Recovery of Valuable Metals from Mining Wastewater: Case Studies. Andrew G. Hall VP, Sales & Marketing

Transcription

1 Recovery of Valuable Metals from Mining Wastewater: Case Studies Andrew G. Hall VP, Sales & Marketing 13 April 2012

2 BioteQ Profile Clean tech company treating industrial wastewater Proven technologies first plant built in 2001 Sulphide precipitation technology New Ion Exchange technologies ISO standards for environmental compliance 2

3 Operations Designed/operated by BioteQ Designed by BioteQ BioteQ Offices 3

4 Technologies & Applications Metal Recovery & Removal BioSulphide ChemSulphide Ion Exchange MINING & SMELTING Acid mine drainage Ground & surface water drainage Tailings water Bleed streams Process optimization 4

5 Features & Benefits 1. Maximize resource recovery 2. Generate revenue from waste 3. Reduce/eliminate waste sludge 4. Treated effluent meeting regulatory compliance 5

6 Bio/ChemSulphide : Metal Recovery & Removal BioSulphide Sulphur & reagents BIOREACTOR H 2 S Feed water ChemSulphide CONTACTOR CLARIFIER Treated Water CHEMICAL SULPHIDE FILTER Metal Sulphide Product to Refinery 6

7 Ion Exchange: Metal Recovery & Removal Loading Treated Water Water with dilute solution of dissolved metals Sulphide Regeneration ph Adjustment Sulphuric Acid CLARIFIER Metal by-product To refinery 7

8 Bio/ChemSulphide Performance Ranges Metals Removed Selective Metals Removal Influent Metals Concentration (mg/l) Outlet Metals Concentration (mg/l) Plant Capacity (m3/hr) Plant Footprint (m2/m3/hr per circuit) Copper; Nickel; Cobalt; Molybdenum Zinc; Cadmium; Antimony; Bismuth Possible 0.05 to 500+ < to 1, to 4.5 8

9 Technology Benefits 1. Metal selectivity 2. Low-grade solutions (pre-concentration with IX) 3. Bioreactor independent of process streams 4. Technologies can be used together 9

10 Technology Comparison: Metals SX-EW EMEW Low quality water Value of metals recovered High value recovered BioSulphide ChemSulphide Ion exchange High quality water Water Quality Lime Membranes No value recovered 10

11 Project Summary Project Customer Capacity m 3 /h Product BioSulphide Freeport-McMoRan 500 Cu Raglan Xstrata Nickel 240 Ni Dexing (2) Jiangxi Copper 1,200 Cu, As Mt Gordon Aditya Birla 250 Cu, Ni, Co Minto Capstone Mining 160 No sludge Caribou (2) Breakwater 40 Zn, Cd Wellington Oro US EPA 35 Zn, Cd ChemSulphide Freeport-McMoRan 75 Zn, Cd Lluvia NWM Mining 340 Cu, CN Mastra Koza Gold 120 Cu, CN Maricunga Kinross Gold 750 Cu, CN Sulf-IX TM Freeport-McMoRan 25 SO 4 removal Dexing IX Jiangxi Copper 800 Co, Ni Mobile IX Confidential 166 Ni 11

12 Raglan ChemSulphide Plant (Canada) BACKGROUND DESIGN OBJECTIVES Active nickel mine Operates seasonally late spring to fall 6,000 m 3 /day 1. Environmental compliance 2. No sludge generated 3. Resource recovery - Ni 12

13 Raglan ChemSulphide Plant Process 13

14 Raglan ChemSulphide Plant Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter Average Influent Average Effluent Ni mg/l < 0.25 mg/l TSS Variable < 1.0 mg/l ph ~7.9 WATER TREATED PRODUCTION RECOVERY % 2010 = 1.06 million m = 13.6 DMT Ni 2011 = 1.16 million m = pending > 96% MECHANICAL AVAILABILITY 96% average N/A PLANT PAYBACK 14

15 Wellington Oro ChemSulphide Plant (USA) BACKGROUND DESIGN OBJECTIVES Closed silver-zinc mine Site seepage impacts surrounding creeks & rivers 820 m 3 /day 1. Meet strict EPA regulations 2. No sludge production 3. Recover Zn & Cd 15

16 Wellington Oro ChemSulphide Flowsheet 16

17 Wellington Oro ChemSulphide Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter Average Influent Average Effluent Cd mg/l < mg/l Zn 135 mg/l < mg/l ph WATER TREATED PRODUCTION RECOVERY % 2009 = 100,000 m = 28,000 lbs Zn/Cd 2010 = 73,000 m = 25,000 lbs Zn/Cd > 96% MECHANICAL AVAILABILITY 92% average N/A PLANT PAYBACK 17

18 Dexing ChemSulphide Plant (China) Active copper mine BACKGROUND DESIGN OBJECTIVES Wastewater treatment from waste dumps & low-grade stockpile Treated water re-used onsite 24,000 m 3 /day 1. Maximize resource recovery Cu 18

19 Dexing ChemSulphide Flowsheet 19

20 Dexing ChemSulphide Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter Average Influent Target Effluent Cu 149 mg/l < 3 mg/l Fe mg/l 126 mg/l WATER TREATED PRODUCTION RECOVERY % 2009 = 5.8 million m = 1.7 million lbs Cu 2010 = 5.5 million m = 1.9 million lbs Cu 94% MECHANICAL AVAILABILITY PLANT PAYBACK 96% average Less than 3 years 20

21 BioSulphide Plant (USA) Inactive mine site BACKGROUND DESIGN OBJECTIVES Treat drainage from large lowgrade stockpile Treated water re-used onsite 12,000 m 3 /day Bioreactor capacity: 3.8 t/d 1. Maximize resource recovery Cu 21

22 BioSulphide Plant Process 22

23 BioSulphide Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter Average Influent Target Effluent Cu 154 mg/l 3 mg/l WATER TREATED PRODUCTION RECOVERY % 2009 = 818,000 m = 304,000 lbs Cu 2010 = 561,000 m = 276,000 lbs Cu > 99% MECHANICAL AVAILABILITY 2009 = 98% 2010 = 59%* * Site operations suspended temporarily due to technical problems with reagent supply PLANT PAYBACK Less than 3 years 23

24 Project Economics Case Study Metal Removed Inlet Metal Concentration (mg/l) Plant Capacity (m3/h) Plant Location (labor costs etc) Project Life (Years) Copper , 1000 (2 cases) Continental US 15% Cost of Capital 10% Copper Price (USD/lb) 3.80 Copper NSR 85% 24

25 Treatment Cost (USD/m3) Treatment Economics: 100 m3/hr Capacity Excl. Metals Credit Metals Credit Net with Metals Credit OPEX CAPEX 25

26 Treatment Cost (USD/m3) Treatment Economics: 1000 m3/hr Capacity Excl. Metals Credit Metals Credit Net with Metals Credit OPEX CAPEX 26

27 Summary» Field Application of Metal Sulphide Precipitation: Meet Strict Effluent Discharge Targets (ppb)» Revenue offsets from Metal Concentrate Sales Reduce/eliminate Sludge Disposal 27

28 BioteQ Environmental Technologies Inc