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By Ian D. Pirie

Presentation outline ?Project location ?Geology ?Resources and reserves ?Results of the FEED study ?Social and environmental considerations ?Project path forward

May 1, 2010

By P. Chaddock

The Thompson Mill has a capacity of 15,000 T ID of ore and produces two grades of nickel concentrate, copper concentrate and occasionally graphite concentrate. Up to July of 1985 we processed two distinct ore types: T-1 ore, averaging 2. 8% Ni and . 2% Cu and Pipe Open Pit ore, averaging . 8% Ni associated with peridotite and serpentine. Presently our ores from T-1 mine and Thompson Open Pit are of the same type and are processed together. (Figure 1)! n October, 1982, we decided to install an Outokumpu Courier 300 on-stream analyser on an initial 6 streams. The equipment was delivered to the mill on May 2, 1983 and the first analyses were generated by June 17th. The calibrations were 35% complete by the mid-July summer shutdown and were completed in the fall. 1. 2 Analyser Slurry Feed System:The key to successful on-stream analysis is delivery of the sample streams to the analyser.Our system uses pressure-thief sampling for collection. (Figure 2) Initially we used thief samplers modelled after the Outokumpu design, with turbulence bars upstream of the collection point. These units have been replaced with simple laterals as they have worn out. Our thief samplers are mounted vertically on pump discharges and we believe sufficient turbulence exists to ensure representative sampling.

Jan 1, 1987

By Zhuofei Yang, Jidong Kang, David S. Wilkinson

The fatigue behavior of AM60 high pressure die casting magnesium alloys was studied in a straincontrolled manner. The fatigue test was interrupted every 2,000 cycles for X-ray tomography scanning. The specimen was removed to be scanned on a desktop micro-CT system. The value of using X-ray tomography in a fatigue properties study was assessed with respect to porosity, cracks and fracture surfaces. The 3D analysis and model results showed porosity could be well measured and modelled in 3D. Defects bands are made of pores under 50 µm in volume-equivalent sphere diameter. Larger pores are randomly distributed in the region between two defect bands. Observation of cracks by X-ray tomography occurs in three ways such that the 3D model gives the best illustration of crack-porosity interaction while the other two methods have better detectability on crack initiation and crack tip observation. X-ray tomography is also of value in failure analysis on fracture surfaces. By summarizing X-ray tomography data during fatigue testing and observing fracture surfaces on a 3D model, a better understanding on the crack initiation, crack-porosity interaction and the morphology of fracture surface is achieved.

Jan 1, 2014

By P. Choquet, F. Miller

"The development and testing of a simple low-cost gauge for measurement of tension in a cable bolt grouted in a borehole are presented. Its principle is based on a resistance wire which is wound on a 70 cm length into the spiral grooves of the wire strand cable bolt. Readings are then taken by a robust automatic data logger with a several day autonomy or by a portable readout. In order to have a complete profile of tension along the cable bolt, a number of tension gauges can be installed along its length.This paper provides a description of the development and laboratory calibration of the tension gauge and addresses the two modes of loading for a cable bolt in a rock mass, namely pure tension and shearing at a joint location.In the second part of the paper, four field tests in underground and open pit mines are reported. The first test was used to substantially modify both the gauge and the readout unit principles while the other tests which are still on-going show a very satisfactory behaviour of the modified version of the tension gauge. IntroductionCable-bolting is often used as ground support in Canadian mines for a variety of applications. In underground mines, cable bolts can be installed vertically at the back of cut and fill stopes or in an inclined fashion in the walls of large open stopes. Alternatively, cable bolts at Mines Gaspe (Noranda Inc.) are used in a fan-shaped pattern from a drill drift to stabilize the inclined roof in 25 m wide open stapes. This new application oriented our research efforts toward the design of a novel instrumentation to monitor the efficiency of most commonly used 5/8-inch cable bolts."

Jan 1, 1988

By J. Ran

There are challenges in mining deep tabular ore deposits using the open stoping method, particularly mining remnant panels towards the end of mine life. The remnant panels have experienced stress concentration and are in the failing or post failure state causing drilling and loading difficulties, ground movement, induced seismicity and ground instability problems. As more mines are going deep, without effective ground control management, the mine production will be interrupted and equipment damage and personnel injury are likely to occur. Mining at Falconbridge Lockerby Mine located in the Sudbury Basin was concentrated in the deep zone from late 1990s to 2004. The remnant panels situated approximately from 1800m to 1920m below surface were mined in 2004 before the mine closure. These panels were in the central section of the orebody along strike. The orebody was relatively narrow ranging from 5m to 15m and steep dipping at 70o to 80o. Because of the retreat mining sequence and the mining depth, stress concentration, wall closure and seismicity had caused a number of mining difficulties. Managing these challenges was critical in achieving the mine production target without compromising personnel safety and excavation stability. A comprehensive ground control management approach was adopted to mine the remnant panels at depth. The measures taken included ground movement monitoring, understanding the movement pattern of the footwall rock and selecting appropriate support systems, analyzing seismic monitoring data and defining re-entry protocol, brow support design and restricting access. This paper presents these ground control measures and the experience gained in successfully mining the deep remnant panels at Lockerby Mine.

Apr 1, 2005

By G. R. Addie

"In February, 1975, the President of Georgia Iron Works Company, Mr. Tom Hagler decided to build a new hydraulic laboratory to water performance test all of the companies' centrifugal slurry pumps.Equipment procurement started in March, 1975, by ordering of a mini computer data acquisition system.Work commenced on the lab in July, 1976, by erection of a Butler Building and the laying down of a 20,000 gallon concrete sump.By late October, a facility compromising two water test loops of 8"" and 18"" pipe diameter was in operation carrying out head quantity and suction performance tests on pumps up to 16"" in size.In August of the following year, an 8"" diameter pipe slurry loop was installed to enable pipe friction and deposition velocity of a slurry to be measured in an 8"" inside diameter pipe.With the encouragement of Reserve Mining in Minnesota and IMCC in Florida, this was followed in March, 1978, by the addition of over 300 feet of 18"" diameter pipe to make up an 18"" diameter pipe slurry system complete with head loss and deposition velocity observation sections.The office and shop areas of the lab were again expanded in April, 1978, to provide further expansion to the test sections and staff facilities."

Jan 1, 1980

By Maya Kamenetsky, Khoi Nguyen, Natalee Bonnici, Steve Walters, Claire McMahon, Julie Hunt, Ron Berry

"The analysis of meso- and micro-scale textural attributes has been undertaken on ore samples from the Ernest Henry iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposit in NW QLD. Quantified textural data including grain size, shape and mineral association have been extracted from classified images of core with the aim to better predict potential mineral processing behaviours such as comminution, liberation and flotation. Data have been extracted from images of intact core at meso- and micro-scales using high resolution continuous images collected using automated core-logger technology, SEM-based and optical microscopy platforms.The results of this study will show examples of quantified size, shape and mineral association data from meso- and micro-scale classified images. Analysis of the data shows that there are domains of variable grain size and mineral association that can potentially be related to crushing and liberation behaviour. The trends that are observed at the drill-core (meso-) scale are consistent with those at the micro-scale. The results from the micro-scale analysis show that the domains defined at the core-scale have clearly different chalcopyrite sizes and shapes as well as variable bulk mineralogy.INTRODUCTIONInnovations in technology have allowed automated extraction of information about mineral shape, grain size and mineral association, i.e., texture, from meso- and micro-scale images of intact rocks. The overall aim of this research is to investigate trends in quantified textural data that can potentially give an early view of processing parameters such as predicted grind size and liberation behaviour."

Jan 1, 2009

By Clifford Britch

"Kaiser Resources Ltd. has completed feasibility studies resulting in approval of $277,500,000 for the construction of the Greenhills Surface Coal Mine, located 35 km north of Sparwood, B.C. The mine is designed to produce 1,800,000 tonnes per year of metallurgical coal over a 20-year period by conventional truck /shovel methods.The project is in the detailed design phase, with some preparation work being carried out on the site. The major construction activities are scheduled to commence in the spring of 1981. Mine development and pre-stripping will commence in July 1981, with first coal production scheduled for mid 1983.This paper will be a general description of the project and will include a discussion of the geology, reserves, mine planning, coal handling and processing, surface facilities and related topics.IntroductionProject DefinitionThe Greenhills Project is designed to produce, by conventional truck I shovel surface mining methods, 1,800,000 clean tonnes of metallurgical coal per year for twenty years . The production/ life constraints were chosen as being meaningful for planning and evaluation purposes after appraisal of the market potential and are not limited .by economic reserves. Substantial additional strippable reserves are available which would facilitate expansion of the proposed mine life and/ or capacity. In fact , all the facilities are designed so that they can be expanded in the future to accommodate a doubling of annual coal production, and certain portions of the coal processing facilities are being installed with an annual capacity of 3,600,000 tonnes. The mine will also produce approximately 2,400,000 clean tonnes of oxidized thermal coal, mostly in the first decade."

Jan 1, 1981

By Caroline B. Chapleau, Mélanie Proulx, Claude Bazin, Gaétan Lavoie

"Quebec Cartier Mining operates a pelletizing plant in Port-Cartier, QC. Grinding, agglomeration and pellets induration are the three main steps in the preparation of iron oxide pellets. In 1998, following different recommendations, the company increased the speed of one of its ball mill in order to increase the grinding efficiency of the machine. As expected, the increased speed lead to an increase of the power draught, which did not produce the expected increase of fineness of grind, neither its allows to increase the mill throughput. The change of behaviour of the mill could hardly be understood by comparison of discharge size distribution at initial and modified mill rotation speed. On the other hand, the use of the selection function from a population balance model provides an insight of the changes that occurred in the mill. This paper reviews the various steps required for the estimation of a grinding mill selection function. Results of the calibration to Quebec Cartier grinding mills show that the increase in the mill speed leads to higher rate of breakage of coarse particles, at the expenses of less efficient breakage of medium and fine size particles. In the case of the studied mill, breakage of coarse particles was probably not the critical step of the mill operation. INTRODUCTIONOre size reduction is the major energy consumption step in any mineral processing operations (Austin et al., 1984). Size reduction is required to either liberate valuable minerals from the gangue minerals in which they are imbedded, or to increase the specific surface of the ground material. Plant engineers continuously face the challenge to find grinding machines, operating conditions or grinding circuit flowsheet configurations that could improve the size reduction process at lower energy or m6dia consumption."

Jan 1, 2000

By J. J. Bouillon

"Located in the northwestern portion of the Abitibi greenstone belt, Les Mines Selbaie is a copper-zinc (silver and gold) producer. Felsic tuffs host three are zones. Composed of sulphide veins and breccias, they are not exhalative massive sulphide deposits, except, probably, for the massive pyrite (fragments and lenses) localized close to the top of the volcanic sequence.The total of all (mineable and mined) ore in the three zones presently outlined on the property, is of the order of 29.9 x 106 tonnes with average grade of 0.63 g/t Au, 37.02 g/t Ag, 1.21% Cu, 1.91% Zn.The ore reserve calculations and the daily production procedures are computerized to various degrees. The data handling process is highly computerized.Various geophysical methods are, and have in the past, been successfully used on the property. The ""mise-à-la-masse"" surveys were used to perform the geological interpretation of an underground deposit (A-2 zone). Presently the PULSE-EM surveys are performed in all surface and underground exploration drill holes."

Jan 1, 1990

By Richard Mcivor, Largo Albert

"Inco Limited has operated aluminum mine shaft conveyances since 1968. Aluminum conveyances are used where the hoisting in system requires lightweight conveyances to maintain the hoist rope safety factors and mine hoist rope pulls as dictated by government regulations. Inco Ltd. currently has 20 skips (including spares) operating in the Ontario Division mines. The main problems encountered are with galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals and metal fatigue. This paper will highlight some of the problems encountered and illustrate methods utilized to overcome the problems and improve the conveyances performance.IntroductionAluminum mine shaft conveyances have been in use at Inco Limited's various Sudbury district mines since 1968. All of the conveyances currently in use are skips used for hoisting mine ore and rock. Inco had an aluminum quick change Kimberley-type skip and cage in operation at its Totten Mine in the early 1970s, but this mine is no longer in operation and no further comment will be made.The primary reason why aluminum conveyances are chosen over conventional steel conveyances is because of their light weight. Typically an aluminum conveyance will weigh about 60% to 70% of a steel conveyance of similar design. The lighter weight conveyances will allow higher payloads to be used and still maintain the statutory hoist rope factors of safety. It must be remembered that increasing the payload will increase the power required to raise the load and the hoist will have to have the necessary horsepower for the increased payload or the system will be overloaded.The front dump (Rola-chute) skips are of the bail-less design, i.e. the box structure also supports the load and has the shaft guide shoes attached directly to the side of the box structure. The Copper Cliff North Mine and South Mine skips have a joint in the centre of the conveyance and are installed in the shaft in two sections and connected with pins. This feature allows very long (42 ft) skips to be used in areas where a one-piece bail-type conveyance could not be installed. It is not practical to make sectionalized bail-type conveyances"

Jan 1, 1988

By J. S. Vanderploeg

I WILL begin this presentation by citing the annual per capita use of copper in Canada. This is best calculated by taking refinery domestic sales, plus imports of the products of foreign fabricating mills (very little refinery copper is imported), and deducting the exports of Canadian mills. No attempt has been made to estimate the copper content of imports or exports of machinery, motors, etc., but the trade balance here is probably against Canada. In any event, we find that, though varying somewhat since the war, the estimated yearly per capita figure has reached a high of 18 pounds. This is practically on a par with the United States. The rest of the world uses an average of about 2 pounds per capita, yearly, though this includes some countries, such as Sweden, Germany and England, which consume much better than average quantities. It looks, therefore, as if the Canadian copper industry has not (as has been generally charged) been asleep after all.

Jan 1, 1962

By R. J. Schafer-Frentz, T. G. Joseph, M. Curley

"Greenhouse gas emissions—specifically of carbon dioxide—are a concern in Canada, where industrial sectors such as mining are stringently regulated for carbon release. Cumulative emissions are positively related to fuel consumption, which is controlled by several factors. This study investigates one of these factors: the product of vehicle speed and running surface total resistance (TR; sum of rolling resistance and grade resistance). Results show that TR directly affects fuel consumption and emissions—a relationship that is mathematically predictable. Fuel consumption and emissions, which are principally associated with the durability or deterioration of wearing course materials, were analyzed to aid selection of road construction capping material of low rolling resistance. In the oil sands region in the province of Alberta, ground conditions change seasonally. Therefore, the annual fuel consumption for the same wearing course material was also compared. Results demonstrated that haul truck size was a contributing factor, but vehicle speed and TR more strongly influenced fuel consumption and emissions. ¦ KEYWORDS Carbon dioxide, Emissions, Fuel consumption, Grade resistance (GR), Greenhouse gas (GHG), Haul truck, Rolling resistance (RR), Total resistance (TR) RÉSUMÉ Les émissions de gaz à effet de serre (GES), et particulièrement celles de dioxyde de carbone, sont un problème au Canada, où les secteurs industriels tels que l’exploitation minière sont rigoureusement réglementés pour leurs émissions de carbone. Les émissions cumulées sont indéniablement en lien avec la consommation de carburant, qui est contrôlée par plusieurs facteurs. Cette étude examine l’un de ces facteurs, à savoir le produit de la vitesse du véhicule et de la résistance totale de la surface de roulement (la résistance totale, ou RT, est la somme de la résistance au roulement et de la résistance due aux rampes). Les résultats montrent que la RT affecte directement la consommation de carburant et les émissions, un lien qui est mathématiquement prévisible. La consommation de carburant et les émissions, qui sont principalement associées à la durabilité ou la détérioration des matériaux composant la couche d’usure, ont été analysées afin de contribuer à la sélection de matériau de recouvrement pour la construction de routes ayant une faible résistance au roulement. Dans la région des sables bitumineux de l’Alberta, les conditions au niveau du sol changent à chaque saison. Ainsi, la consommation annuelle de carburant pour le même matériau composant la couche d’usure a aussi été comparée. Les résultats ont montré que, si la taille des camions de transport est un facteur déterminant, la vitesse des véhicules et la RT influencent davantage la consommation de carburant et les émissions. ¦ MOTS CLÉS camion de transport, consommation de carburant, dioxyde de carbone, émissions, gaz à effet de serre (GES), résistance au roulement, résistance due aux rampes, résistante totale (RT)INTRODUCTION In Canada and around the world, global climate change has become a topic of great concern and discussion. Pres-sure on world leaders to quickly reduce their carbon footprint is prevalent, prompting new standards and regulations in various industries, including mining and oil and gas. In 2017, the Government of Alberta implemented a carbon tax. The majority of mining activities in this province are truck-shovel operations, where a large fleet of ultra-class trucks is loaded by shovels. Ultra-class haul trucks, classified as those with a capacity of 218–363 tonnes (t), emit high levels of carbon as they travel to processing entry points and waste dumps as designated by the mine plan and mine dispatcher. Mined ore and waste is typically moved over two 12-hour shifts per day throughout the year."

Jan 1, 2019

By Jean Rosaire

?GWIOP Location ?Climate and Physiography ?History ?Geology ?Deposit Types ?Mineralization ?Historical Mineral Resources ?Conclusions and Work Program

May 1, 2007

By J. Davis, M. G. Reading

"INTRODUCTIONInternational Minerals and Chemical Corporation (Canada) Limited operates two potash mine/refinery complexes near Esterhazy, Saskatchewan. Annual production of approximately 4.2 million tons is sold in the United States and overseas in five grades according to size and quality.Ore grading 25% K2 0 equivalent is mined from a horizontal bed by continuous boring machines, crushed, and hoisted at 8 inches. The refinery operation consists of the eight basic steps shown in Figure 1. Particle sizes handled are similar to those experienced in other forms of mineral beneficiation: 8 inches to 100 mesh. The ore is crystalline and particles are angular. Fortunately the major mineral constituents, sylvite (KCl) and halite (NaCl), demonstrate relatively low hardness at 2 to 2.5.Therefore, while simple abrasion must be acknowledged, it is not a major problem except, of course, in circuits carrying magnetite.Corrosion, as represented by the classic equations of Figure 2, occurs in all its various forms."

Jan 1, 1983

By M. Poirier, J. H. Mbouche

"The research question of the present work is the following: at which speed should a rotary sample divider operate in order to produce representative samples of iron ore concentrate? In order to solve this problem, the representativity of a rotary sample divider treating iron ore concentrate from Iron Ore Compagny (IOC) Carol Lake mine in Labrador City was studied in the laboratory of mineral processing of “CEGEP de Sept-Îles”. The rotary sample divider speeds tested are: 20, 40, 50, 60, 80 and 100%. The results show differences in both weight and particles sizes distributions with respect to the various rotation speed used. 20% has shown to be the speed that generates an almost normally distributed samples for both weight and particle size. As the speed of the rotary sample divider increases, the polygon of frequency for weight distribution progressively becomes a two modal distribution curve. 40, 50 and 100% speeds generate normal samples distribution curves with respect to particles size only. 60 and 80% are the speed to be avoided since they generate multiple modal distribution curves for both weight and particles size.IntroductionIn the mining industry, samples representativity is part of the key elements for management decisions. In fact, “Sampling provides vital information to plant operators, clients and geologists to profitably run and operate iron ore mines and plants” (Kevin Thorne et al. 2007). At the laboratory scale, several types of techniques’ are currently used to perform sampling. This include: grapping, alternate spading, quartering, riffles divider and rotating divider etc.. Among all these instruments, rotary divider is the most commonly used. Nevertheless, the usage of a rotary divider is not a guaranty for samples representativity since the results have shown to be related to running speed of this instrument. For the present research work, the idea is to use iron ore concentrate to quantify the representativity of a rotary sample divider. In other words, the research idea is to determine the speed at which a rotary sample divider produces representative samples while treating iron ore concentrate from Carol Lake mine. The present report will give an overview of the methodology used and the principal results obtained."

Jan 1, 2016

By C. F. Gleeson, D. G. Sheehan

"The results of humus and overburden geochemical surveys over the Doyon, Bousquet and Page-Williams gold ore deposits are presented.These studies show that humus sampling for gold gives negative results over the Doyon deposit. The lack of response is probably caused by the presence of 1 m of relatively impermeable glaciolacustrine clay and silt that overlies 1 m to 2 m of till over the surface expression of the ore zone. By contrast, positive responses for gold occur in humus samples over the Page Williams A and C gold deposits. The ""A"" ore zone is covered by several metres of exotic calcareous till over 0.5 m to 1 m of older, locally derived till. Anomalous values for gold in humus range from 10 to 35 ppb over the orebody. Overburden over the ""C"" ore zones is much thinner, generally it consists of less than 2 m of sandy till. Trenching humus anomalies that range from 10 to 1360ppb Au uncovered the gold mineralization. The geochemical dispersal trains in till from the Doyon orebody and the Page-Williams ""A"" zone are relatively short (i.e. less than 200 m) because both deposits occur in the lee of bedrock highs that shielded them from extensive glacial quarrying. Dispersal trains from all three pyritic gold deposits can be defined using either the fine fraction or heavy mineral fraction of the till.The intensity of the gold in till anomalies over the ore zones is variable. Therefore, it would be misleading to attach rigid significant threshold gold values to overburden drilling results. Each case must be evaluated based on bedrock topography, sample density, overburden type, thickness of till, as well as size, type and orientation of the target exposed to glacial erosion."

Jan 1, 1987

By J. P. Landriault, F. W. Harrison

"Zinc-iron alloy coatings can be produced by either thermally alloying hot-dipped galvanized steel or by electro deposition. Stelco Inc. produces a thermally alloyed Zn-Fe alloy-coated steel, which is mechanically wiped to remove free zinc.A more extensive use of Zn-Fe alloy-coated steel has been predicted for unexposed autobody and structural part applications, since this material is characterized by good spot weldability and formability, and provides superior corrosion resistance under automotive primers.This investigation has examined the coating composition, corrosion resistance, spot weldability and formability of Stelco's Zn-Fe alloy-coated steel and found its properties to be similar to those of Zn-Fe alloy-coated steel produced by post coating annealing.IntroductionRecently, there has been increased automotive interest in galvanneal, which is characterized by good spot weldability, good paintabilityt and good corrosion resistance when primed. Stelco produces a thermally alloyed zinc-iron coated sheet product similar to galvanneal. However, this product is produced by mechanically wiping the free zinc from the surface of hotdip galvanize to expose the underlying zinc-iron alloy.The surface of Stelco zinc-iron alloy-coated sheet is matte gray and has longitudinal streaks which result from contact with Kevlar wipers during production (Fig. I). This paper describes the coating composition, corrosion resistance, weldability, formability and surface appearance of Stelco zinc iron alloy coatings and, wherever possible, compares these properties to those of galvanneal."

Jan 1, 1987

By A. H. Mumin, A. K. Somarin, K. S. Oran

"Synvolcanic structures played a fundamental role in the genesis, morphology, and siting of volcanogenic massive sulfide ores and associated hydrothermal alteration in the Archean South Sturgeon Lake caldera complex. The most voluminous and persistent hydrothermal venting and massive sulfide deposition occurred along synvolcanic rifts and grabens associated with faults and tectonic fissures that created permeable fracture zones deep enough to access the underlying hydrothermal reservoir. The type of fracturing is highly variable and changes with the composition, competency, degree of consolidation, and alteration of host rocks. Synvolcanic structures and fracture styles also vary according to the amount and type of tectonic movement, including extension-related collapse, shearing and faulting perpendicular to the principal direction of extension, and orthogonal faulting and shearing. Permeable conduits were created by tension fracturing along fault zones, brittle deformation at the intersections of orthogonal faults, and by extensional fractures in stockworks. In texturally uniform footwall rocks, the distribution of alteration zones was controlled by the morphology of the structural conduit. In rocks with vertical and/or lateral facies, permeability, and competency changes (e.g., Lyon Lake graben), there was an additional stratigraphic control over fluid migration. Some crosscutting synvolcanic structures, alteration zones, and intrusions appear as stratiform units at the present erosion surface due to regional deformation and the present attitude of the volcanic stratigraphy.Hydrothermal mineral assemblages (e.g., quartz, carbonates, chlorite, pyrite, chalcopyrite) infilling structurally induced fractures provide good evidence of fluid migration pathways. However, mineralogy can vary significantly according to the fluid characteristics, host rock geochemistry, and subsequent metamorphic history of the area.Clearly, one of the best methods for locating volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits is to delineate the attitudes of synvolcanic structures, and explore those that show evidence of associated high-temperature hydrothermal mineral assemblages. Excellent exploration targets occur where synvolcanic structures with hydrothermal alteration intersect paleo-seafloor horizons."

Jan 1, 2007

By Trevor Hamm, Nick Holl

"Cameco Corporation is operator of the world's richest uranium project, the Key Lake mine/mill complex, located within the Athabasca region of Northern Saskatchewan. Mineable resources from the Key Lake ore bodies with an average U,08 content of 2.5% will be exhausted by the year 2000 and open pit mining at Key Lake will be phased out at that time. The mill will continue to operate at increased capacity, using high grade ore from the McArthur River project, a new underground mine at a distance of about 80 km from the Key Lake site. The McArthur River ore with an average U308 content of about 15 % will be blended with separately stockpiled low grade materials from Key Lake with a U,08 content of about 0.1 %. The average (blended) mill feed grade will be about 4%, similar to peak concentrations found in Key Lake ore.The Key Lake ore tailings are presently being placed in the mined out Deilmann pit under sub-aerial conditions, using spigots and a highly efficient pit/tailings drainage system. The tailings resulting from the processing of the blended McArthur River ore will be deposited on top of the Key Lake ore tailings under sub-aqueous conditions. This staged approach shows distinct technical and environmental advantages over an alternative, fully sub-aerial in-pit deposition scheme.The first part of this paper presents an overview of site specific geotechnical and hydrogeological features found at Key Lake and details some of the extensive test and modelling work that was required for environmental impact predictions during the development phase of the facility. The second part of this paper deals with tailings modifications, innovative placement technologies and drainage methods that have been (and will be) employed at the Deilmann Tailings Management Facility {TMF) to produce a highly consolidated tailings body under non-buoyancy conditions. The application of this technology at Key Lake is expected to produce a tailings ""plug"" in the Deilmann TMF which will have a permeability similar to or lower than the original in-situ Deilmann ore, resulting in a minimization of contaminant mass loadings to the environment both during operation and after decommissioning."

Jan 1, 1998