Posted by Jason Lillywhite
We are pleased to share insights from a recent presentation by Candace Whitten, GIT and Matthew Ryans, P.Eng from WSP. This work was presented at the 2024 GoldSim User Conference.
Oil sands mining operations generate multiple tailings types requiring various treatment methods, storage components, and time for tailings maturation. GoldSim was employed to develop a dynamic material mass balance model simulating future tailings production and treatment alternatives.
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| Figure 1 - Schematic diagram of bitumen extraction and tailings storage and treatment |
The model provided insights into the production of coarse and fine solids, informed by ore grade and production schedules. It identified high-sensitivity parameters and ensured compliance with site-specific thresholds, as established by Directive 085. This compliance guarantees that the modeled treatment technologies are sufficient for managing fluid tailings and that there is no net growth of fluid tailings beyond the life of mine (LOM) production. Additionally, the model offered insights into optimizing tailings management to minimize environmental impact and support sustainable mining practices.
