Tailings Dams
There are many parameters to consider when choosing a location for a tailings storage facility, and the specific method for deposition for the associated tailings. One of the most important factors to consider is the environmental impact the facility will have, and the rest of the design parameters such as the geometry of the dam, drainage facilities and liners as based around this.
When in comes to operating a tailings storage facility NAMCEP has expertise in all three methods of building them namely, cycloned deposition (up -and downstream and centerline deposition), spigot or spray bar deposition as well as paddock or daywall construction.
We concentrate especially in keeping the environmental impact the facility may have to the utmost minimum, ensuring through this way of operating legal and operational compliance throughout.
At the moment we are operating various sites throughout Namibia from Swakopmund region to north of Otjiwarongo.
The company through its South African sister company, Cyclone Engineering Projects extensively uses our own specialized and patented cyclones that ensures optimum stability through greater underflow: overflow splits and improved dewatering creating optimum water recovery back to the mine for use as process water.
Spray bar dams or spigot dams utilize either perforated pipes or take-off stubbed pipes to disburse the tailings along the perimeter of the dam, creating an adequate beach profile and thus ensuring that the latent water is centralized around the take-off point for water such as either penstock, floating barge or siphon decant system.
Some of the mines still prefer to build their tailings dam according to the more conventional daywall or paddocking method. This method is done by building paddocks on the outer perimeter of the dam wall which is filled during the day by open-end slurry deposition, hence daywall. During the night time slurry is diverted via a valve manifold that deposits the slurry into the basin of the dam. The paddocks can either be constructed by hand packing, ditching or even mechanically built using an excavator.
The main operating philosophy in all three types of dam building is to ensure adequate freeboard, appropriate outer slope stability and acceptable levels of rate of rise.
NAMCEP are committed to building tailings storage facilities according to the operating manuals, codes of practice and to our clients’ fulfilment.
Our staff are available to assist with auditing of dams, technical support and advice on any issues or problems on the client’s tailings dams.
