Designing Minas Congas Tailings

Thickener Plant
Chad Loan and Travis Orser

Contents

Conga Project
Testwork Methods and Results
Equipment Sizing
Fabrication progress
Conclusion

Conga Project

Large porphyry Cu/Au

19 year mine life
> 6m Oz Au, 1.7B lb Cu
300,000+ Oz Au/a and 80-120m lb Cu/a
Currently, Newmont is taking a slower, water first
approach to developing Conga by focusing on the
construction of reservoirs for downstream
communities http://www.newmont.com/node/4937

Dynamic Thickener Testwork

Dynamic simulation
Feed pump
Flocculant pump
Underflow pump
Overflow collection
Rake mechanism

Direct results
Feed solids flux (t/m2h)
Feed density (% w/w)
Flocculant consumption (g/t)
Overflow (ppm)
Underflow density (% w/w (
Yield stress

99mm Dynamic Testing

Series of tests conducted on all ore types
Major focus on Perol Phyllic and Chailhuagon
Provided base line analysis for more in depth semi pilot
testing
Chailhuagon

99mm Dinamic Laboratory Test

Minas Conga - Perol Phillic Sample

99mm Dinamic Laboratory Test

Minas Conga - Chailhuagon Sample

70

70

65

65

60

60

%Slids

%Slids

Perol Phyllic

55

S.L. 0.40
50

55

S.L. 0.40
50

S.L. 0.56

S.L.0.56

S.L. 0.79
45

S.L. 0.77
45

Over Night Test

40

Over Night Test

40
0

10

15

20

FloccDosage,g/t

25

30

35

40

10

15

20

FloccDosage,g/t

25

30

35

40

190mm Dynamic Testing

Testing on Chailhuagon
showed good results with
respect to flux rates and UF
density

Run
No
1
2

Solids
loading
(t/m2h)
0.56
0.56

Feed
Solids
(%w/w.)
14.0
14.0

Floc
Dose
(g/t)
24
31

Bed
Depth
(m)
1.9
1.0

UF Solids
(%w/w)

Vane YS (Pa)
0 shear
1 shear

2 shear

62.9
59.5

215
139

28
21

33
24

190mm Dynamic Testing

Perol was similar in its UF density response

Run
No
3
4
5
6
7

Solids
loading
(t/m2h)
0.57
0.43
0.41
0.52
0.54

Feed
Solids
(%w/w.)
14.8
15.6
14.3
14.2
14.7

Floc
Dose
(g/t)
23.4
29.9
16.9
17.2
14.7

Bed
Depth
(m)
2.0
1.6
0.6
1.1
2.0

UF Solids
(%w/w)

Vane YS (Pa)
0 shear
1 shear

2 shear

58.6
67.0
63.1
62.7
61.3

90.8
291.8
185.9
212.8
223.7

21.5
125.4
32.9
32.6
32.6

30.1
172.0
42.8
39.9
40.8

Sheared Yield Stress Data

determine UF density

Analysis required to determine correct sizing

50Pa material was required at the tailings dam
corresponding to 62-67% UF density
Shear Yield Stress Test - Minas Conga Tails 190mm

Sheared Yield Stress Test - Conga Tails 190mm

200

OT 2x Perol Phillic - Original Sample

OT 2x Perol Phillic - UF Recirc Sample
Golder - Perol sheared

100
OT 2x Chailhuagon - Original sample
OT 2x Chailhuagon - UF Recirc. Sample
Golder - Chailhuagon

67% UF density achieved at

0.43t/m2h
Yield Stres, Pa

Yield Stres, Pa

150

50

100

50

0
50

52

54

56

58

60
% Solids

62

64

66

68

70

50

55

60

65
% Solids

70

75

Rake mechanism
Using the unsheared yield stress data we identify the
required maximum operating torque
Combined Unsheared Yield Stress
600
Phillic
Chailhuagon

500

Yield Stress (Pa)

400

300

200

100

0
50

55

60

65
Solids %

70

75

Final Design
45m Diameter High Compression Paste thickener

7 Thickeners
0.43t/m2hr design solids loading
5m Side wall height
30 degree floor slope
Centre column design
14,500,000 Nm rake drive (K = 490)
Flange bolted construction
Concentric shear thinning system

Site Layout

Fabrication

Fabrication took place in

Outotecs Chinese
workshop for all steel
work
Drive gear and housing
manufacture was in
Korea at subcontractors
works
Fabrication time was 79
weeks with staged
delivery

Thickener Fabrication

Shipping

Shipping

Shipping

Shipping

Drives
Manufactured, assembled and tested

Conclusions
Testwork enabled the appropriate sizing
selections
Final dam deposition requirements was the
driver for thickener selection
The largest high compression/paste thickeners
and drives have been designed, fabricated and
delivered to site

Acknowledgements
Newmont
Kevin DeSomber, Jim Orlich and Simon Briggs

Outotec
James Wang Engineering and drives
Simon Courtenay Project management