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ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL

CRITERIA IN THE SELECTION OF A
TAILINGS DAM
SUBJECT
:
MINERAL ECONOMICS AND VALUATION OF MINES.

PROFESSOR :
ROBERTO MALDONADO ASTORGA

MEMBERS:

GIANFRANCO LPEZ REQUELME

HUGO DEUDOR BENAVENTE
JEAN CRUZ RIVAS
RENZO TEJADA HERRERA
RONALD ROJAS GUERRERO
VICTOR JUAREZ RACCHUMI

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INDEX:
I. OBJECTIVES
II. INTRODUCTION
III. MATRIX
IV. APPLICATION
V. DISPOSAL METHOD SELECTION
VI. CONCLUSIONS
VII.BIBLIOGRAPHY

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I. OBJECTIVES
GENERAL:
To develop a methodology for selecting the best option
of a tailings dam.
SPECIFICS:
Using a decision matrix in the selection of Tailing Pond
with technical and economic criteria.
Show the most important scaling parameters to be
taken into account in a tailings pond.
Allow tailings ponds are friendly to the environment.

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II.
INTRODUCTIO
TAILINGS POND
N

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III. DECISION MATRIX

minimize
the
negative
public
perception
22%

To
minimize
transporta
tion costs
tailings
site - 18%

Maximize
the stability
of the
deposit 22%

DECISION
MATRIX

Minimize
infiltration
to
groundwate
r 5%

Minimize
the volume
of wall
fillings 18%

Optimizing
the use of
the
tributary
basin
15%

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MAXIMIZE THE STABILITY OF THE DEPOSIT

Stability
against
liquefaction

Stability
against
overflow

ANALYSIS
OF
STABILITY
OF
STRUCTUR
E

Stability
against
internal
erosion

-2

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MINIMIZE THE VOLUME OF WALL FILLINGS - 1

Important criteria to ensure the economic feasibility
of the disposal system.

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PTIMIZING THE USE OF THE TRIBUTARY BASIN

Increase operating
costs

Increase in capital

WE
SHOULD

Environmental
management.

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MINIMIZE INFILTRATION TO GROUNDWATER

EFFEC
TS

Ground water
pollution.

Biodiversity
damage.

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TO MINIMIZE TRANSPORTATION
COSTS TAILINGS SITE - 18%
Tailings volume to
transport

KEY
PARAMETE
RS

Process plant to
tailings dam
distance

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MINIMIZE THE NEGATIVE PUBLIC

PERCEPTION
22%
Main criteria dueto
the current sensitivity and
the negative predisposition of the population to
deposits Tailings.

Sinaycocha Tailings Ponds

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IV.
APPLICATION
Name of the project : UNI 2016
Surface mining operation producing
copper
Daily production of tailings : 80000
tons.
Life of mine (LOM): 20 years
Production of tailings : 400 Mm3

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SITES IDENTIFICATION

UNI 2016 MINE

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PRELIMINARY SELECTION
STAGE

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PRE - SELECTED SITES

SITE

VOLUME OF DAM
(Mm3)

DAM HEIGHT (m)

LENGTH OF DAM
(m)

440

15

2200

407

200

1670

445

220

1245

416

130

953

402

120

2225

9b

424

210

1174

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EVALUATION SUMMARY FOR TAILINGS

DISPOSAL SITES
QUALIFICATIONS AND RANKING CONVENTIONAL DISPOSAL CAS
MINIMIZE
MINIMIZE
MINIMIZE
MINIMIZE WATER
CONVEYA
MINIMIZE
NEGATIVE
DAM
MANAGE
WEIGHTE
NC E
SEEPAGE
RANKING
PERCEPTI
VOLUME
MENT
D SCORE
COST
(5%)
ON (22%)
(18%
COSTS
(18%)
(15%)

SITE

IMPOUND
MENT
STABILITY
(22%)

2.78

2.96

3.63

2.79

2.55

9b

2.85

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SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS: LOCATION OF

PLANT NON-RELEVANT FOR TAILINGS
IMPOUNDMENT LOCATION
QUALIFICATIONS AND RANKING CONVENTIONAL DISPOSAL WITHOUT CONVEYANCE
COST

Site

Minimize
Impound Minimize Minimize Minimize water
Minimize
ment
negative conveyan
dam
manage
Weighted
seepage
Ranking
Stability perceptio c e cost volume
ment
Score
(6%)
(27%)
n (27%)
(0 %)
(22 %
costs
(18%)

2.73

2.73

3.11

2.96

2.89

9b

3.04

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SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS: INCREASING

RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF THE PERMITS
QUALIFICATION
AND RANKING
CONVENTIONAL DISPOSAL
WITH MORE IMPORTANCE
AND
REGULATORY
ASPECTS
TO REGULATORY ASPECTS

Minimize
Minimize Minimize Minimize water
Minimize
negative conveyan
dam
manage
Weighted
seepage
Ranking
perceptio c e cost volume (5 ment
Score
(23%)
n (22%)
(5 %)
%
costs (23
%)

Site

Impound
ment
Stability
(22%)

2.78

2.83

3.50

3.18

2.50

9b

2.72

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SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS: SENSITIVITY:

INCREASING RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF
COSTS
QUALIFICATIONS AND RANKING
CONVENTIONAL DISPOSAL WITH MORE
IMPORTANCE TO COSTS

Site

Minimize
Impound Minimize Minimize Minimize water
Minimize
ment
negative conveyan dam
manage
Weighted
seepage
Ranking
Stability perceptio c e cost volume
ment
Score
(5%)
(20%)
n (20%)
(25%)
(25 %
costs (5
%)

2.80

3.05

3.50

2.80

2.50

9b

2.70

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V. DISPOSAL METHOD SELECTION:

CONVENTIONAL OR THICKENED
Advantages of the thickened tailings
method:
Greater water recovery in the thickeners,
which in the case for site 4,would be located
relatively close to the concentrator.
Lower tailings water seepage into the
subsurface water tables.
Lower closure costs of the tailings facility.

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DISPOSAL METHOD SELECTION:

CONVENTIONAL OR THICKENED
Disadvantages of the thickened tailings
method:
The operational costs of a thickened
tailings impoundment are relatively high.
The technologies for tailings thickening
and conveyance for concentrations greater
than 65% and with production rates of 80
ktpd are relatively new and have not been
proven.

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VI.
CONCLUSIONS

The main tool used for choosing

the tailings dam was the decision
matrix.
Applying the decision matrix, you
can know that the most suitable
alternative to deposit tailings is
the site 4.
Choosing a tailings deposit must
be
done
from
a
technical,

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VII.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Servicio Nacional de Geologa y Minera.

(2003).CONSTRUCCIN Y OPERACIN DE
TRANQUES DE RELAVES. [online] Available
at:
http://www.sernageomin.cl/pdf/mineria/ambi
ente/construccion_operacion_tranques.pdf
[Accessed 10 Jun. 2016].
Corts Corts, J. and Dunstan Silva., J.
(2008).MODELO DE AUDITORA AMBIENTAL
PARA TRANQUES DE RELAVE. [online]
Available
at:
http://www1.gorecoquimbo.gob.cl/tesis/desc
arga/2007/Modelo%20de%20auditoria.pdf

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THANKS FOR
YOUR
ATTENTION !!!