Aggregate, gravel and sand dredged or excavated from quarries and open mines often go through multiple processes, particularly washing and dewatering, that benefit from the use of coagulant and flocculant chemistries.
Many applications for sand and construction aggregate require these materials be free of fines or impurities, so they are rinsed or “washed” with water to remove silt and clay particles, which become suspended in the wash water. Dober’s Water Treatment portfolio of natural chemistry solutions is engineered to accelerate the settling of fine particles, clarifying the water for reuse and greatly reducing the need for new makeup water, leaving vital resources available for other purposes.
Wastewater from mining operations must be properly managed to prevent any water or soil pollution arising from leaching of heavy metals. Mining wastewater is often acidic, requiring that lime, limestone, or caustic soda be added to the wastewater to raise its pH. Dissolved metals can then precipitate out of solution and sink to the bottom of settling or sedimentation ponds.
The addition of coagulants or flocculants that combine smaller particles into larger clumps will help these contaminants settle out of the water more quickly and be more easily removed. Dober’s Water Treatment division offers natural chemistry solutions to treat wastewater from mining.
