High-Depth Sand Quarry Cleaning

At a family-owned sand quarry in France, sediment extraction takes place at depths of up to 70 meters using a traditional grab bucket dredge system. While this method transfers material to the shore via conveyor belt, it results in a major inefficiency: once the sediment is lifted, the finer particles fall back into the water and accumulate at the bottom, creating a thick layer of waste sediment.

This recurring buildup not only reduces the overall quality of the usable material but also forces the operator to pause operations periodically to clean the pond bottom.

The client was seeking a more efficient and low-maintenance solution capable of operating reliably at 70 meters depth and pumping material up to 1,000 meters away. Since this is part of a tailings management process and does not generate direct profit, minimizing operating costs was also a key priority.

To meet the client’s needs, Dragflow delivered a complete dredging solution centered around the DRP300 Remote-Controlled Dredge, configured for high-depth and precise sediment removal.

The dredging unit was equipped with a high-depth system, specifically designed to operate at 70 meters underwater. Four winches with 110 meters of cable and fixed extensions were installed to ensure stable positioning of the dredge, even when placed at the center of the quarry.

At the heart of the operation was an EL1204 submersible pump with side cutters, capable of effectively breaking up and pumping the compacted layer of fine sediment accumulated at the bottom.

Thanks to this tailored setup, the client was able to efficiently remove unwanted fines, improve the overall quality of the target material, and significantly reduce maintenance needs and energy consumption, all within a remotely managed, electrically powered system that kept operational costs to a minimum.