a dynamic solution to reclaim tailings ponds.
Our novel process facilitates the dewatering of tailings ponds allowing them to be converted back to their natural landscapes.
During this process we are able to reclaim valuable resources while removing harmful greenhouse gasses from the material.
While most companies are attempting to stop the creation of new tailings, we are seeking to remediate decades old ponds.
What are Tailings Ponds?
When we extract resources from the ground we use large volumes of water to facilitate the process. Once the desired resources are extracted the waste water and residual material are called tailings. This material is pumped into a tailings pond where it needs to be cleaned and separated.
The ponds are very large with some existing larger than 10km2
Tailings contain various elements including large amounts of clay. This clay sits at the bottom of the pond and doesn’t fully settle into a compact composition. It stays as a sludge like material that is difficult to work with.
In order to fully reclaim an oil or mining site, we must separate the clay from the water so that the land can be converted back to its natural landscape. This is a challenging and complicated process.
The estimated cost of cleaning up the tailings ponds in the Alberta oil sands is over $50 billion.
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a Globally Patented solution for processing bottom ash from waste-to-energy plants.
The patent utilizes a wet separation process which allows for finer separation than other methods. Compared to other separation techniques Enviroash is far more advanced in its chemistry.
Aluminum and iron are the two most recovered materials, along with other precious metals available for recovery during the process.
Once the valuable resources are recovered, the residual clean material can then be used as feed stock for cement mix.
Patent: US 9566587
What is bottom ash?
Each year it is estimated that we produce 2 billion tonnes of garbage. One solution for dealing with this waste is to send it through a Waste-To-Energy or incineration plant. When we burn the garbage it produces heat that can be converted to electricity. This is a beneficial way to reduce the total input into landfills and also create energy during the process.
Once the garbage has been incinerated there are two left over materials. One is called fly ash, and the other is bottom ash. About 20% of the original weight of the garbage is left over in these materials.
The bottom ash contains different types of metals, sand and other components. Usually this material is then sent to a landfill and is treated like most other forms of garbage.
However there are valuable solutions that can be applied. By recovering the metals out of the bottom ash you create a cleaner material that can be used as a feed stock for certain cement applications.
Carbon Capture
Many of our developments have add on applications for carbon capture. We understand that the global carbon issue is one of the largest obstacles our economies will need to overcome in coming decades.
We are researching how mineral sequestration can be used to enhance our current technologies or to be developed as stand alone solution.
Mine sites all over the world have the potential to be converted into carbon sinks.
