Al Hyndman is the Principal Consultant at Magnus Limited. He discusses the ways in which fluid in fine tailings can be reduced and reviews COSIA's study to enhance the viewer's understanding of processes influencing beach fines capture.
COSIA's study reviewed relevant case records to define fines capture rates or fines storage per unit volume of beach in existing facilities. The goal of this study was to improve understanding of processes controlling beach fines capture.
It was determined that fines capture ranges from 60-80% for current tailings ponds -- with the highest capture being in the mature fine tailings (MFT) zone. Hyndman discusses grain size distribution and the huge economic incentive to increase the capture rate in other portions of the beaches, and ways to go about doing it, including adding MFT to coarse tailings. It is determined that fines capture in cells and beaches can be increased, and the spiking limits need to be established for cell and beach contruction for different cell and beach rise rates.
Hyndman's presentation was part of the Tailings and Mine Wastes Conference, Nov. 3-6, 2013 in Banff Alberta.
