WATER MANAGEMENT minimises the required capacity of downstream ZLD systems resulting in typical cost savings of more than 50 % in CAPEX , OPEX , and Total Water Costs compared to conventional thermal technologies .
Gradiant ’ s Bio Infinity ( Bio-I ) platform solves wastewater challenges using a range of high-rate biological treatment processes . It allows mines to remove nutrients and biodegradable organics , meet stringent discharge limits , plus reduce capital , operating , and total life cycle costs by up to 50 %.
Its SmartOps AI is a digital ecosystem for the control , predict , and perform aspects of water treatment facilities . “ We harness the power of digital to re-imagine how facilities are designed , built , and operated based on our foundation of systems expertise learned from the delivery and operations of projects around the world . Our machine learning AI algorithms allow for the optimisation and prediction of plant operations . We ’ re using historical and real-time process data to deliver immediate productivity improvements and cost savings , as well as to reduce the carbon and water footprints in systems where our solutions are installed .”
Gradiant ’ s Selective Contaminant Extraction ( SCE ) technology is one of the most robust and reliable treatment systems in the market for industrial wastewater and water reuse . SCE is a multi-step treatment process customisable to target a wide range of contaminants at varying loads — such as oil & grease , hydrogen sulphide , VOCs and semi-volatile VOCs , and specific ions .
A new Gradiant technology offering , in partnership with a lithium mining client in Clayton Valley , Nevada , it says is unlocking a sustainable lithium extraction process for a reduced time-to-market and environmental footprint . Gradiant ’ s technology is integrated into the client ’ s lithium flowsheet , and enables up to 15x lithium concentration in a fraction of the time versus conventional methods , while also reducing carbon emissions , energy consumption , and capital costs when compared to thermalbased technologies . This technology integration can be applied to new lithium mineral extraction and production sites , opening opportunities to untapped lithium production regions , as well as existing lithium production operations .
The feedwater source is subsurface brine and the technologies used include alkaLi EC2 and RO Infinity with CFRO in a single train , multi-stage configuration . The plant began operation in 2023 using a Design-Build ( DB ), Operate & Maintain ( O & M ) model .
In this flowsheet , Gradiant ’ s technology concentrates the lithium solution and generates fresh water , a critical element in sustainable lithium production from brine . Gradiant deployed its unique Concentrate process as part of alkaLi ’ s EC2 technology stack . Gradiant is now operating
a RO Infinity with CFRO system to concentrate lithium up to 15 times to enable higher lithium recovery . The innovative brine mining process concentrates the lean liquors to maximise the efficiency of lithium production at the site . The system is fully integrated into the client ’ s flowsheet and ensures that brine is treated and pre-concentrated before the CFRO step . The system operates at normal RO pressures , allowing standard commercially available membranes and components to be used . RO Infinity ’ s high system recovery rates serve to reduce downstream evaporator size and cost and , in some cases , remove the need for them entirely . Squeezing every last drop of water from the DLE process is highly important to the client , given the site ’ s remote location in an arid region with limited access to water . A second RO Infinity system is available at the site to produce fresh water from the DLE waste stream . This minimises or can avoid the need for groundwater withdrawals or the need to truck in water from off-site .
Closing the gap – IDE on meeting tightening sulphate standards in mining
IM also caught up with Rosemary Niechcial , CEO of IDE Water Solutions in the USA on the topic of sulphates in mining . She stated : " Current regulations on mine water discharge for the
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MARCH 2025 | International Mining 79