PROCESSING AND APPLICATION OF A PURIFICATION SYSTEM FOR GOLD MINING, EXTRACTION OF MINERALS AND GROWTH OF ALGAE BIOMASS

摘要

The present disclosure describes a process for using saline water, and saline reject water produced in water purification, to use for gold mining production, and growing and harvesting algae. The disclosure also describes a method for growing and harvesting algae utilizing saline water as growth medium for recycling waste water to extract the remaining metals out of waste water. The harvested algae may be used in various applications including but not limited to water purification for gold mining production and to extract metals out of remaining waste water.

主权项

1. A process for gold mining and algae production, comprising
treating a first salt water stream having a first salt concentration X, wherein the treating is carried out with at least one of electrodialysis reversal, reverse osmosis or mechanical vapor compression in a first water purification system to form: (i) a first purified water stream having a second salt concentration Y lower than X, and (ii) a second saline water stream having a salt concentration Z higher than X; treating a gold ore with the first purified water stream to separate gold from the gold ore and to form a first waste water, treating the first waste water in a waste water purifying unit comprising an algae mat to form (i) a second purified water stream and (ii) a mineral solution, and further treating the gold ore with the second purified water stream; treating the second saline water stream in a second water purification system connected to the first water purification system and the purified water reservoir to form a third saline water stream; feeding the third saline water stream to a bioreactor containing algae to form a first biomass in the saline water of the first saline water stream and to form a first saline biomass stream; feeding the first saline biomass stream to an algae growth and harvesting chamber to grow the algae and to form a concentrated biomass; feeding the concentrated biomass to the waste water purifying unit and forming a filter in the form of an algae mat from the biomass in the waste water purifying unit; andremoving the algae mat from the waste water purifying unit and isolating gold and oil from the algae mat.