Laserfiche WebLink
2.0 DATA COLLECTION <br />2.1 Tailings Depositional Sequence <br />in order to fully understand the potential changes in tailings constituents, the tailings operations <br />throughout the life of the facility must be characterized. The following discussion includes a <br />brief description of the tailings disposal process, a description of initial, interim and final <br />detoxification practices used at the facility, and the tailings deposition which occurred during the <br />use of the various detoxification procedures. Figure 2.1 is a schematic shoaling the various <br />elevations and approximate thicknesses of tailings deposited using the detoxification procedures <br />described below. This discussion and accompanying figure should be used in donjunction with <br />the data collection program to evaluate the tailings chemical constituents. <br />2.1.1 Tailings Di~nosal Area Operations <br />The San Luis tailings facility is operated as a thin layer deposition facility. This type of facility <br />results in the deposition of tailings in thin layers on a managed rotational disttfibution system. <br />Once a thin layer of tailings is deposited in an azea, deposition is temporarily ceased in that area <br />to allow settlement, drying and densification of the tailings prior to placement bf the next thin <br />layer. By managing the deposition so that each thin layer of tailings is allowed t~ settle, dry and <br />densify, the amount of disturbance required for the tailings facility is minimized. In addition, <br />the ability to consolidate the tailings is maximized, which results in rapid post-deposition <br />reclamation. <br />The San Luis tailings facility is shown on Figure 2.2. It consists of upper andllower disposal <br />areas separated by a sputter embankment. Operations at the San Luis tailirgs facility are <br />described as follows. The tailings slurry is transported by pipeline (in a lined tailings pipeline <br />ditch) from the mill facility to the tailings disposal area. The tailings distribution pipeline <br />system is located around the perimeter of the disposal area. Spigots are spaced atl approximately <br />• 100 foot intervals along the distribution line. Between three and five spigots ire opened and <br />3 <br />