Abstract: Grootvlei Proprietary Mines Ltd is discharging between 80 and 100 Ml/d underground water into the Blesbokspruit. This water is pumped out of the mine to keep the underground water at such a level as to make mining possible. The water is of poor quality because it contains high TDS levels (2700-3800 mg/l) including high concentrations of iron, manganese, sulphate, calcium, magnesium, sodium and chloride. This water will adversely affect the water ecology in the Blesbokspruit, and it will significantly increase the TDS concentration of one of the major water resources if not treated prior to disposal into the stream. Therefore, alternative water desalination technologies were evaluated to estimate performance and the economics of the processes for treatment of the mine water. It was predicted that water of potable quality should be produced from the mine water with spiral reverse osmosis (SRO). It was demonstrated that it should be possible to reduce the TDS of the mine water (2000-2700-3400-4500 mg/l) to potable standards with SRO (85% water recovery). The capital costs (pretreatment and desalination) for a 80 Ml/d plant (worst-case water) were estimated at US$35M. Total operating costs were estimated at 88.1c/kl. Brine disposal costs were estimated at US$18M. Therefore, the total capital costs are estimated at US$53M. It was predicted that it should be possible to produce potable water from the worst-case feed water (80 Ml/d) with the EDR process. It was demonstrated that the TDS in the feed could be reduced from 4178 to 246 mg/l in the EDR product (65% water recovery). The capital costs (pretreatment plus desalination) to desalinate the worst-case feed water to potable quality with EDR is estimated at US$53.3M. The operational costs are estimated at 47.6 c/kl. Brine disposal costs were estimated at US$42M. Therefore, the total capital costs are estimated at US$95.3 M. It was predicted that it should be possible to produce potable water from the mine water with the GYP-CIX ion- exchange process. It was demonstrated that the feed TDS (2000- 4500 mg/l) could be reduced to less than 240 mg/l (54% water recovery for the worst-case water). The capital cost for an 80 Ml/d ion-exchange plant (worst-case water) was estimated at US$26.7M (no pretreatment). Operational costs were estimated at 60.4 c/kl. Brine disposal costs were estimated at US$55.1M. Therefore, the total desalination costs were estimated at US$81.8M. The capital outlay for a SRO plant will be significantly less than that for either an EDR or a GYP-CIX plant. The operating costs, however, of the RO plant are significantly higher than for the other two processes. Potable water sales, however, will bring more in for the RO process than for the other two processes because a higher water recovery can be obtained with RO. The operating costs minus the savings in water sales were estimated at 17.2; 6.7 and US$8.6M/y for the RO, EDR and GYP-CIX processes, respectively (worst case). Therefore, the operational costs of the EDR and GYP-CIX processes are the lowest if the sale of water is taken into consideration. This may favour the EDR and GYP-CIX processes for the desalination of the mine water.

Abstract: Depositional formula of heavy metals after disposal of the mine drainage from the Ogoya Mine in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, was mineralogically investigated. Strong acidic wastewater (pH 3.5) from pithead of the mine contains high concentration of heavy metals. In this mine, neutralizing coagulation treatment is going on by slaked lime (calcium hydroxides: Ca(OH) (sub 2) ). Core samples were collected at disposal pond to which the treated wastewater flows. The core samples were divided into 44 layers based on the color variation. The mineralogical and chemical compositions of each layer were analyzed by an X-ray powder diffractometer (XRD), an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analyzer (ED-XRF) and a NCS elemental analyzer. The upper parts are rich in brown colored layers, whereas discolored are the deeper parts. The color variation is relevant to Fe concentration. Brown colored core sections are composed of abundant hydrous ferric oxides with heavy metals, such as Cu, Zn, and Cd. On the other hand, S concentration gradually increases with depth. XRD data indicated that calcite decreases with increasing depth, and ettringite is produced at the deeper parts. Cd concentration shows similar vertical profile to those of calcite and ettringite. The results revealed that hydrous ferric oxides, calcite and ettringite are formed on deposition, whereby incorporating the heavy metals.