ems for hydrometallurgical applications

7/24/2019 EMS for Hydrometallurgical Applications

1/16

Engineered Membrane Separation

(EMS) Systems forHydrometallurgical Applications

By Larry A. LienDirector, Membrane Technology

HW Process Technologies, Inc.


2/16

Membrane Classification

Microfiltration (MF) .1 to 1 micron Rejects Bacteria & Virus

Ultrafiltration (UF) 6K to 100K MWCO Rejects Proteins

Thin Film UF 500, 1K, 2K & 3KMWCO

Rejects Ferric Iron,Dyes & Small Colloids

Nanofiltration (NF) 150 to 500 MWCO Divalent salts rejected99% but transmitsmonovalent salts oracids

Hyperfiltration (HF) 50 to 150 MWCO Rejects all salts andacids 99+%


3/16

Special Membrane-elements

Spiral-wound elements

High Surface Area:20 cm x 100 cm (30 m2)

High temperature 140C

High pH 14

Low pH 0 High viscosity 300

Centipoise @ 90C

High solids (soluble and

suspended) Ultra-high pressures 200

Bar


4/16

Yanacocha

Gold mining heap leach waterbalance issue at Yanacocha,Peru

First HW Process TechnologiesEngineered Membrane

installed in 2003

Currently, 2750 m3/hr of barrenleach solution is treated anddischarged safely into the

environment Original elements installed in

2003 still operating effectively


5/16

Yanacocha process overview

Heap LeachCyanide Solution

Mining GoldExtraction

Merrill-Crowe

HWPT EMS

117.5 ppm CN WADReturned to Extraction

2750 m

3

/hr

2000 m3/hr afterChlorine Treatment

Discharged into Environment


6/16

Water quality at Yanacocha

Ion

mg/L

Feed

mg/L

Permeate

mg/L

Concentrate

mg/L

Discharge Limit

mg/LpH 10.1 8.0 9.7 6.09.0

CN WAD 46.7


7/16

HF of gold-cyanide complex

concentration

99% WADCyanide Removal

at pH >10.5

CN WADGold Cyanide Complex

Rejected 96.5+%

Au CN

HF Membrane

Water with trace amount of Cyanide


8/16

Comments from Newmonts Operators

Meets water quality discharge standards (including nitritesand nitrates not regulated)

Allows for future safe operation and expansion

Increased Gold and Silver recovery in membrane

.

especially important during upset conditions)

Cyanide recovery for re-use

Chlorine consumption reduced by 75% and overall

operating cost 70% less than conventional precipitationplant

EASY TO OPERATE


9/16

Fractionation of copper-cyanide

complex from gold-cyanide complex

Cu2 CN3Au CN

Copper ComplexRejected 98.5+%

NF Membrane

Gold CyanideTransmission 99+%


10/16

Copper-gold fractionation process

HeapAu CNCu CNPreg Soln

CN CN

EMS

CopperRecovery

EMSGold

RecoveryTo Discharge

Au CN

Cu

Cu CN


11/16

Use of special HF membrane-elements Copper and sulfuric acid

rejection at Phelps-Dodge Examples of copper and

sulfuric acid rejection

CuSO4andSulfuric Acid

WaterTransmission

Feed

1.25 g/l CuSO44

Sulfuric Acid

10 g/l

Rejected

HF Membrane

Transmission

HF Membrane

12.5 g/l CuSO4

Transmission Water and

Trace Amount of Acid

100 g/l


12/16

15 years operation of HF and NF

systems at Phelps-Dodge

EMS

HF 1,800 psi 110F1-2% H2SO4

1,230 ppm CU

20 m3/hr

HF 21% Acid

35 ppm Cu.1% Acid

10-12% H2SO48,000-9,000 ppm Cu

2 m3/hr

EMS

1 m

3/hr

.01% Acid3 ppm Cu

Reuse as Rinse Water

EMS

NF 110-12% Acid29,000 ppm Cu

10% Acid220 ppm Cu

.5 m3/hr

To Refinery - 2 m3/hr

To Copper Dissolving ZERO-DISCHARGESYSTEM


13/16

Copper and Iron rejection

With special NF membrane-elements

CuSO4andFeSO4

Water andSulfuric AcidTransmission

BothRejected

HF Membrane

Transmission


14/16

AMD copper recovery process

1,000 gpm

1,000 gpm

Concentrate 2,000 gpm1,400 ppm Copper40,000 ppm IronpH 0.9

From AMD Pit4,000 gpm

700 ppm Copper20,000 ppm Iron

1,000 gpm

1,000 gpm

Permeate 2,000 gpm


15/16

AMD application at Cananea de Mexico

Recovery of copper directlyfrom EMSconcentrate

EMSprocess paid for itselfwithin 6 months via copperrecovery

Allowed mine to open newreserves that wouldpreviously have beenflooded via an old 1890s

mine shaft


16/16

What makes EMS

plants unique?

Special membranes and element construction Special system design

Special operating procedures based on intimate

knowledge of the clients process Special cleaning procedures

20 years of process membrane systems

experience

ems for hydrometallurgical applications

Documents