3. Pintail Systems, Inc. was founded in 1987 by
Leslie Thompson
Primary focus was on cyanide detoxification in
gold and silver heap leach pads using native
bacteria cultures.
4. Bioremediation is not new. Traditionally, nutrients
are added to the contamination site and everyone
hopes for the best. This is very slow if it works at all.
What Makes PSI’s bioremediation process
successful where others fail?
WE OPTIMIZE THE PROCESS
5. PSI’s Bio-Augmentation Process Traditional Bio-Stimulation
Active Process Passive Process
Use bacteria cultures isolated from the
contaminated site.
Assume that there are effective bacteria
colonies at the site
Isolated cultures are tested for treatment
efficiency in the lab before application at the
site. Nutrients are also optimized for culture
growth.
Nutrients are added to the site and the
assumption is that those nutrients will
stimulate the growth of effective bacteria
cultures.
Effective cultures are grown to high
concentrations using optimized nutrient
formulations and applied to the
contaminated site.
Added nutrients stimulate growth of both
potentially effective bacteria colonies as
well as ineffective colonies. That causes
competition for nutrients and limits the
growth of effective colonies.
New cultures are added to the site on a
regular basis improving treatment
efficiency.
Fast and highly efficient Slow if it works at all
6. 38.4 40.3 32.4 38.4
24
38.4
0.11
0.08
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
0.1 0.3 0.5 0.6 0.7
MG/LTotalCyanide
Tons of Solution per Ton of Ore
Nutrient Stimulation PSI's BioAugmentation
7. In microbial detoxification of
heap leach pads, cultures can
be applied directly to the heap
in the same way cyanide was
added during production.
The cultures are set up in a
staged culturing system
located at the site
8. Staged culturing system
inside the “Bug Ranch” at the
Yellow Pine Mine
Cultures are monitored on a
regular basis for culture health
and effectiveness. Adjustments
are made as necessary.
11. Volunteer revegetation on the Ortiz
waste rock dump after bio-treatment
Desert climate
Volunteer revegetation on the sides of the
Yellow Pine Mine after bio-treatment.
Alpine climate.
Bugs the Ultimate Solution
Bioremediation in Mining: Remediation
12. 0.622
0.398
0.105
0.488
0.005
0.247
0.046 0.054
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
Cadmium Chromium Selenium Silver
MG/L
Before Treatment
After Treatment
0.978
2.07
0.186
0.005
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
Iron Mercury
MG/L
9.15
4.16
0.334 0.007
0
5
10
Copper Zinc
MG/L
Reduction of metals in heap leachate solution in a 2.5 million ton heap before and after
Bio-treatment.
13. 0.35
0.12 0.18
0.0003
0.059 0.07
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
Mercury Arsenic Copper
MG/L
Before Treatment
After Treatment
0.94
2.44
0.7
0.38
0.01 0.12
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
Zinc Silver Selenium
MG/L
Reduction in metals in heap leachate solution from a 140,000 ton heap near Gabbs, Nevada
14. In analytical work done by Dr. Jeffrey Steiner at City College of New York, it was
found that bacteria cultures catalyze the formation of minerals in Bio-treated
heaps or process solutions. Mineral formation “locks up” leachable metals. Dr.
Steiner’s work was done on Bio-treated ore from the Summitville Mine. This
explains the reduction in leachable metal from heaps treated with PSI’s Bio-
Processes.
15. 23
6.31.27 0.3
0
10
20
30
Nitrate Flouride
MG/L
100,000 ton heap located in South Dakota. Leachate solution before and after Bio-treatment
420
120
2.5 0.52
0
100
200
300
400
500
Arsenic Copper
MG/L
17.9
14.6
3.740.11 0.05
0.01
0
5
10
15
20
Total Cyanide WAD Cyanide Mercury
MG/L
Before Treatment
After Treatment
16. 1800 TON PILOT HEAP
CYANIDE IN HEAP LEACHATE SOLUTIONS
Total CN WAD CN
time, days
0
7
14
21
28
35
41
53
63
74
84
95
105
116
127
137
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
1000
1800 Ton Test Heap
Nitrates vs Time
nitrate
time, days
0
7
14
21
28
35
41
53
63
74
84
95
105
116
127
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
1800 Ton Test Heap
Copper in Leachate Solutions
copper
time, days
0
7
14
21
28
35
41
53
63
74
84
95
105
116
127
137
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
17. The McCoy Cove Mine was used as an EPA/MWTPP test site to demonstrate the
removal of cyanide and leachable metals from mine water using a filtration system with
immobilized bacteria.
20. Simultaneous Denitrification and Cyanide Detoxification of process solution in a bio-reactor
246 254
33
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
WAD Cyanide
MG/LWADCyanide
Influent Preg Solution Untreated Preg Control
Treated Preg Solution
30.4 30.5
1.63
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Nitrate
MG/LNitrate
21. All of the data in this presentation is the result of using
bacteria native to the contaminated site. By using native
bacteria adapted to the conditions at the site, we have been
able to conduct successful bioremediation projects located in a
wide variety climates, from alpine to desert.
We have also been able to remediate a wide range of
contaminants with one treatment, saving time and money.
