What is flocculation in mining waste management?

Introduction Flocculation, the aggregation of ultra-fine particles, is crucial to current mining waste management and is a standard method for dewatering tailings . To address issues with mining waste, flocculants are often used to separate water from solid mineral particles such as clay by enhancing the sedimentation rate .

Why do mining sites use flocculants?

As more minerals are extracted, the use of water increases, leading to greater wastewater and tailings production. To tackle this issue, flocculants are commonly used across mining sites to dewater waste streams by binding and settling particles, to allow for improved solid-liquid separation.

Can polyacrylamide polymers be used for flocculation?

Protein design for flocculation Synthetic polyacrylamide polymers currently used are generally effective as flocculants fine particles in the size range about 10–100 μm. However, they are not specifically designed for the purpose of flocculating ultra-fine (<10 μm) and clay particles which require higher dose of the polymer.

What are the different types of flocculants?

Flocculants exist in three general categories: inorganic, synthetic organic, and natural or bioflocculants . Examples of inorganic flocculants include ferric chloride and aluminium sulfate and are not the topic of this review.

What is a flocculant used for?

To address issues with mining waste, flocculants are often used to separate water from solid mineral particles such as clay by enhancing the sedimentation rate . A flocculant, typically a high molecular weight polymer, is added to a suspension to bind particles together.

Are flocculants effective in rapidly settling particles?

While conventional flocculants (synthetic polymers often derived from petrochemicals) are effective in rapidly settling particles, they present several issues, such as high levels of entrapped water, ineffective fine particle separation, and environmental and health concerns.