Missouri Cobalt Mine – Mine water management

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L'eau

Mining industry water management.

Minetek’s Evaporators provide an advanced water management solution tailored specifically for the mining industry to combat challenges such as excess water in holding ponds and maintaining site water balance. Designed for efficiency, these turn-key land-based systems deliver high-volume throughput ( 600 GPM / 135 m³hour) and significantly reduce wastewater levels. Equipped with integrated environmental management systems, Minetek evaporators enable real-time monitoring and control, ensuring compliance with stringent environmental regulations while maintaining operational stability. For mine sites, these systems effectively mitigate risks of overflow, reduce environmental impact, and support sustainable operations by optimizing water levels without compromising productivity.

Interested in a similar solution for your mine site? Minetek can provide evaporation efficiency modelling to help evaluate exactly how our technology will perform under your unique conditions. Our team will work with you to analyze site-specific data, project outcomes, and provide a clear assessment of your potential benefits. Request an analyse de l'efficacité de l'évaporation for your site today to begin optimizing your water management strategy.

Turn-key water management solution for a Missouri Cobalt Mine.

Minetek’s mining client in Missouri, USA, operates a growing cobalt production site supporting critical mineral supply for the energy and technology sectors. The site includes closed underground workings from prior mining activity that the client aims to reopen, and an expanding tailings storage facility requiring enhanced water management to keep pace with operational demands. To maintain safe, compliant conditions, the client needed to rapidly scale its mechanical evaporation capacity.

Localisation – Clayton, Missouri, USA
L'industrie - Exploitation minière
Mineral – Cobalt
Application – Tailings storage facility requiring a solution to maintain the water level.
Solution – 1 x Turn-key land-based evaporation system with Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
Débit en volume – 40 m³/h (180 GPM)
Evaporation efficiency estimation – 45%

“Our engineers are just ecstatic with the fact that the water is going away.”

Jake Davidson – Site Operations Lead

Brève

A comprehensive water management solution was required for deployment at this cobalt mine. The project involved the supply and commissioning of a land based evaporation system integrated with an EMS to mitigate water balance issues.

Défi

The operation faced a significant hydrological challenge: sustained inflows from underground workings were entering the tailings storage facility at rates exceeding 300 gallons per minute. This continuous influx was overwhelming the site’s existing water infrastructure and significantly delaying plans to reactivate the mine.

Without swift intervention, the site faced the risk of TSF overtopping, regulatory non-compliance, and rising operational costs. Uncontrolled water accumulation posed a direct threat to production continuity, site safety, and long-term asset integrity. With few cost-effective treatment options available, the site’s goal was clear: reduce water volume efficiently to regain control and move forward with reopening.

Solution

Minetek engineered a stainless steel, land-based mechanical evaporation system fit to the site’s operational and environmental demands. The solution included a 400/200 water evaporator, a skid-mounted MCC electrical control board, and Minetek’s proprietary Environmental Management System (EMS) featuring full PLC programming and automation.

The EMS functions as a live, site-based weather station, delivering intelligent system control based on real-time environmental data. With programmed thresholds for wind speed, direction and rainfall, the EMS ensures auto-compliance by pausing operation during non-permissible conditions, safeguarding both performance and environmental integrity.

Minetek integrated remote monitoring connected directly to the client's local control room to streamline operations. This hands-off functionality allows seamless system oversight without constant manual input.

Result

The Minetek Water Evaporation System successfully met the planned water flow rate of 180 GPM (40 m3/h) at 45% efficiency, helping the site maintain control of water volumes in the TSF under peak inflow conditions.

System performance exceeded initial expectations, with the client reporting measurable daily decreases in pond levels. The integrated EMS has allowed for precise, automated compliance control, while the remote monitoring capability has eliminated the need for constant manual oversight.

Following the success of the initial deployment, the client is now considering an expansion of the system, citing strong performance and ease of operation. The solution has also gained interest from neighbouring operations in the region, with the client referring to it as a “game changer” in local water management.