1er Seminario de Geomecanica Aplicado y Seguridad

Peru 2009
Metodos de disposicion de relaves
Riesgo sismico
RELAVES ESPESADOS
EMMANUEL PORNILLOS
GOLDER ASSOCIATES, LIMA PERUJ
Manejo de Relaves de la Mina - Diseno

Use Design for Closure philosophy

System approach - Water and solids management
Design for:
Climate conditions arctic to rain forest to desert
Geological conditions
Topography
Ore types
Mine throughput
Management method selected to suit the mine
Low density slurry
Thickened/Paste Tailings
Filtered Tailings
Co-mingled/co-disposed/Paste Rock
 Manejo de Relaves de la Mina
Consideraciones

Regulatory requirements
Climate - dry or wet
Topography - natural containment
Natural hazards - including seismic events
Physical stability (static & dynamic earthquake)
Chemical stability potential acid generation & leachable contaminants
Environmental / social constraints
Decommissioning & closure - progressive closure & design for closure
Chemical stability potential acid generation & leachable contaminants
Mechanisms for contaminant transport groundwater, surface water & air
Surface & groundwater protection downstream users
Water management minimize water usage especially in a dry climate
Erosional stability from wind & runoff
Aesthetics especially in the closure mode
Foot print limit the area of disturbance & impact
Rheology - thickening & pumping characteristics
Metodo de Disposion de los Relaves
Metodo de Disposion de los Relaves
Metodo de Disposion de los Relaves
Metodo de Disposion de los Relaves
 Porque Desaguar el Relave?
Reduce overall water use by minimizing
water losses
Reduce Footprint or Containment Structures
Simplify Closure or Reduce Closure Period
Reduce Risk of Failure
Regulation
 Reduccion de Perdida de Agua

Volume of Less water transported to

Slurry tailings area = less potential for
water in the
density seepage or evaporation loss
(% solids by
tailings No tailings pond = less
mass) (m3 / ton of evaporation
tailings)
Higher final density = less water
20 4.0 retained in voids
30 2.3
50 1.0
75 0.3
 Minimizar el Area o la Estructura de Contencion

Thickened Slope 3 to 5 %
Tailings
discharge
Additional Capacity
For Thickened Slurry
Tailings Tailings
discharge

Capacity for Slurry

Dam
Note:
The thickened tailings must be
allowed to desiccate to be stable
 Minimizar el Area o la Estructura de Contencion

Tailings discharge
Alternating, thin Slopes typically
layer deposition 3 to 10%

Runoff collection Thickened

tailings
 Simplificar el Cierre o
Reducir Periodo de Cierre Period

Denser tailings = less consolidation, less cover settlement/cracking

Denser tailings = trafficable sooner, concurrent reclamation

Less segregation = lower average permeability, less seepage, less acid

generation

Less or no water to treat at end of operation

 Reducir Riesgo de Falla

Riesgo = (Probabilidad de Falla)x(Consequencia)

Consequence is a function area inundated by
tailings/water after failure
Reducing quantity of water reduces area of
inundation after failure
 Construccion Aguas Abajo Reglamentado en Peru

Date Location Incident Release Impact

March 28 1965 Chile - El Cobre Liquefaction of tailings New Dam 350 000 m3 Tailings travelled 12 km
during earthquake leading Old Dam 1 900 000 m3 downstream, destroyed the
to dam failure and flow
town of El Cobre and killed
slides
more than 200 people
 Diseno de Dique con Arena Relaves Cicloneada

Sand dams constructed 3 ways

Upstream has smallest
construction quantity, but
highest risk
Downstream has largest
construction quantity and
lowest risk
Centerline smaller quantity
than downstream, similar risk
Diques de Envergadura
 Notas y Observaciones

The tailings properties and project

requirements greatly influence the method
that is selected for disposal.

What may be good for one type of tailings or

project location may not be suitable for
another type of tailings or project location.
 ESTABILIDAD
RELAVES ESPESADOS DEPOSITADOS
Segun Paste 2009 Vina del Mar
La estabilidad Se requiere deposicion en CAPAS DELGADAS
 ESTABILIDAD

Que es Deposicion en Capas Delgadas?

El depositar capas delgadas les da suficiente
tiempo para que el relave receintemente puesto the
a desicar y enduricir
De-saturar que genera una succion en los matrices que redusca la
void ratio (razon volumen/volumen)
Espesor de capa diferente para el tipo del relave, la
clima, tasa de produccion, la configuracion del vaso
El material se vuelve densa (dilativa) despues de
estar remojado/re-saturado
Caracteristicas del Material de Relaves

Depende a:
Mineralogia
Proceso estractiva del mineral y
reactivos
Granulometria o grado de molienda
La S.G. de particulas
Grado de espesamiento o
desaguado
 Esquematico de Relave luego de Deposicion
en un Estado mas Suelto que
en Estado Critico a Esfuerzo Bajo

1.6

1.4
After Deposition q

1.2 Bleeding

Void Ratio, e

Contractiv
Consolidation
Final State of Tailings
1 CSL in Stack Without
Dilative Drying
Desiccation
0.8
DRY
q
Wetting (unload curve)
0.6
Final State of

Tailings in Stack
With Drying
0.4
0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000

Mean Effective Stress, p' (kPa)

After Been and Li 2009
 Tecnologia de Espesamiento de Relaves
(Cobre, SG=2.7)

Variabilidad de Consistncia (% solidos em peso)

Pulpa de relaves < 60%

Relaves Espesados 60 - 70%

Altamente Espesado 70 - 78%

(Pasta)

78 - 88%
Relave Filtrado
 Relaves de cobre tipoA
Torta de Filtrado

No cisallado
Resistencia a o Fluxo
(Pa)

Pasta

Rejeitos espessados

Cisallado

% Slidos
 Esquematico Cambio de Estado Geotecnica
en los Relaves luego de la Depositacion and Densificacion

1.6

1.4
After Deposition q
Contractive
1.2

Void Ratio, e

Dilative
1 CSL

Densification/Compactio
0.8 n DRY
Consolidation
Desiccation
q
0.6
Final State of Wetting (unload curve)
Tailings in Stack

0.4
0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000

Mean Effective Stress, p' (kPa)

Las Pendientes - Playas de Relaves Espesados

Tailings Slope Angle Achieved (%)

Li, Been, Ritchie and

Welch (2009)

SLURRY DENSITY (% by weight)

-

Muchas Gracias