Optimum deposition for sub-aerial tailings disposal: model applications

Abstract

Large volumes of the tailings produced as a result of mineral and energy production are disposed of on the Earth's surface. A major concern of mining operations is how to minimize the environmental impact and reduce the storage volume of tailings. In addition, pressure to optimally use scarce water resources, especially in arid regions, is critical. Maximum recycle and reuse of mine process waters is thus an important consideration. The sub-aerial deposition technique is a promising approach for dealing with these problems. Although it has existed for decades, its use still involves many technical challenges. Among these, an important concern is the selection of the optimum depositional parameters to achieve the desired results. A rational method for evaluating the optimum depositional design parameters for sub-aerial tailings disposal is proposed. The optimum deposition design method using the DOSTAR model is presented along with field performances at two operating mines. The comparisons between the predicted results and field observations demonstrate excellent agreement.

Keywords:

• Mine tailings
• Sub-aerial deposition
• Hydraulic conductivity
• Drying, crack and design model

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for providing the financial support for this research. Thanks also to Luscar Ltd. for supporting the Luscar Graduate Scholarship in Environmental Engineering awarded to Dr Qiu during his PhD studies.