- Deep Sea Tailing Placement (DSTP) is a method of discharging tailings into great depths in the ocean, currently used by Ramu NiCo Management (MCC)Limited at its Basamuk Nickel-Cobalt Refinery in PNG.
- Study aimed to assess metals concentration, acidity, and flow velocity of tailing effluents prior to discharge to determine safety for local marine ecosystem.
- Metals analyzed using ICP-MS, except Hg (analyzed by FIMS) and Cr6+ (analyzed by Discreet Analyzer).
- pH of tailing effluent within safe range of 6.9-9.0 units, monthly average of 8.32 units.
- Flow velocity rate of tailing stream (monthly average of $1677m^{3}/h$) within recommended range of $1225-2075m^{3}/h$.
- Concentrations of all metals below recommended values, indicating acceptable chemistry for release into environment.
- Further studies needed to assess long-term effects of DSTP on marine ecosystem at affected site.
Deep Sea Tailing Placement is a method of discharging tailings into great depths in the ocean. This method is currently used by Ramu NiCo Management (MCC)Limited at its Basamuk Nickel-Cobalt Refinery in Madang Province of PNG. The aim of this study was to assess the metals (N),Co, Cr6+ Mn , Zn, Cu, Se, Pb , Ag, Hg, Cd and As) concentration, acidity and flow velocity rate of tailing effluents prior to discharge in order to determine the safety of the waste on the local marine ecosystem. All results were comparatively used against the recommended values stipulated by various provisions in the Environmental Permit obtained by the company.
All the metals were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP- MS) except Hg, which was analyzed by Flow Injection Mercury Systems (FIMS) and $Cr^{6+}$ by Discreet Analyzer. A pH meter was used to measure its acidity while flow velocity rates of the tailing stream were automatically recorded from special software installed monitoring computers. Results indicated that pH investigation yield a monthly average of 8.32 units which falls within safe limits' range of $6.9-9.0$ units while the monthly average of flow velocity rate is $1677m^{3}/h$ . In comparison to its recommended range of $1225-2075m^{3}/h$ , the tailing effluent stream is discharged at a safer rate that can produce the desired density plume at the terminal of the pipeline. The concentrations of all metals were below the recommended values.indicating that the chemistry of tailing effluent is acceptable for release into the environment.
Further studies are required to ascertain the long term effects of DSTP on the marine ecosystem of the implicated site.
Keywords: Deep Sea Tailing Placement, Ecological Quality , Marine Ecosystem, Tailing.
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