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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
Sarcheshmeh Tailings Storage
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.
Siviour Graphite Project
Project Geotechnical Consultant to Wave International for the DFS for the 0.85 to 1.625 Mt Graphite Project. Evaluation of data and input to the DFS for 20-year life of project.
Sokt 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.
Solomon TSF1 for Fortescue Metals Group
Project Manager for the TSF for the Valley of the Kings and Firetail tailings. Evaluation of data and design of the containment embankment using insitu colluvial materials supplemented with a geotextile filter zone. Preparation of concepts, evaluation reports, technical review and client liaison.
South Balmoral Project for Australasian Resources Ltd / International Minerals Pty Ltd
Project Manager for evaluation of filtered tailings integrated with mine waste options (start up through to closure). Preparation of evaluation reports, technical review and client liaison.
SRA Quertane Project
Preliminary conceptual tailings storage facility design. Gaps in the preliminary design by others identified and recommendations provided for improvements to the design.
Syama Tailings Storage Facilities
Project Manager for the OTSF and FTSF (oxide and flotation tailings) for Syama Project Mali. Site visit and evaluation of borrow area for tailings storage, data review, development of conceptual design and adjustments to the adjacent aerodrome design to accommodate the OTSF. Direction of design of the containment embankment using insitu materials supplemented with mine waste, evaluation reports, technical review and client liaison.
Tengrela / Sissingue Project for Perseus Mining Limited
Project Manager for evaluation of integrated waste landform TSF including preparation of concepts (start up through to closure), evaluation reports, technical review and client liaison. Project Manager for the 2015 revised design of integrated waste landform TSF including preparation of concepts (start up through to closure), evaluation reports, technical review and client liaison.
Tethyan Copper Project – Reko Diq Pakistan
Project Manager for IWL design (double HDPE lined) design and documentation including co-ordination of fieldwork, laboratory test work and preparation of concepts (start up through to closure); evaluation reports; technical review; presentations for regulatory authorities and public meeting; 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.