Production of paste from fine tailings streams in a laboratory scale column thickener

Rubén Heriberto Olcay Barreda,Armando C Araújo,George Eduardo Sales Valadão

doi:10.1590/0370-44672020740073

Abstract

Production of paste from fine tailings streams in a laboratory scale column thickener

Highlights

Mining activities have been generating considerable amounts of non-reusable tailings
The fine particles remain as a gel-like suspension with approximately 30% solids in mass called Fluid Fine Tailings (FFT) (Masliyah et al, 2011)
The main aims of the present study focus on knowing different operational conditions that are favorable to the production of paste, using laboratory scale column thickener with tailings obtained from the processing of metallic and non-metallic ores, considering the case of a possible final disposal in the tailings for management

Summary

Introduction

Mining activities have been generating considerable amounts of non-reusable tailings. The disposal of tailings in dams presents operational, social and environmental risks. The management of tailings introduces significant technical challenges for industries, such as mining (Wang et al, 2014; Derakhshandeh, 2016), where, the tailings disposal technology is facing challenges and opportunities simultaneously and can still be improved. The disposal of mineral tailings in the form of mineral paste is an alternative technology that may allow better utilization of the disposal areas, provision of greater stability of disposal, greater reuse of process water, operational optimization and other beneficial factors (Olcay et al, 2019). The use of thickeners and filters to produce high-density slurry, mineral paste or cake is already practiced in some countries. The paste disposal is not a practice in Brazil due to intense rains. Practice is to use filtration and dispose the cake jointly with mine overburden in specific areas. The fine particles remain as a gel-like suspension with approximately 30% solids in mass called Fluid Fine Tailings (FFT) (Masliyah et al, 2011)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion