Municipal Mining Water (Rinsing)

To say a lot of water is used in mining operations would be a vast understatement. A gold mine, for example, uses over 1 million US gallons of incoming water each day. This simple reality can place stress on the environment and surrounding communities. Water supply, scarcity and regulatory constraints are changing the landscape of mine site water management. As such, mining companies use complex water management plans to minimize the potential for water contamination, and to prevent the release of polluted water into the environment. 

Meeting high demand and regulatory standards

A number of treatment processes can be used to ensure mine water meets regulatory standards before it is discharged. Mining investment in water treatment technologies must enable a mining company to efficiently and completely meet current and future discharge regulatory requirements. At the same time, water filtration solutions must handle the high variability and potential changes of mine water quality.

Various control techniques can be used to reduce the potential for water contamination and minimize the volume of water requiring treatment at a mining site. Formation, intrusion, dewatering well, mine drainage, tailings water, or mineral processing water can be treated for reuse or discharge. Treatment to ensure local discharge regulations are met can include rinsing any ore in heap leach piles to remove any leftover chemicals, draining and capping tailings ponds with dense clay to prevent water infiltration and groundwater contamination, and removing or stabilizing any contaminated material on site. Ongoing water monitoring and treatment is often a component of mine closure plans.

We have provided hydraulic and lubrication filtration solutions for more than 50 years in all facets of mining, including underground and surface hard rock and coal mines. Today, our products are used in mines around the world. These superior products have delivered cost-saving results for mining clients and helped protect the environment.

The Pall Aria™ AP water treatment system is specifically designed to produce drinking water that meets or exceeds U.S. EPA standards for safe drinking water. It uses uniquely designed filtration modules in a hollow fiber configuration to remove contaminants from surface and ground water sources. The system is the first to receive 'full system' certification in accordance with ANSI/NSF 61 specifications.

Membrane filtration is a pressure driven process that uses a semipermeable (porous) membrane to separate particulate matter from soluble components in the carrier fluid. In Pall Aria AP systems, ultrafiltration membranes act much like a very fine sieve to retain particulate matter, while water and its soluble components pass through the membrane as filtered water. The retained solids are concentrated in a waste stream that is discharged from the membrane system. The pore size of the membrane and the integrity of the sealing mechanism controls the fraction of the particulate matter that is removed.

The Microza hollow fiber membranes are highly permeable, resulting in high water production rates. Each hollow fiber module provides high active surface area of up to 538 ft. A simplified process and control design has produced a family of systems with tough, hollow fiber membranes, long service life, operator-friendly controls and a unique air scrub and flush operation. Simple surface water treatment without coagulation is possible. Pall Aria™ AP water treatment systems offer high efficiency and low waste, excellent compatibility with chlorine and common treatment chemicals, minimal cost of operation, easy installation using modular skids and a compact system footprint. They have a full system NSF 61 listing, ISO 9001 certified manufacturing, and are ETV certified for surface water treatment rule.

A standard Pall Aria AP packaged system consists of 1 to 60 membrane modules, one feed/CIP tank and pump, one reverse filtration tank and pump, manual and automatic valves, flow meter, pressure and temperature sensors, PLC control, control panel, and a painted carbon steel frame.

Our rinse water filtration solutions for municipal water sources in mining operations deliver cost-saving results for mining clients and help protect the environment. For more information, reach out to a Pall expert today.