With mining companies across Africa looking for faster, efficient, and more reliable water-treatment solutions, technology company Aqua Membranes says its Printed Spacer Technology is attracting attention.

As operations face water shortages, higher energy costs and stricter discharge standards, this technology offers a way to upgrade existing reverse-osmosis (RO) systems without major infrastructure changes.

A key advantage is that the membranes fit directly into standard RO housings; allowing mines to retrofit quickly, avoiding lengthy shutdowns.

Aqua Membranes CEO Craig Beckman says this simplicity is central to the company’s value proposition: “The membranes match standard specifications, so retrofitting is as simple as replacing existing elements. For instance, one mining site in the US completed an entire installation in just three days.”

The printed spacers increase water output and increase efficiency throughout the system. In addition, the spacers do not alter the underlying membrane chemistry but instead optimise flow dynamics within the feed channel, thereby improving throughput and performance consistency.

Meeting Compliance Demands

Energy consumption remains a major cost driver for RO, especially at remote operations where power supply is constrained. Aqua Membranes’ Printed Spacer Technology reduces the pressure needed to run RO systems by opening more space in the feed channel. In many cases, this has translated to energy reductions of up to 30%, decreasing operating costs while also reducing onsite emissions.

Beckman notes that reduced fouling rates are just as impactful. With more uniform flow rates across the membrane surface, fouling develops more slowly, which allows cleaning intervals to double at many operations. Longer run times between cleanings improves overall plant uptime.

These performance gains come at a time when water-quality regulations across Africa are tightening, and enforcement is becoming more consistent.

“RO systems using Printed Spacer Technology consistently deliver permeate that meets or exceeds international discharge standards,” Beckman explains, thereby enabling a more reliable compliance pathway while strengthening trust with surrounding communities.

Printed Spacer Technology allows for up to 10% higher recovery without additional energy input, and this helps to decrease freshwater withdrawals and supports internal reuse targets, including steps towards zero-liquid discharge for mines working under stricter environmental expectations.

The technology also supports the sector’s shift towards digital optimisation.

“By improving flow dynamics and reducing fouling, we allow digital tools to reflect real performance changes – not background noise,” says Beckman. “That predictability leads to better forecasting, lower lifecycle costs, and ultimately more resilient operations.”