Buchans ecological engineering treatment assessment : long-term performance evaluation and site visit report (2009)

Abstract

The decommissioning effort of the Buchans Waste Management area was carried out by Boojum Research Ltd for ASARCO between 1988 and 1998. A biological polishing pond system was installed treating combined effluents from Orientals, Valley Seeps and Drainage Tunnel. Work in the Hospital tailings spill area addressed the distribution of the metals to a depth of 0.5m and defined the contaminant loading to the Turnpike and the Buchans River. Based on these data a fresh water diversion ditch was constructed and test plots were set up to generate a hardpan below ground, where iron and metals precipitated with phosphate sand and a cover was provided for vegetation to prevent erosion. The test results were very positive and the PHITO (Phosphate Heterotroph Inhibition of Tailings-Oxidation) was implemented prior to the death of G. Neary. Boojum Research Ltd is a research company, developing sustainable decommissioning technology based on Ecological Engineering principles.