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.
Introduction (contd)
 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
Introduction (contd)
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
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
Case Study 1 – Lipari, Brazil
Case Study 1 – Lipari, Brazil
Case Study 1 – Lipari, Brazil
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%
Case Study 1 – Lipari, Brazil
Case Study 1 – Lipari, Brazil

 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
Case Study 2 – Buenaventura, Peru
 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.
Case Study 2 – Buenaventura, Peru
Case Study 2 – Buenaventura, Peru
Case Study 2 – Buenaventura, Peru
Case Study 2 – Buenaventura, Peru
Operating parameters for centrifuge at
Buenaventura’s Uchucchacua Mine.
Feed flow rate Up to 120 m3/h
Solids loading 8-23%
Solids feed rate Up to 24.7 t/h
Drum speed 1 300 rpm
Centrifugal force 860 x g
Solids recovery >99.9%
DS contents in solid discharge 72 – 79%
Operational power consumption 75 kW bowl, 50 kW scroll
Flocculent consumption 0.3–0.6 kg/t DS
Case Study 2 – Buenaventura, Peru
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
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
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
 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

Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
 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

Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
 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

Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
Operating parameters for centrifuge at
Buenaventura’s Tambomayo Mine.
Feed flow rate Up to 100 m3/h
Solids loading 45%
Solids feed rate Up to 39.5 t/h
Drum speed 925 rpm
Centrifugal force 440 x g
Solids recovery >99.9%
DS contents in solid discharge >67–70%
Operational power consumption 35 kW bowl, 30 kW scroll
Flocculent consumption 0.05 – 0.15 kg/t DS
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
 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
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
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
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
Case Study 3 – Buenaventura - Tambomayo, Peru
 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: nils@sgconsulting.co.za