A trial is under way at an old copper mine in the Northern Cape, South Africa, to extract minerals from contaminated underground mine water.

Mining Review reports that Orion Minerals is using electrolytic technology to treat water pumped from underground at the Prieska Copper-Zinc Project to produce saleable minerals such as calcium and magnesium for use in agri-nutrients, as well as other by-products that can be used in the chemicals industry.

The trial comes as Orion prepares to start its dewatering campaign of the mine before it restarts operations there.

The company is working with South African technology firm Free Radical Process Design, which has developed a proprietary process and equipment to extract metals and other minerals from water using electrowinning.

As well as producing ‘clean, green’ agri-nutrients for agriculture, the project offers a clean water source for irrigation in local host communities.

18 October 2022
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