- 1) Tends thickeners that separate waste solids from ore solutions or water, preparatory to recovery of metal or disposal of waste: Turns valves to regulate flow of mixture into thickeners.
- 2) Inserts indicator into mixture to measure sludge level.
- 3) Observes operation of equipment, overflow of concentrated metal solution, and flow of sludge from tank.
- ) Breaks up sedimentation in troughs with wooden paddle.
- 5) Prepares sample of sludge for chemical analysis by weighing sample, adding acid to facilitate settling of solids, and reducing amount of sample to desired proportion in splitter.
- 6) May titrate sample and compare resultant color with standard chart to test overflow solution for metallic content.
- 7) May add chemicals to soften water in tanks.
- 8) May fill out forms for scale readings and details of malfunctions.
- 9) May be designated according to kind of materials separated as Red-Mud Thickener Operator; Tailing-Thickener Operator.