Using an Eco-Engineered Bioreactor to Reduce Contaminants of Concern in Mine Tailings

该项目名为“使用生态工程生物反应器减少矿山尾矿中的污染物”，是加拿大纽蒙特有限公司（纽蒙特）和弗莱明学院水和废水技术促进中心（CAWT）之间合作研究和开发的延续。纽蒙特公司在安大略马拉松镇附近经营现已关闭的金巨人矿及其相关的88公顷尾矿储存设施。根据关闭计划的条款，纽蒙特负责矿山的尾矿储存设施和相关的地下水收集系统和废水处理厂。自2017年以来，纽蒙特一直与CAWT合作设计和建造一个全规模的生态工程生物反应器（EEB）系统，这是一种非常先进的废水处理技术。EEB系统将取代目前使用的不太经济和环保的现场废水处理厂。在将一个全面的EEB系统投入使用之前，纽蒙特必须对一个示范规模的系统进行为期两到五年的评估。该项目旨在将当前的中试规模测试装置扩大到示范水平，从而形成一个可以减少令人担忧的污染物以满足省级水质标准的EEB系统。使用EEB系统作为主动废水处理工艺的替代方案对环境产生的积极影响将使矿区附近的社区以及整个行业的关闭做法受益。

This project, entitled "Using an Eco-Engineered Bioreactor to Reduce Contaminants of Concern in Mine Tailings" is a continuation of the collaborative research and development between Newmont Canada Limited (Newmont) and Fleming College's Centre for Advancement of Water and Wastewater Technologies (CAWT). Newmont operates the now-closed Golden Giant Mine and its associated 88 hectare tailings storage facility near the town of Marathon, Ontario. Under the terms of a Closure Plan, Newmont is responsible for the mine's tailings storage facility and the associated groundwater collection systems and wastewater treatment plant. Since 2017, Newmont has been working with the CAWT to design and build a full-scale eco-engineered bioreactor (EEB) system-a highly advanced wastewater treatment technology. The EEB system would replace the less economic and environmentally sound onsite wastewater treatment plant currently in use. Before putting a full-scale EEB system into commission, Newmont must evaluate a demonstration-scale system for a period of two to five years. This project aims to scale-up the current pilot-scale test unit to the demonstration level, resulting in an EEB system that can reduce contaminants of concern to meet provincial water quality criteria. The positive environmental impact of using EEB systems as alternatives to active wastewater treatment processes will benefit communities in proximity to mine sites as well as closure practices throughout the sector.