TECHNICAL NOTE

Water requirements for the recovery of diamonds using grease technology

J. Danoczi

Mintek

SYNOPSIS

South Africa is running out of fresh water and is looking at ways to improve water usage.
This report addresses how a diamond mine in Gauteng has improved the utilization of its water resources. In the past, water from the local river was deemed the most suitable to use in the grease recovery plant but subsequent tests on the water from the slimes dam have shows that this water source is in fact more suitable for diamond recovery. Utilizing the slimes dam water provides a more stable water source than the local river while also reducing the impact of the mine on the water resources in the area.

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References

1. Mining Weekly, Creamer Media, Water & Mining Rising Concern, pp. 11-17 August 2006, vol 12. no. 30, pp 8-9.         [ Links ]

Paper received Nov. 2007
Revised paper received Jan. 2008