Resource evaluation and environmental performance issues associated with small to medium scale mine tailings repositories.

Numerous small and medium scale tailings impoundments exist across the world, and in relation to large-sale mining operations have received much less investigation. The nature of the materials being deposed is often variable and complicated, and is known to include by-products of both ore processing and smelting operations. Predicting the long-term reactions involving materials being stored and the potential for production and export of harmful leachates into the environment is poorly understood. Therefore, this project will utilize mine tailings sites owned by ENAMI in Chile to investigate the long-term stability of tailings phases and environmental performance of mixed copper and gold ore processing wastes, including an evaluation of the remaining valuable components and potential for resource recovery at such sites. The project will involve; i) detailed chemical and mineralogical characterization of the nature of the waste materials; ii) leaching tests to evaluate the leaching conditions present as a function of climate and rainfall expectations, and iii) evaluation of remaining valuable components in the wastes and the potential for low cost recovery and coupled remediation processes.