen.
A mixer can refer to the entire system (the mixing tank with agitator), while the agitator is the specific piece of equipment inside the tank (the motor, gearbox, shaft, and impeller) that does the physical work. In everyday conversation in a plant, you can use the terms interchangeably without much confusion. However, when you are speaking with an engineer or an agitator manufacturer like ZONEDING, being precise helps ensure you get exactly the right equipment for your mixing process.

What Exactly Do Industrial Agitators and Mixers Do in a Mining Plant?

In a mining plant, industrial agitators and mixers perform several vital tasks that are absolutely essential for production. Their primary role is to overcome gravity and keep solid ore particles from settling out of the slurry. If your valuable minerals sink to the bottom of a tank, they are effectively lost from the process and you lose money. This makes the agitator in tank a guardian of your recovery rate and your bottom line.

Beyond just suspension, they are crucial for many chemical processes. For instance, in a gold leaching circuit, the agitator continuously brings fresh chemical solution into contact with the surfaces of the gold-bearing particles. This action dramatically speeds up the dissolving process. They also ensure uniformity. By constantly blending the slurry, they guarantee that the density, temperature, and chemical concentration are the same throughout the entire tank. This consistency is essential for the stable and predictable operation of all the equipment that comes after the mixing tank, like pumps and flotation cells.

How to Choose the Right Agitator for Mixing?

Choosing the right agitator for mixing is one of the most important technical decisions you will make for your plant.

• The most critical factor is matching the impeller type to the specific process duty. For a leaching tank, your goal is simply to keep all the solids suspended off the tank bottom. Here, a high-efficiency axial flow impeller, like a hydrofoil, is the best choice because it uses the least amount of power to achieve full suspension.
• However, for a flotation conditioner tank where you are adding air and reagents, you need a radial flow impeller like a Rushton turbine. This design creates high shear, which is excellent at breaking large air bubbles into the fine bubbles needed for flotation and rapidly dispersing chemicals.
• Another key factor is your slurry’s rheology—its flow behavior. A thick, paste-like slurry will require a completely different impeller design and much more power than a thin, watery slurry.

How Do You Correctly Size the Agitator in a Tank or Mixing Pit?

Correctly sizing an agitator in a tank or a mixing pit is a complex engineering task. If the agitator is undersized, it will not have the power to keep the solids suspended, leading to “sanding,” lost production, and potential equipment damage. If it is oversized, you will waste a huge amount of money on electricity for the entire life of the plant.

The sizing process starts with detailed data about your slurry: its density (percent solids), its viscosity, and the particle size distribution of the solids. Next, we determine the level of agitation required for your process.Using this data, our ZONEDING engineers use proven industry formulas and specialized software to calculate the required power and torque. From there, we can select the appropriate motor and gearbox. We also determine the optimal impeller diameter and speed to achieve the desired mixing result in your specific tank geometry.

How to Choose a Reliable Agitator Manufacturer?

1. Engineering Expertise: A good manufacturer asks detailed questions and offers custom designs, not just a standard product.
2. Proven Experience: Ask for real case studies and customer references.
3. Manufacturing Quality: Do they use high-quality components (motors, gearboxes) from reputable brands? Look for quality certifications like ISO 9001.
4. After-Sales Support: Is it easy to get technical help, service, and spare parts? A strong warranty and good support are crucial.
5. Focus on Total Cost: Do they discuss the total cost of ownership (energy use, maintenance) or just the initial price? A reliable, efficient agitator saves you money in the long run.

What Key Factors Determine the Final Price of a Tank Mixer Agitator?

The final price of a tank mixer agitator is determined by several key factors.

• The biggest factor is simply size. A large agitator for a 200 cubic meter tank will naturally cost much more than a small chemical agitator for a 1 cubic meter tank.
• The next major factor is the materials of construction. A standard carbon steel agitator is the most affordable option. If your process is corrosive and requires stainless steel, or highly abrasive and needs a full rubber lining, the price will increase significantly.
• The sealing system at the top of the tank also has a big impact on cost. A traditional stuffing box seal is cheaper upfront, but a high-performance mechanical seal, which is better for preventing leaks of hazardous chemicals, is a more expensive option.
• Finally, the complexity of the drive system matters. A simple, fixed-speed motor and gearbox is standard. If you need a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) to allow for speed control, this will add to the initial cost, though it can save you energy costs and offer better process control in the long run.

At ZONEDING, we provide a clear breakdown of these costs so you can make an informed decision.

How to Improve Maintenance for Your Mixers Agitators?

Good maintenance is the key to a long and trouble-free life for your mixers agitators.

• The most important task is lubrication. You must follow the manufacturer’s schedule for checking and changing the oil in the gearbox and greasing the bearings. This is the single best thing you can do to prevent a costly gearbox failure.
• Regularly walk around the agitator and use your senses. Check for any unusual noises or vibrations, as these are often early warnings of a problem.
• Also, visually check all the mounting bolts on the motor and gearbox to ensure they are tight.
• Once a year, during a planned plant shutdown, you should inspect the impeller blades for wear or damage from abrasion. A worn impeller is inefficient and uses more power for the same amount of mixing.

At ZONEDING, we also stress the importance of proper start-up procedures. Never start an agitator that has been shut down in a tank full of settled solids without first trying to re-slurry the material with water, if possible. This prevents massive stress on the gearbox and shaft.

FAQ

Question 1: Can you install an agitator in an existing tank?
Yes, absolutely. We frequently design and supply agitators to be retrofitted into existing tanks. Our engineers will need the exact dimensions of your tank, including diameter, height, and any internal structures, to design an agitator in tank that fits perfectly and performs correctly.
Question 2: How much power does an industrial agitator use?
Power consumption varies hugely, from as little as 1.5 kW for a small reagent mixer to over 250 kW for a very large mixing pit agitator in a thick slurry. The power is determined by the volume of the tank and the density and viscosity of the slurry being mixed.
Question 3: What happens if my agitator stops?
If an agitator stops in a tank full of slurry, the solids will begin to settle. If left for too long, they can form a hard, concrete-like mass at the bottom of the tank that is very difficult and expensive to remove. This is why agitator reliability is so important.
Question 4: What is the difference between a top-entry and side-entry agitator?
In mineral processing, almost all agitators are top-entry, meaning the shaft comes down from a drive unit mounted on top of the tank. Side-entry agitators are sometimes used in very large, low-viscosity storage tanks, like in the oil industry, but are not suitable for heavy mining slurries.

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