Kenmare Moma Mining (Mauritius) Limited

Kenmare Moma Processing (Mauritius) Limited

STANDARD PROCEDURE

INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL OF DECANTING PIPES

Document No.: SOP-MIN-SS-0017 Originator: Tails Superintendent
Revision No.: 1 Document Owner: Deputy Mine Manager
(Services)
Implementation Date: 03/10/2019 Approver Date: 03/10/2019

PURPOSE
To ensure safe installation and removal of decanting pipes with the objective of preventing any
injury or incidents.


TABLE OF CONTENT

1. SCOPE .................................................................................................................................... 3
2. OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................................................... 3
3. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR THE TASK................................. 3
TABLE 1. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR THE TASK ....................... 3
4. RESPONSIBILITIES................................................................................................................ 4
5. EXECUTION OF THE TASK ................................................................................................... 4
6. PROCEDURE STATEMENTS ................................................................................................. 5
7. DESIGN AND POSITIONING OF DECANTING PIPES ........................................................... 6
8. PRE TASK INSPECTIONS...................................................................................................... 8
9. INSTALLATION OF DECANTING PIPES ............................................................................... 8
10. DECANTING PIPE MAINTENANCE ....................................................................................... 9
11. REMOVAL OF DECANTING PIPES AND COFFERDAM CONSTRUCTION ........................ 10
12. HME HANDLING DURING DECANT PIPES REMOVAL ...................................................... 11
13. FLOWCHART........................................................................................................................ 12
14. DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................. 12
15. REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 12

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DOCUMENT REVISION CONTROL

REVISION PAGE
NUMBER NUMBER CHANGE EFFECTED DATE OF ISSUE
0 All Complete Document 02/06/ 2019
1
2
3
4
5

REVIEW AND APPROVAL SIGNATURES

ROLE RESPONSIBILITY SIGNATURE REVIEW DATE

ORIGINATOR Tails Superintendent

OWNER Deputy Mine Manager (Services)

APPROVED BY General Manager

REVIEWED BY Mining Manager

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 1. SCOPE

The current procedure provide the guidelines that cover a series of actions to be
implemented by Mine Planning and Shore Services to safely design, install, use and recover
decanting pipes from operational berms. The successful implementation of the procedure
requires proper planning and coordination between both Mine Planning and Shore Services
and any incorrect pipe installation, pipe recovery can potentially cause hazardous conditions
for both personnel and operations.

2. OBJECTIVES

 The objective of this procedure is to provide a standard and guidelines to be followed for
ensuring the safe installation and removal of decanting pipes and ultimately prevent injuries
or incidents.

3. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR THE TASK

HEAD EYE HAND HI-VS VEST OVERALLS FOOT

PROTECTION PROTECTION PROTECTION MUST BE MUST BE PROTECTION
MUST BE MUST BE MUST BE WORN WORN MUST BE
WORN WORN WORN WORN

Table 1. Personal protective equipment required for the task

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4. RESPONSIBILITIES

POSITION TITLE ROLE DESCRIPTION OF TASK

Shore Services Planning and Control  In conjunction with the Mine
Superintendent Planner/Engineer to determine where the
decanting pipes will be positioned.
 Discuss and detail the required preparation
work with the Shore Services Supervisor
and allocate responsibility for various tasks.
WCP Shore Execute and Supervision  Discuss the required preparation work with
Services Supervisor the Mine Superintendent and accept
responsibility for all allocated tasks.
 Supervise the open ending to beach the
area in front of the pipes to be removed.
 Supervise the excavation at the new
position of the decanting pipes.
 Ensure that all HME is serviced, fuelled and
operational.
 Make access to the decanting pipes safe.

5. EXECUTION OF THE TASK

5.1. HAZARDS
 Roadway slumping close to paddock edge
 Uneven ground surfaces
 Taking up an unsafe position
 Use of incorrect tools for the task

5.2. CONSEQUENCES
 Damage of equipment
 Submersing of HME
 Operator Drowning due lack of use appropriate PPE
 Hand injuries due pinch points
 Struck by
 Struck against

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6. PROCEDURE STATEMENTS

Decanting pipes represent the preferred cost-effective option for recirculating and reuse water
that has been used to hydraulically transport tailings from the concentrator plant to dedicated
tailings disposal paddocks, when the mine is operating over high slimes areas.

Fig1. 3 Paddocks system and decanting pipes along the berms sectional view

Fig2. 3 Paddocks system and decanting pipes along the berms profile and top view

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7. DESIGN AND POSITIONING OF DECANTING PIPES

The design for installation of decanting pipes shall ensure that:

7.1. The Mine Planning Engineer identifies the position of the berm where the next set of
decant pipes will be installed.
7.2. The Mine Planning Engineer incorporates in the weekly plans sends to the Mine’s
Scheduler the actions that need to be implemented prior to the actual excavations for
installation of the decant pipes. This will mostly include allowance for a low section on the
berm during the successive phases of stacking
7.3. The mine planning engineer/geotechnical engineer will provide the design of the
decanting pipes
7.4. The design of decanting pipes will contain the following elements:
 Safe depth to operate and depth to the decanting pipes level expressed in RL elevation
 Required number of decanting pipes and specifications of pipes
 Volume of sand to be excavated down to the level of decanting pipes
 Evaluation of potential implications of pipe installation on the trailing paddocks
 Slope of decanting pipes between the inlet and the outlet sides
 Spacing between pipes

7.5. The design of decant pipes will be signed-off by both the Mine planning engineer, the
Shore Services Superintendent and the geotechnical engineer signalling approval for start
construction.
7.6. After the signoff of design, the planned level for the decanting pipes will be given to the
surveyor and the surveyor will install pegs on the berm indicating the levels of invert inlet
and outlet of the decanting pipes.
7.7. In the case of successive sets of decanting pipes across a berm where an operating set is
already installed, the distance between the two is not closer than 40m from the active set
of decanting pipes to allow for sufficient space to install and recover decanting pipes
7.8. In the case of installing an initial set of decanting pipe across a berm the distance
between the proposed position of set of pipes and installed pumping infrastructure is not
closer than 40m to allow for safe installation and recovery of infrastructure or pipes
7.9. The Mine Planning Engineer shall install survey pegs indicating position and elevation of
proposed decanting pipes and shall ensure planned elevations thereof are cross checked
prior to installation (Ensure 1m difference in gradient between in-and-outlet)
7.10.Through a paddock inflow/outflow calculation the Geotechnical or Mine Planning Engineer
shall determine the number of decanting pipes necessary to be installed across the berm
7.11.Minimization or elimination of operational and post operation risks posed to equipment
and personnel by decanting pipes installed across a berm. Ensuring an effective
decanting of cleaner water to succeeding paddock during operational life of decanting
pipes. The decanting pipes shall be positioned in such a way that:
7.11.1. The pipe inlet are sitting on the inner side of the protruding section of the open slot
created across a berm leaving a free or open protruding dozed platform above the
paddock water level on the upstream side of the pipes installed in the berm. The
platform will work as an underwater berm as the paddock fill level increases thereby
allowing clean water decanting through pipes by trapping slimes underwater
7.11.2. The platform left on upstream side of berm will be used in future for dozing pad at
end of pipe operational life for the purpose of coffer berm construction during pipe

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 recovery. This will avoid dozing into deep potentially high-slime accumulated section
of paddock which become a high risk to equipment
7.11.3. The outlet discharge end is sufficiently sitting into the paddock minimising risk of
berm washing or erosion on the downstream which subsequently results in
reduction of paddock capacity for the succeeding paddock

 The outlet side discharge pipes end needs to be at the same length
 We need to ensure at least 2m of the outlet discharge end pipes are out of the
dozed platform to avoid erosion
 The Emergency pipes at 1m above installed pipes

7.12. The Shore Services Superintendent will complete a risk assessment prior to start
excavation works.

Fig4. Design for Decanting pipes installation along the berm (section)

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Fig5. Set Decanting pipes after installation along the berm

8. PRE TASK INSPECTIONS

Ensure the following items are in place or completed prior to starting the task:

8.1. Ensure that 10 x 48m lengths of 450mm HDPE pipes are at the area where the
installation will take place.
8.2. The position and elevation for installing the pipes has been surveyed and markers
installed.

Note: if any of the identified safety precautions of this Procedure cannot be met, a separate
risk assessment must be done to cater for the change in conditions.

Any change to the plan needs to be approved as per Kenmare change management
procedure.

9. INSTALLATION OF DECANTING PIPES

9.1. The Dozer operator under the direct supervision of the Shore Services Supervisor will
doze material on the berm at the planned position and to planned elevation as per
installed survey pegs indicating where the pipes are to be installed to establish the
designed berm width and elevation
9.2. Upon completion of dozing, the Shore Services Supervisor shall request for a resurvey
of the dozed pad to ensure compliance to elevations
9.3. Upon satisfaction of the survey, the Mine Planning Engineer shall give the go ahead to
install pipes in liaison with the Shore Services Supt
9.4. To minimise risks associated with pipe blockage, excessive erosion on berm due to
high vortex on pipe inlet and provision for efficient pipe cleaning and maintenance pipes
on the berm, pipes shall be placed at a minimum distance of 1m apart from one another
9.5. The Shore Services Supt will ensure that the excavator operator, under the direct
supervision of the Shift Supervisor, installs the set of decant pipes at the required
elevation ONLY during daylight hours.

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 9.6. The Shore Services Supt will also ensure 1 x Dozer is on standby for deployment to
close off the section of opened berm immediately after pipe installation to establish the
standard 2m freeboard in the paddock
9.7. The Dozer operator will then doze material onto the berm above the pipes to establish
the required berm width and raise the berm to the required elevation

Equipment Hrs Pipe Installation

Dozer (hrs) Excavator Skidder

(hrs) (hrs)
Pipe transportation - - 4
Berm Slot Opening to Level 52 - -
Pipe Installation - 8 -
Berm Slot Closing to Level 24 - -
Emergency Pipe installation - 4 -
Total 76 12 4

Table 2. Equipment Hrs required for Decanting pipes installation

9.8. Supervisors to ensure that the workers do not take up any unsafe positions and are
wearing the required PPE (Life Jacket and listed on Table 1).
9.9. Supervisor to ensure that correct hand tools, slings and materials are used.

Note: if any of the identified safety precautions of this Procedure cannot be met, a
separate risk assessment must be done to cater for the change in conditions.

10. DECANTING PIPE MAINTENANCE

During the process of decanting water from one paddock to the next, slimes settle, build up
and migrate towards the decanting pipes. The build-up of slimes results in the loss of
settling capacity in the paddocks and a reduction of water quality.
The operation team must ensure that the decanting pipes are cleaned on regular basis and
actions record in SIC documents. The Slime Attendant is responsible to report any
deviation or any pipe blockages immediately. An excavator is used to clean the area in front
of the decanting pipes to maintain a free flow of water to the next paddock.

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Fig6. Decanting pipes inlet cleaning & maintenance along the berm

11. REMOVAL OF DECANTING PIPES AND COFFERDAM CONSTRUCTION

 The old set of decanting pipes blocked, water level in the paddock will start to increase. In
order to ensure that a minimum of 2m freeboard will be maintained after the level
increases, the crest elevation of the cofferdam will be set to a minimum of 2.5m above the
invert elevation taken from the inlet side of the set of decant pipes.
 The excavation of pipes must be limited to maximum of 5m depth. If the estimates indicate
that the excavation for recovery of pipes exceeds 5m depth then the pipes will be left and
buried.
 The Shore Services Superintendent is responsible for managing paddocks water level to
prevent rapid increase. Managing paddock water level will be accomplished by temporarily
alternating flow to downstream paddocks.
 The cofferdam will be 10m wide at crest with side slopes gradients of 1:2.

Fig7. Design of coffer dam and pad prior Decanting pipes removal process along the berm

For active paddocks, the removal of decanting pipes will only be conducted after the
installation and sign-off of a new set of decanting pipes as described in Sections 7 & 9. The
following steps will be used to excavate and remove the old set of decanting pipes:
11.1. All the activities needs to be done as per design in accordance with the guidelines
mentioned above.
11.2. The design of decanting pipes stated in 11.1 will be signed-off by the Mine Planning
engineer and/or geotechnical engineer and the shore services superintendent.
11.3. A beach shall be created by means of open ending to establish a stable base or
platform for construction of a coffer berm in front of decanting pipes for the purpose of
blocking the pipes. A geofabric membrane will be used to cover the inlet side of the
decant pipes. This will help speed up the process of blocking pipes and prevent

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 excessive flow of sand tailings through the decanting pipes that often result in reducing
design capacity of the downstream paddock.
11.4. Evaluation of tailings O/E to establish whether slimes accumulated in front of the inlet
side of the decanting pipes have been displaced and a stable base formed along the
alignment of the cofferdam.
11.5. Once a sufficient open ended beach has been established dozing work for construction
of a cofferdam will commence in accordance with the approved design.
11.6. Survey the cofferdam and complete the risk assessment on pipeline removal.

12. HME HANDLING DURING DECANT PIPES REMOVAL

12.1. To minimise the potential risks associated with dozing into open water or slimes
construction of coffer berm shall be conducted ONLY during daylight hours under the
direct supervision of the Shift Supervisor.
12.2. Shore Services Superintendent shall ensure a detailed risk assessment as per is
completed prior to pipe removal and dozing work is as per the pad dozing standard
procedure
12.3. 1 x dedicated dozer shall be allocated for the purpose of coffer berm construction to
completion.
12.4. Once construction of coffer berm is complete geofabric must be installed on the
cofferdam to prevent washing away of berm from erosion.
12.5. 1 x Dozer will be allocated for digging to expose decanting pipes.
12.6. The Dozer Operator under direct supervision of Shift Supervisor shall remove the sand
on top of the decanting pipes (the process is based on pushing sand from the outlet to
the inlet towards the coffer berm to ensure stability of the berm).
12.7. Immediately after pipes are exposed 1 x Excavator shall be deployed to start removal or
extraction of pipes from the downstream side of the coffer berm.
12.8. Pipe removal exercise shall be conducted during daylight hours whenever possible.
12.9. During pipe removal 1 x Dozer shall be placed on standby, refuelled and ready for slot
filling immediately after excavation.
12.10. The Skidder/Dozer Operator must then remove the decanting pipes to the identified
temporary laydown area.
12.11. If these pipes are going to be reinstalled, then the Dozer operator will then doze
material onto the berm at the area where the pipes are to be installed to establish the
required berm width and elevation. The pipe installation steps will then be followed.

Equipment Hrs Pipe Recovery

Dozer (hrs) Excavator Skidder

(hrs) (hrs)
Pipe transportation - - 2
Coffer Berm construction 36 - -
Digging to expose pipes 36 - -
Pipe Recovery - 16 4
Berm reinstatement to 16 - -
standard
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 Total 88 16 6

Table 3. Equipment Hrs required for Decanting pipes recovery

AUDITING
None

13. FLOWCHART

None

14. DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS

TERM DESCRIPTION
PPE Personal Protective Equipment
EME Earth Moving Equipment

15. REFERENCES

REFERENCE AUTHOR TITLE

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