Complex Processing of Saponite Waste from a Diamond-Mining Enterprise

The solution of the sludge utilization problem and yield increase at processing plants have great importance today all over the world. Disasters associated with the tailings dams failures have madeus develop technologies of tailings sludge utilization as a commercial product, reducing the environmental damage on the regions of mineral extraction. This research aimed to provide new data, methods and an analytical approach to solve the saponite sludge accumulation problem on mining enterprises with silicate coagulant to increase the rate of cycle water clarification for the enrichment process and the recycling of sludge to reduce its hazardous effect. Samples were taken in the deposit located in the north of the European part of Russia, where diamond bearing ore contain montmorillonite minerals, mostly saponite, which is considered to be a perspective secondary product. The content of this mineral in the sludge is above 20 wt.%. Saponite is a clay mineral with the general chemical formula (Ca,Na)0.3(Mg, Fe2+)3(Si, Al)4O10(OH)2·4H2O. The mineral has high adsorption, ion exchange, and catalytic and filtration properties; due to the developed diffuse layer, saponite particles are highly stable in an aqueous medium—the resulting suspension is highly stable and has slow sedimentation. During the research, a positive effect on the sedimentation process of clay saponite particles was established, due to the introduction of a coagulant containing 70% tricalcium silicate, at a dosage of 2 g/dm3 coagulant; the degree of purification of water containing the saponite clay suspension is 99%. The condensed sediment after the thermal drying and with the limestone addition can be used again as a coagulant or secondary product with enhanced properties;therefore, the sludge will be processed, and not stored.