The environmental and economic case for valuing water recovery and its relationship with tailings storage conservation

Abstract

Alternative tailings disposal methods such as dry stack are often neglected as optimal mine waste disposal methods due to perceived high cost. However, the transition from traditional wet tailings disposal to dry stack and alternative tailings disposal is critical for decreasing freshwater consumption and de-risking projects. This research presents an open-source techno-economic model which allows for the comparison of water use and cost between different tailings disposal-related equipment, addressing a major gap in models available for operators and early technology decision-makers. A case study of a Chilean copper mine is evaluated through the model to optimize the dewatering equipment choice. The findings indicate a substantial technical, environmental and economic return on the thickener control system and hydro-cyclone compared to desalinated and pumped water. Early economic modeling can quickly develop a business case for new water and energy-saving technologies while creating shared de-risked technical, ESG, and business team drivers.