Assessment of Chemical and Biological Treatment Proceeses for the Reduction of Total Dissolved Solids in Tailing Ponds from Gold Mining Operations

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Barrick Gold Corporation (Barrick) owns and operates a number of gold mines and processing plants that rely on both cyanide and thiosulphate leaching processes. Thiosulphate leaching is a process known to produce high levels of total dissolved solids (TDS), with high concentrations of them found in tailings ponds. In collaboration with Fleming College's Centre for Advancement of Water and Wastewater Technologies (CAWT), chemical and biological treatment processes will be assessed over a 6-month duration using small scale benchtop experiments for their ability to reduce TDS in tailing pond waters. Since implementing thiosulphate leaching processes over 6 years ago, Barrick's tailing ponds have continued to increase in volume and in TDS concentration. To manage the water balance across the sites, having a method to reduce TDS is imperative. The results of this applied research are expected to provide Barrick with a solution they can scale up and implement in their mining processes, allowing them to reduce contaminants and reuse treated water in their process operations.