Abstract:

The Swift North Suboxic Zone (SOZ) is the second of Teck Coal’s large-scale source control projects to be constructed in the Elk Valley. Building on the learnings from the Cedar North SOZ, the design intention for the Swift North SOZ is to reduce oxygen ingress into a larger-scale (Phase 1 waste volume of approximately 146M m3) spoil using a combination of one horizontal cut-off layer and a series of vertically compacted berms on the outer perimeter. Options selection for this facility had to account for greater potential to impact mine operations, leveraging existing legacy materials available for construction, and a flexible execution strategy for construction to allow for dynamic responses to mine plans. Fine-grained materials used in construction consist of two separate sources of in-pit and ex-pit co-mingled legacy tailings materials being relocated as a part of on-going mining activities. Novel construction and monitoring methods leveraging existing mining infrastructure have been employed to confirm co-mingled tailings materials meet desired construction specifications. Additional benefits from the current execution plan has supported large-scale progressive reclamation of lower lifts while upper spoil lifts are constructed. Overall, the final design was developed to be sufficiently flexible to adapt to a dynamic mining environment, achieve reclamation objectives, and to meet or exceed performance expectations established for the Cedar North SOZ while using less fine-grained material per m³ of run-of-mine rock.

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Lynsey Thorson