Hydrosmart is a physical water treatment system that effectively minimises the use of chemicals in mining sites.
Descaling water treatment for mining applications
Hydrosmart is implemented as part of a treatment regime so that clients maximise efficiency and profits, while maintaining high water flow rates.
The solution effectively removes scale and build-up from pipes, valves and fittings, as well as odours and deposits from wastewater tanks. With no flow limitations, the solution saves on downtime and maintenance, improves safety and irrigation in heap-leach mining, in addition to preventing and removing mineral build-up without chemicals.
Pipe unblocking solutions
Hydrosmart is a physical water treatment system that breaks the bonds between minerals in the solution, and progressively unblocks pipes and infrastructure.
The solution can also be used as a preventative to protect infrastructure from scaling. Non-ferrous pipe sections that are wrapped with coils are incorporated into an existing pipe system. A computer controlling the coils generates electrical fields, which are frequency-modulated according to polarity, and these pass through the pipe into the mineralised water.
Electrical wiring does not come into contact with the water, and current draw is low, so water movement is not impeded or limited. This technology breaks the bonds between minerals in the solution, resulting in dissolved build-up and scale.
Mineral build-up treatments
Hydrosmart treated pipe units with diameters up to 500mm have successfully dealt with calcium carbonate, gypsum, iron and mixed mineral build-ups in the mining industry.
Clients range from publicly listed multinationals to family-owned companies, and the company has performed high-volume Hydromaster installations at Mount Isa, Lightning Ridge, Moranbah, Twin Hills, Blackwater, North Capel, and New Guinea.
Hydrosmart also treats water used for on-site mineral processing, reducing or eliminating anti-scaling chemicals.
Corrosion management
Hydrosmart’s frequency treatment significantly reduces and stops treated pipes from being corroded and reduces damage otherwise caused by chlorides.
Worker-safe water descaling systems
Implementing Hydrosmart improves an operation’s productivity by keeping pipes, sprays and fittings clean and reducing downtime while maintaining its continuity of mining processes. It also prevents workers from needing to purchase, store and handle costly and dangerous anti-scalant chemicals.
A related issue is odour in wastewater and truck washes caused by recycled water. Normally using high levels of chlorine due to hardness, which is unsafe for workers, Hydrosmart is proven to reduce odours while reducing chemicals.
Water supply treatments for mining camps and operations
Many companies install Hydrosmart before mining towns are occupied, to act as a maintenance free water softener and scale preventative for the local water supply. Others companies see the need for descaling after changing to a lower quality bore, dam or well water source, and then install Hydrosmart as a solution.
Australia’s three biggest mining companies use the technology for scale prevention and infrastructure management in mining towns or for sustainably safely protecting their mining equipment such as pipes and nozzles on dust suppression sprays of conveyor belts.
Mining camp treatments have used either a single feed of large diameter, or have adopted single units on each house in the camp.
Previous projects include mining companies in Australia at Newman, Port Headland, West Angleas, Mount Isa, and overseas sites at New Guinea, Botswana, Mauritania, Thailand and elsewhere.
