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Geological Services Pty Ltd
(L&MGSPL)
L&MGSPL and its Subsidiary Company TSF Reviews PL (TSFRPL) specialise in the execution of high-level geotechnical work associated with tailings storage facilities (TSFs) and other mine infrastructure from initial site reconnaissance and assessment during exploration through study phases for the development of mine projects.
Execution of high-level geotechnical work associated with tailings storage facilities (TSFs)
Chris Lane is Director and Principal Consultant (Engineering and Environmental Geologist) of L&MGSPL/TSFRPL with broad experience in civil construction fields, including site investigation of land based and marine based developments, and particular expertise in large resource projects.
He has more than 30 years’ experience in resource projects including site investigation and construction of infrastructure (plant sites, heap leach facilities, roads, railways and airstrips and tailing storage facilities (TSFs)).
Tailings storage facility experience
Involvement with TSFs covers aspects of design, construction, auditing and tailings/residue management reviews for a large number of projects covering a range of commodities including: alumina residue, bauxite residue, base metals (copper, lead and zinc), coal, gold, graphite, iron ore, manganese, nickel (sulphide and laterite), phosphate residues, rare earth residues, uranium and vanadium.
Special interests are dry stacked tailings storage facilities (DSTSF), Inpit TSFs, and Integrated waste landforms (IWL).
Chris has experience in the following overseas locations United Kingdom; Middle East (Egypt, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates); Armenia; Pakistan; Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and Vietnam); West Africa (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal), East Africa (Ethiopia, Tanzania) and Southern Africa (Mozambique, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo); South America (Brazil, Chile, Guyana and Uruguay).
Climatic experience covers Tropical (high rainfall); Humid Savannah (high seasonal rainfall); Temperate; Semi-arid; Arid; and Hyper Arid.
Do you have a tailings storage facility or potential mine project where you need some help with your tailings storage?
Experience
Abosso Gold Project
Advice on design concepts (start up through to closure), operation, audits, inspections, management reviews, advice on seepage, stability, tailings deposition, water recovery and preparation of tailings disposal strategy plans.
Agnew Gold Mine
Advice on design concepts (start up through to closure), operation, audits, inspections, management reviews, advice on seepage, stability, tailings deposition, water recovery and preparation of tailings disposal strategy plans.
Amansie Resources Gold Project
Advice on design concepts (start up through to closure), operation, audits, inspections, management reviews, advice on seepage, stability, tailings deposition, water recovery and preparation of tailings disposal strategy plans.
Ammaroo Phosphate Residue Facilities
Project reviewer for the Residue Storage Facility the above ground and inpit residue streams for the Prefeasibility Study. Evaluation of options for the start-up and life of mine residue storage.
Ararat Gold Project
Advice on design concepts (start up through to closure), operation, audits, inspections, management reviews, advice on seepage, stability, tailings deposition, water recovery and preparation of tailings disposal strategy plans.
Askaf Iron Ore Project
Advice on design concepts (start up through to closure), operation, audits, inspections, management reviews, advice on seepage, stability, tailings deposition, water recovery and preparation of tailings disposal strategy plans.
Austeel Iron Ore Project
Responsibilities included Geotechnical investigations (boreholes and testpits) for the proposed plant site and TSF at the mine site south of Cape Preston; Geological reconnaissance work for the quarry site and access to the proposed port facility; Contract administration including co-ordination of fieldwork, laboratory test work and preparation of factual and evaluation reports, technical review and client liaison. Project Director responsible for the investigation works undertaken for the Steel Mill at Tomago near Newcastle NSW.
Avonbank Mineral Sands Project – Horsham, Victoria
Review of the proposed in-pit tailings storage system. This review resulted in additional testwork which not only confirmed that the proposed flocculated tailings facility was stable and could be rehabilitated relatively quickly with the site being returned to agricultural use, but also resulted in the pit walls for mining being steepened to recover more ore. This project is yet to be completed.
Ayanfuri Project for Perseus Mining Limited
Project Manager for evaluation of valley type TSF for flotation tailings and a double HDPE lined TSF for concentrate tailings including preparation of concepts (start up through to closure), evaluation reports, technical review and client liaison.
Execution of:
- Routine annual geotechnical reviews of TSF which comprises visual assessment of TSFs, review of operation and management practices and assessment of TSFs in terms of compliance the design and regulatory criteria governing the performance of TSFs.
- Technical reviews of TSF design documents.
- Geotechnical advice on the closure and rehabilitation aspects of TSFs.
Specialising in
Inpit tailings storage facilities
In-pit tailings deposition has grown in popularity for mature mining projects, new projects being developed and potential projects being studied. In-pit tailings storage facilities (IPTSFs) maximise the use of resources and offer many economic and environmental benefits. This technique is not suited to all mining sites.
Integrated waste landforms
The development of new tailings storage facilities (TSF) for mining projects, both new and existing projects, requires innovative design approaches to optimise the available resources and achieve the desired outcomes of safe stable structures with minimal environmental impact.
Dry stacked tailings studies
Dry stacking is the terminology which describes the placement of tailings which has been thickened to a slurry density of 65% – 70% solids by weight, before being filtered/screened to 80% – 90% solids by weight to further reduce the volume of liquor prior to transportation and placement of the tailings.