TY - JOUR
T1 - Practical Experience of Filtered Tailings Technology in Chile and Peru
T2 - An Environmentally Friendly Solution
AU - Cacciuttolo Vargas, Carlos
AU - Pérez Campomanes, Giovene
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors.
PY - 2022/7
Y1 - 2022/7
N2 - In the last 20 years many mining projects around the world have applied a tailings deposition technology named “dry stacking of filtered tailings” at tailings storage facilities (TSFs). This technique produces an unsaturated cake that allows storing this material without the need to manage large slurry tailings ponds. The application of this technology has accomplished: (i) an increase in tailings water recovery, (ii) a reduction of the TSF footprint (impacted areas), and (iii) a decrease in the risk of physical instability, being TSFs self-supporting structures under compaction (such as dry stacks), and (iv) a better regulator and community perception satisfying the need of stable TSFs. This paper presents the main features, benefits, and advances in filtered tailings technology applied in Chile and Peru with emphasis on: (i) filtering technology evolution over the last decade: description of main equipment, advantages, and disadvantages, (ii) design considerations for main TSF geometrical configurations, tailings transport and placement systems, TSF water management, TSF operational and emergency plans, and TSF progressive closure, (iii) operation experiences at site-specific conditions, (iv) technology acceptance in regulatory frameworks, (v) lessons learned and advances, and (vi) new trends and future developments, considering technical, environmental, regulatory frameworks and cost-effective manners.
AB - In the last 20 years many mining projects around the world have applied a tailings deposition technology named “dry stacking of filtered tailings” at tailings storage facilities (TSFs). This technique produces an unsaturated cake that allows storing this material without the need to manage large slurry tailings ponds. The application of this technology has accomplished: (i) an increase in tailings water recovery, (ii) a reduction of the TSF footprint (impacted areas), and (iii) a decrease in the risk of physical instability, being TSFs self-supporting structures under compaction (such as dry stacks), and (iv) a better regulator and community perception satisfying the need of stable TSFs. This paper presents the main features, benefits, and advances in filtered tailings technology applied in Chile and Peru with emphasis on: (i) filtering technology evolution over the last decade: description of main equipment, advantages, and disadvantages, (ii) design considerations for main TSF geometrical configurations, tailings transport and placement systems, TSF water management, TSF operational and emergency plans, and TSF progressive closure, (iii) operation experiences at site-specific conditions, (iv) technology acceptance in regulatory frameworks, (v) lessons learned and advances, and (vi) new trends and future developments, considering technical, environmental, regulatory frameworks and cost-effective manners.
KW - compaction
KW - filtered tailings
KW - technology performance
KW - water recovery
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85137316867&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/min12070889
DO - 10.3390/min12070889
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85137316867
SN - 2075-163X
VL - 12
JO - Minerals
JF - Minerals
IS - 7
M1 - 889
ER -