Robust water treatment solutions for mining operations, tailings management, and minerals processing with high-capacity, durable systems.
Treat aggregate wash water for sand, gravel and quarry operations.
Tailings thickening and solids flux solutions for mining water recovery.
Groundwater treatment for open pit mining dewatering. Handle high suspended solids, metals and sulphates for discharge or reuse.
Acid mine drainage treatment systems for mining operations. Pyrite oxidation control, metal precipitation, pH neutralisation and safe sludge management.
Process and tailings water treatment for mineral-processing operations — solid–liquid separation, water recovery and reagent management.
Explore Mineral ProcessingWater Management for Mining Operations
Mining and minerals processing generates significant volumes of wastewater containing suspended solids, heavy metals, and process chemicals. Our treatment solutions are engineered for the demanding conditions of mining environments, providing reliable water management for tailings, process water, and site dewatering applications. Thickening, clarification and mechanical dewatering recover process water for reuse and stabilise tailings for safe storage. Reynolds & Bauhm engineer these systems for the abrasion, scaling and remote-site conditions that define mineral processing.
Efficient solid-liquid separation for tailings thickening and water recovery, reducing environmental impact and enabling water recycling for sustainable operations.
Explore Mining TailingsClarification and filtration systems for treating process water from crushing, grinding, and flotation circuits to meet reuse or discharge standards.
Explore Mining Process WaterHigh-capacity dewatering solutions for pit dewatering, underground mine water management, and stormwater control with robust, reliable equipment.
Explore Mining DewateringMeet stringent discharge requirements for suspended solids, pH, and metals with treatment systems engineered for mining regulatory frameworks.
Explore Mining EnvironmentalNeutralise acidic, metal-laden drainage from pyrite oxidation with staged lime dosing, high-density sludge precipitation and safe metal-hydroxide management for compliant discharge or water recovery.
Explore AMD TreatmentClosed-loop circuits that recover thickener overflow and process water for reuse — cutting freshwater draw by up to 90% and moving operations toward zero liquid discharge.
Explore Water RecyclingMining Sectors We Serve
Coal fines recovery, tailings thickening, and acid mine drainage treatment with high-capacity clarification and dewatering systems.
Explore Mining CoalCopper, gold, iron ore, and base metal operations requiring robust treatment for process water and tailings management.
Explore Mining Metal OreWash water treatment for sand, gravel, and crushed stone operations with high solids loading and variable flow rates.
Explore Mining AggregateProcessing water treatment for limestone, gypsum, salt, and speciality minerals production with chemical compatibility requirements.
Mine water management including dewatering, treatment of acid mine drainage, and water reuse for dust suppression.
Explore Mining UndergroundPit dewatering and stormwater management with high-capacity pumping and treatment for large-scale surface mining.
Explore Mining Open PitStream chemistry by operation type — the starting point for any treatment-train design
| Stream | pH | TSS (mg/L) | Sulphate (mg/L) | Key Dissolved Metals | Salinity / TDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acid mine drainage (AMD) | 2.0 – 4.5 | 50 – 500 | 500 – 5,000+ | Fe2+/3+ 100–2,000; Al 5–200; Mn 1–50; Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd traces | 1,000 – 10,000 mg/L |
| Coal CHPP / wash water | 6.0 – 8.5 | 5,000 – 50,000 | 200 – 1,500 | Mostly clay colloids; trace Fe, Mn | 500 – 3,000 mg/L |
| Copper flotation tails | 9.5 – 11.5 | 30,000 – 50,000 (slurry) | 200 – 800 | Cu 1–10; Mo 0.1–5; residual xanthates 1–20 | 500 – 2,500 mg/L |
| Gold CIL/CIP barren | 10.0 – 11.0 | 1,000 – 10,000 | 200 – 600 | CNWAD 50–500; Cu(CN)x complexes; trace Hg, As | 1,000 – 3,000 mg/L |
| Iron ore beneficiation | 7.0 – 9.0 | 5,000 – 40,000 | 50 – 300 | Fe oxides (suspended), residual collectors | 200 – 1,000 mg/L |
| Aggregate / quarry wash | 7.5 – 9.5 | 2,000 – 20,000 | 20 – 200 | Mainly silica/clay fines | 200 – 800 mg/L |
| Pit / underground dewatering | 6.0 – 8.5 (4–5 if pyritic) | 50 – 1,000 | 50 – 2,000 | Site-specific; metals follow host rock | 500 – 5,000 mg/L |
Sulphate and metal loadings drive coagulant chemistry. Sites with sulphate >1,500 mg/L require gypsum-saturation control; high-Ca process water shifts coagulation to ferric salts rather than alum.
Discrete-particle settling: vs = g(ρp − ρw)d2 / 18μ. For magnetite (ρ = 5,200 kg/m³), a 30 µm particle settles at ~6 mm/s; the same particle in quartz (ρ = 2,650) at ~2.2 mm/s; for a 5 µm clay colloid (ρ = 2,600) at <0.06 mm/s — which is why coagulation is non-negotiable on fines-dominated streams. Hindered settling at slurry concentrations >5% applies the Richardson–Zaki correction vh = vs·(1−φ)n with n = 4.6 in the laminar regime.
Pyrite oxidation: 4 FeS2 + 15 O2 + 14 H2O → 4 Fe(OH)3 + 8 H2SO4. Each mole of pyrite consumes 7.5 mol O2 and releases 4 mol H+. Neutralisation by hydrated lime: Ca(OH)2 + H2SO4 → CaSO4·2H2O + 2 H2O. Typical lime dose for severe AMD: 1.5–3.0 kg Ca(OH)2 per m³. Metal hydroxide precipitation requires the staged pH set-points: Fe3+ at pH 3.5, Al3+ at 5.5, Cu/Zn at 8–9, Mn/Ni at 9.5–10.5 — high-density sludge (HDS) recirculation gives 25–40% denser sludge than single-stage precipitation.
High-rate thickener sizing uses Coe–Clevenger / Talmage–Fitch solids flux: GL = (Ci·vi) / (1 − Ci/Cu), with the limiting flux read from the descending limb of the batch settling curve. Typical design loadings: 0.1–0.5 t/(m²·h) for conventional thickeners, 1.0–3.0 for high-rate, 5.0–15 for paste thickeners. Underflow density set-points: 40–55% w/w for conventional, 55–65% high-rate, 70–80% paste — the latter enables surface-stack tailings with virtually no free water.
Multi-Stage Approach
Coarse screening and grit removal to protect downstream equipment from abrasive particles and large debris.
LAMELLA separators for high-rate solids settling, achieving 70% smaller footprint than conventional clarifiers.
DAF systems for fine particle removal and recovery of valuable minerals from process streams.
Self-cleaning filters and media filtration for final polishing and water reuse applications.
Multi-disc screw presses for efficient tailings dewatering, reducing disposal requirement and costs.
Products for Mining Applications
High-efficiency inclined plate clarifiers for tailings thickening and process water clarification. Handles high solids loading with minimal footprint.
Benefit: 70% smaller footprint, rapid installation
Remove abrasive sand and grit to protect downstream equipment from wear. Essential for quarry and aggregate operations.
Benefit: Extends equipment life, reduces maintenance
Dissolved air flotation for fine particle removal, coal fines recovery, and treatment of oily wastewater from equipment washdown.
Benefit: High removal efficiency, potential resource recovery
Low-energy sludge dewatering for tailings and process sludge. Achieves 18-22% dry solids for reduced disposal requirements.
Benefit: 50-70% reduction in disposal requirements
Automatic backwash filtration for process water and reuse applications. Handles high suspended solids without operator intervention.
Benefit: Continuous operation, minimal maintenance
Mobile treatment plants for remote mining locations and temporary operations. Pre-installed, plug-and-play deployment.
Benefit: Rapid deployment, no civil works required
Large-capacity storage tanks for process water, tailings management, and emergency containment with corrosion-resistant linings.
Benefit: Diameters up to 4000mm, bespoke designs
Agitated process vessels for chemical conditioning, flocculation, and pH adjustment of mining wastewater streams.
Benefit: Heavy-duty construction for mining
Detailed engineering resources covering chemistry, process design, and example proposals for mining wastewater applications.
Pyrite oxidation chemistry, passive vs active treatment systems, metal precipitation kinetics, and sludge volume calculations with Net-AR assessment.
Read GuideSolids flux theory, underflow density targets by thickener type, water balance calculations for closed-loop circuits, and polymer selection by mineralogy.
Read GuideResidual reagent removal, water chemistry compatibility with flotation, DAF design parameters, and zero liquid discharge configurations.
Read GuideWAD vs total cyanide chemistry, detoxification flowsheets (INCO, H2O2, biological), and ICMC Code compliance frameworks.
Read GuideDissolved copper and molybdenum removal, TSS challenges from oxide vs sulphide ores, and electro-winning bleed treatment with metal recovery.
Read GuideHigh-volume low-concentration TSS treatment, magnetic separation wastewater, specific gravity considerations, and Stokes' law settling design.
Read GuideCoal fines recovery, magnetite dense medium recovery, pyritic sulphur removal, and zero-discharge closed-loop circuit design.
Read GuideHigh-variability flow management, settlement pond optimisation vs mechanical treatment, and recycled concrete aggregate leachate treatment.
Read GuideOperational, Environmental & Economic Advantages
Explore Other Industries We Serve
Construction dewatering and slurry treatment for tunnelling projects.
Metro & Tunnelling SolutionsPre-treatment solutions for industrial facilities.
View Pre-Treatment SolutionsComprehensive treatment for municipalities and utilities.
Municipal WWTP SolutionsPackaged, containerised, skid-mounted and research-station families engineered for sites with no road, no grid, no operator and no local supply chain.
All five product families plus the engineering choices that span the catalogue — transport envelopes, off-grid power, satellite SCADA, swap-on-failure spares.
Read the HubComplete plants delivered as a single pre-commissioned package — villages, mining camps, expedition bases.
Read More10′, 20′ and 40′ ISO container plants hardened for hurricane, arctic, desert and salt-air environments.
Read MoreModular skids sized to helicopter sling-loads, 4×4 trailers and ATV sleds for sites with no road access.
Read MoreContact our experts for customised solutions for your mining operation.
Deploying containerised plants in 50 °C ambient, dust-storm zones or solar-powered off-grid sites changes almost every engineering assumption. Our hot-climate technical library covers thermal balance, solar shading, dust ingress, power systems, brackish water chemistry and the full deployment checklist:
Overview of the six engineering domains, design ambient conditions, customer profiles.
ViewHVAC sizing, insulation U-values, derating curves, pump cavitation.
ViewCool-roof coatings, cantilever shade, UV-stable materials.
ViewIP ratings, three-stage HVAC filtration, silica-gel breathers, silicone seals.
ViewPV derating, generator derating, battery cooling, hybrid sizing, fuel logistics.
ViewBrackish bore TDS, scaling species, hot-feed RO, evaporation losses.
ViewSix-step project plan from site assessment to operational hand-over.
ViewOur expertise spans multiple industries with sector-specific water treatment solutions.
Explore closely-related topics, equipment and guides
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