Environmental solutions 
company Procon Environ-mental Technologies has been awarded a $1-million contract by mining giant Vale to 
install a hydrocyclone oily water separation system at the Moatize coal mine, in Mozambique.

“We have been involved with this project for the past three years and have assisted with the design of the infrastructure layout, water retention system, and ensuring that the silt traps are large enough,” says Procon chief environmental engineer Jacques Steyn.

He explains that Procon aims to provide the coal industry with turnkey solutions to reuse and recycle wash bay water and to effectively manage polluted silt to eliminate hydrocarbon or oil pollution, which is a significant challenge for this industry, as 1 ℓ 
of oil can pollute one-million 
litres of water.

Steyn says that the oily water separation unit is currently in production and is expected 
to be completed by December. It will be installed at the mine early next year. 
“The unit is a 110-m3/h system that will treat the water at all the main workshops and the wash bay. 
“An 18-m3/h mobile system will treat the water at smaller sites 
at various operations of the mine.”

Further, he explains that the coal silt and dust are separated by the silt trap, while the final- stage filtration system polishes 
the water to ensure that all 
hydrocarbons are removed if discharged to the environment or to stormwater.
“The hydrocyclone system makes it safe for water to be 
reused at the wash bay or workshops. It also reduces pollution and recycles up to 75% of the water in a coal plant,” adds Steyn.

He says that Procon is the sole distributor of the water separation systems imported 
from Australia in sub-Saharan 
Africa. However, each system is tailored to the individual requirements of each client.

He adds that there has been a positive response from companies that have installed the system and found a way to deal with the silt and coal dust and manage the wash bay area, which is quite problematic when the silt trap is not properly built.

Meanwhile, Steyn believes that it is critical for companies and their employees to be aware of the consequences of non-
environmental compliance. 
“If operations are not environ-
mentally compliant, they are 
at risk of being fined or face 
legal liability as enforcement of regulations become more stringent.”

Procon Environmental Tech-nologies was established in 1993, and focuses on the prevention and treatment of oil pollution in soil and water. 
The company is a key supplier 
of water separators, floating skimmers and vehicle wash-
water reclaim systems and a full range of environmental management products and services specialising in systems that reduce the impact of contamination on the environment and surrounding areas. 
The company has secured 
exclusive partnerships with inter-
national companies that are world leaders in their field of 
expertise.