TSF and Decant Pond, Carrapateena Mine (Australia)

The OzMinerals Carrapateena mine is a copper-gold project located 160 km north of Port Augusta (South Australia). The ore is processed onsite to produce a gold-copper concentrate. A lined tailings storage facility was required to receive the tailings by-product and protect the surrounding environment. A lined decant pond was also constructed as part of the processing facility. The solution was designed by Golder Associates. Coletanche ES3 met the desginer requirements since was well suited to the rugged site conditions. Coletanche ES3 was designed to interface directly with various stone and large soil particle sizes allowing the membrane to be installed efficiently without additional protection measures. Coletanche BGMs have been tested for chemical compatibility with various tailings types and have a hydraulic conductivity which easily met project requirements. An additional benefit of Coletanche BGM is the excellent dimensional stability in exposed conditions. Unlike many polymeric liners, the membrane does not wrinkle and deform in the high heat conditions.