Hanna Instruments – Overcoming the Challenges of Mine Wastewater Testing
Whether it’s exploration, mineral processing, site rehabilitation, maintenance applications, or drinking water in mining camps, the availability of safe, clean water is essential to any operation. However, the effective management of water and wastewater derived from different sources remains an ongoing challenge.
Unfortunately, mine wastewater is typically higher in acidity due to the contaminants like metals and sulphates, which subsequently leads to acid mine drainage, leaching, sedimentation, and erosion. If left untreated, this only increases the risk to potential acid runoff from mine drainage and tailings piles, groundwater contamination, highly saline waste, and aquifer toxification.
Testing therefore plays a critical role in the treatment of wastewater in mining assets to ensure strict safety, regulatory and environmental requirements are met, without impacting site productivity.
Hanna Instruments is one company at the top of its game in the design, manufacture and distribution of scientific testing products for wastewater treatment. Responsible for introducing many world-first products – from waterproof portable pH meters and many more – there’s no denying Hanna’s commitment to innovation.
As a world leader in analytical instrumentation for over 40 years, Hanna operates across 65 Countries, solving some of the world’s?biggest problems?by making scientific testing more accessible, easy, and accurate. This is achieved through cutting-edge research and development to invent new testing techniques and advance existing technology.
Hanna Instruments’ Nicholas Trappitt said the minds at Hanna are driven by a shared goal of simplifying analytical testing through improving instrumentation, sensor development, reagents and chemicals.
“We understand the challenges our customers face when performing analytical measurements, particularly in mine wastewater treatment. This allows us to develop solutions aligned to specific problems that arise where we provide simplified and accurate methods of measurement.”
Wastewater Monitoring Made Easy
Preventing wastewater from contaminating external water sources, and reusing mining wastewater through a water treatment process solution, requires accurate, highly specialised and easy-to-use instrumentation.
Hanna’s HI98494 multiparameter meter is one such device that helps address water quality issues such as acidity, salinity, dissolved solids, groundwater contamination. The waterproof, portable meter allows the continuous monitoring of up to 12 water quality parameters, including pH, salinity, total dissolved solids, and dissolved oxygen.
“The microprocessor based multi-sensor probe allows for the measurement of key parameters such as pH, ORP, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature,” said Trappitt.
“The probe transmits readings digitally to the meter, where data points can be displayed and logged. This logged data can then be transferred via Bluetooth to a smart device with the Hanna Lab App installed.”
The multiparameter meter enables automatic interval logging of up to 45, 000 samples. Users can also choose to log-on-demand to store measurement data for key points. For better traceability, calibration information is recorded along with a time and date stamp and stored with logged data. And quick calibration provides a speedy, single point calibration for pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen.
Designed to withstand knocks, drops, and spills, the device features a IP67 body, protection against dust and water intrusion from any direction, making them ideal for high performance in harsh mining environments.
Trappitt added that the meter operates on a built-in lithium-ion battery and will automatically switch to AA alkaline batteries for at least 200 hours of testing. “A quick connect DIN connector makes attaching and removing the probe simple and easy. The rubber coating protects the cable and provides a water-tight seal without twisting. The digital probe also has built-in temperature sensor and three ports for pH (ORP), EC and optical DO sensors. Once connected, the meter automatically recognises the sensors.”
An Unrivalled Photometer for Wastewater Testing
Saving on valuable laboratory benchtop space, the Hanna HI83399 doubles as a professional pH meter with its digital pH/temperature electrode input. This means, one meter can be used for both photometric and pH measurements.
The compact, multiparameter photometer for measuring key water and wastewater quality parameters. As one of the most advanced photometers in the market, it measures 40 key water and wastewater quality parameters with 73 different methods covering multiple ranges, all of which are programmed into the meter.
“This photometer features an innovative optical design that utilises a reference detector and focusing lens to eliminate errors from changes in the light source and from imperfections in the glass cuvette,” said Trappitt.
“The optical system uses LEDS, narrow band interference filters, focusing lens and both a silicon photodetector for absorbance measurement and a reference detector to maintain a consistent light source ensures accurate and repeatable photometric readings every time.”
The photometer tests a number of wastewater treatment digestion parameters including COD, total Nitrogen and total Phosphorous, which are important for monitoring nutrient removal. It also offers an absorbance measurement mode for performance verification and for users that would like to develop their own concentration versus absorbance curves.
The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) parameter is included for industrial and municipal wastewater treatment. Additionally, the Phosphorous and Nitrogen parameters are beneficial for sites that need to monitor their biological and chemical nutrient removal process.
Trappitt highlighted that the photometer features a digital pH electrode input, which allows users to measure pH by a traditional glass electrode.
“The digital pH electrode has a built in microchip within the probe that stores all of the calibration information,” he said. “Having the calibration information stored in the probe allows for hot swapping of pH electrodes without having to recalibrate. All pH measurements are automatically compensated for temperature variations with a built in thermistor located in the tip of the sensing bulb for fast and accurate temperature measurement.”
Two USB ports are provided for transferring data to a flash drive or computer, and to use as a power source for the meter. For added convenience and portability, the photometer can also operate on an internal 3.7 VDC Lithium-polymer rechargeable battery.
WHY HANNA INSTRUMENTS?
Hanna 360° Value: When you buy a Hanna product, you’re not only buying the best value for your money, but you’re also receiving the benefit of Hanna’s unsurpassed customer service and post-sale technical support.
Local Support: After you have made your investment, you should never feel uncertain about the support or technical service you will receive. Hanna develops relationships with its customers built on quality products with personal service and support.
Quality: Our products are designed and manufactured under strict ISO 9001:2008 standards. Every instrument undergoes stringent quality control tests at different stages of manufacturing including 100% quality control checks just before shipment.
For more information on Hanna Instruments’ water testing solutions, email [email protected] or visit https://hannainst.com.au/
