Recovery of Valuable Metals from Mining Wastewater: Case Studies. Andrew G.
Hall. VP, Sales & Marketing. 13 April 2012 ...
Recovery of Valuable Metals from Mining Wastewater: Case Studies Andrew G. Hall VP, Sales & Marketing
13 April 2012
BioteQ Profile Clean tech company treating industrial wastewater
ISO 14001 standards for environmental compliance
New Ion Exchange technologies
Proven technologies – first plant built in 2001
Sulphide precipitation technology TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca
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Operations
Designed/operated by BioteQ Designed by BioteQ BioteQ Offices
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Technologies & Applications
Metal Recovery & Removal
BioSulphide ChemSulphide Ion Exchange
MINING & SMELTING
Acid mine drainage Ground & surface water drainage Tailings water Bleed streams Process optimization
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Features & Benefits 1. Maximize resource recovery
2. Generate revenue from waste
3. Reduce/eliminate waste sludge
4. Treated effluent meeting regulatory compliance
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Bio/ChemSulphide: Metal Recovery & Removal BioSulphide Feed water Sulphur & reagents
BIOREACTOR
H2S
CONTACTOR
ChemSulphide CHEMICAL SULPHIDE
Treated Water
CLARIFIER
FILTER
Metal Sulphide Product to Refinery
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Ion Exchange: Metal Recovery & Removal Loading
Treated Water Water with dilute solution of dissolved metals
Sulphide pH Adjustment
Regeneration Sulphuric Acid
CLARIFIER
Metal by-product To refinery TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca
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Bio/ChemSulphide Performance Ranges Metals Removed
Copper; Nickel; Cobalt; Molybdenum Zinc; Cadmium; Antimony; Bismuth
Selective Metals Removal
Possible
Influent Metals Concentration (mg/L)
0.05 to 500+
Outlet Metals Concentration (mg/L)
< 0.03
Plant Capacity (m3/hr)
30 to 1,000+
Plant Footprint (m2/m3/hr per circuit)
1.7 to 4.5
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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
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Technology Comparison: Metals Value of metals recovered High value recovered
SX-EW
BioSulphide® ChemSulphide®
EMEW
Ion exchange High quality water
Low quality water
Water Quality
Membranes
Lime No value recovered TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca
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Project Summary Project
Customer
Capacity m3/h
Product
BioSulphide
Freeport-McMoRan
500
Cu
Raglan
Xstrata Nickel
240
Ni
Dexing (2)
Jiangxi Copper
1,200
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-IXTM
Freeport-McMoRan
25
SO4 removal
Dexing IX
Jiangxi Copper
800
Co, Ni
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Confidential
166
Ni
Cu, As
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Raglan ChemSulphide Plant (Canada)
BACKGROUND
• Active nickel mine • Operates seasonally late spring to fall
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DESIGN
6,000 m3/day
OBJECTIVES
1. Environmental compliance 2. No sludge generated 3. Resource recovery - Ni
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Raglan ChemSulphide Plant Process
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Raglan ChemSulphide Plant Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter
Average Influent
Average Effluent
Ni
13 - 30 mg/L
< 0.25 mg/L
TSS
Variable
< 1.0 mg/L
pH
6.4 – 8.0
~7.9
WATER TREATED
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY %
2010 = 1.06 million m3
2010 = 13.6 DMT Ni
> 96%
2011 = 1.16 million m3
2011= pending
MECHANICAL AVAILABILITY
PLANT PAYBACK
96% average
N/A
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Wellington Oro ChemSulphide Plant (USA)
BACKGROUND
• Closed silver-zinc mine • Site seepage impacts surrounding creeks & rivers
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DESIGN
820 m3/day
OBJECTIVES
1. Meet strict EPA regulations 2. No sludge production 3. Recover Zn & Cd
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Wellington Oro ChemSulphide Flowsheet
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Wellington Oro ChemSulphide Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter
Average Influent
Average Effluent
Cd
0.122 mg/L
< 0.0005 mg/L
Zn
135 mg/L
< 0.090 mg/L
pH
6.19
6.65
WATER TREATED
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY %
2009 = 100,000 m3
2009 = 28,000 lbs Zn/Cd
> 96%
2010 = 73,000 m3
2010 = 25,000 lbs Zn/Cd
MECHANICAL AVAILABILITY
PLANT PAYBACK
92% average
N/A
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Dexing ChemSulphide Plant (China)
BACKGROUND
• Active copper mine
DESIGN
OBJECTIVES
24,000 m3/day
1. Maximize resource recovery – Cu
• Wastewater treatment from waste dumps & low-grade stockpile • Treated water re-used onsite TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca
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Dexing ChemSulphide Flowsheet
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Dexing ChemSulphide Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter
Average Influent
Target Effluent
Cu
149 mg/L
< 3 mg/L
Fe 3+
909 mg/L
126 mg/L
WATER TREATED
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY %
2009 = 5.8 million m3
2009 = 1.7 million lbs Cu
94%
2010 = 5.5 million m3
2010 = 1.9 million lbs Cu
MECHANICAL AVAILABILITY
PLANT PAYBACK
96% average
Less than 3 years
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BioSulphide Plant (USA)
BACKGROUND
DESIGN
OBJECTIVES
• Inactive mine site
12,000 m3/day
1. Maximize resource recovery – Cu
• Treat drainage from large lowgrade stockpile
Bioreactor capacity: 3.8 t/d
• Treated water re-used onsite TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca
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BioSulphide Plant Process
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BioSulphide Results WATER CHEMISTRY Parameter
Cu
Average Influent
Target Effluent
154 mg/L
3 mg/L
WATER TREATED
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY %
2009 = 818,000 m3
2009 = 304,000 lbs Cu
> 99%
2010 = 561,000 m3
2010 = 276,000 lbs Cu
MECHANICAL AVAILABILITY
PLANT PAYBACK
2009 = 98%
Less than 3 years
2010 = 59%* * Site operations suspended temporarily due to technical problems with reagent supply
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Project Economics – Case Study Metal Removed Inlet Metal Concentration (mg/L) Plant Capacity (m3/h)
Copper
Plant Location (labor costs etc)
Continental US
Project Life (Years)
15%
Cost of Capital
10%
Copper Price (USD/lb)
3.80
Copper NSR
85%
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100
100, 1000 (2 cases)
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Treatment Economics: 100 m3/hr Capacity Treatment Cost (USD/m3)
1.20 1.00 0.80 0.60 0.40 0.20 0.00 Excl. Metals Credit
Metals Credit
OPEX TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca
Net with Metals Credit
CAPEX 25
Treatment Economics: 1000 m3/hr Capacity 1.20
Treatment Cost (USD/m3)
1.00
0.80 0.60
0.40 0.20 0.00 -0.20 -0.40
Excl. Metals Credit
Metals Credit
OPEX TSX:BQE www.bioteq.ca
CAPEX
Net with Metals Credit 26
Summary
»
Field Application of Metal Sulphide Precipitation:
Meet Strict Effluent Discharge Targets (ppb)
»
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Revenue offsets from Metal Concentrate Sales
Reduce/eliminate Sludge Disposal
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BioteQ Environmental Technologies Inc 604-685-1243
[email protected]
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