Acoem Australasia’s water monitoring solutions for seamless compliance with environmental regulations for the mining sector

Customer: Western Australia mining company

Country: Australian

Application: Mining

Sector: Water

Background

Acoem Australasia has been working closely with mining companies in Western Australia for over four decades, providing them with environmental monitoring expertise and solutions that deliver accurate data to inform critical decision making and help them comply with stringent regulations.

Environmental water monitoring is an integral element in mining operations. While Acoem designs, develops and manufactures most of its environmental monitoring sensors, tools and equipment, when it comes to water solutions, it partners with some of the world’s leading suppliers who share Acoem’s values for exceptional precision, customer service and innovation.

The Challenge

Turbidity is the measure of clarity in water and monitoring it is the best indicator of the presence of suspended solid pollutants. When mining operations are in close proximity to a water source that provides water for human and animal populations, it is vital to understand turbidity levels to protect the standard of drinking water.

An existing mining customer, with a positive reputation for proactive environmental management of its various mine and metal production sites both in Australia and around the world, approached Acoem for assistance. The company is seeking approval for production increases and other changes to its operations associated with expanding one of its sites in Western Australia’s southwest. A monitoring program for background turbidity levels was required to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

Solution

Greenspan is a Melbourne-based water specialist and Acoem is the exclusive distributor of its high-quality water sensors. The Acoem team in Western Australia has designed a solution that features seven individual online turbidity stations containing Greenspan TS-1000 series turbidity sensors that will be commissioned at strategic locations within the existing dams and surface water locations on site in the coming months.

The TS-1000 sensors are suitable for active waters (acidic or hypersaline) and waterways with high sediment loads. They come with integral self-cleaning wipers and field replaceable wiper pads or actuated sensor caps. Their rugged acetal body and robustness ensure minimal field visits for maintenance and all turbidity measurements conform to ISO Standard 7027.

The stations will be assembled in compact weather/waterproof stations on H-frame stands and each will include a pre-programmed data logger that can work with a variety of different sensors as required (for greater flexibility and future monitoring programs); a wireless modem for effective data communication; an omni-directional antenna; and a solar panel to ensure continuous power supply.

The stations will relay real-time data back to Acoem’s Environmental Reporting Services team for real time analysis and reporting to the customer.

The Outcome

The data captured by the Acoem turbidity stations and the subsequent diagnostics will be a crucial part of reporting to the Environmental Regulators in support of the mining company’s submission to expand operations in the area in a safe and sustainable way.