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CDE wet processing enhances Muadinoon Mining Company’s frac sand product
Staff Report,
13 Dec 2021
Saudi silica sand miner improves product quality and preserves resources with EvoWash Evo101 and AquaCycle A200 solutions
Saudi Arabia’s Muadinoon Mining Company has recently invested in wet processing technology from CDE in order to enhance its product quality while lowering environmental impact.
Muadinoon mines high quality silica sand from sand deposit near Tayma, in north-western Saudi Arabia, selling the product as raw materials to several clients. The company said it has a “commitment to providing high quality products that meet the requirements of its customers, in fulfilment of their needs and in compliance with industry standards”.
The mining company added that it was founded with a vision of becoming the global leader in the mineral industry while championing environmental awareness for responsible mining practices. Muadinoon says its commitment to the environment is one of the company’s most important operating principles.
Recently, Muadinoon sought to improve the quality of its product offerings further through enhanced washing and cleaning of the mined sand. The company added that its “passion for protection of the landscape” in which it operates is reflected in its pledge that its operations will achieve maximum economic value while ensuring minimum environmental impact. Therefore, a suitable wet processing solution was required to ensure water recirculation and conservation of this precious resource in a highly dry region.
The company engaged CDE to visit the site near Tayma, to gain a better understanding of its needs and requirements and to embark upon a collaborative partnership. Muadinoon chose to partner with CDE the Saudi company’s senior management believed CDE had an in-depth understanding of the project at hand and was confident in its expertise.
CDE commissioned its EvoWash Evo101 sand wash plant and AquaCycle A200 water management system to run alongside the company’s existing dry screens that ensure the size fractions of the required product. Utilising CDE technology, the new plant will enable Muadinoon to produce 0-600-micron silica sand (frac sand) at a rate of 75tph.
CDE’s EvoWash will intake pre-screened material which has been sized to suit the client’s needs. The sand will be washed by cyclone technology, thus reducing the fines content to market acceptable limits and providing an in-spec product to the customer. The EvoWash’s sump and hydrocyclones provide a high degree of control of silt cut points and eliminate the loss of quality fines with significant commercial value.
CDE’s AquaCycle is an efficient water management solution, significantly reducing costly water consumption (both economically and environmentally) by ensuring up to 90% of the process water is recycled for immediate recirculation. The water treatment unit, consisting of a thickener and polyplant, reduces freshwater requirement drastically and helps to accelerate return on investment by maximising production efficiency, minimising the loss of valuable fines and reducing water and energy costs.
Turki Alabdulaziz, project management specialist at Muadinoon Mining Company, said the investment exemplifies the company’s commitment to environmental protection and its mission to be a leading industry supplier in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He said: “We are always intent on maintaining our responsibility to our environment and our people – therefore it was important to us to ensure we provided the best possible quality product to our clients, while reducing the impact on our natural world. Our PREFER-able mining model pays careful detail to how our business affects the environment at all stages of our operations. For example, we examine the ecosystem of the surrounding environment during exploration and prospecting to determine how our operations will affect the wildlife and vegetation. We also examine the water use in the area and any potential water supply problems. This was why, when investing in advanced technology, it was important to us to have a solution that employed water recirculation.
“Members of the CDE team visited our sand deposit in Tayma to better understand our site, our raw feed that would be fed into their technology, and also our business ambitions. We felt supported throughout the process, and that they were fully on board with our vision.”
He added that tests were done in the CDE lab to inform Muadinoon of the result they could expect from the new solution, and they were very pleased with what was produced. “There will be no unpleasant surprises – only positive outcomes from this partnership.”
Ruchin Garg, CDE regional manager, added: “Muadinoon is a newly established mining company that is already making great traction and highlighting its potential to achieve its business aims. We are proud to be on board to help make these ambitions a reality, and to be part of the journey as Muadinoon continues as a leading industry figure while maintaining its ecological pledges.
“Environmental education is compulsory among all the technical and managerial employees at Muadinoon, as the company believes that healthy environmental practices invariably lead to healthy business practices. It has been wonderful working with such an eco-conscious team and helping to develop a solution that is in line with their principles.
“We have already built close relations with this client through our visit to the site and deepening our understanding of their needs. Muadinoon is embarking upon a new chapter with this very specific product, and we have seen promising results in our lab work. We look forward to seeing this replicated at the Tayma deposit and to seeing the positive impact on this company.”
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