Chemical Dosing for Coal Mine
Background
Coal fines or tailings are a waste by-product of coal mining that have a low market value, are expensive to dispose of, and are generally left in stockpiles or tailings ponds. A global mining company was looking to reduce the volume of waste going to tailings ponds at their mine in NSW. Through a competitive tender process, WTS was selected to provide a solution. WTS identified flocculation of suspended coal fines in wastewater as a cost effective solution to increase the solid waste density, thus reducing the volume of waste going to the settling ponds and reducing the waste space requirements of the mine site.
Solution
WTS, in a joint venture with fabrication and project capital organisations, designed, manufactured, installed and commissioned an automated powder flocculant dosing system. WTS also acted as the Project Manager including supervision of mechanical and electrical subcontractors. Project value was AUD 1.2 Million.
WTS Key Solutions
- Large bulk powder flocculant batching, storage and dosing system
- Custom PLC and HMI Functional Logic
- Produced extensive, installation, operation and maintenance manuals
- Project management and supervision of subcontractors
- Factory Acceptance Testing
- Commissioning of the system
Results & Benefits
- Compliance. Meets required environmental regulations
- Optimised land use. Smaller footprint required for tailings disposal and storage
- Sustainability. improved utilisation of existing infrastructure
