Environment
Mechanical sediment dewatering plant for Nyrstar in Balen
During zinc production at the Nyrstar company (formerly known as Umicore), a residual product ‘goethite’ is released. This goethite sludge is stored in basins at the premises in Balen. At a production level of 260 000 tons of zinc per year, Nyrstar Balen produces a total quantity of goethite of approximately 75 000 tons of dry matter per year. The process also yields 40 000 tons dry matter of neutralised flotation sludge per year. The company no longer has any capacity to store this sludge, and another solution had to be found.
operate basis the contract to tackle this problem. The works started early 2011 and will be completed by 2015. DEC built a new dewatering system, where both residual flows are compacted. The solid filter cakes are then disposed in the existing landfill on the site. To make maximum use of the existing dump capacity, historic sludge was also excavated and compacted to the maximum in the dewatering system.
Handling, treating and optimizing storage capacity for residual matter from mining activity is an important issue for the mining industry on worldwide basis. DEC’s activity in this context and its extensive experience has attracted the interest of several mining companies. Therefore, this activity is bound to create efficient synergies with other companies of the DEME Group that deliver a range of specialized services to the mining industry.
1
2
3
1
Aerial view of the AMORAS project (Antwerp Mechanical Dewatering, Recycling and Application of Silt) in Antwerp - Belgium.
2
Remediation through thermal desorption of the former coking works ‘Carcoke’ in Zeebrugge Belgium.
3
Mechanical dewatering through filter chamber presses for Nyrstar in Balen - Belgium.
acitvities
DEC has been awarded on design, build and
97