Hydro excavation vacuum apparatus that process spoil material onboard the apparatus by separating water from the cut earthen material.

Composite particles contain a natural stone or aggregate core and a coating of two or more sorbent layers collectively containing at least two distinct kinds of sorbent materials effective for sorbing two distinct contaminants. One or both sorbent layers may be mixed with a water-absorbent, swellable clay that, upon contact with water, causes spalling or disintegration of the coating layer to release the sorptive material into a body of water such as a pond, ditch, stream, or riverbed. Additional swellable or protective layers may also be present. The composite particles are deployed into a pond, ditch, river, or streambed where the core of natural stone remains in the riverbed. The sorptive materials of the two different sorbent layers sorb and fix a wide range of contaminants, including both the heavy and light-weight hydrocarbons, from the water, and settle as a fine sediment. The sediment with sorbed contaminants is then removed by means such as hydraulic collectors or dredging.

A dredging head assembly for deploying on the bed of a body of water, is provided, the assembly comprising a cutter housing having a cutting opening for extending over a section of the bed from which material is to be removed; a cutting assembly disposed within the cutter housing, the cutting assembly operable through the cutting opening in the cutter housing to loosen material from the bed; and an outlet opening in the cutter housing for removing water and entrained material from within the cutter housing under suction; wherein the cutter housing comprises a plurality of holes therein, in use water being drawn into the cutter housing through the holes under the action of reduced fluid pressure within the cutter housing. A dredging assembly comprising the dredging head assembly and a method of dredging are also provided.

Device for removal of sediment from inside piles being at least partly immersed in water, comprising an outer guiding unit arranged to be temporarily positioned on the top of a pile. The outer guiding unit envelopes at least one inner dredging unit being arranged to be lowered from within the outer guiding unit, the inner dredging unit at its lower end exhibiting movable jet nozzles arranged to loosen sediment. The inner dredging unit furthermore comprises a central passage which is connected to a discharge hose arranged to transport loosened sediment therefrom.

A method of dewatering a tailings lagoon retained by a dam comprising: excavating an excavation hole in the tailings lagoon; allowing water from surrounding tailings to enter the excavation hole; and pumping water in the excavation hole out of the excavation hole and discharging beyond a toe of the dam. Also disclosed is a method comprising: excavating a channel in a tailings lagoon from a shore of the tailings lagoon and floating a pontoon in water in the channel from the shore along the channel,wherein: excavating involves breaking down solid tailings in the tailings lagoon into a slurry using water and removing the slurry using a submersible slurry pump mounted on the pontoon.

The present invention is directed to a drilling fluid reclaimer The reclaimer has at least one adjustable screen assembly for providing a leveling filter for reclaimed drill fluid. Used drill fluid is placed at the screen assembly at the front the of the screen assembly. The at least one screen is vibrated to separate large particulate matter from liquid drilling fluid. A second screen is provided for additional filtering. Large particulate matter is expelled by a chute at the back of the screen assembly. Drilling fluid passing through the screen is reclaimed for use with a drilling system.

Composite particles contain a natural stone or aggregate core and a coating of two or more sorbent layers collectively containing at least two distinct kinds of sorbent materials effective for sorbing two distinct contaminants. One or both sorbent layers may be mixed with a water-absorbent, swellable clay that, upon contact with water, causes spalling or disintegration of the coating layer to release the sorptive material into a body of water such as a pond, ditch, stream, or riverbed. Additional swellable or protective layers may also be present. The composite particles are deployed into a pond, ditch, river, or streambed where the core of natural stone remains in the riverbed. The sorptive materials of the two different sorbent layers sorb and fix a wide range of contaminants, including both the heavy and light-weight hydrocarbons, from the water, and settle as a fine sediment. The sediment with sorbed contaminants is then removed by means such as hydraulic collectors or dredging.

Hydro excavation vacuum apparatus that process spoil material onboard the apparatus by separating water from the cut earthen material are disclosed.

Hydro excavation vacuum apparatus that process spoil material onboard the apparatus by separating water from the cut earthen material are disclosed.

Hydro excavation vacuum apparatus that process spoil material onboard the apparatus by separating water from the cut earthen material are disclosed.