Abstract
Drawing development plans requires evaluating the available resources and assessing their sustainable and subsequent utilization-driven environmental impacts. The current work is concerned with evaluating the sustainability of the halite harvesting process from Al-Qasab Playa, Shaqra, Central Saudi Arabia. The authors integrated, conceptually and quantitatively, ArcGIS-processed SRTM-DEM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission-Digital Elevation Model) data, hydrogeochemical and thermodynamic-based geochemical modelling, and graphical approaches to achieve the ultimate aims of the study. The watershed is identified as a nonmarine closed basin with a drainage area of 1290 km2, with the slope controlling recharge to the Playa. The Chadha plot including the rainwater exhibits linear regression, with an R2 value of 0.9947, confirming the rainwater origin of the Playa water. The hardness-forming ions are primarily removed in pond 3, eliminating the need for costly and power-consuming steps of softening with ion exchange resins or nanofiltration as it can be used directly as a readily available feed for the chlor-alkali process for producing NaOH, Cl2, and H2 gases through electrolysis. XRD (X-ray diffraction) analysis and the SEM-EDS (Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) of the harvested halite confirmed its purity. An improved design of the current folkloric harvesting process has been proposed based on the saturation indices calculated thermodynamically to provide a readily available feed intake for the electrolysis chlor-alkali process with or without minimal pretreatment to produce higher value chemicals. The methodological aspects presented here are deemed robust and valid for applications in other study areas, including the assessment of the exploitation of the rejected brine from the desalination plants to achieve the zero liquid discharge approach, as well as other types of sabkhas, regardless of their geographical location.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.