Raglan Mine, PQ

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BioteQ’s sulphide precipitation process has been applied at Xstrata Nickel’s Raglan Mine site, an active nickel mine located in northern Canadian. The plant recovers a high-grade nickel concentrate that is refined into useful products, and produces clean water that meets very strict water quality criteria for release to the environment. BioteQ provided process design and plant construction, and continues to provide ongoing water treatment operating services at the site.

The ChemSulphide® plant was built in 2003, replacing a low-density sludge lime treatment plant. BioteQ’s sulphide technology was chosen for the site because it does not produce any metal-laden sludge that would otherwise create an ongoing waste disposal concern in the pristine northern environment. The process operates effectively in the cold northern climate, which allows the treatment season to be extended to 5 or 6 months of the year.

Since the implementation of BioteQ’s ChemSulphide® process, the operating costs for the treatment of the site’s water have been reduced by half. High grade nickel concentrate collected from the process is refined into useful products, contributing a small incremental revenue source that can offset treatment costs, while simultaneously eliminating the production of metal-laden sludge into the environment.

The plant provides reliable operating results. The quality of treated water is consistently proven by bioassay testing of trout and daphnia in undiluted treated water.

The Raglan plant is ISO 14001 certified to meet strict standards for environmental compliance, and all plant operators are fully trained in ISO protocols.

BioteQ’s proven technology and operating expertise ensure reliable and consistent water treatment operations, at a lower cost than an equivalent lime treatment system.

Project Benefits

The application of BioteQ’s technology at the Raglan Mine has environmental and economic benefits. The plant:

  • Produces treated water that meets very strict water quality requirements that allows the water to be released directly into the fragile northern environment.
  • Recovers a saleable nickel by-product that can be recycled into useful products, and sold to off-set treatment costs.
  • Eliminates the production of metal-laden sludge that would otherwise require ongoing storage and attention.
  • Reduces the life cycle costs for water treatment at the site