Tag Archives: SciDev

BHP Olympic Dam looks for value in SciDev wastewater treatment solution

SciDev has received a trial purchase order for its MaxiFlox chemistry from BHP’s Olympic Dam polymetallic mine, in South Australia, which will see the company transfer its waste processing expertise to the production side, Lewis Utting says.

Australia’s largest copper operation, Olympic Dam operates a fully integrated processing facility from ore to metal.

The SciDev trial, which includes an initial A$1 million ($717,526) purchase order for the MaxiFlox chemistry, reflecting about three months of consumption, is expected to start by the end of the year and last around six months. It will focus on the use of SciDev’s chemistries in the hydromet and concentrator sections of the processing plant, SciDev said.

SciDev’s South Australia-based staff will be on site to deliver the associated professional services.

SciDev Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Lewis Utting, said the order represented a significant opportunity for SciDev.

“The opportunity to transfer our chemistry and knowhow from the waste processing side directly to the production side of a mining operation reflects the potential for the company’s bespoke chemistries,” he said.

The Olympic Dam mine produced 171,600 t of copper cathode in the year to June 30, 2020, 7% higher than the same period a year earlier, alongside 145,972 oz of refined gold, 984,000 oz of silver and 3,678 t of uranium (all of which was from a concentrate).

MaxiFlox, meanwhile, is specifically designed for the treatment of wastewater across several industries, SciDev says. Products in the MaxiFlox range are supplied in both liquid and powder form across an extensive range of molecular weights and charge densities to solve industrial challenges.

The MaxiFlox chemistries are also being used in the tailings thickener at the Las Bambas copper mine, in Peru, following a trial purchase order from mine owner MMG.

SciDev chemistry receives the thumbs up from Phoenix Process Equipment

SciDev Limited says it has received a large commercial order from Phoenix Process Equipment to use its chemistry in the US-based company’s mineral processing and oil & gas processes.

SciDev chemistry, manufactured by Nuoer, has been qualified by Phoenix for the use in these processes under a heads of agreement (HoA) signed between the parties in August 2019.

Phoenix is a private company based in Kentucky, USA and is focused on the design, fabrication and production of efficient and reliable technology for tailings dewatering, liquid solid separation and slurry and sludge separation, SciDev said.

It provides mining and mineral processing technology to mineral process circuits for the classification, separation and dewatering of minerals and water recycling and dewatering technologies for waste management.

The new order from Phoenix is for around $1.4 million of product, representing some three months of stock under the HoA.

The chemistry will be manufactured by SciDev’s partner, Nuoer China, with product expected to be onsite with Phoenix in March 2020.

SciDev Managing Director and CEO, Lewis Utting, said: “As we continue partnering with strong, reliable counterparties like Phoenix, opportunities will continue to emerge that are value accretive to all parties.

“The order demonstrates the growing opportunity for SciDev products and professional services in the large North American market.”

MMG’s Las Bambas aims for tailings boost with SciDev MaxiFlox trial

SciDev’s MaxiFlox® chemistries are to be used in the tailings thickener at the Las Bambas copper mine, in Peru, following a trial purchase order from mine owner MMG.

The commercial trial follows on from earlier successful technical evaluations that SciDev conducted during 2019, it said.

The aim of the trial is to improve water recovery and, ultimately, increase the available volume in the mines tailings storage facility, according to SciDev.

SciDev Managing Director and CEO, Lewis Utting, said: “The order from MMG Ltd at their Las Bambas operation represents SciDev’s first entry into the copper sector in South America. With both water and available land at a premium in the region, SciDev’s technology could add value to our customers.”

Back in September, SciDev was awarded a three-year contract with Iluka Resources for delivery of MaxiFlox chemistry to the Jacinth–Ambrosia zircon mine, in South Australia. This order followed the delivery of a chemical products trial for the miner in the December quarter of 2018.

MaxiFlox is specifically designed for use in solid liquid separation processes, SciDev says. Products in the MaxiFlox range are supplied in both liquid and powder form across an extensive range of molecular weights and charge densities to solve industrial challenges. Products include:

  • MaxiFlox organic liquid coagulants (based on synthetic organic monomers and naturally occurring polysaccharides);
  • MaxiFlox inorganic liquid coagulant blends;
  • MaxiFlox cationic and anionic flocculant emulsions;
  • MaxiFlox cationic and anionic flocculant powders;
  • MaxiFlox mud solidification polymers, and;
  • MaxiFlox antifoam products.

SciDev and Iluka Resources take chemistry to the Max at Jacinth-Ambrosia

ASX-listed SciDev Ltd says it has been awarded a three-year contract with Iluka Resources for delivery of MaxiFlox® chemistry to the Jacinth–Ambrosia zircon mine, in South Australia.

The contract, expected to be worth some A$8-12 million ($5-8 million) over the three-year term, follows the delivery of a chemical products trial for the miner in the December quarter of 2018. This itself occurred following the announcement of a commercial OptiFlox® System test SciDev carried out.

MaxiFlox is specifically designed for use in solid liquid separation processes, SciDev says. Products in the MaxiFlox range are supplied in both liquid and powder form across an extensive range of molecular weights and charge densities to solve industrial challenges. Products include:

  • MaxiFlox organic liquid coagulants (based on synthetic organic monomers and naturally occurring polysaccharides);
  • MaxiFlox inorganic liquid coagulant blends;
  • MaxiFlox cationic and anionic flocculant emulsions;
  • MaxiFlox cationic and anionic flocculant powders;
  • MaxiFlox mud solidification polymers, and;
  • MaxiFlox antifoam products.

The technology can be used across a range of industries including mining and minerals processing, water and wastewater, oil and gas, food and beverage and paper manufacturing.

Iluka’s Jacinth-Ambrosia operation is the world’s largest zircon mine, according to the miner. Comprising two contiguous deposits, Jacinth and Ambrosia, the mine is around 800 km from Adelaide and 270 km from the Port of Thevenard.

The operation encompasses mining and wet concentration activities with heavy mineral concentrate transported to Iluka’s Narngulu mineral separation plant in Western Australia for final processing. Jacinth-Ambrosia can produce up to some 1,000 t/h of heavy mineral concentrate, which can produce up to ~300,000 t/y of zircon.

Iluka Resources bolts on second SciDev OptiFlox trial in Australia

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.

SciDev to install OptiFlox system in Australia mineral sands operation

SciDev has added mineral sands to its growing list of OptiFlox® industry users after an Australia operation signed up for a multi-month commercial trial.

The system will be installed at the tailings thickener at the operation in the December quarter, according to SciDev.

This is the second multi-month trial the company has received in the past few months. In July, Peabody Energy signed up for a six-month test to improve water efficiency, productivity and operating costs at the tailings thickener section of the North Goonyella coking coal mine in Queensland, Australia.

SciDev said the award of the mineral sands trial followed extensive on-site technical evaluations by the company’s personnel.

The trial aims to optimise water recovery, consumable usage, reduce operational engagement and provide operational insights from the generation and analysis of process data, SciDev said, adding that a successful trial “may result in a long-term contract”.

The OptiFlox range of polymers is specifically tailored for the treatment of process water and wastewater in mining and minerals. It aims to recover valuable mineral resources more efficiently, while minimising losses in productivity and revenue caused by inadequate wastewater clarification in tailings thickeners.

This is the fifth OptiFlox installation in Australia across four industries: thermal coal extraction, dairy manufacturing, coking coal extraction and mineral sands production.

OptiFlox to be trialled at Peabody’s North Goonyella coal mine

SciDev Ltd has been given six months by Peabody Energy to prove its OptiFlox® system can improve water efficiency, productivity and operating costs at the tailings thickener section of the North Goonyella coking coal mine in Queensland, Australia (pictured).

The six-month trial follows the successful installation and ongoing operation of an OptiFlox system at the coal miner’s 12 million tonne per year Wilpinjong thermal coal mine in New South Wales.

SciDev also sells chemicals to the 2.9 Mt/y North Goonyella mine, with the OptiFlox system expected to enhance the “efficacy of the SciDev chemistry”, the company said.

The OptiFlox range of polymers is specifically tailored for the treatment of process water and wastewater in mining and minerals. In addition to the polymer range, OptiFlox also includes the company’s patent-pending technology, which continuously measures particle characteristics of coal slurry, in order to maintain optimal flocculation conditions through automatic, real time control of coagulant dosing.

The technology aims to recover valuable mineral resources more efficiently, while minimising losses in productivity and revenue caused by inadequate wastewater clarification in tailings thickeners.

In addition to the Peabody business, SciDev said it expects to receive approval during the current quarter for the trial of an OptiFlox system at a heavy mineral sands operation in South Australia.