Summary
General and cyanidation waste disposal incinerator for large gold mining operations in the Middle East.
- Hazardous Waste Incineration Facility
- Sustainable Installation
- Optimised For Large Waste Loads
- Suitable For Gold And Silver Mining
- Dispose Of Toxic Byproducts Of Precious Metal Extraction
- Complete Solution For Camp Site Waste
Gold Mine Incineration In The Middle East
Addfield has completed installations of incinerators for disposing of highly toxic hazardous waste in some of the harshest environments across the world.
Gold mining is a particularly hazardous operation running the risk of permanently contaminating the local environment that it commonly operates in from general waste produced through daily operation alongside the often toxic chemicals used in the extraction and refining of raw gold.
Incineration facilities are vital for protecting the local environment from permanent damage from toxic waste generated in these remote facilities lacking traditional waste disposal infrastructures.
This case study showcases the approach taken by one of the world's largest gold mines, located in the Middle East, which selected Addfield Projects to help them overcome this challenge caused by cyanide's toxic introduction in the process of Cyanidation.
The Ecological Solution For Cyanidation
Due to the remote nature of mining, there are very few options for safely disposing of the levels of waste created through the daily process. Often housing workers onsite who generate general and municipal waste continuously. Alongside the range of fuels and chemicals used in the general extraction of materials. The waste generated is generally either transported off-site for exporting to a landfill or improperly disposed of onsite. For these operations, incineration is the ideal solution for removing the environmental risks, reducing the levels of waste on site and ensuring that the process achieves all of the required permitting and regulations established by the local governments and agencies.
In late 2020 we were approached by a specialist consulting operation that contracted us to design and manufacture an incineration system that would be suitable to provide an environmentally secure solution for disposing of site waste and reducing the residual cyanide left over at the end of a cyanidation extraction process.
In this instance, the solution was a fully custom incinerator with an oversized loading chamber and advanced secondary chamber stack.
Safe Solution For Mining Waste Disposal
For most people, Cyanide is not what comes to mind when considering the gold mining process. However, Cyanidation is a common practice in modern gold and silver mines, enabling much more significant results.
Cyanidation, also known as the Macarthur-Forrest process, is an established method used in gold and silver extraction. It dissolves the precious metals in a dilute solution of either sodium cyanide or potassium cyanide. The cyanide solution is added to the ore and water slurry and seeps through, forming a soluble gold-cyanide complex.
This process can take place through heap leaching or vat/tank leaching. In heap leaching, a sodium cyanide solution is applied to crushed ore, resulting in gold dissolution into a solution collected for further processing. In vat/tank leaching, the ore is mixed directly with a cyanide solution in large tanks.
This is then easy to separate from the undissolved material. The gold is then precipitated out of the solution and recovered as a solid metal.
Regardless of the method used, both heap and vat/tank leaching results in the generation of solid waste that has to be disposed of safely and responsibly. This is where incineration plays a crucial role, as cyanide is a highly toxic substance that can have significant negative impacts on the environment if not properly managed.
Perfectly Tailored For Chemical Waste Disposal
This gold mine incinerator has been engineered to destroy any residual cyanide-contaminated waste generated during this mining process. This specific unit was designed to dispose of used 1m3 FIBC bags that have transported the cyanide for safe disposal after usage.
Even after thorough washing, a cyanide residue remains contaminating the material, proving a very hazardous problem for the workers and unsafe for release into the environment. To address this, the FIBC bags are packaged in wooden crates, which are then loaded and incinerated using the Gold Mine Incinerator. The operation is performed without direct operator interaction, utilising advanced protective clothing and ventilators by trained operatives and Fork Lift Trucks to ensure maximum personal security.
This Project Has Included:
Built With The Customer Needs In Mind
- Turn-key supply
- Design – engineering – manufacturing – installation – commissioning – training – proving – handover
- Compliant to the Waste Incineration Directive EC 2000/76 and Industrial Emission Directors IED 2010/75/EU
- Oversized Primary Chamber
A unique and specialised machine was required to adhere to stringent guidelines. The focus of this project was the containment, disposal and reduction of cyanide waste residue. This project showcases our team's innovative capabilities and ability to design, manufacture, and deliver customised incinerators no matter the waste. We worked with our customers to deliver a solution to suit their exacting demands that will provide valuable protection to the region for many years to come—highlighting the environmental benefits of incineration, taking the incineration industry into new realms, and proving the ecological benefits that only incineration can deliver.
As with all Addfield Projects installations, we work with every customer to develop the most suitable machine for their waste. If you currently have a project that you are searching for a solution for, contact our team via sales@addfieldprojects.com, and we will work with you to deliver the perfect solution for you and the environment.