In the northern desert of Sudan, the lining material selected for the gold mining operation in the Delgo region was a white-surfaced HDPE geomembrane. The technical justification for this choice was clear: in the desert climate, standard black membrane surfaces can reach temperatures exceeding 70 °C at midday; the white surface, thanks to its co-extruded top layer, reflects a significant portion of solar radiation, noticeably reducing the membrane surface temperature. This difference provided a direct gain in both the working comfort of the welding operator and the long-term oxidation performance of the membrane.

Since the scope of work included pipeline connections in addition to pond lining, flange and sleeve details at the HDPE pipe entries were manufactured integrated with the membrane. The fine sand carried by the desert wind made pre-weld panel cleaning the most critical quality control factor; prior to each weld pass, the surface was cleaned with an air jet and checked for dryness.

Since the field program, spanning the 2017-2018 period, also encompassed the logistics of material supply from Port Sudan to the interior region, roll storage areas were shaded and documented shelf-life limits against UV exposure were observed. Ultimately, the installed lining system was delivered to operate under both high temperature and chemical loading.