OMG Cawse Pty Ltd is the owner and operator of a nickel and cobalt mining operation and processing plant that is located 55 kilometres north east of Kalgoorlie.

Extracting nickel involves acid leaching using sulfuric acid in a high temperature and pressure autoclave to dissolve the nickel and cobalt from the oxide ore.

The wastes from this process are very acidic and require a highly corrosion resistant material for the lining of the sump tank.

When various concrete coatings for the sump tank were trialed and failed, OMG Cawse opted to install Alloy C-276 to engineer out the continuous maintenance of the concrete coatings.

Alloy C-276 is a super nickel alloy (not a stainless steel), a material that remains resistant in the most corrosive environments such as in chemical processing, waste treatment, pollution control and pulp and paper production.

ASSDA member, Specialised Engineering Services (WA) fabricated a 3mm thick liner for a sump tank from Alloy C-276 plate supplied by ASSDA Major Sponsor, Atlas Steels.

Measuring 9m long x 2.5m wide x 1m to 1.3m deep, the tank is filled with water and receives up to 98% sulphuric acid.

Alloy C-276 is also one of the few materials that can withstand the corrosive effects of chlorine dioxide, wet chlorine gas and hypochlorite.

This article featured in Australian Stainless Issue 34 - Summer 2005.