The EKS-DT process is flexible, reliable, highly cost effective and practical to deploy.
Some of the uses in the oil sands and mining industries include:
- Dewatering of legacy tailings deposits,
- Dewatering of new fresh tailings,
- Accelerated dewatering of partially dewatered tailings (e.g. following flocculation and/or centrifuge)
- Consolidation of the bottom of end-pit lakes,
- Strengthening off-spec soft spots in partially dewatered tailings deposits,
- Preventing water migration/ seepage (e.g. berm walls), and
- Dewatering of froth tailings.
The EKS-DT process is capable of dewatering other forms of mine tailings, drilling mud, dredging spoils, industrial and municipal sludges. An advantage of the technology is that the water that the process releases is clear due to the action of electrophoresis. The quality of this water is suitable for reuse in most cases.
EKS-DT is:
- Mobile and modular in design. This allows it to operate in extreme weather conditions, year round, and in almost any environment.
- Adaptable. The program is easily configured to meet specific producer needs and complement existing tailings treatment plans.
EKS-DT has many uses:
- In-situ at tailings process receiving ponds
- In pit or legacy holding lakes
- Engineered treatment cells
- Fine tailings can be reduced to pumpable paste, an impermeable brick, or anywhere in between, depending on the reclamation site needs.
- Tailings stabilisation: Angled electrodes can be used to draw water out of tailings piles and tailings dams to reduce the risk of large-scale failures.