Partners from CETAQUA recently took the stage at the 19th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion (IWA-AD19) to present groundbreaking achievements developed under the RESILEX project.
The presentation, titled “Biogenic Sulfide Production in an Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor for Selective Recovery of Metals from Acid Mine Drainage,” highlights how cutting-edge biotechnology can transform environmental liabilities into circular economic opportunities.
Legacy mining wastewater poses severe environmental risks due to its highly acidic nature and toxic metallic content. CETAQUA’s innovative research addresses this challenge head-on by leveraging anaerobic membrane bioreactors to produce biogenic sulfides. This process enables the selective recovery of valuable metals—such as copper and zinc—directly from acid mine drainage.
Key Impacts of this Technology:
- Circular Recovery: Successfully separates and co-recovers critical metals as intermediate concentrates for the metallurgical refining industry.
- Environmental Neutralization: Successfully transforms hazardous, acidic legacy wastewater into neutralized water that can be safely reused or discharged.
- Cost-Effective Efficiency: Operates at a fraction of the cost of conventional lime treatments, eliminating the production of expensive, toxic sludge liabilities.
Learn more:
Webinar #5 – Recovery of valuable and critical raw materials in the mining industry Resilex
RESiLEX Factsheet #13 – Circular metal recovery from mining waste