DEWATERING FEASIBILITY FOR ASSET OWNERS
Kontain develops the technical basis for mine tailings, sludge and dredged sediment: treatability, mass balance, container selection, pad layout, stacking, filling procedures and delivery-partner scope.
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PROJECT EXPERIENCE · AUSTRALIACOMMON PROJECT DRIVERS
Recover waterRemove pond sludgeManage dredged sedimentExpand tailings capacityReduce wet haulage01 · FEASIBILITY FIRST
The product is only one input. The commercial outcome is controlled by solids mass, filtration response, polymer demand, available area, water-management constraints, filling rate and the final cake-handling plan.
MINIMUM INPUT DATA
Slurry source, particle-size distribution, solids concentration, mineralogy, pH and contaminants.
Total wet volume, dredge or pump rate, operating hours and the water-return or discharge pathway.
Usable footprint, levels, access, liner requirements and the final cake destination.
GO / DEVELOP / NO-GO SCREEN
Can the solids be retained while producing a manageable filtrate?
Can the required dry tonnes fit within the available pad and program?
Is a single layer sufficient, or is engineered stacking required?
What testing and regulatory evidence is needed before mobilisation?
Which dredging, pumping and polymer package can deliver the design basis?
02 · TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT
We work from concept through trial, procurement and filling support. The role is broader than product supply and deliberately separate from performing the dredging works.
Convert wet volume and solids concentration into dry tonnes, water release, container cycles, pump duty and operating duration.
Plan bench screening, candidate polymers, dose windows, make-down requirements, filtrate objectives and field verification.
Match pore size, permeability, tensile and seam capacity, exposure, abrasion, ports and container dimensions to the application.
Optimise footprint, layer geometry, access, drainage, containment lining, headers and practical lift sequencing.
Set deployment, filling, pressure and height limits, inspections, hold points, response triggers and daily records.
Define interfaces for dredging, pumping, civil works, polymer supply and geobag supply before tendering the package.
FOOTPRINT OPTIMISATION
Where horizontal area is limited, staged stacking can increase dry-solids capacity per square metre. It is not simply “bags on bags”: lower lifts must consolidate, drainage must remain open, stability must be reviewed and the filling sequence controlled.
LIFT 3 · FINAL CAPACITY
LIFT 2 · AFTER LOWER-LIFT CONSOLIDATION
03 · PRODUCT PLATFORM
Indicative attributes are shown for portfolio comparison. Project dimensions, port layout and the final fabric specification are confirmed after application review and, where warranted, treatability testing.
O95, permeability and strength values are nominal portfolio descriptors—not a design specification or a guarantee of dewatering performance. Seam and fabric data must be reviewed with container geometry, fill height, stacking and operating controls.
04 · INSTALLATION & FILLING GUIDE
Most failures develop through poor pad preparation, misalignment, uncontrolled flow, poor polymer response or exceeding the permitted fill geometry. The procedure must set measurable limits and nominate who can stop filling.
PRACTICAL FIELD SEQUENCE
The project procedure should turn the design basis into a short, measurable field sequence used at pre-starts, hold points and shift handovers.
Confirm formation, liner protection, fall, drainage paths, sump capacity, access and exclusion zones before any container is unloaded.
Lift from approved points, record container serial numbers, set centreline and port orientation, remove folds and inspect fabric and seams.
Restrain the hose, use compatible fittings, establish isolation and diversion controls, and position personnel clear of pressurised lines.
Confirm polymer response, filtrate clarity, even container rise and drainage performance before increasing toward the approved operating rate.
Log flow, pressure or fill-height controls, polymer dose, filtrate observations and perimeter condition. Stop for movement, seam distress or abnormal leakage.
Allow drain-down, survey geometry and confirm lower-lift stability and open drainage before refilling, stacking or commencing cake removal.
05 · TECHNICAL TOOLS & CONTENT
Kontain's five geobag tools support early screening, option comparison and proposal development. Access is free and provided on request—not immediate self-serve—so the project assumptions can be reviewed in context.
Make-down and dose-rate estimates from flow, solids loading, dilution and target active dose.
02Cost per dry tonneEarly cost modelling using dry solids, container count, pumping, polymer and site logistics.
03Safe fill heightA control check for container geometry and seam demand during staged filling.
04Container volumeRetained-solids and water-volume estimates from tube geometry and slurry characteristics.
05Sizing & mass balancePreliminary container quantity and dimensions from feed volume, solids content and footprint.
06 · RECENT EXPERIENCE
Different materials and approval pathways; the same discipline of testing the basis, controlling filling and planning the solids destination before mobilisation.
QUEENSLAND · 2026
SOUTH AUSTRALIA · 2026
FROM CONCEPT TO DELIVERY TEAM
Kontain can connect asset owners with experienced dredging, pumping and dewatering companies from our project network. We help each party price and plan against the same mass balance, layout, trial evidence and operating controls.
PRELIMINARY PROJECT REVIEW
A short discussion around the material, wet volume, site area, program and water pathway is enough to identify the next useful step: desktop assessment, sample testing or a site visit.
USEFUL FIRST INPUTS
