Title: MIWARE- Mine water as a resource Presented by Mona Arnold, VTT ACQUEAU Workshop on Industrial Waste Water Treatment - Helsinki, 12 March 2015

1. MIWARE- Mine water as a
resource
Acqueau workshop 12.3.2015
Mona Arnold
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

2. 218/03/2015 2
OF FINNISH
INNOVATIONS
include VTT
expertise. (*
VTT – Technology for business
 Turnover 308 M€ (2013 VTT
Group), personnel 2,600
(1.1.2015 VTT Group)
 Unique research and
testing infrastructure
 Wide national and
international cooperation
network
*) Source: Roles, effectiveness, and impact
of VTT, VTT & Technopolis Group, 2013.
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd is the
leading research and technology company in the
Nordic countries. We provide expert services for our
domestic and international customers and partners,
and for both private and public sectors. We use
4,000,000 hours of brainpower a year to develop new
technological solutions.
We develop new smart technologies, profitable solutions
and innovative services. We cooperate with our customers
to produce technology for business and build success and
well-being for the benefit of society.
VTT is a non-profit organisation and a crucial part of
Finland's innovation eco-system. VTT operates under the
mandate of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.

3. 318/03/2015 3
Discharges from mines – major worldwide
problem
50,000 km of rivers contaminated by
these discharges worldwide,
at least 8,000 km are in Europe
Discharge from mines has been
recognised as the main cause of 7% of
failures to achieve the goals of the
Water Framework Directive

4. 418/03/2015 4
Project Objectives
 To develop and demonstrate robust processes for the treatment
of metal/sulphate-laden wastewater from the mining and metal
industries.
 Focus on recovery of the valuable metals contained in mining
water with
 New methods to provide robust economic solutions that are
applicable worldwide in variable conditions. Selectivity is focal
 Decrease the environmental impact and cost of the treatment
processes by valorising, as much as possible, the components of
the effluent, basically concentrating on recovery of valuable
metals/minerals and developing less energy consuming
processes.

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MIWARE Mine Water as a resource
Green Labelled by Acqueau 7.7.2014
Financiers: national financing institutes : DST
(South Africa), Tekes (Finland) and Vinnova Sweden
Budget: 3017 k€
Timetable: Nov 2014 – Oct 2017
Project coordinator: Mona Arnold, VTT, Finland

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Consortium
Research organizations:
VTT Technical Research
Centre of Finland
Mintek
IVL Sweden
Solutions providers:
Outotec (Finland) Oy
Chromafora Ab (Sweden)
Flootech Oy (Finland)
End-users:
Agnico Eagle, Finland
Anglo Coal, South Africa
LKAB Luossavaara-
Kiirunavaara AB, Sweden
Associated partners:

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Partner competence and interest
VTT* Biological treatment systems, separation technologies including
recovery, solids handling
Outotec* Solid/liquid separation supported by chemistry for selective or/and
overall recovery of target compounds. Development of the
equipment selection for the precipitation/coagulation process steps
and the following solid-liquid separation steps .Evaluating and
testing the unit processes of other consortium members as part of
the overall solution, e.g. for solid liquid separation.
Flootech Oy* Expertise in microflotation with high hydraulic loading that can be
used for voluminous water flows as is the case for mine waste water
Agnico Eagle Finland Oy* Practical knowledge in handling of sulphate laden waters, waste
water treatment installation
Mintek* Development of biological methods for water treatment and
expertise in IX (resins and fibres)
Anglo Coal* Expertise in development of biological water treatment systems
IVL* Mine water treatment, research support cost efficient REE removal.
LCA
Chromafora* Phosphine, REE filter adsorption
Lanxess Processes for water treatment including membranes and resins
AkzoNobel PPC AB Crystallisation
LKAB REE recovery, end user
.

8. 18/03/2015 8
VTT’s main roles
• technology development and support
– joint R and D actions together with Mintek (biological
methods)
– valorisation of the precipitated solids that is generated in
the treatment concepts developed in the project
coordinative actions
• management and coordination of the international activities.
Results :
demonstrated treatment concepts for sulphate and metal laden
mining waters and enlarged networks for Finnish commercial
partners.