Our Technologies to Treat Metals

Dissolved metals in mine water from acid mine drainage require removal to achieve regulatory compliance. Our processes remove metals to meet ultra-low discharge limits, recover metals with appreciable value as a commercial grade concentrate, reduce/eliminate waste sludge production and reduce water treatment life cycle costs.

BioSulphide® & ChemSulphide®

Our sulphide precipitation technologies use biological or chemical sources of sulphide to selectively remove dissolved metals from mining wastewater.

MoreLess

The process works by adding the sulphide reagent to the wastewater under controlled conditions to precipitate the target metal, forming high-grade solid metal sulphides that can be easily dewatered for sale or disposal. The water can then be discharged safely to the environment or re-used onsite. Recovering the dissolved metals as a commercial grade concentrate eliminates/minimizes waste sludge production.

Met-IX™

We apply our selective ion exchange to treat wastewater containing very low levels of dissolved metals that must be lowered further to meet stringent discharge limits.

MoreLess

The Met-IX™ process uses resins to selectively target the metal, removing it from the wastewater and producing a concentrated regenerant stream. ChemSulphide® is often combined with Met-IX™ to treat the regenerant stream to recover the dissolved metals as a commercial grade solid by-product. With the metal removed, the water is safe for discharge. No waste sludge is produced in this process.

Applicable Metals

Remove for environmental compliance & recover for value:

  • Cobalt
  • Copper
  • Molybdenum
  • Nickel
  • Rhenium
  • Silver
  • Zinc

Remove for environmental compliance:

  • Antimony
  • Arsenic
  • Bismuth
  • Cadmium
  • Iron
  • Lead
  • Mercury

Case Studies

Dexing

BQE Water established a joint venture with Jiangxi Copper Company to build and operate water treatment plants using BQE Water technologies.

More

Raglan

ChemSulphide® technology was selected to treat mine drainage at Raglan Mine, an active nickel mine in the Canadian sub-Arctic.

More

Silvertip

Amid a climate of challenging commodity prices and heightened regulatory scrutiny in the province, the Silvertip Mine in Northern BC is an underground operation set to begin production in Q4 2016.

More