Global miners BHP and Rio Tinto have entered into a partnership agreement to accelerate the development of technologies that could significantly increase water recovery from mine tailings and in turn reduce potential safety risks and environmental impacts associated with tailings deposits.
The first project involves testing the application of an innovative large volume filter unit at a BHP copper mine in Chile that would remove up to 80% of the water from the tailings stream before it is deposited in a reservoir.
Rio Tinto will bring its experience from implementing smaller tailings filters for bauxite tailings in alumina refineries since 2005. Both organizations will collaborate with leading technology and equipment providers, technical experts, research groups and the academic sector.
The production of the filter unit is already underway. Pilot construction is scheduled to begin in early 2023 and operations are scheduled to begin in early 2024. The pilot project will test the potential of a large-scale tailings filter unit for scalability and cost-effectiveness in global mining operations.
Removing more water from the tailings would reduce potential risks associated with moisture in storage facilities, reduce the footprint required by such facilities, and create opportunities for tailings to be productively reused, for example as a raw material for the glass, construction or agricultural industries.
The additional water obtained from the tailings through filtration could be reused in processing plants, reducing overall water consumption.
Laura Tyler, BHP Chief Technical Officer, said: “The world will need more critical minerals to support economic development and decarbonization pathways in the coming decades. It is important that we continue to work together across the global mining sector to raise standards and ensure our operations are as safe and sustainable as possible. Responsible management of tailings and improved water use is a major…
