SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT
Aggregate washed with water from a Jadair Settler/Clarifi er system
DON’T SETTLE FOR SETTLING PONDS
Sophisticated water clarifi ers and specially formulated polymer fl occulants can eliminate the need for settling ponds at mines and aggregate plants by providing clarifi ed water and easy-to-handle solids
F
or mines and quarries that process dimensional stone, gold, crushed rock, sand or aggregate, washing these
materials is a crucial step towards supplying clean, high-quality products. A common practice in these operations, washing removes impurities such as clay, silt, and organic matter. The dirty wash water is then processed to separate the solids from the water, which can then be re-used. Traditionally, settling ponds have
been used to separate suspended solids from the wash water, but this practice is being replaced by more eff ective water treatment and reclamation systems. Settling ponds not only lose water, which must be replaced, but also require signifi cant clean up and maintenance. The
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separation of the solids from the water can be poor and the separated material ends up as ‘soupy’ pond sludge that is diff icult to deal with. Fortunately, advanced water
clarifi cation technology is resolving many of these issues. The technology is poised to make settling ponds obsolete by eff ectively and economically providing a continuous supply of clarifi ed water as well as thick, easy-to-handle solids with minimal maintenance and labour. “Modern clarifi ers can separate
water and solids at a high rate, in a closed-loop, automated process. The process is even more eff icient when using properly specifi ed and prepared polymers. The combined result is continuously clean water and manageable solids,” says Shane Schmutzler, president of Jadair
International, a provider of water clarifi cation systems and polymer systems for the mining industry.
TRADITIONAL LIMITATIONS Settling ponds, widely used to collect the wastewater from washing mined materials, allow suspended solids and fi ne sediments to settle to the bottom over time. The clarifi ed water is then either recycled for re-use in the wash process or discharged, depending on local regulations. However, settling ponds have
serious limitations. They can sometimes ‘run out’ of clean water, interrupting the plant’s washing process. They also require substantial ongoing maintenance, including cleaning and liner repairs. Draglines, excavators and haul trucks are used
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