Lima Geol Soc 130519

The Role of Geochemistry in the Mine-Life Cycle
SRK (UK): Rob Bowell
© SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd 2011. All rights reserved.

Introduction
•Why geochemistry?
–Quantify concentration of target
elements
–Identify anomalous
concentrations of associated
elements to the target
–Determine control chemical
characteristics have on physical
properties
–Trouble shoot problems before
or as they occur
–Modify mine plan/process or
review regulatory procedures
•Where does this fit in?
–Exploration
–Mine development
–Mine operation
–Closure & Reclamation
Defining Anomalies
Traditional approach – satellite spotting
Multivariate distance
Probability function
Objective – detect samples whose geochemistry appears “anomalous”

Terrane models: Chalcophile corridor
• Chalcophile corridor
– “Existence of regional
geochemical trends of
chalcophile and
associated elements”
Smith et al., 1989
• Several exist in north
central Nevada
– Carlin trend
– Battle Mountain
– Getchell
– Independence district
– Bald Mountain
Theodore et al. 2003
Optimum for
Lag samples Regional scale Local scale
1km
5km
Pisoliths from
Fe-cemented sediments
Significant distribution variation

between regolith type  avoid mixing
Pisoliths from
lateritic residuum Butt et al 2009
Bedrock mineralization
Hydromorphic/ Pedogenic dispersion

Hydrogeochemical exploration
Macro-hydrogeochemistry
45000
50000
55000
60000
65000
70000
75000
80000
North Pit
-65000 Ca-Na-HCO3 -65000
Summer Camp North Hansen Main Pit

Pit Creek Pit
Ca-Na-SO4-HCO3 Mixed type S0 4>HC03
Hansen
Creek
Pit Turquoise
Turquoise
Ridge Shaft
Ridge Pit
Ca-Na-HCO3
-70000 K-Na-Cl Valmy Pit -70000
Mixed type HC0 3 >S04

Cl>SO4+HC03 Mill Facility
Heap Leach
Area
Tailings
-75000 Impoundment -75000
Ca Old
-N
a Tailings
-S
O4
Mixed Domain
-80000 Na-Ca-CO 3-SO4 -80000
KEY
Ca-Na-Cl-(HC03)
Alluvium groundwater Ca-Na-HCO3
Bedrock groundwater
Ca-Na-HCO3
Ca-Na-HCO3
May 1999 PROJ. No: U710 GETCHELL
Potential Background Groundwater Regimes, USGS Database Fig. 3.3

Partial or Selective Extractions
Increasing age of mineral phase in regolith
Less transitory metal contents
Adsorbed Mn-oxides
Soluble Cryst. Resistate
& Exch. Carbonates & Silicates
phases Fe-oxides minerals
species am. Fe-ox.
Organics
Water
MMI
Guinness
Ammonium acetate
Na-pyro / H2O2
Acetate + HOAc
Enzyme Leach / H2O2
Weak acidified NH2OH
EDTA / H+
Pisco
Strong acidified NH2OH
HCl
Aqua regia
Mixed acids
HF / fusion
(based on Gray, 1999)

Geochemical baseline
• Assessment of pre-mining
conditions
• Establish realistic monitoring
targets
• Establish closure goals on baseline
values
• Sediment & water quality
Summary of risk reactor pathways
Source Pathway Receptor
Acid generating Flushing of acid generating Surface water
minerals minerals during rainfall through Groundwater
vadose zone Sediments
Transport of contaminants by Domestic water supply wells
groundwater flow Make-up water supply
Cyanide useage Spill or release of cyanide and Surface water
during mineral migration into vadose zone Groundwater
processing Aquatic species
Contaminant transport in Domestic water supply wells
groundwater Make-up water supply
Mercury Spill or release and migration Surface water
contamination into vadose zone Groundwater
from artisan Aquatic specie
mining Contaminant transport in Domestic water supply wells
groundwater Make-up water supply

Sublimation of mercury during Direct inhalation of fumes
gold refining Dust deposition on flora
Mining geochemistry issues
•Material strength- presence of clays,
reactive minerals
•Pyrite oxidation- fires in shale/coal
•Ore dilution
–Lower grade
–Presence of smelter penalty
elements
•Water management
–Especially with ISR
•Environmental limitations
•Objectives
– Improve efficiency of mining &
processing
– potential water quality issues
– sensitivities in prediction
– sensitivity in the receiving
environment
– potential mitigation measures
Cerrejon coal, Colombia
•Pyrite oxidation in interburden

•Highly pyritic zones in both
burning & non-burning areas
•Loss of 70k+ tonnes of coal pa
•Pyrite oxidation in inter-burden
•Fine grained, porous pyrite
•Rapid kinetics- oxidation
•Exothermic reaction
•Impact on water quality- sulfate,
metals
•Not acceptable but;
–Can it be solved?
–Can it be predicted?
Thermograph- identify hot spots
5 2
5 0
4 5
4 0
3 6
Base 3. Thermograph
ambient temp. 29oC
Relative Humidity 60%
Explanation
•Identify source components
•Identify susceptible seams
and interburden
•Alter mining schedule
–Reduce exposure time
–Reduce oxidation
Heat from oxidation
–Preserve coal Oxygen diffuses reaction burns carbon
•Net benefit- environmental along fractures
& economic
Pyrite
Fluid flow- water

Carbon in shale
Antamina, Peru
• Open Pit
– Copper, zinc skarn
deposit
– 500 x 106 t ore
– 1.3 x 109 t waste rock
– 22 yr mine life @70,000
tpd
• Products
– Copper Concentrate
– Zinc Concentrate
– Molybdenum
Concentrate
Waste Rock Characterization
• Visual classification is confirmed
• Visual approach is conservative
• Timely geochemistry analyses may modify
– “Reactive” A
• skarn, green hornfels, & intrusive with sulfide,
• >700 ppm Zn, > 2% sulfide
– “Slightly reactive” B
• mixture of A & C, analyses might show more C
– “Non-reactive” C
• <200 ppm Zn, <2% sulfide
• Tr-2% Py & Po, minor iron oxide staining
Peak Rock Handling
• Peak Rock Handling

– A: Reactive CLASS”C”
• Drainage management
planned – East Dump
– B: Slightly reactive/needs
testing
• Drainage can be
CLASS”A”
controlled – roads,
foundations in tailings
basin
– C: Non-reactive
• Tailings dam
construction
Case Study: Paste backfill
• Underground mine fill

• High acid generation potential
• Highly reactive rocks
• Corrosive to conventional cement
• Rapid mix-key (less time for
oxygen/water reaction)
• Develop understanding of
geochemical stability in order to
determine physical stability
• Develop site specific assessment
protocols
Geochemical classification of paste materials

Emperor mine, Fiji
•Caldera associated epithermal

Au-Ag-Te & porphyry Cu
mineralization
•Pumping of groundwater as
part of dewatering scheme
•Hot, saline groundwater
(>70oC; 1600 mg/L)
•High SO4 & F
•Trace elements also present in
water
Geochemical tracers in Water Management

In Situ Recovery: Geochemical Mining
• In-Situ Leaching of
commodity
• Pump loaded
groundwater to recovery
plant
• Potash, Salt, Uranium &
Copper
• Possibly Gold? Possibly
Nickel?
Geochemical Resource Evaluation
Predicted Percent of Uranium Recovery in Time

100 as Function of Productivity
90
80
70
Uranium Recovery (%)
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10111213141516171819202122232425
Time (years)
P=2kg/m2 P=4kg/m2 P=8kg/m2
Geometallurgy
• Ore deposits, close to surface
• Oxide zone mined
• High grades
• Easy to process
– Visible ore minerals
– Coarse grain size
• No longer the case
– Complex ores
– Deeper ores
– Remote location
Precious metals as trace elements
• Many elements of interest in mineral
processing occur as trace components
• Identifying the mineral hosts critical to
improving recovery or minimising
impacts
• Move from diagnostic leaching to in-
situ investigation
• Several analytical methods for in-situ
trace element analysis
• Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled
Plasma Mass Spectrometry is one of
these methods
Gold-rich rim, arsenian pyrite
Chemistry of zoning in arsenian pyrite

A B
1000000
100000
Concentration, ppm
10000
74As
1000 57Fe
197Au
100
10
1
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Distance, in microns
Environmental Geochemistry
•Impacts to air – smelter
emissions, spray from heap,
dust, mineral particles e.g.
quartz, asbestos
•Impacts to water –
acid/alkaline, metals,
metalloids, salts
•Impacts to soil –
metals/metalloids/oil
•Social and political – product
of above, generates poor

perception “bad neighbour
principle”
of tailings seepage
Source-Pathway-Receptor model
Assessment of Water Clean-up
• Determine geochemical
characteristics of water
• Determine health risk
• Utilize geochemical
modelling to predict long
term trends
• Define chemical
reactions required to
meet Water
Quality/Health
Requirments
Summary Role of Geochemistry in Mine-Life Cycle
•Information collection
–Sampling
–Data analysis
–Is it real?
–Is it representative?
•Information analysis
–Interpretation
–Implication
•Application
–Locate buried mineralization
–Identify subtle indicators of
mineralization where it is not
obvious
–Financial- economic value eg
NI 43-101
–Environmental due diligence
–Predict “fatal flaws”
–Risk analysis
Future role for Geochemistry
• Exploration
– Deeper ores
– Buried mineralization
– New commodities- He, Sc, Ga, Ge,
Li, Rb, V……….
• Mining/Metallurgy
– Lower grades
– Complex materials
– Refractory ores
• Environment
– More problematic elements
– More complex waste

– Stringent regulations
– Social issues

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The Role of Geochemistry in the Mine-Life Cycle

SRK (UK): Rob Bowell

© SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd 2011. All rights reserved.

Objective – detect samples whose geochemistry appears “anomalous”

Significant distribution variation

Hydromorphic/ Pedogenic dispersion

-65000 Ca-Na-HCO3 -65000

Summer Camp North Hansen Main Pit

Mixed type HC0 3 >S04

May 1999 PROJ. No: U710 GETCHELL

Potential Background Groundwater Regimes, USGS Database Fig. 3.3

Enzyme Leach / H2O2

Weak acidified NH2OH

Strong acidified NH2OH

(based on Gray, 1999)

groundwater Make-up water supply

•Pyrite oxidation in interburden

Fluid flow- water

• Peak Rock Handling

• Underground mine fill

Geochemical classification of paste materials

•Caldera associated epithermal

Geochemical tracers in Water Management

Predicted Percent of Uranium Recovery in Time

Chemistry of zoning in arsenian pyrite

of above, generates poor

– More complex waste

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