Piney Point Phosphate Plant
Florida
The Piney Point Phosphate plant was originally constructed in 1966 and over the next thirty five years changed four times, until 2001 when its final owner, the Mulberry Corporation, filed for bankrupticy leaving more than one billion gallons of slightly acidic water in need of proper storage.
"This is a very unusual situation," commented Herb Donica, the bankruptcy attorney charged with disposing of Mulberry's assets. "Usually we gather up assets, convert them to cash and distribute that cash to creditors. In this case, the most important thing we can do is eliminate the risk of environmental contamination and promote the public interest."
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Phosphate Mining
Phosphate Rock (phosphorite) is mined and processed into various types of fertilizer products primarily for commercial agricultural use. The US is one of the top three producers of phosphate, with 75% being mined in Florida and North Carolina. During the refinement process many by-products are produced, which must be managed and contained to prevent impact on the surrounding environment. For every one pound of market ready product, five pounds of undesired phosphygypsum slurry is produced. This slurry along with millions of gallons of low-ph water must be properly managed, stacked and contained in well-designed, heavily-regulated storage areas.
The flexibility and adaptability of geomembranes make them ideal for use in phosphate and mining environments. These synthetic liners can be incorporated into a variety of impoundment types. Geomembranes can also be used to rehab leaking or damaged structures at a fraction of the cost of replacement.
Synthetic liners can be installed quickly and efficiently with a minimal amount of equipment. As such, they provide a cost effective alternative to the equipment intensive re-compacted clay liners traditionally used.
Technologies for the design and management of phosphate wastes are constantly evolving and COMANCO Environmental Corporation is on the leading edge. Contact us today to make your next project a successful one.