Soil-bentonite liner for the JEB Tailings Management Facility optimization - Part 2: construction

Hung Vu, Greg Misfeldt, Chris Blondeel, Nathan Drake, Jeff Stone

In the proceedings of: GeoRegina 2014: 67th Canadian Geotechnical Conference

Session: Uranium Tailings Management

ABSTRACT: The JEB Tailings Management Facility (TMF) is the repository for tailings generated from processing uranium ore at the McClean Lake Operation, a uranium mine and mill complex operated by AREVA Resources Canada Inc., in northern Saskatchewan. The TMF needs to be optimized to realize its full approved tailings storage capacity. A key component of the JEB TMF optimization plan is the application of a soil-bentonite liner to be placed around the TMF till slope to contain the operating pond throughout operation. The design and construction of the soil-bentonite liner for JEB TMF optimization project are presented in two parts, Part 1 is associated with the overall design, and Part 2 is associated with the construction of the soil-bentonite liner. This paper, (Part 2): provides an overview of the technical specifications, construction methodology, construction equipment, construction quality assurance (CQA) activities and the results of the CQA tests for the soil-bentonite liner constructed as part of the initial stage for the JEB TMF optimization project. RÉSUMÉ L'installation de gestion des résidus (IGR) de JEB est le stockage des résidus générés par le traitement du minerai d'uranium à l'usine de McClean Lake, une mine d'uranium et complexe de l'usine exploitée par AREVA Resources Canada Inc. dans le nord de la Saskatchewan. L'IGR doit être optimisé pour réaliser son potentiel de la capacité approuvée des résidus. Un élément clé du plan d'optimisation de l'IGR de JEB est le revêtement de sol-bentonite à être placé autour de la pente de l'IGR de JEB pour maintenir la couverture d'eau pendant l'opération. Le dessin et la construction du sol-bentonite pour le projet d'optimisation de l'IGR de JEB sont présentés en deux parties, la Partie 1 est associée au dessin général et la Partie 2 est associée à la construction du revêtement de sol-bentonite. Ce document, Partie 2, donne un aperçu des spécifications techniques, la méthodologie de construction, matériel de construction, l'assurance de la qualité de la construction (AQC) des activités et les résultats des tests de l'AQC pour le revêtement de sol-bentonite dans le cadre de la première étape pour le projet d'optimisation de l'IGR de JEB. 1 INTRODUCTION The JEB TMF has operated since 1999 and needs to be optimized to realize its full approved tailings storage capacity. The TMF optimization would provide additional 0.5 million m3 of tailings storage volume. The current licensed elevation of consolidated tailings is at the sandstone/till contact following the cover placement after closure. As part of the optimization, the operating pond above the tailings will be raised above the sandstone/till contact to allow for tailings deposition above the sandstone/till contact elevation. A key component of the JEB TMF optimization is the compacted soil-bentonite liner to be placed around the TMF till slope to contain the operating pond throughout operation. The soil-bentonite liner has been designed and constructed for the initial stage of the optimization project. The soil-bentonite liner was completed in 2013. The soil-bentonite base material can be produced on site from crushed sandstone waste rock and/or screened till. An untreated Wyoming sodium bentonite is used for the soil-bentonite mixture which contains 5% bentonite by weight. A pug mill was used to prepare the soil-bentonite mixture. The design and construction of the soil-bentonite for JEB TMF optimization project are presented in two parts, Part 1 associated with design (Vu et al. 2014), and Part 2 associated with the construction of the soil-bentonite liner. This paper, (Part 2): provides an overview of the technical specifications, construction methodology, construction equipment, construction quality assurance (CQA) activities and the results of the CQA tests for the soil-bentonite liner construction as part of the initial stage for the JEB TMF optimization project. 2 BACKGROUND, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION QUALITY ASSURANCE An areal oblique photograph of the JEB TMF and mill site is shown in Photo 1. The topography in the area of the JEB TMF is defined as muskeg-covered, poorly drained terrain (COGEMA 2004). The original ground surface varies from 443 metres above sea level (mASL) on the west side to 470 mASL on the northeast and southeast of the TMF. The general stratigraphy encountered in the JEB TMF area, in descending order, includes the following units i) till, ii) upper sandstone, iii) lower sandstone, iv) basement regolith, and v) intact basement. The depth of the till in the area of the JEB TMF ranges between 10 and 28 m. The

RÉSUMÉ: bentonite liner for the JEB Tailings Management Facility optimization

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Hung Vu; Greg Misfeldt; Chris Blondeel; Nathan Drake; Jeff Stone (2014) Soil-bentonite liner for the JEB Tailings Management Facility optimization - Part 2: construction in GEO2014. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{GeoRegina14Paper374,author = Hung Vu; Greg Misfeldt; Chris Blondeel; Nathan Drake; Jeff Stone,title = Soil-bentonite liner for the JEB Tailings Management Facility optimization - Part 2: construction,year = 2014}