Vale CAWMS Upgrades FEL2 Study
A copper and nickel mine in Ontario, Canada, plans to expand operations and needed to confirm that their water treatment and maintenance methods would adhere to local and federal standards with the upcoming expansion. The water management infrastructure includes a 62-square-kilometer catchment where operating process water and surface water that was treated in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is held before being discharged into the environment. This central area water management system is susceptible to being overloaded during periods of high precipitation or runoff. Because the mining operation expansion is expected to increase water discharges, the WWTP susceptibility to hydraulic overload could increase, particularly during periods of heavy runoff. The expansions in mining operations are also expected to require additional water storage and treatment.
