Electrokinetic thickening and dewatering of mine tailings

这项研究的长期目标是将电动浓缩和脱水推进到采矿业可用于尾矿处理、矿山关闭和土地复垦的成熟技术。DG在5年内的短期目标是：(1)开发用于评估尾矿EK可处理性的标准测试设施；(2)开发适用于尾矿浓缩和脱水的非消耗性阳极系统；(3)制定尾矿EK脱水的设计框架，用于评估、实施和运行尾矿EK脱水；以及(4)利用从世界各地收集的尾矿样本进行理论、数值和实验研究，并进行案例研究，以验证本研究开发的设计框架。在采矿作业中，每天都会在矿石加工过程中产生大量尾矿，其中很大一部分尾矿的粒度小于10微米。对细粒尾矿进行EK浓缩脱水，与常规方法相比，可在较短的时间内获得较高的固形物含量。它相对容易实施和控制，对环境的影响最小。如果有适当的工程设计，这项技术可以是能源和成本高效的。三名博士生、三名硕士、五名本科生和一名博士后将在研究活动中接受培训。这项研究将建立一种创新的脱水技术，这是由于现有技术难以实现细粒尾矿脱水而迫切需要的。除了在采矿工程中的应用，这项研究在其他需要液-固分离的工程学科中也有潜在的影响。最后，这项研究将为未来的工程应用加强电动力学的科学。

The long-term objective of this research is to advance electrokinetic (EK) thickening and dewatering to a mature technology available to the mining industry for tailings disposal, mine closure and land reclamation. The short-term objectives during the 5-year period of DG are (1) develop standard testing facilities for assessment of EK treatability of mine tailings; (2) develop non-consumable anode systems suitable for thickening and dewatering of mine tailings; (3) develop a design framework for EK dewatering of mine tailings, which will be used for assessment, implementation and operation of EK dewatering of mine tailing; and (4) carry out theoretical, numerical and experimental studies using tailings samples collected worldwide, as well as conduct case studies to verify the design framework developed in this research. In mining operations, large quantities of tailings are generated daily from ore processing, in which a significant fraction has grain sizes less than 10 micrometers. EK thickening and dewatering of fine tailings can achieve much higher solid contents in much less time, as compared to conventional methods. It is relatively easy to implement and control with minimal environmental impacts. With proper engineering design, the technology can be energy and cost efficient. Three PhD students, three master students, five undergraduate students and one postdoctoral fellow will receive training in the research activities. The research will establish an innovative dewatering technology, which is urgently needed because of difficulties of fine tailings dewatering using existing technologies. In addition to applications in mining engineering, the research has potential impacts in other engineering disciplines where liquid-solid separation is required. Finally the research will enhance the science of electrokinetics for future engineering applications.