Wastewater Treatment in Mining

Mining can demand the use of large volumes of water; a commodity that is valuable and in some cases, rare. To maximise the process efficiencies and to minimise water consumption, the optimisation of water use and re-use is important. In the mining industry, water is used to extract minerals (e.g. coal and iron), liquids (e.g. petroleum), and natural gases. Other applications for water in the mining industry include washing mined minerals, re-injecting for the purposes of secondary oil recovery, metal recovery, controlling dust, wheel washes for quarrying vehicles, and meeting the needs of workers on site. In addition to optimising their usage, mining sites also need to ensure that the quality of water they are discharging complies with the regulations that are put in place to ensure that the wastewater doesn’t affect users downstream. Mining companies develop water management plans to minimise the potential for contamination, and to prevent the release of contaminated water into the environment. Here at SNF, our technical experts can advise on the optimal product selection through their knowledge and understanding of mineral processing technology. On-site clarification, sedimentation, dewatering and filtration processes can be aided through the efficient use of flocculants, coagulants and antifoaming agents.

For more information on Wastewater Treatment in Mining talk to SNF (UK) Ltd