Assessing the impacts of uncertain future closure costs when evaluating strategies for tailings management

Carneiro, Aida; Fourie, Andy

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119173

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Sensitivity analysis of inputs related to mine closure had the least effect on ST, which could be an asset worth considering in feasibility and planning stages for new mines. 41…”

Section: Dewatered Tailingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over the life of a hypothetical 40 000 t/d TSF, the ST facility showed a linear cost increase, and a thickened tailings facility showed step costs associated with introducing new cells to accommodate increased volumes as processing continued (Figure ). Sensitivity analysis of inputs related to mine closure had the least effect on ST, which could be an asset worth considering in feasibility and planning stages for new mines …”

Section: Dewatered Tailingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dewatered and Stacked Mine Tailings: A Review

et al. 2022

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Tailings storage is a prescient issue in mining, representing a visible and destructive liability. Dewatering tailings to a paste-like consistency is a popular option to reduce tailings volumes and increase dam safety, but dewatering further to a bulk cake consistency has mostly been reserved for small operations in locations where seismicity or terrain prohibited the construction of dams. The recent high-profile failures of tailings dams such at Fundão and Brumadinho facilities along with the push toward socially conscious investing have generated renewed and urgent interest in tailings dewatering, including stacked (“filtered” or “dry-stack”) tailings. While geochemistry and civil engineering topics relating to tailings in general are both extensively studied, very little academic literature is available specifically on stacked tailings, with discussion mostly confined to conference articles or extrapolation about the behavior of dewatered tailings. Furthermore, the nomenclature around and definition of this method of tailings storage is inconsistent, which can make researching the topic unnecessarily tedious and confusing and, in the worst case, can open the door to intentional misrepresentation of a tailings storage facility’s safety as this is a technology still being scaled up. In this article, the term stacked tailings (ST) is introduced to describe what has been otherwise called filtered tailings or dry-stack(ed) tailings to remedy the inaccuracies with the two existing names and gather the existing literature in one place. Topics covered include the existing definitions of dewatered and stacked tailings; opportunities and barriers to adoption; and construction and general operation for such tailings storage facilities. These are supplemented by an overview of literature in geotechnical and geochemical topics relevant to tailings dewatering (ex. clays) and tailings storage facilities. Emerging dewatering technologies and innovations which might be useful in the scaling up of the technology are also discussed. The aim is to provide a thorough background on the topic for a general audience, outline gaps in the literature, and encourage further exploration of stacked tailings and tailings cake by furnishing a comprehensive list of sources. Stacked tailings are discussed in a rigorous way to make the topic a more approachable way to encourage standardization and adoption, scale up, and the development of associated technologies.

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“…Sensitivity analysis of inputs related to mine closure had the least effect on ST, which could be an asset worth considering in feasibility and planning stages for new mines. 41…”

Section: Dewatered Tailingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Dewatered Tailingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dewatered and Stacked Mine Tailings: A Review

et al. 2022

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“…It is also important to note that only capital and operational costs were included in the analyses. Closure costs, albeit very important to be considered in the evaluation of tailings management options and which can ultimately affect the finances of a TSF project (Carneiro & Fourie 2020), have been excluded from the discussion presented in this paper.…”

Section: Overview Of the Tsfs Operated By Rio Tinto Iron Orementioning

confidence: 99%

The benefits of integrating long-term tailings and mine plans

Coffey¹,

Plunkett²,

Carneiro³

2021

Paste 2021: 24th International Conference on Paste, Thickened and Filtered Tailings

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Tailings management plays a significant role in the overall risk profile of mining operations, and there are significant measurable financial, reputational and sustainability benefits associated with achieving leading practice that effectively reduces the risks related to tailings storage facilities (TSFs). Recent TSF failure investigation reports and other literature have emphasised the need to consider innovative means for tailings management to facilitate a reduction of risk, but it appears likely that improved safety performance of TSFs will not only be achieved through advances in design methods, but also in selection of storage options that seek to reduce the consequence of facility failure. To this end, strategic planning in which large horizons of time and varying inter-dependencies of the components that make up the tailings operation are considered is essential. While this is widely acknowledged, there are limited published examples of how mining companies apply strategic planning considering whole-of-life comparisons linking the integration of TSFs embedded within the mine plan. This paper presents a set of case studies where significant benefits have been or are being realised through the integration of long-term tailings and mine planning functions at Rio Tinto Iron Ore mine sites. This has been made possible through the ongoing update of a tailings management plan which includes key inputs from a multi-disciplinary team. It is suggested that the discussion and data presented in this paper will serve to demonstrate that reducing risk, and even costs, is often possible in parallel through strong planning and integration with other disciplines.

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“…The tailings' composition depends on the nature of the processed ores and the separation techniques adopted [5][6][7][8]. Typically, tailings are in the form of fine gangue particles ranging from 1 to 600 µm in size and mixed with process water and (sometimes) chemical reagents [9][10][11]. These are discharged as slurries into lagoons or tailings ponds at the mine site to permit the gravity separation of wastewater from solids.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Potential Re-Use of Saudi Mine Tailings in Mine Backfill: A Path towards Sustainable Mining in Saudi Arabia

et al. 2021

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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia covers an area of approximately 2 million km2 and is rich in natural resources that are necessary for industrial development. The estimated mineral wealth beneath the Kingdom’s soil is approximately USD 1.33 trillion, as reported by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. The Kingdom’s vision for 2030 is to develop the mining sector to become the third pillar of the domestic economy. Therefore, exploration and mining activities are expected to accelerate over the next decade, which will lead to increased waste production. New executive regulations issued in January 2021 contain several sustainable elements related to the environment, social responsibility, and occupational health and safety. Therefore, this study aims to promote an example of sustainable mining activities in the Kingdom that could be adapted to meet the regulatory requirements. Cemented paste backfill samples of varying composition were made with waste materials from a Saudi copper mine for re-injection into underground mining cavities to minimize waste exposure to the environment. The samples were tested for unconfined compressive strength (UCS) after 7, 14, 28, 56, and 90 days of curing. Results from a statistically designed experiment technique show that the samples developed sufficient strength to be used in mine backfilling applications. Strong negative relationships were detected between the UCS and the water-to-binder ratio. There is strong potential for mine backfill technology to be applied to a wide range of Saudi Arabian mines to enhance the sustainability of the mining sector.

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Assessing the impacts of uncertain future closure costs when evaluating strategies for tailings management

Cited by 14 publications

References 21 publications

Dewatered and Stacked Mine Tailings: A Review

Dewatered and Stacked Mine Tailings: A Review

The benefits of integrating long-term tailings and mine plans

The Potential Re-Use of Saudi Mine Tailings in Mine Backfill: A Path towards Sustainable Mining in Saudi Arabia

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