Planning, Monitoring, Closure, Renaturation, and Reclamation of Dump and Heap Leaching Operations under Special Consideration of Environmental Risks
Технологи (Хавсарга шинжлэх ухаан) • 2022
Copper is a metal that has numerous applications in our surroundings and industrial sector due to its physical and chemical properties whereas potentially pertinent applications of gold are extended with forthcoming and outstanding nanotechnology where gold nanoparticles play role in biological sciences, chemical platforms, and materials science. The absence of high-grade deposits results in developing technologies that recover newly found or old stockpiled low-grade, complex ores. Heap and dump leaching processes are designated for the low-grade ore since the capital cost is relatively low than other percolation leaching processes. In this thesis paper, concepts and current technologies of the heap and dump leaching processes are studied within the outline of the concept of the process, design of the construction, and the modern closure technologies with special consideration of environmental factors and risks. To set a baseline of the chemicals and pollutants, the relevant legal environment and standards were introduced in the literature review. Percolation leaches mine operation and closure is a relatively new concept in Mongolia, where the first tank leach processing plant started construction in 2002 and commercial production in March 2004. Therefore, mine practices and cases from Mongolia and other foreign countries were selected based on the PESTLE analysis and investigated in advance to present the importance of the closure management plan. Case studies are carefully chosen prior to similar mine operations and closed mine accidents. It was clarified from the studies that mine closure should be planned in advance of the operation, closure funds must be guaranteed, and post-closure risks have to be considered.
Copper is a metal that has numerous applications in our surroundings and industrial sector due to its physical and chemical properties whereas potentially pertinent applications of gold are extended with forthcoming and outstanding nanotechnology where gold nanoparticles play role in biological sciences, chemical platforms, and materials science. The absence of high-grade deposits results in developing technologies that recover newly found or old stockpiled low-grade, complex ores. Heap and dump leaching processes are designated for the low-grade ore since the capital cost is relatively low than other percolation leaching processes. In this thesis paper, concepts and current technologies of the heap and dump leaching processes are studied within the outline of the concept of the process, design of the construction, and the modern closure technologies with special consideration of environmental factors and risks. To set a baseline of the chemicals and pollutants, the relevant legal environment and standards were introduced in the literature review. Percolation leaches mine operation and closure is a relatively new concept in Mongolia, where the first tank leach processing plant started construction in 2002 and commercial production in March 2004. Therefore, mine practices and cases from Mongolia and other foreign countries were selected based on the PESTLE analysis and investigated in advance to present the importance of the closure management plan. Case studies are carefully chosen prior to similar mine operations and closed mine accidents. It was clarified from the studies that mine closure should be planned in advance of the operation, closure funds must be guaranteed, and post-closure risks have to be considered.
