Environmental Impacts of Gold Recovery at a leading gold mining … · 2007. 10. 26. · Empresa...
Transcript of Environmental Impacts of Gold Recovery at a leading gold mining … · 2007. 10. 26. · Empresa...
Environmental Impacts of Gold Recovery at a leading gold
mining enterprise in Bolivia,
South America
Thomas Reichard
Jaime A. Rocha
Karl E. Lorber Arequipa, 24.9.07
ContentsContents
1.1. IntroducingIntroducing myselfmyself: : FromFrom AustriaAustria to to BoliviaBolivia -- TheThe bigbig leapleap
2. 2. EmpresaEmpresa MineraMinera IntiInti RaymiRaymi S.A.S.A.
3. 3. TwoTwo keykey issuesissues of of environmentalenvironmental concernconcern
4. 4. ManyMany questionsquestions, , fewfew answersanswers
• Thomas Reichard
• Environmental Engineering
• University of Leoben
Institute for Sustainable Waste Management
and Technology, University of Leoben, Austria
Industrial Environmental
Protection
• Bachelor of Science, 2006
• Student of the Masterprogramme since 2006
•• StudiedStudied thethe Viola at Viola at thethe
ConservatoryConservatory of of ViennaVienna
19941994--19971997
•• Born in Born in ViennaVienna 1978 1978
•• Slogans: He Slogans: He whowho enjoysenjoys
helpinghelping, , shallshall receivereceive helphelp
alsoalso
•• A A smilesmile isis thethe shortestshortest
connectionconnection betweenbetween twotwo
peoplepeople
TheThe bigbig �������� leapleap
EmpresaEmpresa IntiInti RaymiRaymi S.A.S.A.
• The Kori Kollo mine:
• Situated in Oruro, Bolivia,
South America
• Since 1982-present days
• oxidised and sulphide ores
5 5 EpisodesEpisodes of of miningmining
11 oxidisedoxidised oresores Kori Kollo Kori Kollo hillhill: 1982: 1982--19921992
22 sulphidesulphide oresores Kori Kollo Kori Kollo hillhill: 1992: 1992--20032003
33 oxidisedoxidised oresores LlallaguaLlallagua depositdeposit: 1997: 1997--present present daysdays
44 releachingreleaching of of oxox--tailingstailings Kori Kollo Kori Kollo hillhill:: 19991999--present present daysdays
55 sulphidesulphide oresores LlallaguaLlallagua depositdeposit currentlycurrently underunder investigationinvestigation
Two key issues of concernTwo key issues of concern
•• The handling of water (liquids) The handling of water (liquids)
•• The handling of the mineral (solids)The handling of the mineral (solids)
OxidisedOxidised ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill
19821982--19921992The path of water (Ox)The path of water (Ox)
operation
100 % H2O recycling
collectionsystem
H2Oox, precH2Oox, evapo
H2Oox, out -> H2O sulph, inH2Oox, river
OxidisedOxidised ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill
19821982--19921992The path of the mineral (Ox), part 1The path of the mineral (Ox), part 1
selective blasting
ore
waste
mine
crushing in 2 steps
lixiviation
waste dump
OxidisedOxidised ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill
19821982--19921992The path of the mineral (Ox), part 2The path of the mineral (Ox), part 2
on-off pad
lixiviation
permanent pad
leached mineral
Rinsing with fresh water
encapsulation
used as construction material
Rinsing with fresh water
waste dump
Environmental aspects of Environmental aspects of
the project of the project of oxidisedoxidised oresores
•• HH22OOox, ox, precprec leaching CN or other harmful substances from leaching CN or other harmful substances from
the heapsthe heaps
•• Impacts from the waste dumps Impacts from the waste dumps
•• Handling of CNHandling of CN--solution in the case of spills and after the solution in the case of spills and after the
closure of operationsclosure of operations
SulphideSulphide ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill
19921992--20032003The path of water (The path of water (SulphidesSulphides), part 1), part 1
operation
H 2O su lph , p rec
H 2O su lph , river
H 2O su lph , ox
H 2O su lph , dom
H 2O su lph , op
H 2O su lph , p it H 2O c lassification
T D S < 4 .000 [m g/l]
T D S > 4 .000 [m g/l]
SulphideSulphide ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill
19921992--20032003
The path of the mineral (The path of the mineral (SulphidesSulphides), part 1), part 1
selective blasting
ore
waste, sulph
mine
crushing
waste dump, sulph
SulphideSulphide ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill
19921992--20032003The path of the mineral (The path of the mineral (SulphidesSulphides), part 2), part 2
crushing
milling
lixiviation
adsorption
SulphideSulphide ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill
19921992--20032003The path of the mineral (The path of the mineral (SulphidesSulphides), part 3), part 3
adsorption
desorption
electrowinning
bars of doré
tailing dam
Environmental aspects of Environmental aspects of
the project of sulphide ores, 1the project of sulphide ores, 1
•• Waste dump of sulphide ores Waste dump of sulphide ores --> generate AMD?> generate AMD?
•• High CN in: fountain PFSAHigh CN in: fountain PFSA--5 (San 5 (San AndrAndrééss):):
01/94: 2.58 mg/l, 07/94: 4.88 mg/l, 01/95: 18.58 mg/l01/94: 2.58 mg/l, 07/94: 4.88 mg/l, 01/95: 18.58 mg/l
--> > What happened with that fountain? What happened with that fountain?
--> 07/95: dried out, 01/96: closed why?> 07/95: dried out, 01/96: closed why?
--> What measured were taken by EMIRSA? > What measured were taken by EMIRSA?
--> Did EMIRSA report to the authorities?> Did EMIRSA report to the authorities?
--> > How did the authorities react?How did the authorities react? EnvironmentalEnvironmental ActAct 1333: 19921333: 1992
Environmental aspects of Environmental aspects of
the project of sulphide ores, 2the project of sulphide ores, 2SalinisationSalinisation: Did heavy rainfalls surpass capacity of : Did heavy rainfalls surpass capacity of
evaporation ponds?evaporation ponds?
Air: Monitoring only includes PM10, TSPAir: Monitoring only includes PM10, TSP
--> what about the form of the particles?> what about the form of the particles?
--> what about the chemical composition of dust?> what about the chemical composition of dust?
Low collaboration by EMIRSA: Why? Do they have to hide Low collaboration by EMIRSA: Why? Do they have to hide
somethingsomething??
SummarySummary
•• EMIRSA at Kori Kollo: 1982EMIRSA at Kori Kollo: 1982--present present daysdays
•• MiningMining of of oxidised and sulphide ores
-> various by-products of environmental concern
-> uncertainties and doubts remain
•• EnvironmentalEnvironmental ActAct 1333: 1992: 1333: 1992:
--> > UncertaintyUncertainty in in executionexecution on both sides after 15 years of enpowerment: Enterprise and authorities
=> These issues shall be further investigated in a masterthesis
AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements
•• ArrivedArrived in La Paz 24.3.07: in La Paz 24.3.07:
I I havehave beenbeen livingliving thethe Latin Latin adventureadventure forfor 6 6 monthsmonths
and am and am lookinglooking forwardforward to to everyevery second of second of itit
•• My My heartfeltheartfelt thanksthanks gogo to:to:
-- ALFA/TECLIMINALFA/TECLIMIN
-- Institute for Sustainable Waste Management and Technology, Institute for Sustainable Waste Management and Technology,
University of University of LeobenLeoben, Austria, Austria
-- Metallurgy and Materials Research Institute, University of San Metallurgy and Materials Research Institute, University of San
AndrAndrééss, La Paz, Bolivia, La Paz, Bolivia
…… and to YOU!and to YOU!
ThankThank youyou forfor youryour attentionattention!!
GlGlüück Auf!ck Auf!