미국 환경보호청(EPA)의 새로운 계약에 따라최근 발표에 따르면 Alexco Resource의 전체 지분을 소유한 자회사인 알렉스코 환경 그룹(AEG, Alexco Environmental Group)이 콜로라도 남부의 골드 킹 광산(Gold King Mine) 지역에 중간처리장의 건설을 완료하고 분당 1천200갤런 작업을 시작했다. 이는 올해 8월 초 EPA의 오염물질 유출 장소이다.

 

AEG는 골드 킹 광산에 자동화된 중간 수처리 플랜트를 설계·구축했으며, 비상 대응 및 오염물질 제거 작업은 EPA에 의해 진행되고 있다. AEG는 EPA에 의해 선택된 수처리 작업사로 환경 복원을 지휘하는 유한관리 회사이다.

 

 

 

Under a new contract with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Alexco Resource Corp., recently announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Alexco Environmental Group (AEG), has completed the construction and started operation of a 1,200-gallon-per-minute (GPM) interim water treatment facility at the Gold King Mine in Southern Colorado -- the site of EPA's contaminant spill in early August 2015.

 

AEG's contract to design, construct and automate an Interim Water Treatment Plant at the Gold King Mine is part of the Emergency Response and Removal Action being conducted by the EPA. AEG is the selected interim water treatment contractor for the EPA and acts under the supervision of Environmental Restoration, L.L.C. (ER).

 

The plant design was selected due to its proven capability to address water treatment residuals (sludge) during cold weather operations with a highly automated plant-wide control system, enabling 24-hour operation at low cost and high reliability. AEG completed the construction of the treatment system within a required three-week period and is now entering a four-week testing period during which the plant will be optimized and further winterized in anticipation of the harsh conditions expected at 10,500 feet in the San Juan Mountains.

 

The treatment plant has the flexibility to utilize diverse sources of low-cost alkalinity (lime or kiln dust) and is currently operating under complete automation in the 600 to 1,200 GPM range while achieving metals removal well in excess of the contractual standard of 85 percent total metals removal.

 

AEG's unique solids filtration and sludge handling experience will allow extended operation that avoids the need for sludge re-handling during winter operations by providing for simple on-site sludge storage and the opportunity for beneficial re-use. Separately, Alexco has developed and demonstrated the beneficial effects of water treatment sludge re-use at the Platoro mine and Globeville smelter treatment sites, which are also located in Colorado.

 

[출처 = Water World / 2015년 11월 4일]