Mine Water Treatment Plant Feasibility Study
Project Highlights
Integrated Sustainability completed feasibility-level engineering for a supplemental water treatment plant at a proposed mine targeting selenium and copper removal. The system was designed to treat up to 18,980m³/day seasonally from tailings dewatering and waste contact ponds. A membrane-free process strategy was developed, leveraging iron co-precipitation and ion exchange to reduce selenium to discharge limits.
Project Deliverables
- Evaluated blending strategies from tailings dewatering and high-density sludge effluent to reduce total selenium concentrations prior to discharge
- Developed physical-chemical treatment options including iron co-precipitation, adsorption, and ion exchange with regenerant electroreduction to avoid biological sludge handling risks
- IDefined seasonal operating windows with peak treatment volumes of 18,980m³/day during May–September and 15,860m³/day in October
- Developed a Class 4 capital and operating cost estimate for a full-scale treatment plant suitable for NI 43-101 reporting
- Assessed post-lime-treatment chemistry impacts on selenium speciation to inform co-treatment potential and optimize integration with the high-density sludge system
