Designconsiderationsfor

geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) in

geosyntheticclayliners(GCLs)in
heapleachpadlinersystems
p
p
y
C.Athanassopoulos,PE
CETCO,USA
,
M.Smith,PE
RRDInternationalCorp,USA

September25,2013

Liner Applications in Heap Leaching

LinerApplicationsinHeapLeaching
Geomembraneshaveaproventrackrecord,butarevulnerable
topuncturedamage
InHeapLeachPads,puncturesserveasopenpathwaysforloss
ofPregnantLeachSolution(PLS):
SmithandWelkner (1995)estimatedlinerleakageratesranging
from5to10,000L/ha/day
ThielandSmith(2003)reportedupto2,000L/ha/dayforone
valleyfillwithhighheads

Liner Applications in Heap Leaching

LinerApplicationsinHeapLeaching
ToreduceleakagethroughdefectstheGMcanbeplacedoveralow
permeability soil as part of a composite linersystem:
permeabilitysoil,aspartofacomposite
liner system:
Compactedclaywithk=106 cm/sor107 cm/s;OR
Geosyntheticclayliners(GCLs),sodiumbentonitebasedlinerswithk
y
y
(
)
=5x109 cm/s
Claycomponentwillplugdefectsorpuncturesinthe
geomembrane,reducingoverallleakage

Low Permeability Subgrade

LowPermeabilitySubgrade

Smallerwettedarea,limitsPLSfromspreadingout
l
laterally.
ll

High Permeability Subgrade

HighPermeabilitySubgrade

Landfill Liner Leakage Rates

LandfillLinerLeakageRates

Source: Bonaparte, Daniel, and Koerner. (2002) Assessment and Recommendations for Optimal
Performance of Waste Containment Systems, EPA/600/R-02/099. USEPA, ORD, Cincinnati, OH

NOT like Landfills

NOTlikeLandfills
Scaleofoperationsisawesome:
Final heap heights as high as 00 m
Finalheapheightsashighas200m
Resultinginenormousnormalstresses(upto3500kPa)
Steepslopes1.4H:1V,approx.36
Combinationofhighnormalstresses,overstressingofGM
nexttopipes,largeangularrockinoverlinerandsubgrade,
hightemperatures,andaggressiveleachingsolutions
Pushesthelimitsoflinermaterials
Requiresspecialdesignconsiderations

HeapLeachPadTechnical
Considerations
GCLChemicalCompatibilitywith
GCL
Chemical Compatibility with
MineLiquids(includingpHeffects)
GeomembraneandGCLPuncture
Performance
GCLShearStrengthandSlope
Stability

GCL Chemical Compatibility

GCLChemicalCompatibility
ASTMD6766,StandardTestMethodfor
E l ti
EvaluationofHydraulicPropertiesof
f H d li P
ti
f
GCLsPermeatedwithPotentially
IncompatibleFluids
ModifiedversionofD5887andD5084
(shoppressandfixedwallpermeameter)
Termination criteria for chemical
Terminationcriteriaforchemical
equilibrium:
E.C.In E.C.Out
pHIn pHOut

GCL Permeability with Gold/Silver PLS

GCLPermeabilitywithGold/SilverPLS

Perm
meability (cm/sec))

1E-7

1E-8

GoldPLS
NaCN =600ppm
600 ppm
pH=10to11
K<109 cm/s

1E-9

1E-10
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Confining Pre ssure (psi)

Source: CETCO TR-105 (Dec, 2000).

CETCO (2000), Bentomat Compatibility Testing with Dilute Sodium Cyanide, Technical
Reference TR-105

Compatibility with extremepH

Compatibilitywithextreme
pHLiquids
Liquids
Bentonitecanhandlea
widepHrange3 12
Strongacidattacksthe
clayorconvertsitto
l
t it t
nonswellingform
Metalsaremore
solubleatlowpH

Jo, H
Jo
H.Y.,
Y Katsumi
Katsumi, K
K., Benson
Benson, C
C.H.,
H and TT. Edil (2001),
(2001) Hydraulic
Hydraulic Conductivity and Swelling of Nonprehydrated
GCLs Permeated with Single-Species Salt Solutions, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering,
127 (7): 557-567.

GCLPermeabilitywithCopperPLS
y
pp
p
pH=1.7
ElectricalConductivity=
37,000uS/cm
Aluminum
Aluminum =5,044ppm
5,044 ppm
Calcium=262ppm
Copper=800ppm
Iron=1,788ppm
I
1 788
Magnesium=498ppm
Zinc=198ppm

Source: Athanassopoulos et al (2009).

BentonitePolymer Alloys
BentonitePolymerAlloys

RecenttestswithUraniummill
tailingssolution(pH<2)showK<
109cm/satchemicalequilibrium
R&Dworkcontinues:
Expandtestingtoincludeother
acidic mining leachates
acidicminingleachates
Testatelevatedtemperaturesto
betterunderstandlongevity

1.00E-04

1.00E-05

Hydraulic Conductivity, cm/s

Newclaypolymer
nanocompositeswithimproved
tolerancetolowpH,highionic
strengthsolutionshavebeen
developed

1.00E-06

1.00E-07
1.00E
07

1.00E-08

1.00E-09

1.00E-10
0.0

100.0

200.0

300.0

400.0

500.0

Elapsed Time, hours

600.0

700.0

800.0

HighLoadStaticPuncture
Testing
16staticpuncturetests,atloadsof:
1300kPa
2580kPa
3450kPa
3450 kPa
5170kPa

FS =1.5fororeheightsof:
FS
1 5 for ore heights of:
45m
90m
120m
180m
Source: Athanassopoulos et al (2009)

BenefitofGCLUnderneathGM(5172kPa,or180m)

GMalone
8.5%typicalstrain
25.7%peakstrain
3
3punctures

GM/GCL
1.6%typicalstrain
3.0%peakstrain
0
0punctures

BenefitofGCLunderGM:
Deformation Measurements
DeformationMeasurements

GeomembraneDamageduringShearing
Constructionloading,ore
placement,seismicforces,or
settlementcancauseshear
displacement
TestingatUCSanDiegofoundGM
is vulnerable to shearinduced
isvulnerabletoshearinduced
puncturedamageathighnormal
stress
IncludingaGCLbetweenthe
I l di
GCL b t
th
geomembraneandthesubgrade
soilcanessentiallyeliminatesuch
d
damage,evenatnormalstressesas
t
l t
highas4144kPa(150moforewith
FS=1.5)

Athanassopoulos et al (2012). Shear-Induced

Geomembrane Damage due to Gravel in the
Underlying Compacted Clay Liner.
Liner
GeoAmericas 2012.

DirectShearTestingofGeomembrane/GCL
SheardeviceatUniversityof
CaliforniaSan
California
SanDiego
Diego
Testchamber=152x1067mm
Maxnormalstress=4,144kPa
Doublenonwoven,
needlepunchreinforcedGCL
testedagainstBlownfilm
coextrudedtexturedGM

Source: Athanassopoulos, Fox, and Thielmann (2012), EuroGeo5

Sand
(Subgrade)

GCL

HDPE
Geomembrane

Gravel
(Overliner)

GM/GCLInterfaceatUltrahighloads(4,145kPa)

ShearrStrength, p or LD (kPa))

2000
Peakfrom2013study
LDfrom2013study 200mm
Peakfrom2009study
LDfrom2009study 75mm

1500

20o

1000

15o
17o

23o
24

500
22

21

13o

0
0

9o
500

20o

19o

5o

8o
1000

7o

10o

12o

1500

2000

2500

3000

5o

3500

4000

4500

NormalStress, n (kPa)
Thielmann et al (2013);
Athanassopoulos et al (2009)

ApplicableStressRanges

n,1

f,1

n,2
n2

f,2

Liner System

f,2
c2,
f,1

c1,1
n,1

n,2

LowLDfrictionangleswilloccurunderthedeepestpartoftheheap.Therewillbemuchhigher
fi i
frictionanglesinthecriticalstabilityzonetowardsthetoe,andthereforegreaterresistanceto
l i h
i i l bili

d h
d h f
i
sliding.

BreitenbachandSwan(1999)
(
)

IncreasedShearStrength(~5degrees)duetoGM
DimplingunderHighNormalStress

ImprovingHeapLeachPadStability
SpeedBumps

Source:BreitenbachandAthanassopoulos(2013)

Source: Comanco

Example stability berm configuration from a heap leach pad liner project
Examplestabilitybermconfigurationfromaheapleachpadlinerproject.

ImprovingHeapLeachPadStability
p
g
p
y
StairStepberms

Source:BreitenbachandAthanassopoulos(2013)

Source: Allan Breitenbach

Source:AllanBreitenbach

Stairsteppatternonbackslope.
Stair
step patternDependingonlocalterrain,incorporatingnaturalundulationsof
on back slope
sitesubgradeintogradingplanmayreducecost.

HLPFeasibilityStudy Example
GM/compacted
soil

GM/GCL

Leakage (L/ha/day)
Leakage(L/ha/day)

1 929
1,929

203

CopperinPLS(ppm)

3,000

3,000

Copperlostduetoleakage
Copper
lost due to leakage
(kg/ha/yr)

2 113
2,113

222

Copperprice(Sept2013)($/kg)
pp p
p
g

$7.06

$7.06

$14,910

$1,590

Costofcopperlost($/ha/yr)
Gain in Revenue ($/ha/yr)
GaininRevenue($/ha/yr)

BenefitCostRatio(PV,i =10%,n=15years,
claycost=$4.30/m2,GCLcost=$5.90/m2)

$13,340
6.3

GCLsinHeapLeachPads
p
Summaryy
ChemicalCompatibility.GCLsarecompatibility
withCNleachsolutions.GCLpermeabilitycanbe
affectedbylowpHsulfuricacidleachsolutions;
however,increasednormalstressmitigatesthese
effects.
PunctureProtection.GCLscancushion
geomembrane from stones in both the overliner
geomembranefromstonesinboththeoverliner
andsubgrade.
ShearStrengthandSlopeStability. GM/GCL
g p
g ,
interfaceshavehighpeakstrengths,but
potentiallylowLDstrengths.However,
incorporatingnonplanarfeaturesinthesubgrade
(e.g.,speedbumps)canimprovestability,evenin
worstcase
worst
caseconditions(7degrees)
conditions (7 degrees)
FeasibilityStudy.ImprovedPLScontainment
providedbyGCLoverlifeofprojectwilloftenmore
thanoffsettheinitialcostofGCL.

Thankyou
Q ti ?
Questions?
C.Athanassopoulos,PE
CETCO,USA
catha@cetco.com
M.Smith,PE
RRDInternationalCorp,USA
p
mark.smith@rrdintlcorp.com