# US 2023/0055554 A1 · Methods of treating metal mine tailings

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2023/0055554 A1
- Document ID: US20230055554A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/796,510
- Filed: 2021-01-28
- Published: 2023-02-23
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-31
- Inventors: Douglas MORRISON; Vernon Kent DRYLIE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230055554A1

## CPC

- B03B 9/02: specially adapted for oil-sand, oil-chalk, oil-shales, ozokerite, bitumen, or the like
- C02F 1/00: Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage (C02F3/00 - C02F9/00 take precedence)
- B03B 5/48: by mechanical classifiers
- C02F 2001/007: {Processes including a sedimentation step}
- C02F 2103/10: from quarries or from mining activities
- C02F 2301/043: Treatment of partial or bypass streams
- B03B: SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)

## Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods of treating metal mine tailings. Embodiments of the method comprise separating the metal mine tailings into a highly contaminated fraction and a tolerable benign fraction, purifying the tolerable benign fraction and disposing the purified tolerable benign fraction within a managed environment, and sequestering the highly contaminated fraction in a sub-aqueous tailings management facility.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of treating metal mine tailings comprising:
separating the metal mine tailings into a highly contaminated fraction and a tolerable benign fraction;
purifying the tolerable benign fraction and disposing the purified tolerable benign fraction within a managed environment; and
sequestering the contaminated fraction in a sub-aqueous tailings management facility.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein separating comprises one or more of solid-liquid separation or density sorting.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising recovering solid material from the contaminated fraction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein passively treating comprises separating the tolerable benign fraction into one or more cells.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the contamination level of the tolerable benign fraction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein monitoring comprises remote monitoring.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein purifying comprises continuous water purification.