ACID
DRAINAGE
A core expertise of Earth Systems is in the identification, management
and treatment of acid drainage associated with sulphidic rocks at
mine sites and acid sulphate soils.
Key acid drainage management services provided by Earth Systems
include:
Design and
project management of complete remediation and rehabilitation strategies
for site closures and orphan sites.
Identification
and mapping of the distribution of potentially acid generating materials.
Characterisation
and quantification of the potential acid generating capacity and acid
neutralising capacity of various geologic materials (Static acid-base
accounting).
Design,
conduct and monitoring of various kinetic tests for determining the
rate of oxidation / acid generation from reactive sulphidic materials.
Site assessment
of acid drainage risk and development of risk management strategies.
Formulation
of acid drainage management plans for regions, development projects,
geological formations and mine sites.
Development
and implementation of acid drainage prevention, minimisation and control
techniques.
Assistance
with the development of dry and wet cover technologies for managing
acid drainage from tailings dams and waste rock piles.
Strategic
development of innovative and cost effective technologies for avoiding
and minimising acid drainage (eg. GaRDS and NBT).
Design and
construction of aerobic and anaerobic wetland systems for final polishing
of acid affected waters.
Development
and commercialisation of new approaches for treating acid drainage.
Best Practice
environmental training workshops for managers, supervisors and operators
on acid drainage issues.
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| Acid and metalliferous drainage entering a tailings
dam at a gold mine in the western US. |
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Recent projects undertaken by Earth Systems include:
Project
management, data collection and design of a remediation and rehabilitation
plan for a strongly acid and metal polluted mineral field at Zeehan
in western Tasmania, Australia.
Assistance
with the development of acid drainage remediation and treatment strategies
for the Savage River Mine in north-eastern Tasmania, Australia.
Assessment
of site water quality and treatment issues at a gold mine in the Peruvian
Andes for a multi-national mining company.
Conducted
a range of acid drainage risk assessments for metal, coal and industrial
mineral mines throughout Australia and south-east Asia.
Awarded
a federal government grant (National Heritage Trust Funding) to conduct
a field demonstration of a new ARD prevention technology developed
jointly by Earth Systems and ANSTO (GaRDS technology).
Development
of a water powered limestone aggregate grinding system for semi-passively
treating acid drainage.
Providing
advice on potential problems associated with acid sulphate soil in
the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.
Various
contract pit lake treatment tasks in Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland.
Sales of
patented acid drainage treatment equipment to mines in Australia,
Indonesia, South Africa, the US and South America.
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