The process combines aerobic and anaerobic processes, along with a high-density sludge phase and, in the case of Nickel Plate, removes cyanide, thiocyanite, ammonia, nitrate and metals from tailings water. The treated water is then safely released to a nearby creek.
The process was put into place at Nickel Plate after the mine closed in the fall of 1996. During operations, water used in the mill circuit was recycled through the tailings impoundment without being released to the environment. The mine closure required release of the effluent stored in the tailings impoundment. Various options were considered, though biological treatment was found to be the most efficient means of removing the contaminants in the water and producing a non-toxic discharge.
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