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T
he modern mining industry is a marvel
considering the extreme climactic and
geological settings in which new mines must
be located. Few people understand the
increasingly difficult process to procure metals and
minerals from increasingly remote and hostile
settings throughout the world. The capital costs for
development and construction of a new mine
require billions of dollars. The technological
advances in mining, beneficiation and engineering
cannot maintain the pace needed to extract limited
quantities of metals from dwindling ore grades
forcing mining of ever increasing volumes of
material. Compounding the technological
challenges is the seemingly overwhelming maze of
environmental, cultural, financial, governmental,
legal, regulatory and social issues that must be
comprehensively and simultaneously addressed in
the multi-year process from concept through
construction. To meet the ever expanding global
population expected to reach nearly 10 billion in
this century over 50 billion tonnes of material are
now mined each year. Of that material, 40% is
waste with over 50% of the ore produced being
aggregates and the remainder split between metals
and coal. With rising populations and standards of
living demand for mined products will increase
substantially this century, recognising already each
year demand outstrips supply of many mined
products creating a natural resource deficit.
The logistical issues associated with mining are
exceedingly complex with none more important
and often underappreciated than those associated
with water. Mine water management demands
constant vigilance and cooperation between
mining, process, and environmental personnel.
Although the global mining industry uses about 2%
of the global total fresh water supply versus nearly
75% consumed by agriculture, there is a growing
conflict between the demands of increased food
production and the extractive industries. Since the
mid 20th century demand for fresh water has
tripled and will double again by mid century. The
protection of fresh water supplies for agriculture is
a hotly debated issue amongst people residing
near a mine and has become a contentious issue
when addressing the concept of the social license.
The overarching goal remains to keep clean
water clean and to minimise the volume of fresh
water used which is not an easy task in many
locations. Ongoing review of water balances for
new and existing mining operations usually yield
improvements measurable in dollars and sense.
The concept of a zero water balance is alluring as
it suggests no need for discharges during mine
life, circumventing the arduous process of
permitting and the
associated technical pitfalls
surrounding nonexistent,
misinterpreted,
incomprehensible, out of
date, immeasurable, overly
stringent, and unachievable
water quality standards. The realisation has
become that a water management system does not
exist solely to meet the demands of beneficiation
and environmental and social issues having
become the tail that wags the dog. Ignoring the
complexities of a dynamic water balance often
leads to severe water management crises during
mine life for which implementation of needless
expensive and energy intensive treatment
technologies could have been avoided.
It has been estimated the mining industry will
spend nearly $8 billion in 2012 on water related
infrastructure with pumping and treatment costs
alone exceeding $1 billion. A mining operation is
unlike any other industrial, manufacturing, or large
retail outlet exhibiting a fixed footprint on the
landscape. It cannot be situated in the most
practical or environmentally friendly location due
to the manner in which ore bodies were originally
generated within the earths shallow crust over
geologic time. The ever increasing footprint of the
open pit mine, heap leach pads and surface waste
rock disposal areas demands a dynamic water
balance and management situation that must be
constantly evaluated and updated, to avoid being
blindsided by an unanticipated environmental
incident. Accompanying increasing water demands
are the growing volumes of sulphide waste and the
prospect for inevitable and perpetual treatment of
acid rock drainage. The vast majority of major
environmental incidents in the mining industry
have had mismanagement of water as the core
cause. As has been noted before, the mining
industry is not responsible for the existence of risk
but it surely is for ignoring it.
Terry I. Mudder, Ph.D., CHCM
IM Editorial Board
cyanara@bresnan.net
References
Hinde, Chris, Salt, stupid, Mining Journal, August 26,
2011; Resource overdraft", Mining Journal, September 23,
2011 and Still counting, Mining Journal, October 28, 2011.
Kenrick, Vicky, The challenges of water management,
Mining, People and Environment, pp26-27, October 2011.
Mudder, Terry, Water Management, IM, January 2012.
Robertson, Andrew, Mine Waste Management in the 21st
Century, Proceedings of the Tailings and Mine Waste
Conference 2011, Vancouver, November 6-9, 2011.
THE LEADER
VOLUME 8 NUMBER 3
A thirst for balance
Publisher
John Chadwick
Email: john@im-mining.com
Editor
Paul Moore
Email: paul@im-mining.com
Associate Editor
Chris Cann
Email: chris@im-mining.com
Editorial Board
Professor Malcolm Scoble
Robert E. Hallbauer
Chair in Mining
Engineering.,
University of BC,
Vancouver
Jeff Roschyk
Vice President of
Product Management
& Marketing, P&H Mining, USA
Peter Knights
BMA Chair & Prof. of Mining
Engineering University
of Queensland
Stephen Stone
West One Management
Perth, Western Australia
Dr. Andrew M. Robertson
President, Robertson
GeoConsultants
Vancouver, Canada.
Ed McCord
Project Consultant
Caterpillar Global Mining, USA
Jason Nitz
Mining Systems Strategist
Newcrest Mining Ltd, Australia
Dr Terry Mudder
Managing Director
TIMES Ltd, USA
Simon Tarbutt
Consultant, Santiago, Chile
Dr. Mike Daniel
Comminution Process Consultant
Ausenco Minerals & Metals, Australia
Editorial Enquiries:
Tel: +44 (0)1442 870 829
Fax +44 (0)1442 870 617
Advertising Sales:
Phil Playle
Email: phil@im-mining.com
+44 1442 87 77 77
Advertising Production
Emma Smith
Email: emma@im-mining.com
Publishing Consultant
Robin Peach
Design & Production
Trevor Sheldon
Email: sheldonmann@gmail.com
Website:
www.im-mining.com
Annual Subscription Enquiries:
Emma Smith
Email: emma@im-mining.com
Annual Subscription
UK and Europe 160, E230
Rest of the world US$270
International Mining is published
monthly by Team Publishing Ltd,
2 Claridge Court, Lower Kings Road
Berkhamsted, Herts. HP4 2AF, UK
Printed by The Manson Group, St Albans
Team Publishing Ltd 2012
ISSN 1747 -146X
MARCH 2012 | International Mining 3
WORLD PROSPECTS
A
BB has supplied a vast array of power and
automation solutions for Antofagastas
new flagship Esperanza copper mine in
Chile. The solutions include three of the worlds
largest gearless mill drives (GMDs), process and
electrical control systems, power quality
systems, a substation and an integrated
operations centre that controls the entire
production process, including onshore facilities
at a purpose-built port 145 km from the mine.
Officially opened in April 2011, Esperanza is
known for its deployment of cutting-edge
technology. For example, it is the first large-
scale mine to use raw sea water in its mineral
processing operation - the water being pumped
from the coast through a 145 km pipeline to the
mine, 2,300 m above sea level. ABB equipment
also powers the purpose-built port and the
seawater pumping station.
Esperanza has a daily throughput capacity of
97,000 t of ore. After extraction in the open-pit
mine, the ore is crushed in a 40 ft diameter SAG
mill and two 27 ft diameter ball mills, all three of
which are driven and controlled by ABB GMD
systems with power outputs of 22.4 MW and
18.6 MW respectively.
When the contract for the GMD systems was
awarded to ABB in 2007, Esperanza was only
the second mine in the world to install a SAG
mill and the first to install ball mills with
these capacities and power ratings. These
records have subsequently been superseded by
ABB at other mines, but at the time they were at
the technological limit of what SAG and ball
mills were mechanically capable of.
The GMD systems enable the grinding mills
to achieve the best possible grinding results and
process efficiency by adjusting the speed or
direction of the mega-sized mills and ensuring a
constant particle size, regardless of changes in
the size or hardness of the ore. Each ABB GMD
system comprises a large gearless synchronous
motor that is wrapped around the mill like a
ring. The power and control equipment of the
system is located in a purpose-built E-house
container with built-in cycloconverter, motor
control centre and programmable logic
controller (PLC), converter transformers and
excitation transformer.
The ore is transported to and from the mills
by long heavy-duty conveyor belts. The belt
motors are driven by powerful ABB medium-
voltage variable speed drives, which provide
dynamic control of the motors and enable soft
starting and stopping of the belts, thereby
saving energy and minimising mechanical wear
and tear. After processing, the concentrate is
transported through the pipeline to the port
where it is thickened and stockpiled, ready for
loading onto bulk vessels. An ABB 110/23 kV
substation connects the site and its onshore and
offshore facilities to the power grid.
A mine and ore processing plant like Esperanza
consumes huge amounts of electric power, and
requires power quality equipment to maintain
voltage stability and a high power factor. The
sites power distribution network is controlled
by an ABB supervisory control and data
acquisition (SCADA) system and is protected from
destabilising voltage spikes and harmonics-
induced power losses by an ABB filter system.
One of the key ABB solutions for Esperanza is
the System 800xA distributed control system,
which integrates all the automation systems
process, power distribution, gearless mill drive,
motor and conveyor, pipeline, and port into a
common control environment and provides
interfaces with the plant management and
maintenance systems. Full visualisation and
control of the whole process (crusher area,
processing plant, pipelines and port) is provided
by ABBs EOW-x Integrated Operations Centre - a
unified and ergonomic control room
environment that is designed to maximise
operator efficiency.
www.abb.com/minerals
W
ith an estimated mining explosives
sales potential for Africas greenfield
operations estimated at $500 million
over the next five years, suppliers and service
companies need to step up and provide quality
solutions that yield greater results and ensure
sustainability. This was the focus of AEL Mining
Services presence at this years Mining Indaba
in Cape Town. AELs Wayne du Chenne,
Executive Director Global Business Services,
comments, Gone are the days of being a
commodity provider with a one-size fits all
promise. Mining solution providers need to
proactively play an important and creative role
in assisting with solving production,
environmental and socio-economic challenges
in partnership with their customers, which is
pivotal to contributing to future economic
growth and sustainability in Africa. He added:
To remain relevant, our cutting edge R&D
department, which is based in Johannesburg,
plays a vital role in keeping our global
operations relevant. Tasked with the delivery of
two ground-breaking innovations per year, the
R&D team is actively involved in assisting AEL
engineers and our mining optimisation team
develop solutions for specific mining
applications.
AELs recent innovation list includes the 3rd
Generation (3G) Shock Tube Uni-delay
assembly, aimed at harsh and demanding
ABB solutions for Esperanza
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S
handong Gold Mining Co (SD-Gold) is a
large listed company in China integrating
exploration, mining and smelting. The
company was established in January, 2000. Into
it went a number of established gold mines in
Shandong Province, including Xincheng and
Sanshandao. Both mines are close to Laizhou
City, and both produce gold with some silver as
a byproduct. Xincheng is located in Jiaodong
Peninsula on the shore of the Bo Sea, with
Sanshandao lying on the north coast of the
Shandong Peninsula. SD-Gold is the third
largest gold producer in the country.
Sandvik recently received a contract from SD-
Gold to deliver 20 mining machines to the three
gold mines in operation in Shandong
Sanshandao, Jiaojia and Xincheng. The fleet
deliveries for the equipment are scheduled to
take place before end of 2012, and will be
comprised of Sandvik drill rigs, LHDs and trucks.
China is of course the worlds top gold
producer these days and in 2010 SD-Gold
produced 24.50 t of gold, while the country saw
a new record of 340.88 t in 2010 - a rise of
8.57% over the previous years figure. SD-Gold
has been expanding rapidly recently and will
expand further in the coming years. Its output of
2010 was an almost 90% increase on the 13.06 t
produced in 2006.
The new machines will provide improved
reliability and operating performance for the
mines along with a wide range of productivity
features. Sandvik says the contract represents
the largest single order ever for mining units in
China and solidifies Sandviks position as
Chinas leading provider of mining technology.
Sandvik was initially selected as we
demonstrated a low risk option, an excellent
understanding of their operations and the ability
to deliver on all the required machines and
services. This is a win-win and we look forward
to our continuing relationship with Shandong
Gold, said Sandviks Schubert Huang.
Both Xincheng, which first went into
production in 1980, and Sanshandao (1989)
mines use cut and fill (CAF) mining and are also
undertaking trials of open stoping with Sandvik
longhole drills. Both mines have ramp access (4
m x 4 m) and use large numbers of mechanised,
trackless equipment. SD-Gold says that
Sanshandao has more equipment than any
other gold mine in China and is the most
mechanised in the country.
Xincheng has gradually built up production
from a level of just 500 t/d in 1984, to 1,250 t/d
in 1995, to 1,600 t/d in 2006 to 4,000 t/d in
2011. It will mine 4,500 t/d in 2012, but is also
embarking on a major expansion. Xincheng
produced 3 t of gold in 2010 and was expecting
to produce 3.4 t in 2011.
Xincheng is currently mining two orebodies,
No 5, the larger, and No 9. No 5 orebody is some
60 m thick, inclined at 30-40o, and has a strike
length of 300 m. The average grade of the ore is
3 g/t. Most of the current production comes
from a depth of some 600 m underground. The
mine has 20 Mt of gold ore in resources in the
No 1, 5 and 9 orebodies. Up to June 2011, the
mine had produced 57.7 t of gold since it first
started producing.
Face drilling at Xincheng employs one
Sandvik DD210 jumbo and four DD310s, with
two new DD311s on order. They are drilling 3.7 m
holes to achieve an advance of 3.4-3.5 m per
blast. The open stoping trials in No 5 orebody
are using a Sandvik DL330 jumbo to drill 10 m
long, 64 mm diameter holes. Two more of these
jumbos are on order. With three longhole drilling
units on the mine, one will be dedicated to
drilling cable bolting holes for the secondary
CAF stopes.
The Sandvik DD210 is a compact and flexible
single-boom electro-hydraulic jumbo for face
drilling with the HL 510 rock drill in cross
sections up to 26 m. The DD310 and DD311 are
10 International Mining | MARCH 2012
Two SD-Gold mines gear up for expansion:
John Chadwick reports from Chinas Shandong Province
on one of the countrys premier gold producers
OPERATION FOCUS
Sanshandao is largely
developed under the sea
The Xincheng mine headframe
also single-boom rigs,
giving face coverage of
over 40 m. Sandviks
DL330-5 is a versatile
single-boom electro-
hydraulic longhole
drilling jumbo for small
and medium scale
production drilling. It is
capable of drilling
several lines of parallel
holes, up and down, up
to 23 m depth, from a
single machine
position over the width
of 5.5 m. The 360
rotation in full parallel
coverage area and wide
tilt angle ranges forward and backward make
the robust universal telescopic boom suitable to
various drilling applications. The long reach of
the boom also allows safe access to unsafe or
narrow places such as vein drilling or raise
drilling. Good visibility for the operator and
good rig balance along with the powerful four-
wheel-drive articulated carrier aid fast and safe
manoeuvring in narrow drifts.
At Xincheng, and Sanshandao is very similar,
the CAF stoping is carried out in 50 m high
mining blocks. These are divided into sublevels
mined at 10 m vertical intervals in the footwall. A
5 m pillar is left at the bottom of the mining
block and 6 m at the top. From the sublevels,
working up from the bottom, the block is mined
in 3.3 m slices and backfilled. Primary stopes
are 8 m wide and the secondary ones 7 m wide.
Fill is placed to
within 1 m of the next
slice to be mined so
that there is free space
to blast into. Backfill is
piped hydraulically into
the stopes. The
standard mix is one part
cement to ten parts
tailings, but for the top
of each slice, to make a
good floor from which
to mine the next stope,
a 1:4 mix is used.
After blasting and removal of the ore, the roof
of each advance is rock bolted to the face. Both
mines use Sandvik bolting jumbos exclusively.
Xincheng has three DS310, with two more on
order. Sanshandao has four of these units. The
DS310 is a one man operated, compact and
modular rock bolter that is able to tram and
install all the most common type of rock bolts in
small and medium size headings. It is suited to
mines with small and medium cross sections up
to 7.5 m height. It can install all the common
bolt types or a combination, in lengths from 1.5
to 3 m. Mechanisation of the bolting process
ensures efficient, constant and durable ground
support.
The mine has standardised on 3 m
3
capacity
LHDs and has 14 units equivalent to the Sandvik
LH 307. Three more LH 307s are on order. These
load a mixed truck fleet of smaller Sandvik
EJC417 and GHH units, and larger 20 t trucks
from Atlas Copco and Volvo (25 t machines). Ore
is truck-hauled up to the ramp to ore passes
feeding the current main haulage level, which
connects to the hoisting shafts.
Xincheng expansion
As the orders show, Xincheng immediate
expansion will largely be based on Sandvik
trackless equipment. Further into the future, the
mine plans to expand
to 10,000 t/d of gold
ore. This major increase
in output is based on a
newly-acquired
orebody that lies within
3 km of the existing
infrastructure. Tengjia
is a 16.5 km
2
exploration and mining
area. To date an
orebody inclined
similarly to those
currently being mined
has been discovered
with its top lying 620 m
below surface and its
bottom defined at 1,200
m below surface. S-D Gold estimates this
contains 71 t of gold at an average grade of 3 g/t.
The current plan is to develop Tengjia with
four 1,300 m shafts, including one new 1,300 m
shaft at Xincheng to hoist the additional ore.
The ramp will also be deepened. A new main
haulage level will connect the new mining area
to the hoisting shaft at Xincheng. The mine is
currently choosing between rail and conveyor
haulage for this new main level. The gold plant
will be significantly expanded as the plan is to
raise daily throughput to 10,000 t/d.
The current processing plant, which includes
a new Sandvik crusher, employs closed-circuit
crushing and grinding, coarse and fine flotation,
cyanidation and smelting. Of the waste, 60%
goes back underground as backfill, with the
remainder pumped to the tailings facility.
12 International Mining | MARCH 2012
OPERATION FOCUS
Ramp entrance at
Xincheng mine
Control room at Xincheng and (inset) position of newly discovered
orebody shown on the main relative to the current workings
Biggest in Asia
Sanshandao is also embarking on a significant
expansion, from 9,200 t/d to 12,000 t/d. On
surface there are currently two processing
plants, one of 5,000 t/d capacity and one of
4,200 t/d capacity. For the expansion, the
smaller of the two plants will be closed and
replaced with a new 12,000 t/d facility.
The mine is exploiting what SD-Gold says is
the biggest known gold orebody in Asia. It is
inclined at 40-50, is 20-30 m thick and 2-3 km
along strike, and the orebody remains open at
depth. The average grade is 2 g/t Au.
The current main haulage level is at 250 m
below surface, but a new one is to be developed
on the 600 m level, where much of the stoping is
now focussed. This new level is to have a rail
haulage system with 6 m
3
ore cars pulled by 30 t
locos. A new shaft is being sunk to 800 m to
widen the current mining area and into the
future the plan is to sink a sub-vertical shaft to
1,000 m below surface. This will deliver ore to
the 585 m level, from which orepasses will feed
it to the 600 m haulage level. The current ramp
system goes down to 780 m below surface.
The mine will be taking delivery of a number
of new Sandvik machines in 2012. Of the current
12 face drills, eight are Sandvik DD310 units.
Four more of those are due for delivery. The
loading fleet is a mixture of Atlas Copco (ST 2D
and ST 3.5D) and Sandvik units of which three
are Sandvik LH203s, with five more of those
coming.
Sanshandao is largely developed under the
sea and salt water underground is a constant
problem. One of the counter measures taken is
to use a special paste on all electrical
connections to prevent corrosion. For hydraulic
cylinders, which start pitting after just one
month if they are chrome plated, the mine has
found nickel plating to be a solution. Nickel-
plated cylinders are three times stronger than
the chrome ones. Salt water is even used for
flushing of the drills.
Currently the truck fleet comprises 24 units,
mainly 12 and 16 t capacity trucks of the mines
own making. There are also Volvo 25 t units, two
Kiruna Electric K-635E trucks (payload 35 t) and
a number of Sandvik TH430 30 t capacity
Sandvik trucks, with two more of the latter on
order. Shandong Gold is also planning to
develop its own 35 t capacity electric trolley
truck for underground haulage.
The mine expected to produce approximately
5 t of gold in 2011 and is looking for a 22%
increase in 2012 to around 6 t.
Shandong Gold Mining stock rose 1.9% on
the news that it had won approval from the
National Development and Reform Commission
to increase daily production capacity at
Sanshandao.
Shandong Gold Group
SD-Gold says its mining equipment and
mechanisation level is among the top within the
domestic mining field; in particular, the
configuration of underground trackless mining
equipment. Among its other mines, it notes
Linglong gold mine with most cumulative gold
production volume in China or even in Asia and
Jiaojia gold mine, the first national numerical
control mine and the largest refinery in terms of
the trade volume of mining gold in China.
Shandong Gold Group is a large-scale state-
owned enterprise directly affiliated with the
Shandong Provincial Government. Besides the
Xincheng, Jiaojia, Linglong and Sanshandao
gold mines, it owns the Yinan and Pingdu Xinhui
gold mines and other large and medium-sized
mines. It owns 51% of Jinzhou Mining Co and
73.5% of Inner Mongolia Chifeng Chaihulaizi
Gold Mining Co. Domestically, Shandong Gold
Group has succeeded in building five mining
bases with four outside Shandong, in Hainan,
Inner Mongolia, Henan and Qinghai.
Recent news from Shandong Gold Mining
includes the acquisition of the remaining 25% in
Shandong Jinshi Mining for RMB415 million
Yuan. The mine was reported to have mineral
reserves of 21.44 Mt, containing 71,395 kg of
gold. Following the acquisition, Shandong Gold
will be the sole shareholder of Jinshi Mining.
Shandong Gold Non-Ferrous Mining Group Co
was established in August 2008. It owns 12
mining enterprises: the Guilaizhuang, Hainan
and Penglai Hexi gold mines, Henan Songxian
Shanjin Mining, Henan Songxian Tianyun
Mining, the Inner Mongolia Shanjin Hongling
and Shanjin Aerhada lead and zinc mines,
Changyi iron mine, Inner Mongolia Shanjin iron
mine, Pingyi Jinxin gypsum mine, Baotou Lujin
OPERATION FOCUS
14 International Mining | MARCH 2012
Both mines are undertaking trials of
open stoping using Sandviks DL330-5
jumbos their coverage is shown here
An older Sandvik unit drilling in a cut-and-fill
stope at Sanshandao
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fluorite mine and the Venezuela Jinyan gold mine. It operates a 100,000-t/y
lead smelter and a 200,000-t/y zinc smelter. It is also developing a
molybdenum mine in Inner Mongolia.
Its sales revenue in 2008 was RMB0.23 billion Yuan and the profit was
more than RMB10 million Yuan. Sales revenue in 2009 was RMB0.427
billion, twice that in 2008; the profit was RMB0.123 billion Yuan, 10 times
that of 2008. In the first half of 2010, the sales revenue increased 6.2 times
year on year and gold production increased 3.2 times year on year. The
anticipated profit was RMB0.4 billion Yuan, four times that of 2009; and
sales revenue RMB1.2 billion Yuan, three times that of 2009.
In the coming years, the company aims to develop gold, silver, lead, zinc,
copper, molybdenum and iron projects. It says it will aggressively
purchase mines at home and abroad, process non-ferrous metals, expand
and innovate current mines, deploy overseas resources development,
extend industrial chain, produce lead and zinc with high added value, make
it in a leading position in the national non-ferrous field in terms of capital
size, sales income, economic benefit, management and technological level
and gradually forge the company into a large non-ferrous mining group
with international competitiveness.
Shandong Gold Mining Resources Group Co is an important platform for
Shandong Gold Group to acquire and expand resources and boost
production. In recent years the company has acquired Laizhou Jincang
Mining, Sizhuang, Henan Tianyun, Chifeng Chaihulanzi, Hainan Baolun and
other gold mines. For future development, the company insists on high-end
resources expansion and operation.
Shandong Gold International Mining Group Co is responsible for the
expansion of Shandong Golds overseas mining.
In November Shandong Gold Group made an unsolicited bid for Jaguar
Mining, a gold producer in Brazil with operations in a prolific greenstone
belt in the state of Minas Gerais. Jaguar is also engaged in developing the
Gurupi Project in the state of Maranho.
Based on its development plans, Jaguar is one of the fastest growing
gold producers in Brazil. The Company is actively exploring and developing
additional mineral resources at its approximate 256,300-ha land base in
Brazil. IM
OPERATION FOCUS
MARCH 2012 | International Mining 17
The company has discovered a significant molybdenum deposit in Inner
Mongolia
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blasting. They avoid the mixing and
displacement issues inherent in blasting and
eliminate the need for a crusher. Based upon
operational experience to-date the current
expectation is that the surface miners will produce,
on average, 650 t/h with an overall availability
of 70% and utilisation is 70% for a combined
overall asset efficiency of 70% x 70% = 49%.
Waste mining generally follows ore removal.
Blastholes (127-mm diameter) are drilled 6 m
deep on a 5 m by 5 m pattern or 11 m deep on a
6 m by 6 m pattern. The mixed drill fleet of top
hammer hydraulic drills on crawler carriers
includes five Atlas ROCL8s and 2 Sandvik
DP1500 drills. They are capable of angle drilling
to the horizontal at penetration rates up to an
average 52 m/h in the rocks found at site.
AEL, African Explosives Ltd, as contractor
primes and loads the holes for blasting with
emulsion as the primary explosive agent. The
original waste fleet of 988 wheel loaders and
772 haul trucks (loading in five passes) was
supplemented with the larger 992s and 777 haul
trucks to increase waste stripping rates.
The Phase 2 Expansion case mine schedule
will supply the mill with an ore grade of 3.94%
ASCu at 14,000 t/d. Mill construction and
commissioning are scheduled in two stages:
installation to increase the capacity from 10,000
to 12,000 t/d to be completed by the end of this
year and the final installation to provide an
increase from 12,000 to 14,000 t/d by the end of
the first quarter 2013. Not accounting for
additional high grade discovery, nor further
debottlenecking and expansion, the mine plan
recoverable metal delivery target of 195,000 t/y
of copper will be achieved for seven years,
decreasing gradually in the following 20 years to
an average of 83,000 t/y of copper. The cobalt
production for the 29 years averages 11,800 t/y.
The maximum overall mining rate will be 55
Mt/y.
Expanded processing
plant
The expanded Phase 2
processing plant will be
capable of processing at
least 14,000 t/d (dry) of ore
to produce at least 195,000
t/y of copper cathode and
an average of 15,000 t/y of
cobalt contained in cobalt
hydroxide.
Run-of-mine (ROM) ore is
delivered by haul truck to
the ROM pad. Wheel
loaders feed a blend of ore
to a mobile jaw crusher and the suitably sized
ore is conveyed to a single stage FL Schmitt
Minerals SAG mill (6.7 m diameter x 7.925 m in
length). The SAG mill operates in closed circuit
with a cluster of Krebs GMAX 33-20-3225
hydrocyclones and a Cedar Rapids RC 45III
pebble crusher to achieve the desired grind size.
The ground slurry is thickened, pumped to
the first of five leach tanks and mixed with
sulphur dioxide (SO2), sulphuric acid (H2SO4)
and raffinate to achieve a leach feed pulp.
Copper and cobalt leach extractions are
achieved in the leach operation. The leached
slurry is thickened and the overflow is clarified
and pumped to the high-grade (HG) pregnant
leach solution (PLS) pond. After cooling the HG
PLS is clarified to remove colloidal silica and
suspended solids and then reports to the HG SX
circuit.
Thickener underflow is pumped to the
counter current-decantation (CCD) circuit to
recover dissolved copper and cobalt values from
the leached solids. CCD 1 overflow is clarified
and pumped to the low-grade (LG) PLS pond.
The washed solids from CCD 5 are pumped to
the neutralisation circuit. CCD 5 underflow,
excess CCD wash solution and Fe/Al/Mn (FAM)
residue slurry streams are neutralised using
hydrated lime. Hydrated lime is added to
precipitate magnesium and trace heavy metals.
The final neutralised slurry is pumped to the
polyethylene-lined TSF.
The SX facility is being expanded to include
an additional four mixer settlers. The mixers are
supplied by Mixtec and the reverse flow settlers
are similar to the originally installed settlers
designed by the EPCM company for FCX and
constructed by Styria. The new configuration will
be 2E(HG)-2E(LG)-2S-2E(HG)-2S. The expanded
circuit will consist of ten mixer settlers. The HG
circuit has four extraction stages, the LG circuit
has two extraction stages and the common
organic stream is stripped in four stages. The
circuit is configured to run in either a common
organic loop or as a separate organic loop with
2E-2E-2S configuration of the existing circuit
and 2E-2S for the expansion circuit.
Copper is extracted from the PLS solution
using an organic extractant. The copper is
subsequently stripped from the organic phase to
produce strong electrolyte. The strong
electrolyte is filtered to remove any entrained
organic, prior to reporting to the EW tankhouse.
The HG raffinate, electrolyte bleed and
electrolyte filter backwash solutions are
combined in the HG raffinate pond and are
predominantly returned to the leach circuit to
reduce fresh H2SO4 consumption and to
achieve the desired pulp density. Excess HG
30 International Mining | MARCH 2012
Equipment Maximum Average operating Scheduled
fleet size hours/y replacement (hours)
CAT 772 truck 29 5,600 60,000
CAT 777 truck 33 5,600 60,000
Mercedes 50-t truck 8 5,600 60,000
Grizzly feeder 5 5,600 N/A
CAT 988 loader 11 5,600 35,000
CAT 992 loader 3 5,270 35,000
RH120 shovel 3 5,600 35,000
RH90C shovel 1 5,600 35,000
T1255 Surface Miner 5 4,030 20,000
ROC L8 drill 4 5,600 30,000
DM45 drill 5 5,600 33,075
CAT D8R track dozer 8 4,710 30,000
CAT D10N track dozer 6 4,720 35,000
CAT 824G RT dozer 5 4,720 35,000
Vermeer rock saw 4 2,550 20,000
CAT 14M grader 3 4,710 45,000
CAT 16M grader 5 4,710 45,000
CAT 345 excavator 2 4,730 35,000
Expansion Plan Major Equipment and Operational Parameters
Vermeer rock saw makes a 100-mm wide cut
across the strike of the ore zones. The trench
cuttings are sampled and analysed to
determine copper and cobalt grades
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raffinate, is pumped to the LG raffinate pond.
LG raffinate is pumped to the cobalt circuit
where iron, aluminium and manganese (FAM
circuit) are precipitated using ground limestone
mined by TFM at a nearby quarry. Milk of lime is
added to the solution from the FAM circuit to
precipitate the remaining soluble copper.
Sulphur dioxide and air are sparged into the
agitated tanks to promote the precipitation of
any remaining manganese. The slurry is
thickened and the solids are returned to the
leaching circuit for recovery of the precipitated
copper.
Milk of magnesia is added to the solution
from the copper precipitation circuit to produce
cobalt hydroxide. Two stages of precipitation are
used to improve the purity of the hydroxide
precipitate and consequently reduce the
consumption of magnesia. Magnesia is added in
the first stage of precipitation and milk of lime is
added in the second stage. Thickened underflow
solids from the second stage recycle back to the
FAM circuit. Thickened cobalt hydroxide is
filtered and bagged as a wet product or flash
dried and bagged as a dry product for export.
The cobalt-free solution is predominantly used
as CCD wash solution, with the excess reporting
to the neutralisation circuit.
Sulphuric acid for use in the leach circuit is
produced by burning sulphur. Waste heat from
the acid plant is used for raising steam and is
supplemented with steam produced from
electric boilers, for various heating duties
throughout the plant. The original acid plant had
a design capacity of 600 t/d, however the plant
is currently operating at an average production
exceeding 700 t/d.
Huge future potential
During 2009 and 2010, TFM drilled about
50,000 and 40,000 metres of diamond drill core
respectively. More than 600 holes were drilled
during this time, with typically eight or more
diamond drill rigs and one reverse circulation
rig employed. This allowed Mineral Reserves to
be estimated for the first time at Fungurume,
Mambilima and Pumpi. In addition, drilling was
completed on other orebodies including further
deposit at Fungurume, Shinkusu, Kazinyanga,
Mudilandima, Kakalwe, Kamakoka, Katuto and
Leta. Resource modelling of some of these
orebodies is underway and they are likely to
provide upside to the overall mineral resources
and ultimately reserves on the concession.
In 2011, exploration targeted the replacement
of the mineralisation depleted, further increases
in oxide resources and ongoing investigation of
deeper sulphide resources. A further 50,000 m
of drilling was planned including infill and
32 International Mining | MARCH 2012
GREAT MINES Democratic Republic of Congo
Vermeer surface miners break the ore
in 0.625 m deep slices
deeper drilling on the known orebodies of Tenke, Fwaulu and Fungurume
together with greenfield target drilling on the Zikule, Zakeo and Lutanda
outcrops.
Despite all the exploration and drilling of the last few years, there
remain large parts of the Tenke Fungurume concession that remain
prospective and unexplored. The annual budget for 2011 was $37.5 million
for exploration and $4 million for infill drilling. A similar amount will be
spent this year.
The expansion feasibility study notes the expectation ongoing
exploration will increase the oxide resources, plus upgrade the confidence
of known resources. In addition, mixed and sulphide resources will
continue to be added. Metallurgical test work and flowsheet development
continue in support of developing additional resources and reserves for
processing of low grade, plus mixed and sulphide resources through
significant additional expansions in the future.
Sustainable Katangan development
This huge mining project is the largest private foreign investment in the
DRC, providing thousands of jobs, supporting social development and
creating economic opportunities across the region and the nation. Some
98% of direct TFM operational employees are DRC citizens. The town of
Fungurume is one of the fastest-growing population centres in Katanga
province. This growth brings additional employment and economic
opportunity.
TFM is actively working with the provincial government, consultants and
the private sector to help the local towns of Fungurume, Tenke and other
communities in the area grow in an organised and healthy way.
TFMs direct contributions through the payment of taxes and other fees
from the project inception in 2006 through 2011 were more than $516
million. TFM considers investments in social and community development
to be a priority. During the same period, it made social investments of $45
million to support sustainable community development initiatives.
Additionally, TFM contributes 0.3% of net metal sales revenue to the TFM
Social Community Fund, and since the commencement of commercial
production, these contributions have totalled more than $7.5 million. The
TFM Social Community Fund aims to improve quality of life for residents by
investing in sustainable community development projects supporting
infrastructure and relevant services including health, education and
agriculture. The Fund is a Congolese non-governmental organization,
governed by a Board of Directors consisting of a representative appointed
Solution from the copper precipitation circuit is treated to produce cobalt
hydroxide
GREAT MINES
MARCH 2012 | International Mining 33
by the provincial government, two
representatives nominated by the local
community and four TFM representatives. A
Stakeholder Forum consisting of community
leaders and representatives advises the Board
on community priorities and project funding
decisions.
Due to a shortage of skilled workers in the
area, a massive training and development
program is readying people from the local
communities for future work opportunities.
Hundreds of individuals are enrolled in
company-provided training programs. TFM says
it considers its investments in local education
as one of the most important components of
[its] sustainable development program.
The company has constructed six new
elementary schools. Construction and
renovation of three high schools were
completed in Fungurume last year and
construction is underway on a fourth in Tenke.
Schools are managed in partnership with the
government and local education providers. The
new schools (existing and planned) will provide
educational opportunities for an additional
7,000 students. Other initiatives include
scholarship programs, university partnerships
and internships.
Working with government health agencies,
international expert organisations and the
mines neighbours to build healthy communities
is at the root of TFMs sustainable development
program.
The results of the highly successful
Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) include not only
improved housing, but access to clean water,
health centres and schools, and provide a
significant improvement in the quality of life
and, TFM says, set a new standard for
resettlement projects in the region. The
program is also committed to livelihood
restoration for any household that was
economically displaced, including provision of
replacement farmland, material and technical
assistance support, and training to provide new
and improved skills development.
Agricultural support programs promote new
small business start-ups and enhancing food
security in the region. Training is provided for
farmers and along with seed and fertiliser
initiatives has provided a tripling of crop yields.
A number of farmers have become suppliers of
fruit and vegetables to TFM.
TFM supports small and medium enterprises
(SMEs) via access to credit and technical
support and training. These SMEs in turn
generate local employment.
A second RAP is underway to support families
being moved because of the mine expansion.
More farmland is being acquired by the
operation, and in order to mitigate impacts,
improved seeds and fertiliser will be provided
for three years to help restore livelihoods to
previous levels or better. Other alternatives also
will be explored to support future economic
opportunities in the area. As conducted with the
first RAP, TFM will monitor the income levels of
project-affected people to measure the
effectiveness of livelihood restoration activities.
TFM also conducts internal and external
monitoring of the Resettlement Action Plan
implementation, including an annual third-party
audit.
TFM has constructed dozens of clean water
wells in villages in and around its concession,
and provided access to clean water in urban
areas. Significant resources are dedicated to
reducing public health risks in the area. After a
major cholera epidemic during the 2008-2009
rainy season, TFM, in collaboration with the
local Heath Zone, installed tanks of potable
water throughout the town of Fungurume and in
outlying communities. This brought a dramatic
reduction in cholera and other waterborne
diseases with no cholera cases reported in the
area during the past two rainy seasons. TFM has
since installed a new clean water distribution
system with community taps in Fungurume.
In establishing the Phase 1 operations, TFM
and a local NGO constructed latrines, hand
washing facilities and waste disposal areas to
benefit over 2,000 households. This program
received recognition from UNICEF and the
Katanga Government for a Clean Community
declaration for Fungurume.
TFM has refurbished medical clinics in
Fungurume and Tenke and supports a mobile
health clinic that serves outlying communities in
the region.
An integrated malaria control program in the
project area is reducing malaria infection among
the workforce and the communities. Along with
indoor residual insecticide spraying of dwellings
to control mosquito malaria vectors, the
program has also included monitoring and
treatment of mosquito breeding sites, distribution
of insecticide-treated bed nets, and awareness
and education on malaria prevention measures.
Malaria prevalence surveys among local
school children are conducted twice a year to
quantify the effectiveness of the intervention
measures. The average prevalence rate of 31%
from the May 2010 school survey indicated a
decrease of 9% in malaria prevalence compared
to the previous year and a 60% decrease
compared to the baseline (pre-control) survey
conducted in 2007.
TFM also provides support for employees and
their families through a robust HIV/AIDS
prevention, counselling and treatment program.
TFM often supports major health initiatives
across the region, including a recent vaccination
program in coordination with the Health Zone
and international health groups to address a
measles epidemic in the region.
In addition to construction of infrastructure
for its operations and numerous community
facilities in its mining concession, TFM has
invested in major infrastructure improvement
projects that will bring benefits at the provincial
and national level. For example it is investing
over $200 million in refurbishing the NSeke
Hydro-Power Station, an improvement with far-
reaching regional impact. TFM directly funded
repair and refurbishment of the National
Highway between the towns of Likasi and
Fungurume.
TFMs environmental management program is
based on its objectives to minimise and
mitigate environmental impacts and to preserve
and enhance biodiversity in the areas where we
operate. TFM implements data-driven risk
management strategies in conformance with
international best practice, and reports its
performance against Global Reporting Initiative
indicators.
Among TFMs environmental commitments
was the installation of a permanent synthetic
liner beneath the TSF to prevent any impacts to
groundwater. This investment was the first of its
kind at a base metal mining facility on the
African continent.
TFM is implementing a plan to salvage and
transplant endemic flora species from the
primary orebody to conservation areas,
engineered ecosystems or to seed banks
located in the DRC and internationally. This plan
is being implemented with leading scientists
from Gembloux University in Belgium and
faculty of the University of Lubumbashi. IM
34 International Mining | MARCH 2012
GREAT MINES Democratic Republic of Congo
Monitoring environmental quality
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F E D E R
l h T h
c i r t n e c c E r e av H
O H C G N I N I F
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I
n mining mobile resources have become a
mainstay to doing business. From portable
housing and food services to excavation
equipment, operations demand flexible
approaches to keep their activities up and
running.
One of the biggest deployment requirements
at any mine site is wastewater treatment.
Depending on the circumstances and urgency
mining operations can use portable water
treatment systems to address both short- and
long-term requirements.
There are a number of situations where a
portable solution can contribute to the
continued success of the operation. For
example, a mine expansion plan can trigger the
need to meet new water quality limits, which
puts the onus on the operator to upgrade
existing water treatment processes. Given that
an upgrade or replacement of a facility can take
months or years to complete, a portable system
can be installed as an interim measure to allow
the expansion to proceed while meeting the new
regulations and avoiding potential delays or
shutdowns.
Weather anomalies can also put a burden on
existing water treatments. Unseasonably heavy
rains, heavy snows and excessive melting in the
spring, or flooding can push water treatment
volumes beyond the capacity of on-site facilities.
In these cases, portable water treatment systems
can be used as a supplemental remediation measure.
Portable facilities can also be mobilised to
accelerate start-up of new mines. The ability for
rapid deployment of a water treatment system
can have positive impacts on the near-term
profitability of a project.
The use of portable water treatment systems
is nothing new. Portable systems have been in
use for many years to speed deployment and/or
address interim or emergency water treatment
needs.
In recent months there have been a number
of development breakthroughs on the portable
front for sulphide precipitation and ion
exchange technologies both of which have met
with growing acceptance and success in the
mining industry. These technologies offer a
number of benefits over more conventional
portable systems, including higher water
recovery rates (in excess of 95%), lower energy
costs, less waste, and the ability to extract
metals from wastewater for sale to offset
treatment costs.
Sulphide precipitation based technologies
have been successfully applied as fixed facilities
at active and closed mine sites to treat large
volumes of waste water containing elevated
concentrations of dissolved metals. Portable
sulphide systems are now in development.
These advanced technologies use biological or
chemical sources of sulphide to selectively
precipitate dissolved metals such as copper,
zinc, nickel and cobalt as individual metal
concentrates. Other heavy metals such as
arsenic, antimony, cadmium, lead, and
manganese can also be removed from the
wastewater to meet water quality criteria. In
many cases, the recovered metal by-products
can be sold to generate a revenue stream, and
the clean water can be re-used or discharged
safely to the environment.
Ion exchange technologies can effectively
remove dissolved metals and sulphates from
water to meet strict water quality requirements.
These processes use specialised resins that
selectively remove the target constituents from
wastewater, meeting very strict water quality
requirements. Mobile ion exchange systems will
be deployed later this year at several sites in
Canada.
The availability of these water treatment
technologies in a portable system provides mine
operators the same benefits as their on-site
fixed facility counterparts. The flexibility of
portable water treatment systems can also
provide the additional benefits of mitigating
production disruptions, meeting temporary
water treatment demands, and fast-tracking
production start-ups.
As the resource sector boom continues, the
demand for flexible, environmentally compliant
water treatment systems is expected to grow.
With the latest mobile water treatment
technology offerings, mining operators can rest
assured that their water treatment needs
whether it be interim, seasonal, supplemental or
urgent can be met, while continuing to meet
regulatory and environmental benchmarks. IM
36 International Mining | MARCH 2012
David Kratochvil*
explains how the
technologies are
moving with the
times
WATER MANAGEMENT
*David Kratochvil is the President and COO of BioteQ
Environmental Technologies, a Vancouver-based water
treatment company that applies innovative technologies
and operating expertise to solve challenging water
treatment problems. BioteQ has been named one of
Canadas Top 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations,
and has received national and international awards for
the sustainability of its processes and operations,
including the Syncrude Award for Excellence in
Sustainable Development, and the PDAC Award for
Environmental and Social Responsibility.
Recent advances have
made sulphide
precipitation and ion
exchange technologies
available in portable
systems, offering
benefits that include
higher water recovery
rates, lower energy
costs, less waste and
the ability to recover
saleable metals from
wastewater
U
sing the same water over and over again
is one way mines conserve water and
manage its emissions. However,
Raymond Philippe, Chile Water Director and
Hubert Fleming, Global Director Water at Hatch,
writing recently in WaterWorld note one of the
major disadvantages of recirculating and
recycling water to be the possible build-up of
contaminants in the water balance. If less fresh
water is used and instead more contaminated
water is being reused, there will be a higher risk
of contaminant retention in the system that may
have various negative chemical effects, such as
corrosion, scale formation, modification of
metallurgical chemistry and so forth. As a result
the mine may start suffering economic
consequences due to less plant availability,
higher maintenance requirements or even less
metallurgical recovery and production.
Although huge savings may be obtained in
water supply requirements, this has to be offset
against possible bleed stream requirements due
to a build-up of contaminants in the process
water circuit to avoid these downsides. This may
especially be the case in mineral processing
systems that consider the use of poor quality
water such as direct seawater or brackish well
water.
They also note that desalinated water is
proving a vital source but with mines in Chile
and Peru, for example, up to 200 km from the
coastline water transport and networks are a
major consideration.
Most of the large number of Latin American
projects will be executed in very challenging
geographical settings, often high up in the
Andes Mountains. It is the search for
sustainable water sources to support both
existing and new mineral processing needs that
will prove even more challenging for these
projects, and others in places like Western
Australia, than electricity supply.
In many places, mines are competing for the
same resources as other users, putting at risk
any long-term project development depending
on the same stretched hydrological resources.
Conversely, and even in semi-arid regions,
during part of the year mining operations may
experience a surplus of water in their
operations. In places like the Andes, wet
seasons or snow and ice melt may enter the
mining operations: mine pits, tailings ponds,
waste dumps and leach pads. As a result, some
of this water may have to be discharged
temporarily to the environment. And,
environmental discharge legislation is becoming
more stringent for mining companies. Peru and
Chile, for example, have implemented some of
the strictest environmental effluent discharge
legislations worldwide, with some critical
parameters required to meet standards even
below potable water, Philippe and Fleming
explain.
In most cases, the use of seawater requires
significant investments of marine structures,
38 International Mining | MARCH 2012
Desalination, more effective
wastewater treatment and reuse:
new ideas and technologies for
water handling. John Chadwick
examines one of the industrys
most critical issues
MWH has developed a
low-energy process to
treat acidic, metal-
laden water at the
Holden mine
Pipeline Length (m)
A
l
t
i
t
u
d
e
(
m
a
s
l
)
Intake
Outfall
Desalination Plant
Water Conveyance System
(Pipeline + Pump Stations)
Mine Area
Electrical Supply
Environment & Community
WATER MANAGEMENT
GE Energy
Power Conversion
ge-energy.com/electrifyingchange
electrifying precision
Converteam is now GE Energys Power Conversion business.
And were at work. In the farthest reaches. Beneath the deepest
earth. Applying our power conversion expertise to help increase
process yield, operational precision, and system reliability.
Working with our mining customers to meet the demands and
opportunities of the new electric age. Were making change
happenelectrifying change.
desalination plants, energy supply systems and
moreover very complex water conveyance
systems. They also note the local political and
economic challenges. These include local
geography, community relations, environmental
impacts, and energy requirements, for the
implementation of large seawater treatment and
conveyance systems. As such, there is a limit to
alternative designs that can be considered for
this type of coastal infrastructure projects. In
order to achieve significant savings in
investment and operational costs, the design of
water supply projects must also involve the
development of an accurate water balance. This
is so that the seawater treatment plants,
pipelines, and pumping stations, are not over
(or under) designed. Project logistics must also
reflect progressive change in the water demand
and may need to consider a modular,
expandable design.
Although the majority of the seawater supply
projects are being identified as seawater
desalination projects, in reality they are a result
of a complex integration of marine works, a
desalination treatment system combined with a
high pressure conveyance pipeline and an
energy transmission project. In practice, mining
companies consider the project as a whole, and
require a complete supply solution. This may
result in a disconnect with the actual market
because of the limited size of the desalination
plant compared to the overall project.
Furthermore, it is not always logical that
desalination OEM providers would manage the
complete project, as they might in more
conventional public sector desalination projects
around the world.
Other important aspects to consider for
design and construction in a mining
environment, besides a required heavy duty
design, are the very demanding quality, health
and safety demands that the mining industry
imposes. These must be reflected both in design
as well as in project execution.
Consequences and costs are sometimes
underestimated by process and equipment
providers and construction companies,
especially when their background experience is
mostly in municipal potable and wastewater
plants. The entire design, specification and
procurement process is unique for the mining
industry.
The high energy demand required for
conveying the water, due to the great distances
and elevations involved, and the availability of
an energy supply source represent a significant
challenge. Hence, a strong focus on
optimisation is crucial to delivering a successful
seawater treatment and conveyance project in
northern Chile, for example. Previous design
experience is fundamental in developing and
delivering successful water supply projects,
considering the large number of issues, various
aspects and interactions encountered during
design that must be taken into account.
They go on to explain that the use of
untreated seawater rather than desalinated
water is generally a trade off between capital
and operating costs. That operating cost must
include the impact of seawater on operations of
the mine as well, including effect on metallurgy
of mine equipment, as well as efficiency of the
mining or beneficiation or ore recovery
processing plant. There is often a substantial
difference in benefits associated with comparing
parameters as metallurgical recovery and even
effective production time due to plant
availability between seawater and desalinated
water.
Direct cost for desalinated seawater supply,
depending on altitude and distance from the
coast, and price of energy, will vary between $1
and $4/m
3
. This cost is evaluated against the
benefits of water to mine production. In the case
of copper mining, desalinated seawater supply
cost may represent 3% to 20% of total direct
operational costs. It's clear to see how water
becomes one of the most impacting
consumables. In addition, with lower quality
metal contents in available mineral resources,
net higher water consumption per pound of
metal produced is required, further driving up
water costs as a percent of total cost of
operations.
South American mines are looking at
strategies to improve water usage, especially
focusing on better water recycling rates.
Processes are being optimised to improve water
return from tailings storage facilities (TSF), to
avoid water losses due to evaporation and
infiltration, and to avoid generation of effluents.
A concentrator with a conventional TSF, for
example, may retain up to 50% more water than
newer developments such as thickened tailings
or paste technology.
Philippe and Fleming stress the risks
associated with water usage optimisation that
must be evaluated, which are not always
understood or even considered when aiming at
low make-up water supply. These risks can only
be quantified through an analysis of both the
quantitative water balance as well as a
qualitative water balance.
Mineral processing sites may use various
feed water qualities, to which reagents are
being added to the process streams, and may
even suffer from geochemical processes like
acid mine drainage generation. As a result,
generally there is imbalance between the water
quantity and quality distributions.
One of the major disadvantages of
recirculating and recycling water is the possible
build-up of contaminants in the water balance. If
less fresh water is used and instead more
contaminated water is being reused, there will
be a higher risk of contaminant retention in the
system that may have various negative chemical
effects, such as corrosion, scale formation,
modification of metallurgical chemistry and so
forth. As a result the mine site may start
suffering economical consequences due to less
plant availability, higher maintenance
requirements or even less metallurgical recovery
and production.
Although huge savings may be obtained in
water supply requirements, this has to be offset
against possible bleed stream requirements due
to a build-up of contaminants in the process
water circuit to avoid these downsides. This may
especially be the case in mineral processing
systems that consider the use of poor quality
water such as direct seawater or brackish well
water.
Last year Kennecott Eagle Minerals awarded
Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies a
40 International Mining | MARCH 2012
WATER MANAGEMENT
mwhgl obal .com
WATER.Proof
W A T E R - R E L A T E D S E R V I C E S :
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
STORAGE
OPTI MI ZATI ON
TREATMENT
Water is fundamental to mining.
The unique and innovative approach
MWH applies to mining-related
issues capitalizes on our advanced
methodologies to solve environmental,
infrastructure and water challenges,
from mine waste management to
water resource management and
treatment. MWH provides solutions to
deliver water where its most needed,
when its most needed.
www.pioneerpump.com
+1 (503) 266 4115
www.pioneerpump.co.uk
+44 (0) 1449 736777
www.pioneerpump.co.za
+27 (0)11 8240085
At Pioneer Pump, we believe in keeping things simple.
You want water out of your mines, we build pumps to
do exactly that.
In fact, we build over four hundred a month, every month,
for our customers around the world.
Simple.
Keeping it simple.
contract for the wastewater treatment plant at
its Eagle mine located in Michigans Upper
Peninsula. This will be the only primary nickel
mine operating in the USA and is expected to
produce some 300 Mlb of nickel and 250 Mlb of
copper over the life of the mine. Kennecott Eagle
Minerals aims to protect the surrounding
environment including groundwater, streams,
rivers and lakes and has teamed up with Veolia
to treat the mine water to meet and exceed
water quality standards set by its mining
permits. Veolias treatment solutions include the
patented OPUS
2H2O)
Arsenic precipitation as sulfides (As2S3)
Adsorption
Coagulation
Ion exchange
Membrane separation
Biological precipitation.
Arsenic precipitation with lime is to date
perhaps the most straightforward and cost-
effective means of removing arsenic from solution.
However, the stability of the generated calcium
arsenite or arsenate sludges is poor. An effective
alternative to lime precipitation is provided by
ferric precipitation (Fe2 (SO4)3), a chemical
process that generates ferric arsenate sludges,
out of which the crystalline scrorodite or ferric
arsenate dihydrate (FeAsO4