Why dewatering is important in Mining industry?

Why Dewatering Is Important in the Mining Industry?

Dewatering

is a term used in many different areas of a mining environment. In all cases, it means to remove unwanted water, but it is accomplished for different reasons and with various types of equipment.

To Remove Standing Water

Dewatering can be as simple as removing standing water from a low point in the mine. Between groundwater, runoff and seeping from nearby bodies of water, a mine can encounter a number of difficulties that will hinder or stop the operations. In the past, an area was dewatered by digging deeper dikes so that gravity would remove the water, by using simple mechanical methods or, if nothing else, by carrying water-filled buckets manually. In today’s age, dewatering is more advanced and effective, with various styles of pumps to remove the water and transfer it to a containment area. Even underground mines miles below the surface can be successfully dewatered to allow for operation.

To Release Water Off Site

Transferring undesired water from one location to another is only the start of dewatering applications. In situations where a mine site has too much water, some of it may need to be released off site. Any time this happens, the water becomes an environmental concern and is subject to strict water quality standards.

Some commonly used dewatering methods in this case are (but not limited to) settling ponds, Thickeners/Clarifiers and Filter Presses. Available space and release requirements can drive the choice of which method or methods to use. Monitoring and recording the quality of the release water is necessary to ensure minimal impact on the surrounding environment. Failure to comply can result in substantial fines and even mine closure.

To Retain Water for Reuse

The opposite side of too much water is where the process is starving for water. Much of the same dewatering equipment/methods listed above are used (settling ponds, Thickeners/Clarifiers and Filter Presses), but the priority is a focus on retaining as much water as possible from the tailings in a timely and cost-effective manner. Without the water quality standards required for releasing water off site coming into play, the clarity of the water is less of an issue. However, there are still concerns to stop waste elements from building up in the process water. These waste elements, such as soluble clay, can have severe negative effects on the overall process and contaminate the final product. Fine particulates in the return water can also accelerate wearing in equipment and increase maintenance costs.

Which pump is best for dewatering?

Submersible pumps can be an effective, inexpensive solution for dewatering a construction site. These encapsulated pumps can be completely submerged in liquid, and are most frequently used to transport drainage water or liquids with suspended solids from pits or tanks.