Tag Archives: tailings management

SIMEC Mining, Solenis optimise flocculant use, reduce environmental impact at Iron Duke TSF

Environmental, Mine operation news, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , ,

SIMEC Mining has successfully implemented a tailings management sustainability project that, it says, has resulted in positive environmental and operational benefits for its Iron Duke iron ore mine in South Australia.

A project initiated by SIMEC and completed with supplier/partner Solenis, it has resulted in a significant reduction in polymer usage and water consumption which translates to CO2 emissions being reduced by 65 t/y, while 18,250 cu.m of water will be saved annually, the company claims.

The success of this project has now been recognised with a Solenis Sustainability Award.

SIMEC Mining Iron Ore Executive General Manager, Jacqui Higgins, said the project was a worthy recipient when considering the positive environmental benefits and better use of resources.

“Sustainability and a reduced impact on our environment are key words when it comes to our mining operations and our aspirations for the future,” Higgins said. “SIMEC Mining, as part of GFG Alliance, is on a journey towards sustainability and a future that involves green iron and Carbon Neutral by 2030 (CN30) ambitions.

“That includes some big transitional plans but, just as importantly, these projects also contribute to our future aspirations and form important building blocks in our plans for a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly operation.”

Founded in 2020, the Solenis Sustainability Award program is designed to recognise customer projects that have positively impacted the planet. It acknowledges ongoing collaboration between the respective companies on projects that deliver reduced water use, reduced energy consumption, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, optimised raw material utilisation or reduced waste.

The project focuses on optimising flocculant dosage at Iron Duke’s tailings storage facility (TSF). The TSF stores processing plant waste material as a liquid slurry that inherently contains valuable water that is not recovered from the tailings dam. The tailings treatment program enables the mine to recover this water immediately for re-use in the processing plant. The chemical flocculant program facilitates this tailings treatment and water recovery process while the effective management of the TSF is crucial for structural integrity and environmental protection, SIMEC explained.

The solution involved optimising flocculant dosage based on variable factors like water flow, density and total solids. SIMEC and Solenis identified key measurable variables and developed algorithms linked to the Solenis PraestoSpeed 120™ polymer makeup and dosage system. On-site control was facilitated through the plants operating system with remote monitoring via an online platform.

Results indicated dry flocculant usage decreased from 700 kg/d to 200 kg/d, translating to a verified annual cost saving of approximately A$850,000 ($556,571) for SIMEC, as well as the aforementioned environmental benefits.

RCT leverages ControlMaster remote-controlled tech on Amphiroll Mud Scroller

Automation, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , , , ,

RCT has found a new application for its ControlMaster® remote-controlled technology package after successfully deploying the solution on an Amphiroll Mud Scroller working on tailings ponds.

Operations are now more efficient and safer for the Western Australia-based earthmoving team using this equipment, according to RCT, now owned by Epiroc.

The mud scroller, used to aerate the caustic mud of the tailings pond to dry it out, was previously a manual operation requiring two machines operating at one time for personnel safety reasons.

The ControlMaster Line-of-Sight solution has removed the operator from the cabin and allows them to control the machine from up to 200 m line of sight, according to the company. This custom one-off kit was designed, supplied and installed by both the Perth Customer Service and RCT Custom team, the company’s designated bespoke solutions department.

“This solution removes operators from any potential danger that could arise from them physically being out on a tailings pond and allows them to instead carry out the task from the safety of a light vehicle located nearby,” RCT’s Account Manager, Phill Dean, said.

The introduction of this technology has also dramatically changed how the Mud Scroller is transported to various sites, according to RCT.

“Previously amphirolls were twice the size requiring oversize movement permits and weighed about 18 t, so moving this piece of machinery required large multi-lift crane operation,” Dean said. “Now, the logistics of moving the small unit is easier and only requires a large tile tray and this in itself reduces mobilisation costs substantially.”

As well as deploying the ControlMaster technology, RCT designed, manufactured and installed the EarthTrack® custom dashboard.

“This dashboard was designed to display all the integral information in an easy-to-read format,” Dean said. “It will let the operator know the pump pressures, engine temps, fuel level and an overall live health report.”

The new and improved mud scroller remote solution was deployed at the beginning of the year in trials and is being used today with great success, according to the company.

BHP, Rio Tinto extend tailings dewatering and management collaboration

Bulk handling, Environmental, Mining industry recognition, Mining services, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , ,

BHP and Rio Tinto have joined together to invite expressions of interest from technology providers, equipment manufacturers, reagent suppliers, startups and research groups across the globe with innovative ideas and technologies to help improve tailings dewatering and management performance.

The global miners aim to jointly identify a portfolio of tailings management partners with whom they can work to accelerate the development of technologies that could increase water recovery and reduce potential safety risks and environmental footprints associated with tailings storage facilities, they say.

The search for new partners comes as the two companies have now entered into a new agreement to extend their collaboration beyond the previously announced trial of a large-volume tailings filter unit at a BHP copper mine in Chile.

BHP Head of Sustainability Innovation, Ingrid Oyarzun, said: “There are so many innovative thinkers out there and we want to bring them in as partners to help us improve in this critical area for safety and sustainability of our operations.”

Rio Tinto Chief Advisor Research and Development, Saskia Duyvesteyn, said: “We want to tap into the wealth of great ideas and innovations we know are out there and work together to find ways to improve safety and reduce the environmental footprint of tailings facilities.”

Tailings management includes tailings dewatering and transport technologies, chemical amendment and dust mitigation. Ideas and technologies considered may be market-ready for mining, involve technologies previously applied in other industries, or may be original ideas at earliest stages of research and development.

Interested parties are invited to obtain further information about the process and submit their expression of interest in becoming involved by visiting www.tailingsopencall.com

McLanahan to expand water recycling offering with acquisition of filtration leader Diefenbach

Environmental, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , ,

McLanahan Corporation has signed an agreement to acquire Diefenbach, an Italian manufacturer of filter presses and thickeners based out of Medolago, Italy.

The two companies, which have been working together on projects since 2013, expect the acquisition to close during the June quarter of 2023.

Diefenbach has been a leader in liquid-solid separation using filter presses since its founding in 1907, when the company was focused on producing presses for the olive oil industry. In the 1950s, Diefenbach expanded into the recycling and filtration of industrial wastewater. Today, Diefenbach has sold thousands of machines and has extensive experience in selling and manufacturing this equipment for the mining and aggregate industries, as well as for chemical manufacturing, food and beverage processing, battery recycling, PET recycling, wastewater treatment and more.

As the focus on a circular economy and recycling water from industrial processes becomes more prominent on a global scale, McLanahan was looking for a partner to continue expanding its offerings in this space, it said. This will allow the company to ensure it is able to offer a more comprehensive solution to customers and industries around the world in support of these changing requirements for processing.

Cory Jenson, EVP – Sales and Business Development at McLanahan, said: “As we look toward the future, we see a growing need for wastewater and tailings management in a variety of industries as part of the circular economy. Every industry is being challenged to use less and less water and to recycle the water they are using. This acquisition offers significant synergies to McLanahan’s existing tailings solutions in mining and aggregates, which continue to remain a critical part of McLanahan’s product offerings. This new partnership allows us to offer a more competitive solution to our tailings partners around the world.”

Diefenbach will continue to operate as an independent brand in the marketplace, focusing on its core industries and markets around the world.

RheEnergise, UK universities win grant for High-Density Hydro energy storage system work

Environmental, Mining finance, Mining services, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , ,

In partnership with the University of Greenwich and the University of Exeter, UK-based RheEnergise has secured a grant of £1 million ($1.2 million), funded through the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) as part of the UK Government’s Energy Entrepreneurs Fund (EEF).

The government grant will fund work to identify and test waste materials (such as tailings) that could be used in the high-density fluid (HDF) that is integral to RheEnergise’s grid-scale High-Density Hydro® energy storage system, which RheEnergies says is an environmentally-benign alternative to water.

RheEnergise’s long duration storage system is low-cost and energy efficient, the company states. The fluid used in the system is two-and-a-half times denser than water (similar in viscosity to cream) and is therefore able to provide two-and-a-half times the power and two-and-a-half times the energy when compared with conventional low-density hydro-power systems that rely on water and operate in the Scottish Highlands, Wales and across Europe. It means that RheEnergise can deploy its long duration energy storage system beneath the surface of hills rather than mountains, so opening up massive commercial opportunities in the UK, Europe and further afield. There is very real potential for RheEnergise’s storage system to be deployed in operating mines and quarries, the company says.

The research project, funded by the UK Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, wants to identify suitable minerals and waste streams that can be recycled into the high-density fluid which can be locally sourced and are lower cost, rather than having to rely on minerals imported from overseas.

Stephen Crosher, Chief Executive of RheEnergise, says: “The opportunities presented by the EEF grant are phenomenal. We are delighted to be able to lead and partner with two outstanding universities – Greenwich and Exeter. The project has the potential to solve three huge questions that affect people daily and globally: those of climate change mitigation, delivering firm power supply from renewables and how to use waste from other industries for new purposes, creating truly circular economies.

“The government grant, from the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, will help us to cut the operating cost of our hydro energy storage system, whilst increasing its sustainability. By using locally sourced waste materials, we can lower the costs of our projects, reduce carbon emissions from transportation and processing and create a new circular economy where none currently exists.

“Working with colleagues from Greenwich and Exeter Universities, our research team will be closely examining waste and tailings from various sources but in particular from mines and quarries. There is also the potential that operating mines and quarries, which by their very nature have high elevations and are high energy users, could use our energy storage system.”

Later this year, RheEnergise will start work on building a 250 kW/1 MWh (four hours) demonstrator of its High-Density Hydro energy storage system at a site near Plymouth, UK, and is planning to have its first 5 MW grid-scale project in commercial operation within the next 3-5 years.

Eldorado turns to Metso Outotec for dry stack tailings solution at Skouries

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Metso Outotec says it will deliver sustainable filtration technology for dry stacking of tailings to Eldorado Gold’s Hellas Gold Skouries copper-gold concentrator project in northern Greece.

Metso Outotec’s scope of delivery consists of the engineering, manufacturing and supply of several Planet Positive Larox® FFP3512 filters as well as installation and commissioning advisory services. The fully automatic, fast-opening filter press (FFP) combines the benefits of membrane technology and sidebar design with high mechanical and process performance, providing safe and sustainable high-volume dewatering of tailings at low operating and life cycle costs, according to the company.

Brock Gill, SVP Projects & Transformation for Eldorado Gold, said: “Skouries is a world-class project, and we are aiming for best-in-class sustainable technologies in the project design. For tailings management, the Skouries project will use dry stack tailings impoundment, which requires less space, reduces water consumption and maximises recovery of process water for reuse. Metso Outotec filters were selected as key and proven technology for the dry tailings facility not only because of their performance, but also because of their energy efficiency.”

Jussi Venäläinen, Vice President, Filtration business line at Metso Outotec, added: “Eldorado Gold and Hellas Gold were looking for a reliable partner to help ensure the safety and sustainability of the Skouries tailings dry stacking facility. We are pleased having been chosen to deliver this core technology for the project. Previously, we’ve supplied proprietary technologies for grinding, flotation, thickening and automation to Skouries.”

The value of the order is approximately €14 million ($13.8 million), according to Metso Outotec.

Metso Outotec says its filtration product portfolio is the largest in the field, with the company having carried out over 14,000 filtration tests and delivered more than 5,000 filters for various applications worldwide.

A 2021 feasibility study on Skouries highlighted a 20-year operation able to produce 140,000 oz/y of gold and 67 MIb (30,391 t) of copper.

Phoenix Tailings receives US DoE funding for ‘carbon-negative’ tech development

Base metals, Energy minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining finance, Mining services, Water management, , , , , , , ,

Phoenix Tailings, a US-based critical materials extraction and refining startup, is to receive $1.2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to extract nickel and magnesium from mining waste using what it says is “carbon negative technology”.

These metals are crucial to the production of the batteries that fuel cars, computers and phones using a zero-emissions process, it said.

Phoenix Tailings was one of 16 projects across the country to receive the funding as part of the Energy Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy Mining Innovations for Negative Emissions Resource Recovery program, which aims to develop market-ready technologies that will increase domestic supplies of critical elements required for the clean energy transition.

The funding will support Phoenix Tailings’ work to extract nickel and magnesium from mining tailings through a process that uses carbonisation and recycled carbon dioxide. The process, which is carbon negative, generates high-purity nickel oxide and magnesium carbonate.

Phoenix Tailings, Co-Founder Anthony Balladon (pictured), said: “Think about all the products we use that rely on batteries – from computers to EVs to tactical weapons systems. We depend on the metals that make up these batteries, but rarely think about the environmental impacts of producing them. At Phoenix Tailings we have found a carbon negative way to recover nickel from mining waste, or tailings. We are grateful for the ARPA-E funding to help propel this project forward and ensure there’s a sustainable way to create these metals without producing harmful by-products.”

U.S. Secretary of Energy, Jennifer M Granholm, said: “A reliable, sustainable domestic supply chain of critical materials that power longer-lasting batteries and other next-generation energy technologies is crucial to reaching our clean energy future. With these investments, DOE is helping to reinvigorate American manufacturing to reduce our overreliance on adversarial nations and position the nation as a global leader of research and innovation.”

Rio Tinto and BHP team up to tackle tailings dewatering

Base metals, Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining industry recognition, Mining services, Water management, , , , ,

BHP and Rio Tinto have formed a partnership agreement to accelerate the development of technology that, they say, could significantly increase water recovery from mine tailings, and, in turn, reduce potential safety risks and environmental footprints associated with tailings storage facilities.

The first project will involve testing the application of an innovative large-volume filter unit at a BHP copper mine in Chile, which would remove up to 80% of the water in the tailings stream before it is deposited in a storage facility.

Rio Tinto will bring its experience from implementing smaller-scale tailings filters for bauxite residues at alumina refineries since 2005. Both organisations will work in collaboration with leading technology and equipment providers, technical experts, research groups and the academic sector, they say.

Manufacture of the filter unit is already underway. The pilot construction is due to begin in early 2023 and operations are scheduled to commence in early 2024. The pilot will test the potential of a large-scale tailings filter unit for scalability and cost-effectiveness across global mining operations.

Removing more water from tailings would reduce potential risks associated with moisture in storage facilities, reduce the footprint required by such facilities and create opportunities to productively re-use tailings, for example, as raw material for glass, construction or agriculture industries, the companies say.

The additional water recovered from tailings by filtration could be re-used in processing facilities, reducing overall water consumption.

BHP Chief Technical Officer, Laura Tyler, said: “The world will need more critical minerals in the decades to come to support economic development and decarbonisation pathways. It is important that we keep working together across the global mining sector to raise standards and make sure our operations are as safe and sustainable as they can be. Responsible management of tailings and improved water use is a big part of that.”

Rio Tinto Chief Technical Officer, Mark Davies, said: “It is in everyone’s interest that we, as an industry, find safer and more sustainable ways to manage tailings. As two of the leading companies in the sector, we want to bring our combined knowledge and expertise to address this challenge.”

Tailings usually takes the form of a liquid slurry made of fine metal or mineral particles and water – created when mined ore is crushed and finely ground in a milling process to enable the metals and minerals of interest to be extracted.

Metso Outotec integrates tailings and water treatment solutions into one TMS offering

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec says is introducing its comprehensive Tailings Management Solutions offering for the sustainable management of mine tailings.

The offering unites products with decades of process expertise and covers tailings thickening and dewatering as well as handling through conveying and dry stacking, it said. In addition, Metso Outotec offers a portfolio of solutions for the treatment of water produced during dewatering, enabling closed water loops while managing the level of impurities within the recycled water.

Dr Piia Suvio, Director, Tailings and Water, Metso Outotec, said: “The rising demand for sustainably mined materials and stricter environmental legislation are pushing the need for more advanced technology for safe processing and storing of the tailings. Water resource efficiency is also becoming more and more important. These factors, combined with the need to capture the full value of ore, for example, by reprocessing the tailings to extract the remaining valuable minerals, lead to a continuously increasing need for sophisticated tailings management solutions.”

Dr Suvio added: “With our extensive process expertise, we can offer cutting-edge technology solutions for any tailings management need to reduce water use, environmental impact, risks, and costs. Together with our customers, we can reshape the future of tailings and drive responsible management practices that help the business and society to prosper,” says Suvio.

Metso Outotec has been involved in the development of tailings management solutions and equipment for over 50 years. Today, a lot of emphasis is put on the design stage, which includes, for example, test work and studies supported by process simulations carried out with the recently launched Metso Outotec Geminex™ digital twin, allowing accurate plant design and sizing.

Metso Outotec’s Tailings Management Solutions consist of a wide range of Planet Positive equipment and feature performance and capacity guarantees:

  • Thickening plant units are based on Metso Outotec IPS, HRT, HCT and PT technologies. The Reactorwell™ feed system and Vane Feedwell™ provide enhanced mixing, dilution, and retention of the feed, maximising flocculant adsorption and aggregate growth. The advanced Metso Outotec control systems, such as the thickener optimiser, help improve the overall performance of the thickening plant unit;
  • Filtration plant units are based on proven FFP or FP-S filtration technology. The Metso Outotec filtration plant unit is specifically designed for high-volume tailings processing, leading to savings in operational and maintenance costs;
  • The company’s extensive conveying and stacking portfolio consists of robust components and is built to last and perform under even the toughest conditions; and
  • Metso Outotec process water recycling plants enable the recovery and reuse of water within the production process with enhanced metal recovery within the flotation circuit.

Metso Outotec says it supports its tailings management portfolio with a full range of parts, inspections, process optimisation and Life Cycle Services.

Metso Outotec to provide PT Huafei Nickel Cobalt with Planet Positive Larox filters

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec has been awarded what it says is a major contract for the delivery of sustainable tailings filtration technology to PT Huafei Nickel Cobalt’s greenfield laterite nickel ore project in Indonesia.

Metso Outotec’s scope of delivery consists of the engineering, manufacturing and supply of the Planet Positive Larox® FFP3512 filters, as well as installation and commissioning advisory services and spare parts.

The fully automatic fast-opening filter press (FFP) combines the benefits of membrane technology and sidebar design with high mechanical and process performance, providing safe and sustainable high-volume dewatering of tailings with low operating and life cycle costs, Metso Outotec said.

The hydrometallurgical plant has a targeted annual output of 120,000 t of nickel metal and is expected to be in operation during the June quarter of 2023.

Metso Outotec’s Planet Positive portfolio, which the Larox FFP3512 filters are a part of, focuses on the most environmentally efficient technologies – of which there are more than 100 – in the company’s current portfolio, responding to the sustainability requirements of its customers. The customer requirements relate to energy or water efficiency, reduction of emissions, circularity and safety, Metso Outotec says.

Jussi Venäläinen, Vice President, Filtration business line at Metso Outotec, said: “For our customer, the key criterion for selecting Metso Outotec’s filtration technology was safe and sustainable tailings processing with proven service capability. In addition, we were able to meet the customer’s wish for a quick delivery time.

“We are very pleased to have been chosen as the solution supplier, and we look forward to working together with our customer on this important project.”

Metso Outotec’s filtration product portfolio is the largest in the field and the energy, emission and water efficiency is in a league of its own, the company said. It has carried out over 14,000 filtration tests and delivered more than 5,000 filters for various applications worldwide. Most of the filters are sold under the Larox product name along with Metso Outotec corporate branding. Metso Outotec also accommodates all filtration-related service and spare parts needs through its global service network.

The value of the order is over €30 million ($33 million), and it has been booked in Minerals’ Q1 (March quarter) 2022 orders received.