Coagulation–clarification recovered 90% of coal wash water for reuse and produced a handleable thickened slurry.
A coal washery’s fine-laden wash water gave poor settling, high water loss and difficult slurry handling.
For mining & minerals operators, mining problems of this kind translate straight into cost and risk — higher chemical and energy use, lost treatment capacity, a heavier maintenance burden and, ultimately, the threat of a discharge-consent breach. The temptation is to bolt on equipment and hope; the reliable route is to measure the actual stream first, understand what is really driving the problem, and only then select and size the treatment. That diagnostic discipline is where this project started.
Reynolds & Bauhm engineered an integrated response sized to the measured duty rather than a catalogue specification. The solution combined several coordinated measures:
This is a representative scenario showing how Reynolds & Bauhm approaches a mining & minerals challenge of this type. Figures are typical of the technology applied; every project is sized and validated to your own data.
Coagulant/flocculant dosing optimised by jar test. Lamella clarification for fines. Thickening and dewatering of underflow. Clarified-water reuse loop. Each stage was selected against the stream analysis and sized with a sensible design margin, then drawn up as a P&ID and functional design specification. The system was built and, where appropriate, factory wet-tested before delivery, so that interface and performance risks were resolved in the works rather than on site. Commissioning included calibration of the instruments and tuning of the control loops against live conditions, with operator training and full O&M documentation at handover — so the plant met its targets from start-up and stayed there.
| Parameter | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Wash-water reuse | 40% | 90% |
| TSS to reuse | high | −95% |
| Make-up water | baseline | −60% |
Beyond the headline figures, the project delivered reliable, repeatable compliance and a measurable reduction in operating cost — the combination that justifies the investment and protects the site against tightening regulation.
The treatment train was built around a real stream analysis, not an assumption — the single biggest determinant of whether a mining & minerals plant succeeds.
Each stage earns its place against the measured load, avoiding both under-treatment and the cost of over-engineering.
Factory testing, commissioning and full documentation mean the result is provable and auditable, not just claimed.
The same engineering approach transfers to comparable mining & minerals sites with similar mining duties.
Our engineers can assess feasibility and propose a validated, sized solution for your mining & minerals application. Send us your flow, stream analysis and target consent and we will scope the treatment train, size it and set out the options.
Our expertise spans multiple industries with sector-specific water treatment solutions.