WATER MANAGEMENT
Fluence ' s containerised solutions for minesites and remote worker camps
In addition to water treatment for mining operations , there are also opportunities to improve water and wastewater treatment systems for the workers employed at minesites . In remote workforce housing camps like one in Carlsbad , New Mexico , in the southwestern USA , Fluence Corporation is treating the domestic wastewater that is then reused on-site for applications like toilet flushing , dust reduction , equipment washing , and even for reuse in mining operations , reducing overall water use without affecting mining operations .
To address these needs , Fluence offers a proven solution in the customisable Ecobox™ . These modular containerised units come factory assembled and tested leafing to streamlined transportation , quick delivery , and easy installation at remote sites with no hidden costs . These units are ideal for lithium mining operations , providing efficient and reliable wastewater treatment to support both domestic and industrial water reuse applications , enhancing site sustainability and operational efficiency .
Containerised systems can also be used for mining operations . For example , Fluence has supplied a containerised ultrafiltration water treatment plant followed by a double-pass reverse osmosis water treatment plant to Eramine , a major player in the South American lithium mining sector . Eramine South America SA is the Argentine subsidiary of Eramet , the global mining group . Eramet owns the mining rights to the Centenario-Ratos salt flat , which allows it to explore and extract lithium and associated minerals from the area .
The Fluence provided plant produces demineralised and drinking water . Fluence also provided engineering services for the development of a lithium brine oxidation operation .
Eramet has developed an innovative direct extraction process to extract the lithium contained in the brine , which is low-cost and environmentally friendly . The Fluence treatment plant was designed to produce different qualities of water using the waste streams of the lithium process . The reuse allows a recovery of 85 % of the water used in the process . The plant was designed in containers to reduce the carbon footprint and minimise on-site work . The design provides flexibility to operate at different flow rates , adapt to a wide range of qualities , minimise OPEX and CAPEX , and minimise wastewater discharged .
The three types of water qualities produced are : purified water , deionised water and potable water . All of these must comply with specific parameters established by the process and , particularly the potable water , must meet the specifications of the Argentine Food Code ( CAA ) to ensure that it is safe for human consumption .
The plant is supplied with well water extracted from the salt flats and has a production capacity of between 476 m 3 / h and 618 m 3 / h of treated water for multiple uses . The process begins with 130-micron self-cleaning filters , to remove large particles that may damage the downstream systems . These filters are automatically cleaned once a defined volume of water has been filtered , or when a specified difference between inlet and outlet pressures is measured .
The filtered water is sent to the ultrafiltration ( UF ) system , which acts as a barrier to suspended solids and microorganisms . Part of the filtered water is stored in the UF water tank , which is then used for backwashing the membranes , while the remainder is sent directly to the first step of Reverse Osmosis ( RO ). This direct connection eliminates the need for an additional pumping system . The ultrafiltration waste , which contains the suspended solids of the raw stream , is treated using a clarifier system . The collected solids are removed , and the recovered water is recycled to the inlet of the plant .
The first step of Reverse Osmosis ( RO # 1 ) is designed to reduce the concentration of dissolved solids and the conductivity of water using high rejection RO membranes . The highquality RO permeate water is sent to the permeate water tank to supply downstream processes . The low-quality RO concentrate stream is stored in a waste tank to be partially recovered .
To produce potable water , a second Reverse Osmosis system with high rejection membranes ( RO # 2 ) is fed with water stored in the permeate water tank and designed to further reduce boron and other dissolved solids meeting the local regulatory requirements . Then , the permeate from this system is treated with a remineralisation unit to obtain water suitable for human consumption . Concentrate from this step is also collected in the concentrate tank .
To obtain purified water , a third Reverse Osmosis system with high rejection membranes ( RO # 3 ) is used , also fed from the permeate water tank . The concentrate from this process is also collected in the concentrate tank , and the permeate is stored in the ultra-purified water tank .
In the case of the production of deionised water , an ion exchange system is fed from the permeate water tank . The goal of this stage is to reduce the alkalinity of the water by using a strong anionic ion exchange resin . The treated water is stored in the deionised water tank . These ion exchange columns are regenerated when their bicarbonate holding capacity is exhausted , using solutions of sodium chloride ( NaCl ) and sodium hydroxide ( NaOH ).
The last stage is the treatment of the concentrate tank water . This is passed through a concentrating Reverse Osmosis system with low fouling membranes ( RO # 4 ) to increase the overall recovery of the water used . The permeate is then recirculated into the feed stream and the concentrate is discarded .
This project highlights the various possibilities for reuse in the mining sector , from domestic wastewater treatment for process water production to industrial wastewater reuse and recovery .
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MARCH 2025 | International Mining