- To stop and control decanted AMD, eliminating the risk of environmental contamination, and creating buffer capacity in the subsurface voids (dams) to absorb fluctuating groundwater volume.
- To develop a solution to optimise the treatment of AMD.
High Rate Settling of Acid Mine Drainage
The Brief
We helped the customer in these three ways:
We provided the technical expertise to optimise the process required to treat the acid mine drainage
We provided the process to treat the acid mine drainage to standards compliant for release to the natural environment.
We implemented patented settler technology that enables the continuous and consistent treatment of high volumes of acid mine drainage.
The Client
The infrastructure company responsible for managing the flow of acid mine drainage (AMD) into the natural waterways in the Western Basin of Gauteng is a state-owned major bulk raw water infrastructure company. An international minerals resources company based in the area provided the infrastructure and resources to manage the treatment of the AMD in partnership with the water infrastructure company. The mine, together with Watercare Innovations, was instrumental in the success of the project.
The Work
Watercare Innovations installed and commissioned patented settler technology that achieves optimal solid-liquid separation despite the high volume and flow rate of material supplied to the plant
The Result
- Watercare Innovations’ High-rate Settler at this plant has a reactor volume of 285m³, with an inlet flow of 760 m³/hr and outlet flow of 708,5 m³/hr (93,2% recovery)
- The reactor retention time is 22,5 minutes, and the rise rate is 25,4m/hr
- Inlet total suspended solids are typically 3000ppm, and the overflow total suspended solids, 5-15ppm
- The quality of the clearwater overflow, measured as total suspended solids or turbidity, meets and exceeds, the required water discharge specifications
- The contractual limit of suspended solids in the clearwater overflow is 20ppm. Watercare Innovations’ plant is operated to provide an average clearwater overflow turbidity of 10ppm
- The AMD treatment plant has successfully stopped AMD surface decanting, preventing environmentally hazardous contamination of the natural water systems in the area. The affected natural waterway has returned to a habitat safe for wildlife
