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October 26, 1994 -2- 943-2732 <br />A sample of the drain cover fill was obtained directly from the heap leach pad. The material <br />contained material less than 1.5-inch and was generally well graded to the sand fraction. <br />The geomembrane sample was obtained from a roll of smooth 80-mil VLDPE that had been <br />delivered to the project site from which a 10-inch diameter test specimen was cut. <br />TEST CONFIGURATION <br />The following table describes the configuration of the Puncture Resistance Test, with <br />materials being listed in order of their placement in the test cell: <br />- minus 2-inch Ironclad tailings (soil liner till) <br />- 80-mil smooth VLDPE <br />- minus 1.5-inch liner cover fill that contained "The Rock" <br />PROCEDURE <br />The following test procedure was followed to perform the Puncture Resistance Test: <br />- A loose lift of soil liner fill was placed in a horizontal lift in [he test apparatus <br />and compacted with a compaction hammer to achieve the specified wet <br />density. <br />- A specimen of the 80-mil VLDPE was cut and placed on the soil liner <br />surface. <br />- "The Rock" was painted yellow for identification and was placed on top of the <br />liner cover fill, placed in a flexible pan for dumping into the test apparatus. <br />- Approximately a 6-inch lift of liner cover till was dumped from about 24 <br />inches above the geomembrane with "The Rock" allowed to tall and orient in <br />a random configuration. The top of the liner cover fill was tamped to <br />simulate a condition that will exist following placement on the heap leach pad. <br />- The loading plate was placed and leveled on the liner cover fill. The <br />assembly of the loading apparatus was completed. <br />- The loads were applied in 50 psi/hour increments until a maximum load of <br />300 psi was obtained. The load was left applied for approximately 24 hours. <br />- Finally, the cell was disassembled, and the VLDPE specimen was examined <br />both visually and employing a modified vacuum box to detect punctures. The <br />vacuum test apparatus consisted of a clear Pyrex funnel which was inverted <br />on the surface of the geomembrane and connected to a regulated vacuum <br />