Turning water into Gold

Tailing ponds are not environmentally friendly... However this is how Gold Mining traditionally deals with the slushy extra waste materials they generate. Another problem is the tailings usually contain about 10-20% of the economic minerals that could not be recovered from the ore. These ponds have historically provided an important water source for mine operations. However, getting rid of the tailing pond would also get rid of a viable water source for the mine.

The first step was to dewater the gold concentrate. Met-Chem used a 1200mm filter press, allowing the excess gold to be sent to the smelter. 

The next step was to eliminate the tailing pond by using another 1500MM filter press to dewater the tailings. The solids that were recovered could be sent back to the mines to fill old mine shafts. This allowed the mine to return 100% or the tailing back underground where they belong!

Learn more about this mining project from Met-Chem