Less Water and Renewable Energy for Mine Tailing Ponds

Published on by in Technology

Less Water and Renewable Energy for Mine Tailing Ponds

Hexocover is bringing renewable energy to mining and solving the water shortage

A new technology invented at the University of Arizona is looking to solve the evaporation of water from bodies of water such as mining tailings ponds and reservoirs, while simultaneously generating energy reserves through solar panels.

The invention, called Hexocover, is a hexagonal-shaped modular floating cover made from UV inhibited recyclable plastic. The technology consists of floating hexagonal panels that are arranged to fit individual water surface dimensions, forming a cover over the water.

“Mining activity typically requires a lot of energy,” Ardeth Barnhart, University of Arizona Renewable Energy Network Director said in an issued release. “This technology is a great example of how original ideas that develop the use of solar energy to transform industrial processes can have immediate and transformative effects on water and energy use, create positive environmental impact and provide direct benefits to our economy.”

Developed by Moe Momayez in the Department of Mining and Geological Engineering at University of Arizona and Nathan Barba, managing partner at RePower Design, Hexocover is the result of their effort to find ways to conserve water in mining tailings (remediation) ponds.

According to our sister publication Mining Global, Hexocover has untapped potential for the industry.

“The new technology will offer a combination of positive environmental impact by minimizing water evaporation, which is costly for mining companies to replace, as well as generating electricity,” wrote the site.

RePower Design worked alongside Tech Launch Arizona, the unit that commercializes inventions that stem from the university’s research, to execute an exclusive license to bring the invention to market.

The license granted RePower Design the sole right to commercialize the technology, which includes the floating panel design as well as the solar panel integration.

The inspiration came from the fact that Tucson, Arizona has an evaporation rate of 109 inches per year, according to Barba, and water in storage facilities and reservoirs always needs replenishment.

"We needed a way to prevent the evaporation of (tailing pond) water, but we needed a system that could move out of the way when the tailings are being released into the ponds," said Barba in a news release. "If we can cover them, we can help with the devastating water shortage problem here in the southwestern U.S. and around the world."

For the past seven years, Momayez has been investigating the integration of photovoltaic, or PV, panel deployment with mining land reclamation processes, mining-specific environmental effects on PV output efficiency, and geotechnical considerations related to the installation of panels on tailing slopes. 

"The PV work on reclaimed mining lands has gained national recognition," Momayez added, "and the idea to control the evaporation of the supernatant water accumulating in the middle of tailing storage facilities was a natural extension of my research and a huge step forward to save water in arid climates worldwide."

"For someone who owns a water reservoir, like a mine or municipality, this invention provides a dual benefit and a dual revenue stream," Barba said.

The mining industry has been historically slow to adopt renewable energy technology, according to a 2013 Navigant Research report, but the report forecasts that renewable energy technologies will supply between 5 percent and 8 percent of the world’s mining industry power consumption by 2022.

Additionally, the technology minimizes the overall environmental impact of operations such as mining.

Source: University of Colorado 

Read More Related Content On This Topic - Click Here

 

Media

Taxonomy