Our manufacturing plant in China provides a series of high quality geomembranes that cover a wide range of containment applications. Following (but not limited to) are some of those applications.

Heap Leach Mining
The heap leach method of mineral extraction using sodium cyanide has resulted in low cost extraction of minerals (gold, silver, and copper) from low grade ores. Polyethylene geomembranes are used as an impermeable flexible barrier to prevent contamination of the soil and groundwater by the chemical extraction solutions, as well as recapturing and recycling of the solutions.

Irrigation Canals
Polyethylene geomembranes provide an excellent alternative to or supplements concrete and compacted earth in canal linings to reduce substantial seepage reported by government agencies. The geomembrane offers an expedient method to repair existing deteriorated concrete linings.

Landfills
A critical element in the proper functioning of a landfill containment system is the lining system. The use of geomembranes on the bottom and sides of a landfill as an integrated leachate collection system and a leak detection system has been considered necessary for many years.

Polyethylene geomembranes, resistant to most wastes, are used as an impermeable, flexible barrier to prevent interaction of landfill moisture with contaminated wastes to form leachate which could have unwanted variable characteristics. Polyethylene geomembranes are used in hazardous and non-hazardous landfills.

Reservoirs and Ponds
The need for positive water containment has grown rapidly during the last several years. Public awareness of the ecological impact of aquaculture effluents, the concern for preventing groundwater contamination, the practice of water conservation and the control of disease causing organisms are just a few of the reasons for positive water containment. Water containment requires appropriate barriers to contain migration - hence the need for a high quality lining system.

A major use of high density polyethylene geomembranes is in the area of liquid containment. The geomembrane acts as a pond liner to prevent contaminants from entering groundwater sources or streams. In addition, the geomembrane prevents seepage loss thereby conserving millions of gallons of water annually in potable water applications. Typical applications include agricultural ponds, golf courses, resorts, and other recreational applications.

Storage Tanks
The problem associated with leaking tanks, whether they are above ground or below, are both serious and wide ranging. Deteriorating fuel and chemical tanks can threaten the public health and safety when they leak or spill hazardous wastes into the environment. Billions of gallons of potable water, a precious resource, are lost each year from leaks that could be prevented.

Most of the problems can be traced to a common source. As a tank ages it can lose its structural integrity. In steel tanks, for example, seams can weaken through expansion and contraction. Concrete surfaces become weakened through erosion of the supporting soil structure, and leakage is accelerated by corrosion of metals from galvanic action, chemical or other sources. Even large natural structures can eventually lose their containment ability as a result of soil shifting, settling, expansion and contraction.

Tunneling
All of today's modern tunnels utilize lining systems with waterproofing membranes. The most widely used configuration, concrete/membrane/concrete, is employed for almost any type of tunnel construction. During construction the outer layer of concrete holds the tunnel open until the waterproofing membrane can be installed. The inner layer of concrete, which acts as the main structure of the tunnel, is then placed over the membrane.

Sinotech's black or black/white coextruded polyethylene geomembrane (primarily linear low density or a coextruded polyethylene) provides a smooth, uniform, flexible waterproofing membrane with an excellent puncture, rodent, and microorganism resistance. The result is a continuously dry tunnel, lowering its maintenance cost and extending its useful life.