1
24-055
Investing in Sustainable Tailings Management:
Reduce Risk by Considering Environmental and
Utility Costs During Pre‑Feasibility
Jacob Bouke (Job) Kruyswijk
Weir Minerals, The Netherlands
Erik Vlot
Weir Minerals, The Netherlands
Jason Janisch
Jasper Engineering, United States of America
ABSTRACT
The use of conventional tailings deposition methods has
been the standard for decades. With the need to reduce
the impact of mining, alternative methods are considered
when expanding or upgrading tailings handling systems.
Converting an existing tailings management system to a
more sustainable deposition method during the operation
of a mine may incur considerable operational and financial
risk, and when assessed more traditionally, does not provide
significant advantages. As a result, most mines choose to
continue their current technology and add an additional
pumping stage or pumpstation to their tailings line in case
of a pipeline extension or Tailings Storage Facility (TSF)
expansion. This also often involves raising embankments.
Changing pumping technology is traditionally assessed
by comparing the energy efficiency of current and prospec-
tive pumping technology. Despite a reduction in absorbed
power, this traditional assessment does not include pos-
sible savings in water and the carbon footprint. With the
consideration of all these three aspects, alternative pump
technologies, such as Positive Displacement (PD) tech-
nology, become more economically feasible, providing
increased sustainability and enable a site to future-proof
their operations.
Project feasibility may be affected by the high capital
investment required for PD pumps. The benefit of applying
PD pumping technology could be enhanced by reducing
the volumetric throughput of the pipeline by dewater-
ing the tailings to 65% solids concentration by weight. It
was found that despite increasing capital expenditure, the
improved reclamation of water will have a positive effect on
the direct and indirect cost of fresh water intake to mine
operations.
This paper seeks to illustrate that in many applications
the long-term benefits of investing in sustainable tailings
management are optimized when more efficient PD pump-
ing technology is combined with tailings dewatering when
upgrading or expanding the tailings handling system.
INTRODUCTION
The Iron Range in the United States (US) has a long tradi-
tion of iron ore mining. Many of the mines in the area have
been operational for decades and have significant Life Of
Mine (LOM) remaining.
Increasing pressure to reduce emissions, as well as the
demand to improve environmental and social stewardship,
makes mining companies look at alternative technologies
for ore processing and tailings management. Significant
investments in the development and implementation of
sustainable technology are required to secure profitability
of current and future operations. Investing in sustainable
24-055
Investing in Sustainable Tailings Management:
Reduce Risk by Considering Environmental and
Utility Costs During Pre‑Feasibility
Jacob Bouke (Job) Kruyswijk
Weir Minerals, The Netherlands
Erik Vlot
Weir Minerals, The Netherlands
Jason Janisch
Jasper Engineering, United States of America
ABSTRACT
The use of conventional tailings deposition methods has
been the standard for decades. With the need to reduce
the impact of mining, alternative methods are considered
when expanding or upgrading tailings handling systems.
Converting an existing tailings management system to a
more sustainable deposition method during the operation
of a mine may incur considerable operational and financial
risk, and when assessed more traditionally, does not provide
significant advantages. As a result, most mines choose to
continue their current technology and add an additional
pumping stage or pumpstation to their tailings line in case
of a pipeline extension or Tailings Storage Facility (TSF)
expansion. This also often involves raising embankments.
Changing pumping technology is traditionally assessed
by comparing the energy efficiency of current and prospec-
tive pumping technology. Despite a reduction in absorbed
power, this traditional assessment does not include pos-
sible savings in water and the carbon footprint. With the
consideration of all these three aspects, alternative pump
technologies, such as Positive Displacement (PD) tech-
nology, become more economically feasible, providing
increased sustainability and enable a site to future-proof
their operations.
Project feasibility may be affected by the high capital
investment required for PD pumps. The benefit of applying
PD pumping technology could be enhanced by reducing
the volumetric throughput of the pipeline by dewater-
ing the tailings to 65% solids concentration by weight. It
was found that despite increasing capital expenditure, the
improved reclamation of water will have a positive effect on
the direct and indirect cost of fresh water intake to mine
operations.
This paper seeks to illustrate that in many applications
the long-term benefits of investing in sustainable tailings
management are optimized when more efficient PD pump-
ing technology is combined with tailings dewatering when
upgrading or expanding the tailings handling system.
INTRODUCTION
The Iron Range in the United States (US) has a long tradi-
tion of iron ore mining. Many of the mines in the area have
been operational for decades and have significant Life Of
Mine (LOM) remaining.
Increasing pressure to reduce emissions, as well as the
demand to improve environmental and social stewardship,
makes mining companies look at alternative technologies
for ore processing and tailings management. Significant
investments in the development and implementation of
sustainable technology are required to secure profitability
of current and future operations. Investing in sustainable