The company also assisted in the development of bioreactors to remove thiocyanate (Nickel Plate Mine) and molybdenum (Highland Valley Copper). See Microbial Treatment of Mining Wastes.
Our project experience includes passive systems to treat:
- Metal-contaminated mine drainage:
Bell Copper Mine (copper), Kutz Ze
Kayah project (copper, selenium, zinc), Minto
project (copper), Mt. Washington Copper Mine
(acidity, aluminum, copper), United Keno Hill
Mines (zinc, see Design of a constructed wetland to treat
mine drainage at UKHM),
Wismut Mining Complex (uranium and other
metals)
- Inorganics: Jolu (cyanide), Las
Cristinas (ammonia and nitrate), Star Lake
(cyanide)
- In-Pit: Island Copper Mine (copper, zinc)
These assessments and designs typically require supportive field and laboratory investigations. For instance, the wetland system designed for United Keno Mines drew from studies of nearby natural wetlands. Investigating their sediments, we demonstrated the stability and biological inertness of the metals they retained.
Some of these investigations can be technically demanding. We developed the apparatus shown below to conduct sequential leach analyses on wetland sediments samples.
Sequential leach apparatus for simultaneous analysis of multiple anaerobic sediment samples
Services
Our services include the assessment, design and application of passive systems to remove contaminants from tailings ponds, mine drainage, spent heaps and industrial effluent. In addition, we design active, microbially-based treatment systems (see Microbial Treatment of Mining Wastes). We also speciate metals and metalloids in sediments and evaluate the hazards posed by contaminants.
