Electrochemical Treatment Plants for Mine Water Treatment.

Descriptions

The Coal Authority operate over 75 minewater treatment schemes that remove contaminating metals from mine water prior to the treated water being discharge into a receiving watercourse.Schemes range from complex process engineering plants, through pumped wet wells and boreholes/mineshafts, to totally natural (passive) schemes without a power source.A number of sites require the addition of pH correcting or oxidising reagents. Flow rates range from circa 5 litres/sec to 400 litres/sec. A standard pumped treatment scheme utilizes 32 digital inputs, 8 analogue inputs and 8 digital outputs. The majority of treatment schemes comprise of aeration cascades, settlement ponds and reed beds. All schemes are subject to regulatory consents and licenses.The Coal Authority is now considering the potential of High density Sludge (HDS) plants in treating mine water (acidic and alkaline) as well as the potential benefits that can be achieved with a sludge management system.