The mine had installed a paste fill system to provide backfill to its stopes. The system is critical to the mining operation. The system includes a large diverter valve which requires frequent lubrication to ensure its reliable operation.

SMP designed a 14 point system using a 50:1 barrel pump, feeding grease through a modular progressive distribution block assembly and controlled by a programmable electronic controller.

After installation, the valve was redesigned requiring only 6 point lubrication. The distribution block assembly was quickly rebuilt to the new requirement without shutting down the system.

After operating for a short while it was discovered that paste backfill at over 3000 psi was getting between the plates of the diverter valve and backing up into the grease lines.

Check valves were installed at the valve to prevent grease backing up into the grease lines and the controller was programmed to flush the ports in the valve plates every 15 minutes.

Prior to the installation of the automatic greaser, the valve had been greased manually. The paste fill system is now completely automatic due partly to the inclusion of the grease system.