Colorado Goldfields Tests Treatment Technologies
Colorado Goldfields Inc. initiated two projects to assess alternative water treatment technologies in the Cement Creek watershed of San Juan County, Colo., one of which is in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, according to a recent press release.
One project tests the Rotating Cylinder Treatment System™ (RCTS) at a proposed district-scale water treatment facility near Gladstone, Colo. The U.S. government is providing the bulk of the project's funding. Testing is being performed by Ionic Water Technologies, Inc. of Nevada. The company is providing test work locations, equipment, water containment vessels, and personnel.
Separately, the company will be testing an Ionic State Modification (ISM) system, developed by Blue Sky Water Treatment Technologies, Inc., to potentially treat the water discharge at the company's Gold King site.
Chief Executive Officer Todd Hennis said, "If the Blue Sky ISM system works for the Gold King 7 level discharge, it will be a cost-effective solution for us and potentially addresses numerous discharges by other parties in the Cement Creek watershed. The Blue Sky ISM system should generate significantly less metal sludge than conventional treatment systems, or even the RCTS technology, and can be operated with minimal personnel. The Blue Sky ISM technology also does not require large water treatment settling ponds, thereby reducing the environmental footprint on the land and reducing our production costs."