Best practice for tailings dewatering in mining applications

In Australia and around the world, many Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs) are reaching capacity and new licences are challenging to obtain. This has compelled mining and mineral processing companies to look for alternative solutions to tailings dams in recent years.

Increasingly, forward-thinking operators dewater and dispose of thickened tailings in a safe and environmentally friendly way that also offers a favourable OPEX with solid bowl centrifuges.

The technology is versatile, and Alfa Laval has customers in coal, copper, iron ore, gold, nickel, zinc, mineral sands and uranium applications where its centrifuges set new standards in mine tailings management.

Hear from Alfa Laval’s local engineers Paul Tuckwell and Hamid Foroush on the best strategies and solutions to minimise environmental risk and maximise production outcomes.

Secure your spot for Alfa Laval’s upcoming industry webinar to learn:

• How to choose the best technology for converting thickened tailings to dry solids for disposal
• Differences between filtration and solid bowl centrifuges
• Suitability of ultra-fines and slimy tailings for mechanical dewatering
• What to look out for in a pilot-scale trial before going full scale

This event has ended.

About the presenters

Paul Tuckwell

Mining & Minerals Key Account Manager

Alfa Laval Australia

Paul is a Chemical Engineer with more than 22 years of experience in the fields of heat transfer, solid-liquid separation technologies and associated process engineering.  He is based in Perth (Western Australia) and is involved in minerals processing projects from the conceptual stage to testing to final commissioning and beyond.

As a member of the global Mining and Minerals community within Alfa Laval, Paul applies experience gained across many local and international sites to advise Australian mining companies on best strategies and solutions to minimise environmental risk and maximise production outcomes.  Paul has a particular interest in sustainable tailings management and specialises in solid bowl centrifuges as a solution to dewater and stack solid cake instead of sending a slurry to a tailings dam.

Hamid Foroush

Mining & Industry Key Account Manager

Alfa Laval Australia

Based in Brisbane, Hamid works with mining companies on optimising their processes, improving the bottom line and reaching sustainability targets. Hamid started his career in a steel mill in Iran as a mechanical maintenance engineer. He moved to Australia in 2008 and has worked here with large companies such as Kone and Downer Engineering before joining Alfa Laval in 2018.

Already during his time at Downer, Hamid was heavily involved in a number of major CHPP projects for detailed design, construction and commissioning. Since joining Alfa Laval’s Energy division, he has been focusing on solid bowl centrifuge installations for tailings dewatering and dry tailings disposal across coal mines in Queensland and New South Wales.

Hamid is a member of Engineers Australia as well as AusIMM, and holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Azad University in Iran.