Hydromining Australia - Hydromining for Tailings Depositions

Hydromining Australia (HMA) is one of the world’s leading specialists in hydromining. A subsidiary of Resource Equipment Rentals, the company has established a reputation for innovative mining solutions for all kinds of tailings depositions. HMA has completed projects successfully around Australasia and is now at the forefront of this innovative mining solution.

Tailings recovery or disposals

When it comes to tailings recovery or disposals, hydromining is rapidly becoming recognized throughout the industry as the preferred method. It is considerably faster, safer and more economical than other mining or recovery options.

Hydromining for mining or tailings recovery

Hydromining is up to 400% faster than dredging or machine mining. Time is money, so speed is a critical factor in the time-sensitive field of mining. Hydromining is also safer because it does not involve heavy machinery, trucking traffic and similar harsh methods. It harnesses the power of water to achieve excellent results.

Besides speed and safety, hydromining is also very cost-effective and a highly efficient mining or tailings recovery method.

Hydromining applications

Hydromining can be utilized in a wide variety of applications including:

• Tailings dump recovery
• Tailings dam cleaning – lined dams or otherwise
• Thickener or tank cleaning
• Open cut slip clean up
• Slurry or mud recovery
• Materials mining

Hydromining can be used on any product that can be effectively cut and lifted into suspension with high pressure water. This includes gold, nickel, silver, mineral sands, clay, dopper, bauxite and coal.

History of hydromining

The origins of hydromining can be traced back to the Californian gold rush of the 1850s. Back then, a rudimentary version of hydromining and sluicing was used to mine material and dispose of tailings.

Over the years, hydromining has evolved into a precise and efficient form of mining. Modern technology has impacted the entire process from the high efficiency, high pressure pumping equipment, remotely controlled monitors, greatly improved nozzle or stream-former technology providing more concentrated streams and increasingly effective strike zones.

Slurried product management, recovery and pumping

In addition to this, slurried product management, recovery and pumping have vastly improved. Hydromining Australia has refined this technology into an adaptable mining process to suit a massive variety of operations, applications and products / materials.

Turnkey hydromining solutions

Hydromining Australia offers much more than just equipment. The company surveys each project comprehensively before offering turnkey solutions right from design to complete installation. The services include:

• In-depth surveys by trained personnel
• Innovative operational solutions
• Detailed project reports
• Comprehensive risk analysis
• On-site installation
• Operation, management and maintenance
• Hydraulic re-mining

Tough on tailings, gentle on the environment

Hydromining Australia is committed to conserving natural resources and protecting the environment. Their equipment is carefully engineered to maximize pressure with the minimum quantity of water. In addition, all water can be made available on site and recycled to avoid wastage.

The process of hydromining itself is low impact and environmentally-friendly. It utilizes used or plant water, can re-use this water, reduces dust due to the virtual elimination of vehicle traffic, and requires only a tiny percentage of the fuel required for truck transport or dredging the same material. In addition, most of Hydromining Australia’s fleet now operates tier two and three diesel engines.