SAIMM Tailings Presentation

Dewatering Tailings for Dry Stacking:

Rapid Water Recovery by Means of Centrifuges

Presented by

Nils Schwarz
Schwarz Global Consulting
Introduction
 Mine tailings – typically mud-like material
 Disposal presents a major environmental issue
 Tailings containment facilities among world’s largest man made structures
Tailings Dam Evaporation
Gravity Liquid
Recovered
Water Dam
Solids
Tailings
Drainage
Introduction (contd)
 There is a shift towards “dry-stack” tailings disposal, especially where:
 Water is scarce
 Earthquakes are frequent
 Space is limited
 Environmental concerns preclude wet tailings disposal
 In “dry-stack” solids are dewatered and deposited in lined pits – similar
to modern, sealed landfill
 Takes up less space
 No risk of dam rupture.
 Initial costs are higher
 Tailings must be dewatered
 Solids transported by truck or conveyor
 Deposition of solids adds logistical complexity and cost
 Used where:
 Wet tailings disposal is not an option
 Process water recovery is desirable
 Long term maintenance requirements much less than for wet disposal
 Where material dewaters well and rainfall is scarce no retention
bunding is required – eg. La Coipa in Chile
Dewatering of Tailings – Available Technologies
 High-capacity Thickeners
 Belt filter press
 Chamber filter press
 Centrifuges
Effect of Using Centrifuges - Space Requirement
Chamber Filter Press Vacuum Belt Filter Press Centrifuge

(120 t) (65 t) (16 t)
Effect of Using Centrifuges - Utilities
Decanter Centrifuge
Labour
Effect of Using Centrifuges - Dewatering and Separation
Vol. %
Effect of Using Centrifuges - Dewatering and Separation
Case Study 1 – Lipari, Brazil
 Lipari’s Braúna diamond mine - 400 km NW of Salvador de Bahia.
 Very arid area of operation – water control is critical
 Initially lost order to competitor who offered a 600 mm

centrifuge to handle up to 10 t DS/h.
 Comissioned in 2013, the centrifuge never achieved these values,

and the equipment was very hard to control.
 In Feb 2017 Flottweg given opportunity to test Z92-4/459 SP 4.3
 Able to run a solid content in excess of 20 t DS/h, with clear

centrate and maximum solids throughput of >40 t DS/h
Operating parameters for centrifuge at Braúna Diamond Mine.
Feed flow rate Up to 70 m3/h

Solids loading 45%
Solids feed rate Up to 36.7 t/h
Drum speed 930 rpm
Centrifugal force 445 x g
Solids recovery >99.9%
DS contents in solid discharge >60–65%
Operational power consumption 30 kW bowl, 25 kW scroll
Flocculent consumption 0.2– 0.6 kg/t DS
Water Recovery (overall process) >95%
 Centrifuge operating continuously for > 8 000 h/a
 No deviation in performance
 Dewatering is possible at a force of only 440 x g
 Minimal wear on scroll at this low force

Case Study 2 – Buenaventura - Uchucchacua, Peru
Case Study 2 – Buenaventura, Peru
 Buenaventura’s Uchucchacua Mine in Peru - gold and silver
mine 200 km northeast of Lima, altitude of 4 400 m.a.s.l.
 Tailings currently sent to dam to settle out
 Excess process water flows down the mountain
 Practice environmentally unacceptable
 Buanventura faced with building USD 30 million tailings dam

extension or dry stacking in alternative location
 Uchucchacua opted for dry stacking
 Flottweg invited to run pilot trials to assess tailing dewatering
 A Z92-4/459 SP 4.3 was installed and the results satisfied the

mining company's engineer.
 Specifically noted that centrate was clear and could be re-used

in the process plant.
Operating parameters for centrifuge at
Buenaventura’s Uchucchacua Mine.
Solids loading 8-23%
Drum speed 1 300 rpm
DS contents in solid discharge 72 – 79%
Flocculent consumption 0.3–0.6 kg/t DS
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
 After successful performance at Uchucchacua , Buenaventura
requested that the pilot plant be moved to Tambomayo
 Mine is near Arequipa, at altitude of 4 800 m.a.s.l.
 Space is very limited
 Environmental agency closely monitors water consumption

and discharge quality
 Chamber filter presses used to dewater tailings for dry

stacking
 2 Presses supposed to handle 1 500 t DS/d
 Each press has 91 plates 3 m x 3 m each
 Cycle time was supposed to be 17 min – 5 min load, 5 min

press, 7 min discharge.
 Cloths to be washed once a week
 One operator supposed to be needed per shift

 Reality did not meet the claims
 Each press could only handle 20 t DS/h each – 1 000 t/d total
 Cycle time increased to 22 min
 Cloths had to be washed twice per day
 10 operator were required to discharge the cake
 Mine had to cut production to be in line with filter capacity

 Centrifuge moved to new site and commissioned in 3 weeks
 Installed on a 2 m high steel structure
 Feed with 49 % DS was taken from nearby thickener
 Centrifuge discharged 67 – 70% solids with clear centrate
 Solid transported by two belt conveyors to truck loading site
 Nominal capacity was 600 t DS/day
 With one centrifuge the mine could return to full capacity

Operating parameters for centrifuge at
Buenaventura’s Tambomayo Mine.
Solids loading 45%
Drum speed 925 rpm
DS contents in solid discharge >67–70%
Flocculent consumption 0.05 – 0.15 kg/t DS
 Minimal requirement for civils and small footprint meant
centrifuge could be deployed very quickly
 Machine was very easy to operate by inexperienced staff
 Nominal output exceeded that of 1 filter press
 When both presses were down for maintenance throughput

was increased to handle the feed to both presses.
 Tambomayo planning to install 2 centrifuges in 2019 to

eliminate the need for the filter presses
Comparison at equal capacity / day
Chamber filter press Centrifuge
Process Discontinuous Continuous (24/7)
Filtration area (m²) 819 –
Filtration volume (m³) up to 20 up to 1
Capacity (t DS/h) up to 100 up to 30
Investment cost 100% 60%
Space 100% 20%
Structural support 100% 20%
Extras (crane, etc.) 100% 20%
Cycle time (min) 17–22 continuous
Operating personal (per 8 h) 4–8 1
Maintenance Regular maintenance Regular maintenance
Washing of filter cloths 1–2 x/day –
Change of filter cloths 2–4 x/year –
Maintenance downtime (days/a) 30 5
Maintenance costs 100% 5%
Instrumentation (Qty) >50 5
Exposure to workers Yes No
Feed pump pressure (bar) 6–15 1–2
Required flocculant 100% 100%
Dewatering results 75 % DS 70 % DS
Compressed air supply Yes No
Fresh water supply (day) 100% 0–5%
Required power (kW) 100% 100%
Outdoor installation possible No Yes
OPEX (USD/t DS) 4–6 2–4
Thank you for your attention
Agent for Southern Africa Schwarz Global Consulting

Contact person: Nils Schwarz
Tel.: +27 11 475 7555
Fax: +27 86 552 1175
Mobile: +27 82 851 0625
Skype: schwarzglobal
E-mail: [email protected]

SAIMM Tailings Presentation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SAIMM Tailings Presentation

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

SAIMM Tailings Presentation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Dewatering Tailings for Dry Stacking:

Rapid Water Recovery by Means of Centrifuges

 Mine tailings – typically mud-like material

 Disposal presents a major environmental issue

 Tailings containment facilities among world’s largest man made structures

Tailings Dam Evaporation

 Belt filter press

 Chamber filter press

Chamber Filter Press Vacuum Belt Filter Press Centrifuge

 Very arid area of operation – water control is critical

 Initially lost order to competitor who offered a 600 mm

 Comissioned in 2013, the centrifuge never achieved these values,

 In Feb 2017 Flottweg given opportunity to test Z92-4/459 SP 4.3

 Able to run a solid content in excess of 20 t DS/h, with clear

Feed flow rate Up to 70 m3/h

 Centrifuge operating continuously for > 8 000 h/a

 Dewatering is possible at a force of only 440 x g

 Minimal wear on scroll at this low force

 Tailings currently sent to dam to settle out

 Excess process water flows down the mountain

 Practice environmentally unacceptable

 Buanventura faced with building USD 30 million tailings dam

 Flottweg invited to run pilot trials to assess tailing dewatering

 A Z92-4/459 SP 4.3 was installed and the results satisfied the

 Specifically noted that centrate was clear and could be re-used

 Mine is near Arequipa, at altitude of 4 800 m.a.s.l.

 Space is very limited

 Environmental agency closely monitors water consumption

 Chamber filter presses used to dewater tailings for dry

 Each press has 91 plates 3 m x 3 m each

 Cycle time was supposed to be 17 min – 5 min load, 5 min

 Cloths to be washed once a week

 One operator supposed to be needed per shift

 Cycle time increased to 22 min

 Cloths had to be washed twice per day

 10 operator were required to discharge the cake

 Mine had to cut production to be in line with filter capacity

 Installed on a 2 m high steel structure

 Feed with 49 % DS was taken from nearby thickener

 Centrifuge discharged 67 – 70% solids with clear centrate

 Solid transported by two belt conveyors to truck loading site

 Nominal capacity was 600 t DS/day

 With one centrifuge the mine could return to full capacity

 Machine was very easy to operate by inexperienced staff

 Nominal output exceeded that of 1 filter press

 When both presses were down for maintenance throughput

 Tambomayo planning to install 2 centrifuges in 2019 to

Agent for Southern Africa Schwarz Global Consulting

You might also like