CLIENT: Conuma Resources
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
PRI was retained by Conuma Mining Services Ltd. to conduct geotechnical investigations on Shikane North Tailings Storage Facility (SNTSF) to support the design of a new Tailings Dam at the Quintette Mine site, based on the previously issued conceptual design. SNTSF is a rockfill “flow-through” dam constructed to impound tailings from the nearby Coal mine, approximately 16 km south of Tumbler Ridge, BC.
CHALLENGE:
Attaining site-specific geotechnical data, which was previously identified as a data gap, to inform the design of the new Tailing Dam.
APPROACH:
Completion of a phase 1 geotechnical investigation comprising geophysical testing (multichannel analysis of surface waves and seismic refraction tomography), preliminary terrain and hazard assessment, and exploratory sampling and laboratory testing of candidate dam materials. Static and seismic slope stability analysis, seepage analysis, and tailings deposition modelling was conducted based on the geotechnical investigation and testing results.
OUTCOME:
A preliminary geotechnical assessment was completed along with recommendations for future work to support detailed design of the proposed 15 m high dam and associated provisions to ready the pit for receipt of new tailings, refinement of terrain mapping, and refinement of engineering properties.