Teck plans a Line Creek water treatment facility

1 of 2JP Bechtold speaks at the West Line Creek project Phase II open house on April 18, 2012, at the Sparwood Causeway Bay Hotel. — Brielle Will photo

2 of 2Matthew Day speaks at the West Line Creek project Phase II open house on April 18, 2012, at the Sparwood Causeway Bay Hotel. — Brielle Will photo

Representatives from Teck Line Creek’s operations held an open house April 18th at the Causeway Bay to provide the public information on the West Line Creek Selenium Active Water Treatment Facility.

Speakers included Teck’s community and aboriginal affairs manager Nic Milligan, project manager Matthew Day, who provided a quick overview of the project, and water quality specialist JP Bechtold.

The facility, located on a previously disturbed piece of ground in the active mining area 25 kilometres north of Sparwood, is in the first of two planned phases.

In 2010, Teck commissioned a strategic advisory panel made up of experts in various in fields from eco-toxicology to biology and risk management, which produced a report on challenges faced with the naturally-occurring element selenium. The panel decided on a biological treatment.

According to Day, the chosen treatment process entails a biological oxidation reaction: taking selenium in its water-soluble form, adding bacteria (heterotrophic facultative heterotrophs) with a food source, and converting selenium into a particulate form so it can then be filtered from the water.

“Through this process we also have oxygen and nitrates present in our water and it follows a sequence where the free oxygen is the easiest to remove, and the nitrate is the next and then the selenium,” said Day. “We are taking the nitrates out of the water, which is another benefit.”

The non-toxic bacteria, to eventually be grown into a controlled bacteria colony in the facility, are similar to what are used in municipal water plants.

“We realize selenium is a problem and we have taken ownership of it and what we can do to manage this,” said Day.

Water will be taken in from primarily West Line Creek, which has a higher selenium concentration, as well as Line Creek. Once in the facility, the treatment will begin with other major elements in the system including pH adjustment, heat exchange to increase influent temperature, liquids-solids separation units, sand filters, dewatering units, outlet structure and residuals handling and storage facility.

“If we can look at the levels in 2010 and be better, then all of the mining associated with Line Creek phase II will have a net benefit from a selenium perspective,” said Bechtold.

In terms of physical changes to land due to structure, weirs will be installed during wintertime to create a pool of accessible water, ensuring the facility’s intake is operating effectively.

“There will always be a flow moving in the downward direction and we are working to minimize the barrier," Bechtold said.

The project has an estimated capital cost of $80 million and an annual operating cost of $5 million each year.

The treatment facility is intended to run year-round, with seven full-time operators. Construction and operation of the facility is set to begin in July 2012.