Dr. Michel Aubertin continues his keynote presentation at the Tailings and Mine Waste conference by completing his description of the hydrology and hydraulic conductivities of rock waste piles (the impact of inclining compacted layers). He describes what "diversion length" means in getting infiltration water directed to the non-reactive material at the edge of the waste rock pile.
Benches and exposed terraces are the new concepts being explored. Cemented paste backfill (returning waste rock and tailings to underground mines) is discussed, as well as the effect of the filling rate.
Aubertin explains: oxidation of tailings has shown that reactive tailings can be used as backfill; the geotechnical behaviour of sludges in impoundments has been described. He also discusses a variety of work on covers on top of tailings to prevent oxidation of reactive tailings (to eliminate acid mine drainage). He discusses the submerged water table model for long term storage of reactive tailings versus water cap tailings ponds and summarizes the projects ongoing at RIME.
Dr. Aubertin's keynote presentation was a part of the Tailings and Mine Waste conference in Banff, Alberta on November 5, 2013.
View Part 1 here.
