Tantalum Extraction Facility
CLIENT: Niotan
LOCATION: Reno, NV
FEE: $1.4 Million
PROJECT SCHEDULE: Two years
Niotan contracted PSE on a multi-million dollar project to help expand their tantalum extraction facility, significantly increasing their production capabilities. PSE served as engineering, design, and construction project manager. Services included complete facilities engineering, comprehensive P&ID updates, equipment design and specification, procurement preparation, and full construction management services.
The project had very specific design requirements including tonnage rate, size requirements, operating requirements, raw and finish material storage quantities, etc. In addition,it was necessary to follow all requirements for climate design, site-specific information, governmental regulations including, but not limited to, environmental permitting, building codes, industry standards, landowner concerns, etc.
PSE was contracted to provide full service engineering, including process, mechanical, electrical, civil, structural and controls. Some of the required tasks were as follows:
Full site drawings providing locations and design of equipment, buildings, and items such as large ducts, wire ways, bulk acid and sodium systems, wet and dry processing production areas, office and laboratory areas, finished product storage buildings, sodium handling buildings design, and an overhead crane. Needed site modifications including the widening of plant roadways, new acid delivery driveways, site drainage plan updates, retaining ponds and walls, and modification of parking areas.
Design of a pad storage area for spent salts complete with containment, allowing front access for heavy equipment and trucks to load spent neutralized material into trucks for disposal.
Water treatment areas, acid wash and delivery system, handling equipment design and specification, low quality process water recovery, water treatment for high quality process water and waste streams process design. This included design of an acid storage and containment area, design of a process water impoundment basin, and water transfer system. Specification of scrubbers, tanks, and pumps as well as fume hood design and fabrication.
A 4000-amp electrical service upgrade was also provided.