WEC Projects, an EPC contractor based in South Africa, has successfully fulfilled a contract to design and engineer three water treatment plants for Endeavour’s Lafigué gold mine in Côte d’Ivoire. These treatment plants consist of a filtration unit for industrial processes, as well as two units for providing potable water to mine personnel.
The filtration unit is housed in two modified shipping containers, measuring 6 m and 12 m respectively. It has a processing capacity of up to 130 cu.m/h of water. The water undergoes chemical coagulation in the inlet flocculation tank, followed by settling in the clarifier tank. From there, it enters the break tank and is then distributed to the filters. A blower unit utilizes air scouring to minimize the need for backwashing. The filtration process involves the use of specialized silica media and activated carbon media to remove solids and organic compounds.
The potable water treatment plants, also housed in 12 m shipping containers, have processing capacities of 10 cu.m/h and 5 cu.m/h per day. The water undergoes filtration, activated carbon treatment, softening, remineralization, and disinfection with chlorine hypochlorite and ultraviolet radiation. Motor control systems, human-machine interfaces, and programmable logic controllers ensure high automation, with minimal human intervention required.
Despite facing challenges such as a tight deadline and worldwide chip shortage affecting the supply of electrical and instrumentation components, WEC Projects managed to complete the plants within the specified timeframe. The containerized design facilitates faster transportation and assembly on-site. WEC personnel will commission the plants and conduct quarterly audits to ensure operational efficiency and effectiveness.
In conclusion, WEC Projects’ completion of these water treatment plants for the Lafigué gold mine demonstrates their expertise and ability to overcome challenges in providing reliable and efficient water treatment solutions.
Sources:
– WEC Projects
– Endeavour Mining Corporation