Abstract
Teck has sponsored and actively participated in collaborative research programs focused on strategic GeoMetallurgy since 2005 and we have well established mine-to-mill processes at Teck’s active operations. Mine planning typically focuses on maximizing primary value drivers, but there is little definition during this stage of how geochemical or physical properties of waste material may affect the cost and environmental impact of managing waste material long term. Waste rock handling is a major cost during mining and both waste and ore materials are considered as monolithic blocks with regard to geochemical properties in the block models used for mine planning activities.
Teck is investing in programs geared towards addressing this gap with waste rock characterization and associated source control. An understanding of waste rock geochemical and physical characteristic variability can allow mines to include this information in the mine planning process, ultimately allowing the optimisation of waste management.
Defining waste rock geochemical and physical characteristics will require multiple analytical techniques. Fragmentation analysis enables profiling of particle sizes but requires micro-analytics combined with macro-analytics to characterize the waste rock profiles. A detailed understanding of the mineral components, their deportment by size, textural associations and deleterious element contributions of the individual mineral species will create the foundational data set combined with static and kinetic leach test work.
Once this foundational data exists, it is possible to deploy proxies such as downhole geophysical tools and sensors to classify waste rock according to main lithologies and add empirical data for real-time mine planning purposes.
With improved blasting/recovery, geotechnical considerations in terms of the preferential deportment of PAG rock by size, coal quality, environmental remediation/tailings and waste dump design criteria the environmental impact and cost of managing waste can further be reduced.