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~'~ ~~ <br />SMITH WILLIAMS CONSULTANTS, INC. <br />• <br />^ Material properties for initial moisture contents, field capacity, leaching moisture, and <br />moisture uptake <br />^ Process solution flows from the PSSAs to the process plant <br />^ Solution application. rates. <br />The water balance model was developed using the GoldSim modeling software. GoldSim is a <br />graphic-oriented, computer program that is designed to conduct dynamic, probabilistic <br />simulations to support decision-making and design. The software is available through the <br />GoldSim Technology Group LLC and was initially developed to model the complex <br />environmental data for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Yucca Mountain High-Level <br />Waste Repository Project. The software has been reviewed and accepted by the U.S. <br />Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). <br />The Phase 5 VLF water balance was developed as a monthly model covering the operational <br />period from August 2011 through July 2016, for ore stacking and leaching. After July 2016, the <br />model simulates the post-mining leaching period of the VLF, whereby the ore continues to be <br />leached without additional ore being added. The post-mining leaching operations period for. the <br />VLF is approximately 8 years and ends in about July 2024. The post-operations period, during <br />which the ore is rinsed and water evaporated, occurs from the end ofpost-mining leaching to <br />approximately 2030. It is important to note that the water balance model starts in August 2011 <br />because the Amendment No. 8 water balance is still valid until the Phase 5 VLF is constructed <br />and put in operation. <br />The water balance operates on the principle of conservation of mass summarized as follows: <br />Inflows + Previous Storage -Outflows =New -Storage <br />All water entering the VLF is accounted for and tracked within the model. The model inflows. <br />within the water balance are: <br />^ Precipitation <br />^ Applied barren solution -to the ore (a maximum of 29;100 gpm) <br />^ Natural moisture contents in the ore <br />^ Make-up water. <br />• <br />S:\PROJECTS\1125 CC&V PHASE 5 VLF\H2 - DESIGNWREQUA VLF\VLF PHASE 5 FINAL REPORT V2.DOC <br />42 <br />