Evaluación de alternativas para el tratamiento primario de sedimentación en la reutilización del agua proveniente del lavado del carbón en los relaves, en la parte alta de la provincia del El Oro

Abstract

This research presents different alternatives for primary sedimentation treatment, seeking to reuse the water used in coal washing that ends up in tailings. This project was carried out at the beneficiation plant located in the upper part of the province of El Oro, Zaruma, which is well known due to the high level of mining that occurs in this area. We must take into account that this activity requires large quantities of water, which, when disposed of, contain a high level of suspended solids, making pretreatment necessary. To this end, we conducted various laboratory tests with different flocculants (1140, 1145, 1165), in different volumes, to test their effectiveness at different sampling points. For this purpose, flocculation time was taken into account. The effectiveness of flocculant 1165 was demonstrated, with a faster onset time, unlike other flocculants, which required a larger amount of flocculant to demonstrate their effectiveness. The reduction in total suspended solids was also analyzed, achieving a removal rate of up to 96%. Considering the feasibility of this procedure from a technical and economic perspective, it was determined to be a viable technique because it allows for a large percentage of water recovery, minimizing freshwater consumption and reducing suspended solids. The application of this type of clean technology, such as assisted sedimentation, is considered one of the main solutions for achieving water resource sustainability in small- to medium-scale mining.