Eagle Point Mine

Challenges

To extend the life of Eagle Point uranium mine, large volumes of mine water needed to be treated and disposed of in accordance with provincial guidelines.
Historical water-quality records indicated that the mine feedwater had higher levels of contaminants than a supposedly representative water source selected for a previous pilot study.
A chemical precipitation process was deemed necessary to ensure proper removal of uranium and radium so the mine's uranium production could continue to grow.
Radon levels in the treatment water were also at risk of being high enough to exceed Canada’s guidelines for their indoor-air concentration should a significant quantity be released.

We prepared a feasibility study for a new mine-water treatment plant for the Rabbit Lake uranium-mining operations near the Eagle Point deposit.
Achieving the project treatment goals required a combination of actual-equipment pilot-testing, jar testing, projection software, and supporting information from technical literature.
A two-pass, reverse-osmosis system was designed, preceded by a chemical precipitation process. This was judged necessary to ensure adequate removal of uranium and radium.
Based on economics and operational considerations, a simple aeration process was determined to be the most effective technique for removing radon.

Selecting Actiflo™ enabled significant capital savings of up to C$10 million.
Actiflo™ was also shown to be the most favorable technology for handling variations in feedwater TSS, consuming less coagulant or flocculant while producing higher-quality effluent.
A self-contained, mainly preassembled system that is easily moved from location to location, Actiflo™ enabled a simple, efficient, and cost-effective installation at the Northern Saskatchewan site.
Actiflo™ has a smaller footprint than either a conventional clarifier or a sedimentation pond. Installing it indoors eliminated the need for insulation to address the effects of sub-zero weather on the sedimentation process.