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I worked as an extraction metallurgist in semi desert mines and we used an aluminium based flocculant (alum) to clarify water in dams with rotating stirrers. Q
by peter_retief 5y ago
I worked as an extraction metallurgist in semi desert mines and we used an aluminium based flocculant (alum) to clarify water in dams with rotating stirrers.
Quite an old concept and not expensive.
- jfk13 5y agoYes - many years ago when I lived and worked in South Asia, it was common knowledge that swishing a lump of alum around in your bucket of dirty water would help to settle the sediment. Obviously it doesn't provide total purity, but it was a lot better than doing nothing. Apparently even the ancient Egyptians knew about this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_alum#In_antiquity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_alum#In_antiquity
- geomark 5y agoHere in Thailand they sell those chunks of alum at village shops. Called สารส้ม in Thai. Villagers follow the same routine, swish it around in a bucket of dirty water to settle it out. Photo on the page at this link: https://pantip.com/topic/38053321 https://pantip.com/topic/38053321
- engineer_22 5y agoInterestingly the Holy See had a monopoly on alum in the middle ages.