University of British Columbia

Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering

Mine 480 – Mine Waste Management

Mine 590Q – Advanced Mine Waste Management
Term 2 2019

Assignment 1 – Filter Design and Phase Relations

Due January 28, 2019 (outside Room 507, Frank Forward)

1. Figure 1 is from the notes for Lecture 3, Part 1. Use the filter criteria to confirm
that the two filter envelopes shown on Figure 1 satisfy the criteria. If not, show
the updated envelopes. Note that the first step is to develop the tailings particle
size envelope.

Figure 1. Tailings Particle Size Analysis and Filter Envelopes

2. You are asked to evaluate the filter design for a new embankment. The core will
be constructed with on site glacial till while the filter on the downstream side of
the core is obtained from a local rock quarry. Figures 2 and 3 show the particle
size distribution envelopes for the till as well as the filter design. If the proposed
filter does not satisfy the criteria, provide an updated filter envelope.

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Figure 1 – Core Material (Glacial Till) Specification

Figure 2 – Downstream Filter Specification

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 3. A 1 m3 sample of moist soil weighs 2,000 kg. The water content is 10%. Assume
ρs is 2.70 Mg/m3. With this information, fill in all blanks in the phase diagram of
Fig. 1

Fig. 1
4. For the information given in Problem 3, calculate (a) the void ratio, (b) the
porosity, and (c) the dry density.

5. The dry density of a compacted sand is 1.82 Mg/m3 and density of the solids is
2.67 Mg/m3. What is the water content of the material when saturated?

6. A 100% saturated soil has a total density of 2050 kg/m3 and a water content of
25%. What is the density of the solids? What is the dry density of the soil?

7. A large mill for a new copper and gold mine in the interior of British Columbia is
in the early stage of design. The company is in the process of locating the disposal
site for the tailings and requires an estimate for the storage capacity of the
impoundment. The mill will process ore at rate of 50,000 tonnes per day for a
period of 17 years.

i) The solids content for the tailing discharge1 is expected to be 55%. Compute
the water content, porosity and void ratio for the tailings discharge. Repeat the
calculation for the case where solids content is increased to 68%. Assume a
specific gravity of 2.8 for the ore body.

ii) The tailing will be deposited using the thickened discharge disposal method.
The final water content for the tailings after settling is expected to be 23%.

a. Compute the mass and volume of process water that will remain in the
voids of the tailing deposit.
b. Compute the dry and total unit weight of tailings.
c. Compute the final volume of the tailings deposit.

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Percent solids = 100 (ws/(ws+ww))