A new cost-effective approach for coal tailings dewatering using Semi-inverted (SIV) Hydrocyclones
Lead investigator: Dr Mehdi Azadi, Research Fellow at JKMRC
Project duration: 14 months
Total project cost: $258,875
Project duration: 14 months
Total project cost: $258,875
Summary
We want to develop a technologically and economically viable process for dewatering tailings using SIV hydrocyclones. This could enable dry stack tailings technology—which is safer than wet tailings facilities and uses less space— and increase how much water we can recover from tailings.
We want to develop a technologically and economically viable process for dewatering tailings using SIV hydrocyclones. This could enable dry stack tailings technology—which is safer than wet tailings facilities and uses less space— and increase how much water we can recover from tailings.
Description
Dewatering tailings material is one of the major challenges the mining industry is currently facing. Scarcity of water resources, limitation of tailing storage facilities, geotechnical instability and potential failure of tailing dams, and seepage of hazardous material to the environment are among the reasons tailings dewatering has become one of the top priorities to address for the mining industry. Dry Stack Tailings has been identified as a promising technology to manage tailings by reducing the space required for waste storage and decreasing the potential environmental and geotechnical risks in tailings storage facilities. However, the moisture content of tailings, utilising current conventional technologies, are still too high to allow Dry Stack Tailings effectively.
This project aims to develop a technologically and economically viable approach, to reduce the moisture content and capture fine clay particles in tailings to improve tailings dewatering outcomes, by utilising semi inverted (SIV) hydrocyclones, followed by coagulation, and flocculation. The proposed research uses the novel SIV hydrocyclone technology to split the thickener’s underflow into a coarse stream (underflow product), with reduced moisture content, and a fines stream (overflow product). This will enable targeting the processing of the fine stream to capture the fine clay particles and consequently improve the efficiency of downstream dewatering units.
The research project will be carried out at the Sustainable Mineral Institute – Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (SMI-JKMRC) pilot plant facility at The University of Queensland (UQ).
Impact
The outcome of this project will assist with enabling Dry Stack Tailings technology which is safer than wet tailings facilities and has a smaller footprint which aids with the space limitation of tailing storage facilities. In addition, this project will also improve water recovery from tailings. This project will improve tailings dewatering using SIV hydrocyclones by reducing the moisture content of tailings and fine screening of clay particles. This project will improve the efficiency of coagulation and flocculation by targeted treatment of the fine particles, which will reduce coagulant and flocculant usage whilst improving the capture of fine clay particles. Increased particle size distribution and reduced moisture content of the tailings will also improve the performance of mechanical dewatering units. The project aims to develop a process that is technologically and economically viable.