Deep Treatment of Copper Plant Waste Water Streams with Water Recycling

Abstract

Reducing the negative environmental impact and securing the efficient use of water resources are key factors in the mining-metallurgical industry. At the enterprises of non-ferrous metallurgy the residual waters contaminated by a substantial amount of ions of heavy metals, sulphates and other impurities are formed. A promising way of their deep treatment consists in membrane technologies. This paper presents the results of pilot testing of ultrafiltration, electrodialysis, reverse osmosis and ion exchange technologies for purification residual waters of metallurgical enterprise of the Middle Ural. The possibility of using these technologies to achieve the final result – obtaining treated water, that meets the standards for fishery water bodies, is presented. It is reasonable to use the resulting water for the technical needs of the enterprise, which will significantly reduce the fresh water consumption and the environmental load, providing the ecological and economic benefits.