Corrosion failure analysis of steel tubes operating in mining installations: Metallurgical, chemical and mechanical investigations

Abstract Corrosion of steel tubes represents a major challenge for various industries, leading to significant economic and environmental impacts, such as material losses, operational interruptions and safety risks. This study focuses on the metallurgical, chemical and mechanical characterization of corroded steel tubes operating in mining installations using metallographic analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM-EDS studies, chemical analysis and micro-hardness measurements. The results reveal the existence of a considerable extent of corrosion, of which, the main corrosion products are magnetite – 72% and goethite – 18.1 associated with corrosion. The corroded tubes measured 0.128% carbon, against 0.23% in new tubes, indicating a loss in weight and mechanical strength properties. The observed tensile strength for the new tubes was 481 MPa while the same for the corroded tubes was to a large extent lower. Furthermore, metallographic examination indicates that indeed the structure is ferrite pearlite as to the composition. This study indicates that 304 L or 316 L stainless steels may be utilized which have better corrosion-protecting coatings thus prolonging service life and reducing maintenance activities.