Abstract
Flotation of minerals, an important part of the chain of metals production for our society, needs huge amounts of water. This industry can contribute to the sustainable use of water and circular economy development by utilizing its own production wastewater. However, reuse of clarified water without additional treatment may cause worsening of flotation results. Electrocoagulation of this water with mild steel sacrificial anodes, complemented by electroflotation is able to decrease the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of the treated water, i.e. to remove at least partially the residual organic reagents. For the studied case 66 % of COD and nearly 32 % of DOC were removed by electrocoagulation with mild steel electrodes at energy consumption of 0, 458 kWh/m3. This warrants better results of lead-zinc flotation carried out with treated water, in comparison to the case of use of untreated water, and contributes to freshwater saving. Treated water ensured outcomes of lead-zinc flotation comparable to the results found at use of fresh tap water.
Highlights
Metals production starts with minerals mining and mineral processing
As it can be seen from figures 1 and 2 the electrochemical treatment of the process wastewater leads to a decrease in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC)
The same authors achieved around 65 % COD removal from mineral processing wastewater with iron sacrificial anode and the most notable increase in the COD removal was the initial 20 min
Summary
Metals production starts with minerals mining and mineral processing Both mineral processing fields, namely beneficiation (mineral dressing) and extractive metallurgy, require water. Namely beneficiation (mineral dressing) and extractive metallurgy, require water It has been reported [1] that the water used in mineral processing accounts for the greatest water consumption in the copper production chain, in terms of total volume. According to Jennett and Wixson [2] about 6000 L/h of water are required typically for ore grinding and flotation by a mineral processing plant treating polymetallic lead-zinc ores. According to other authors [3] ore beneficiation of nonferrous metals by flotation method requires 4–7 m3 of water for processing a ton of raw ore. Gunson and coauthors summarize that on average the 1,9–3,0 m3 of water are consumed per ton of ore processed [4]
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