Sustainable Technologies for Water Recovery and Acid Extraction from Gold Mining Effluents: A Focus on Membrane Distillation and Liquid-Liquid Extraction for Effluent Reuse

The study emphasizes the importance of implementing sustainable practices in the mining industry to maximize resource utilization and minimize waste. Specifically, the recovery of water and sulfuric acid from gold mining ffluents was evaluated to make them suitable for reuse. Air-gap membrane distillation (AGMD) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) using hollow fiber membrane contactors were investigated. In AGMD, high-quality distillate with >99% efficiency for conductivity was obtained. In LLE, the extracting agent TEHA recovered >95% of mineral acid. Results showed high efficiency in contaminant removal, providing products of suitable quality for reuse or disposal. These approaches offer sustainable solutions for gold processing, contributing to water resource conservation and reduction of environmental impact in gold mining. Future research could focus on developing methods for recovering other valuable elements present in effluents, further expanding reuse potential and promoting sustainability in gold mining.