Purification of High Copper and TDS Acid Mine Drainage Water Using F-LLX™ AMD VEP™ Liquid-Liquid Extraction Technology

A copper mine pool feed water creates an acid mine drainage (AMD) water that is a serious surface water contamination source that is damaging the local fishing industry. Copper (Cu) and high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are the main contaminants of immediate concern (CoC), and were in very high concentrations, Battelle tested and evaluated its Acid Mine Drainage Value Extraction Process (AMD VEP™) in continuous flow-through extractor/stripper system for the purification of a surrogate copper mine pool feed water representing the AMD to provide safe, dischargeable water for fisheries protection. The results of the testing demonstrated the feasibility of generating purified water and the recovery of metals and sulfate from the AMD, which would allow avoiding disposal requirements, costs, and potential future disposal-related liabilities. The initial feasibility testing demonstration was used to design the test program for actual copper mine pool water.