Applications

A precipitation and neutralization circuit can benefit from the incorporation of EMS^® technology.  The metal salts concentration process creates co-precipitation efficiencies that reduce reagent use and create coarse, more easily filterable precipitates.  Other benefits include:

• Improved sludge density and reduced volume for transportation, handling and disposal
• Reduced equipment size or increased retention time for existing circuits 
• Reduction of polymer coagulant use  

Acid-Mine-Drainage (AMD)

Many benefits result from an AMD neutralization and precipitation treatment circuit keyed to the EMS^® concentration of the base metal sulfate component of the water.  The EMS^® treatment of AMD can typically produce water treatments that discharge 100% of the feed water at 500 ppm SO₄ (Sulfate) or less.  This same EMS^® treatment is highly effective at reducing the dissolved metals content of the water so that surface discharge water quality criteria is met.  

Trace Metals Removal (positive water balance environments)

For mining operations in positive water balance environments where site discharges are required on either a seasonal or year-round basis, the EMS^® treatment typically reduces mercury, arsenic, thallium, selenium, antimony and molybdenum water contents to the double-digit parts-per-billion level, or less.  Because mine water discharges are high-profile, use of the highly reliable EMS^® method is good “social-license-to-operate” insurance relative to unreliable chemical precipitation systems.

The removal of organic and suspended solids can be accomplished with application of EMS^® technology.  An EMS^® filtration system can efficiently remove organic and suspended solids from an aqueous stream.  There are a number of benefits from the application of EMS^® technology to solvent extraction circuits, including:

• Recovery of organics back into the SX circuit
• Reduction/elimination of organic carryover and suspended solids to the tankhouse
• Improved cathode quality and potential improvement in current efficiency
• Reduced starter sheet maintenance
• The ability to meet increasingly strict environmental and safety standards