#8: Latest Installs, Low pH Iron Oxidation, and Presentations

It was a very busy summer for BioMining Products.

Hi All!

We’ve installed MRUs at four new sites for current and new clients.

In the works are 2-3 publications about MnOx by researchers from Penn State, the Smithsonian’s Geosciences department and USGS.  (No spoilers).

We are continuing our research into low pH iron oxidation with Dr Art Rose, mine drainage consultant for the Clearfield Creek Watershed Association.  BioMining Products is building the system, (1) Mk318, and they are taking care of sampling with a registered lab to ensure double blind standards.  Our current lowest operational pH has been around 3.4 at Squatter Falls.  The new site, KL1 Klondike, has a bottom end of 2.6pH, starting at raw water pH of 4.5 and 140-150 Ferrous (Fe2) at 30-50 gallons per minute.

During the 2016 study at Squatter Falls best iron removal was 800 grams a day per cubic meter, pH 4-5 at 60gpm.  Near as we can tell thats a world record for a passive biofilm based system perched upon volumized organic matrix.

As the new study continues we’ll note effects of low pH and evidence of different metabolic pathways (chemo-lithotrophs and chemo-autotrophs).  We expect the single MRU to remove 1/4 of the iron at a pH range of 3-4 as pH plummets during iron oxidation and schwertmannite production.

We’ve got two conference presentations coming up!   (they went great!)

The first is the Kentucky Abandoned Mine Land Conference in Lexington, September 25th.  The Mid-Atlantic Water Resources Conference is the second and will be held at the National Conservation Training Center.  These are both great opportunities meet up with myself (Colin) or Dr EJ Dell (market/lead development) to ask questions and line up site visits.  Topics of the conferences (no surprise) are low pH Iron oxidation remediation, Manganese Oxide reclamation, and Protecting your lime stone beds with upstream MRUs.

Muchas Gracias,

Colin