Minerals development group Oro East Mining has submitted a patent application for equipment that will dry gold tailings in mining production using parabolic solar concentration.
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Using the new patent pending invention, the US-based company can extract water from dry tailings from gold mining production.
According to the company, the invention is used to recycle and reuse all processed water and can improve mining production technology in an eco-friendly direction, especially important in drought conditions such as those currently being experienced in Califronia.
Oro East Mining used a conveyor system to remove water from mildly dry tailings through direct, concentrated sunlight.
Water conservation through the process will also help in optimizing the processing facilities.
As the technology will recycle water for further reuse, it will comply with sustainable and environmental mining practices, the company said.
The system will direct sunlight to vapourise all water from the tailings and the vapour would be subsequently condensed, collected, as well as reused.
Wear and tear of the filter press machine would be reduced and the solids that are dried can be disposed of by dry stacking.
The low cost process will not affect the environment and is considered safe by EPA standards.
