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WEC Projects, a South African water and wastewater solutions provider, has unveiled the final designs of water processing plants for the potash-producing Culluli Mine, Eritrea.
The company said the plant, to be 120m under sea level, required considerable customisation to meet the challenges of the mine and the demands of the region. It will produce a total of 24m3 of water per hour, 7.5m3/hr of which will be for potable use.
Water is pumped from boreholes and contains very high concentrations of dissolved salts and sediment, the company explained.
The pumped water is first fed into a coarse strainer to remove any larger particulates and then stored in a 20-kilolitre tank prior to oxidation.
Air is used to both cool the water to a processable temperature as well as to help remove iron through oxidation.
An ultrafiltration system using ceramic filters was chosen for this project. The new technology allows for easier cleaning and descaling of the filters and is better able to cope with the higher temperatures experienced at the facility, the company claimed.
The containerised plant has additionally been insulated to ensure optimum operation under such harsh conditions, according to WEC Projects.
The $2 million was awarded to WEC Projects in 2019 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rick Grundlingh, sales manager, WEC Projects, said the plant design, including all tanks, piping, pumps, insulation and filtration, is modular, which makes it easier to transport and assemble on site.
Culluli is one of the largest potash reserves in Eritrea, having estimated reserves of 1.08 billion tonnes of ore grading 18% potassium chloride.
