Improving Fluid Fine Tailings Treatment for Placement in a Permanent Aquatic Storage Structure

改进流态细尾矿处理以放置在永久性水生储存结构中

• 批准号: 555881-2020
• 负责人: Bajic, Jelena
• 金额: $ 10.93万
• 依托单位: Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 3
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=722768
• 关键词: Improving; Fluid; Fine; Tailings; Treatment

Oil sands fluid fine tailings (FFT) are a byproduct of oil sands mining with current stockpiles exceeding 1.2 billion cubic metres. Tailings are considered a major liability in oil sands mining due to environmental and financial challenges. Current estimates place the cost of treatment of existing stockpiles between $5B-10B. Tailings are treated using a variety of chemical, physical and mechanical methods. In 2018, Suncor Energy Inc., a major oil sands mine operator, commercialized a novel and proprietary tailings treatment approach named Permanent Aquatic Storage Structure (PASS). To support this program, Suncor and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Centre for Oil Sands Sustainability (COSS) propose to expand our existing collaboration to include novel chemistries relevant to PASS. PASS offers a potential step-change in the volume and cost of tailings treatment for Suncor. To date, Suncor has accumulated 273.3 Mm3 of total fluid tailings inventory and PASS offers the possibility of treating a significant portion of this in a cost-effective, and environmentally responsible manner. The PASS technology combines the use of a polymer flocculant and an inorganic coagulant applied during the tailings transport process. Coagulants supplement the well-understood action of flocculants through charge neutralization of particulate contaminants, accelerating the remediation process and leading to faster reclamation objectives. The proposed study will a) improve the screening methodology developed for chemistries being considered for PASS, b) streamline the protocol to reduce the costs associated with screening a new technology while retaining resolution on the key parameters of concern, and c) assist with the prediction of long-term geochemical and biogeochemical characteristics of the final aquatic ecosystem. This project will benefit Canada by enabling oil sands operators to reclaim decommissioned mines faster, more efficiently and at a lower cost.

油砂流体细尾矿 (FFT) 是油砂开采的副产品，目前库存超过 12 亿立方米。由于环境和财务挑战，尾矿被认为是油砂开采的主要负担。 目前估计现有库存的处理成本在 $5B-10B 之间。使用各种化学、物理和机械方法处理尾矿。 2018 年，主要油砂矿运营商 Suncor Energy Inc. 将一种新颖且专有的尾矿处理方法商业化，名为永久水生储存结构 (PASS)。为了支持该计划，Suncor 和北阿尔伯塔理工学院 (NAIT) 油砂可持续发展中心 (COSS) 建议扩大我们现有的合作范围，纳入与 PASS 相关的新型化学物质。 PASS 为 Suncor 的尾矿处理量和成本带来了潜在的改变。迄今为止，Suncor 已积累了 273.3 Mm3 的流体尾矿库存总量，PASS 提供了以具有成本效益且对环境负责的方式处理其中很大一部分的可能性。 PASS 技术结合了尾矿运输过程中使用的聚合物絮凝剂和无机混凝剂。混凝剂通过颗粒污染物的电荷中和来补充絮凝剂的众所周知的作用，加速修复过程并实现更快的回收目标。拟议的研究将 a) 改进为考虑通过 PASS 的化学物质开发的筛选方法，b) 简化方案以降低与筛选新技术相关的成本，同时保留对关注的关键参数的分辨率，以及 c) 协助预测最终水生生态系统的长期地球化学和生物地球化学特征。该项目将使油砂运营商能够更快、更高效、以更低的成本回收退役矿山，从而使加拿大受益。