1
25-088
Technological Aspects of Iron Ore Tailings Filtration and Dry
Stacking Improvement Using a Filter Aid
Marcos Vieira
SAMARCO, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Gil Vilela
SAMARCO, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Wanderson Silvério
SAMARCO, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Pierre Fernandes
CLARIANT, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Livia Faustino
CLARIANT, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
ABSTRACT
New global industry standards and regulatory changes
regarding mining tailings management are driving instal-
lation of tailings filtration plants to decommission existing
tailings dams and implement dry stacking. Target of this
project was to reduce ultrafine slime tailings deposition.
Previous investigation at Samarco concentrator has showed
a 35% decrease in tailings filtration throughput when feed-
ing a mix of 95% flotation tailings with 5% slime tailings
(compared with 100% flotation tailings), also worsening
geotechnical aspects such as material workability during
dry staking. Industrial trials using a proper filter aid at tail-
ings filtration plant feeding a mix of 94% flotation tail-
ing and 6% slime tailing (equivalent to 30% of total slime
generation) have provided filtration performance mainte-
nance (throughput and cake moisture), and dry stacking
the dewatered material. Results achieved will enable life
expansion of existing slime disposal structures, as well as
potential life of mining extension. Furthermore, reagent
chemistry influence is discussed by the light of geotechnical
aspects, which has been showing improved KPIs, such as
workability, compressibility and permeability.
INTRODUCTION
SAMARCO resumed its operations in December 2020,
implementing the use of a naturally confined pit as a tem-
porary solution for the disposal of ultrafine tailings gener-
ated during the desliming of iron ore (internally referred to
Figure 1. SAMARCO simplified flowsheet for tailings disposal
25-088
Technological Aspects of Iron Ore Tailings Filtration and Dry
Stacking Improvement Using a Filter Aid
Marcos Vieira
SAMARCO, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Gil Vilela
SAMARCO, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Wanderson Silvério
SAMARCO, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Pierre Fernandes
CLARIANT, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Livia Faustino
CLARIANT, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
ABSTRACT
New global industry standards and regulatory changes
regarding mining tailings management are driving instal-
lation of tailings filtration plants to decommission existing
tailings dams and implement dry stacking. Target of this
project was to reduce ultrafine slime tailings deposition.
Previous investigation at Samarco concentrator has showed
a 35% decrease in tailings filtration throughput when feed-
ing a mix of 95% flotation tailings with 5% slime tailings
(compared with 100% flotation tailings), also worsening
geotechnical aspects such as material workability during
dry staking. Industrial trials using a proper filter aid at tail-
ings filtration plant feeding a mix of 94% flotation tail-
ing and 6% slime tailing (equivalent to 30% of total slime
generation) have provided filtration performance mainte-
nance (throughput and cake moisture), and dry stacking
the dewatered material. Results achieved will enable life
expansion of existing slime disposal structures, as well as
potential life of mining extension. Furthermore, reagent
chemistry influence is discussed by the light of geotechnical
aspects, which has been showing improved KPIs, such as
workability, compressibility and permeability.
INTRODUCTION
SAMARCO resumed its operations in December 2020,
implementing the use of a naturally confined pit as a tem-
porary solution for the disposal of ultrafine tailings gener-
ated during the desliming of iron ore (internally referred to
Figure 1. SAMARCO simplified flowsheet for tailings disposal