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Antamina Mine Water

Background
The Antamina mine, located at over 4,300 m elevation in the Peruvian Andes, is one of the world’s top Management Model Typical Simulation Scenarios
ten producers of both copper and zinc. In 2002, a GoldSim model was developed by Golder Associates
Antamina personnel run the model on a regular basis to assist with planning and operation of the water
to provide Antamina with a forecasting tool to assist with water management system operations. Alan Keizur management system. Model runs are typically done deterministically based on specified scenarios,
such as the following:
Golder Associates •Time Frame – typically one month to 5 years
•Precipitation – 100-year wet, 100-year dry (based on statistical analysis of long-duration records from

Roberto Manrique Arce nearby climate stations), or historical average precipitation (based on measured data at the site since
2000)
•Transfers from Tailings Pond to Polishing Pond – specify decision rules for making transfers to the
Compañia Minera Antamina polishing pond for dilution and eventual discharge.
•Seepage Pumpback – specify decision rules for managing collected seepage, which can be pumped
back to the tailings pond, discharged directly, or pumped to a passive treatment system (wetlands)
•Tailings Production – various production rates and ore types can be analyzed.
•Release of fresh water to maintain instream flows – releases from the three fresh water storage ponds
can be either specified or calculated to ensure minimum flows are maintained in the Quebrada Ayash.

Water Management System Diagram

Objectives for the Model


Figure 4: Dam Crest and Pond Elevation Trends for Different Concentrator Throughput Rates
Antamina developed the GoldSim model to meet the following objectives:
Projection 2006 - 2022
4,125
125000 tpd
Develop and confirm the water balance for the tailings basin and test under different conditions (climatic 4120

and operational). 4,115


100,000 tpd
4105

•Provide useful projections of volume, elevation, and flow rate for the Tailings Dam, main upstream 4,105
Dam Crest 4100

Elevation (masl)
Envelopes
dams (Dam D, Polishing Pond, Nescafe Lake) downstream water systems (Tucush Creek and Ayash 4,095
4090

River) in the short, middle, and long-term. 4,085


85,000 tpd
4075
4,075

Based on the above the GoldSim model results are used to support operational decisions, such as:
4,065
Assessment for the dam raise plan (e.g. probable maximum flood (PMF) compliance) and support for
dam management (e.g. tailings deposition plan, pond water volume trends). 4,055

Calculate tailings deposition rates under different concentrator operating scenarios (ore type,

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throughput)

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Assess the impact of certain management decisions (e.g., tailings seepage return line into Tucush
wetlands, replacement of batch water loads in pipeline with Dam D fresh water, etc.) Figure 5: Dam D Water Elevation Envelopes
Projection 2006
4,260

Operational Level (Spillw ay Invert) 100%


4,255

80%

Percentage of Total Volume


4,250

Elevation (masl)
60%
4,245

40%
4,240

4,235 Under 100 year dry 20%


conditions, the pond trend is
full dry-up
4,230 0%

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/20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20 /20
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/0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /0 /1 /1 /1 /1 /1 /1 /1
01 15 29 12 26 12 26 09 23 07 21 04 18 02 16 30 13 27 10 24 08 22 05 19 03 17 31

100 Year Dry Conditions Max. Oscilation Standart Conditions Max. Oscilation 100 Year Wet Conditions Max. Oscilation

Current Elevation Dam D Minimum Elevation for Standart Year Minimum Elevation 1 in 50 Dry Year

Minimum Elevation 1 in 100 Dry Year Standart conditions without Riparian Release

Key Model Components


•Concentrator – given ore type and tonnage, the model calculates the volume of tailings slurry
produced, including solids, free water, and pore water
•Climate – generates daily precipitation values according to the specified scenario (historical, Monte
Carlo, or annual dryness condition). Lake evaporation is based on measured monthly averages, and
runoff is calculated using the Australian Water Balance Model (AWBM). The input parameters for the Observations and Future Directions
runoff model were calibrated to match measured values in each of the major catchments.
The following observations and conclusions can be drawn from the work to date:
•Tailings Pond – calculates volume and elevation in the tailings pond given previous values and daily
•The Antamina Water Management Model is operational and adequately represents the actual site
inflows and outflows. Major inflows include tailings slurry (consisting of free water, pore water, and
conditions.
solids), runoff, direct precipitation, and inter-basin transfers. Major outflows include pumping for
concentrator reclaim, transfers to polishing pond, evaporation, and seepage that is collected and •GoldSim is a very effective platform for implementing this type of model
(optionally) discharged.
•Other Storage Ponds – three other storage facilities are included in the model: Dam D (fresh water
The next phase of model development may include the following:
storage), Nescafe (flood control and fresh water storage), and the polishing pond (flood control and
dilution or tailings pond water) •A preliminary model for an additional basin was constructed, but not maintained due to rapid site
changes. This may be revised once the system stabilized.
•Diversion Ditches – route water from one location to another
•A new module may be added to simulate concentrate transfer and operations at an associated port
•Receiving Waters – calculates necessary releases to meet instream flow requirements
facility.

User Conference 2006

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