The customer is a large corporation with one of the most important alumina refineries in North America, which uses the Bayer process of leaching bauxite ore with caustic soda. The waste produced is a slurry called “Red Mud”. The caustic red mud was pumped to large tailings ponds where it was stored for years in a semi-liquid phase.
The capacity of the ponds would be exhausted in a few years and this was a potential threat to the future operation of the refinery.
It was necessary to find an alternative method of red mud management given the limited space available for disposal of the material.
Filter press dewatering was the preferred method for the following reasons:
- Highest level of dewatering (cake dryness >73%).
- Lower risks to the environment and surrounding community.
- Reduced footprint of disposal area.
- Maximum recovery of caustic soda.
Diemme® Filtration, the world leader in red mud treatment, was involved from the outset, carrying out an in-depth pilot campaign on site and working hand in hand with the client to design the equipment to meet the strict objectives and site standards. It was also essential to meet the agreed deadlines in order to maintain the plant’s production.
The installation of a 4 filter presses mod. GHT2500F18 presented many challenges, but in the end the targeted parameters were achieved (>4,600 tpd of solids with >73% cake dryness).
The close and open cooperation between the parties created a trustworthy partnership that resulted in a successful project that is now state of the art in this industry.
