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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
Jabal Sayid Project for Bariq Mining
Project Manager for the geotechnical aspects of mine infrastructure, including the plant site and the tailings storage facility. Evaluation of filtered tailings in a HDPE lined valley TSF (start up through to closure). Preparation of evaluation reports, technical review and client liaison.
Julimar PGM Project
Project Geotechnical Consultant, Scoping Study Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), for the proposed300 Mt Project. Geotechnical tailings testing and examination of options for TSF location for the proposed 20-year mine life.
Kalbar Fingerboards Project, Victoria
Geotechnical advice, reviews and conceptual designs for above ground and mined pit tailings storage facilities for the following projects in Australia. Mineral sands typically split the sand and slimes (slit and clay) fraction during the processing, with the fines fraction potentially having a very low settled insitu dry density and high insitu moisture content, which can inhibit closure.
Kanmantoo Project for Hillgrove Copper Limited
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.
Kintyre Uranium Project
Project Manager for the value engineering study of the residue storage requirements for the Kintyre Uranium Project. Data review, development of conceptual design based on the implementation of an integrated waste landform (IWL) as an alternative to the existing concept design for the residue storage facilities which resulted in significant cost savings for the project by optimising the containment embankments.
Kipoi Project for Tiger Resources Limited
Project Manager for evaluation of heap leach and valley type, HDPE lined TSF for flotation tailings, access road and plant site. Preparation of concepts (start up through to closure), evaluation reports, technical review and client liaison.
Lady Bountiful Extended
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.
Leo Lithium (formerly Mali Lithium) Goulamina Lithium
Project Geotechnical Consultant for revised Goulamina Project Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), for the proposed 80 to 200 Mt Project for thickened (50% solids wet tailings stream) for the initial 20-year life of project.
Lynas Residue Storage Facilities
Project Manager for the evaluation of the residue storage requirements for the Lynas Residue Optimisation Project. Site visit and evaluation of site area for residue storage, data review, development of conceptual design based on the use of geotubes and adjustments to the existing residue storage facilities. Direction of conceptual design of the containment embankments, 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.