High pressure, radon bearing water has been identified as one of the most critical challenges in mining the high-grade uranium deposit at the Mc Arthur River Operation, Cameco Corporation. The ore deposits are located...High pressure, radon bearing water has been identified as one of the most critical challenges in mining the high-grade uranium deposit at the Mc Arthur River Operation, Cameco Corporation. The ore deposits are located between 490 and 640 m below the surface and surrounded by water bearing Athabasca sandstone, a graphitic P2 fault zone, and highly altered ground. This paper introduces the inflow risk management program at Mc Arthur River Operation, which includes various hydrogeological challenges and the corresponding strategies applied, such as risk-based probe and grout programs(geological, hydrogeological, and geotechnical), ground freezing programs, and comprehensive ground control programs. These programs have been developed, tested, and proven successful over years of mining practices. Working with this world class deposit of high risk and low tolerance, it is believed that these experiences might be beneficial to other mining operations with similar hydrogeological characteristics.展开更多
This paper investigates the geotechnical behavior of uranium mill tailings from Saskatchewan, Canada.The 4% tailings were well-graded with 29% fines whereas the 5% and 6% tailings were gap-graded with 49% fines. All s...This paper investigates the geotechnical behavior of uranium mill tailings from Saskatchewan, Canada.The 4% tailings were well-graded with 29% fines whereas the 5% and 6% tailings were gap-graded with 49% fines. All samples exhibited a negligible strength(0.4 k Pa) up to 60% solids, followed by a rapid increase. The 4% tailings exhibited a lower rate and amount of settlement than 5% and 6% tailings. The kidecreased from 10^(-2)to 10^(-4)m/s with a decrease in eifrom 16 to 4 and a decrease in ef from 8 to 4 such that 4% tailings showed one order of magnitude lower values than the 5% and 6%tailings. The settling potential decreased ten times(50%–5%) for 4% tailings and four times(60%–15%)for 5% and 6% tailings. The effective stress increased from 80 to 260 Pa in the settling tests. The 4%tailings were less prone to segregation when compared with 5% and 6% tailings. The average solids content after settling was 35% for 4% tailings, 40% for 5% tailings and 39% for 6% tailings with a solids content deviation of ±3%, ±8%, ±6%, respectively. All materials were essentially non-segregating at 40%initial solids.展开更多
文摘High pressure, radon bearing water has been identified as one of the most critical challenges in mining the high-grade uranium deposit at the Mc Arthur River Operation, Cameco Corporation. The ore deposits are located between 490 and 640 m below the surface and surrounded by water bearing Athabasca sandstone, a graphitic P2 fault zone, and highly altered ground. This paper introduces the inflow risk management program at Mc Arthur River Operation, which includes various hydrogeological challenges and the corresponding strategies applied, such as risk-based probe and grout programs(geological, hydrogeological, and geotechnical), ground freezing programs, and comprehensive ground control programs. These programs have been developed, tested, and proven successful over years of mining practices. Working with this world class deposit of high risk and low tolerance, it is believed that these experiences might be beneficial to other mining operations with similar hydrogeological characteristics.
基金the University of Regina for providing laboratory space and computing facilitiesCameco Corporation for material and financial support
文摘This paper investigates the geotechnical behavior of uranium mill tailings from Saskatchewan, Canada.The 4% tailings were well-graded with 29% fines whereas the 5% and 6% tailings were gap-graded with 49% fines. All samples exhibited a negligible strength(0.4 k Pa) up to 60% solids, followed by a rapid increase. The 4% tailings exhibited a lower rate and amount of settlement than 5% and 6% tailings. The kidecreased from 10^(-2)to 10^(-4)m/s with a decrease in eifrom 16 to 4 and a decrease in ef from 8 to 4 such that 4% tailings showed one order of magnitude lower values than the 5% and 6%tailings. The settling potential decreased ten times(50%–5%) for 4% tailings and four times(60%–15%)for 5% and 6% tailings. The effective stress increased from 80 to 260 Pa in the settling tests. The 4%tailings were less prone to segregation when compared with 5% and 6% tailings. The average solids content after settling was 35% for 4% tailings, 40% for 5% tailings and 39% for 6% tailings with a solids content deviation of ±3%, ±8%, ±6%, respectively. All materials were essentially non-segregating at 40%initial solids.
