ASX-listed SciDev Ltd is to add a chemical products trial to the commercial OptiFlox® System test it is due to carry out in the December quarter at one of Iluka Resources’ Australia mineral sands operations.

The two-week trial of the chemical products will run concurrently with the OptiFlox System testing, the latter of which was announced earlier this month and aims to optimise water recovery, consumable usage and improve tailings deposition in the tailings thickener section of the operation over a matter of months.

“Pending success of both the chemical trial and the associated OptiFlox system trial, SciDev will seek to progress discussions with Iluka in respect of an ongoing chemical sales contract,” the company said.

OptiFlox comprises an extensive range of chemicals and the company’s patent-pending technology. Its range of polymers is specifically tailored for the treatment of process water and wastewater in mining and minerals, “recovering valuable mineral resources more efficiently, while minimising losses in productivity and revenue caused by inadequate wastewater clarification in tailings thickeners”, SciDev says.

In addition to this mineral sands trial win, SciDev has been given six months to trial its technology at Peabody Energy’s North Goonyella coking coal mine in Queensland, Australia, and the company was recently contracted by the coal miner to supply its coagulant product to one of its US operations.