Antamina Tailings Dam
| Antamina Tailings Dam | |
|---|---|
 The tailings pond with the dam to the left | |
  Location of Antamina Tailings Dam in Peru | |
| Country | Peru |
| Location | Huaraz |
| Coordinates | 09°32′26″S 77°01′53″W / 9.54056°S 77.03139°W |
| Status | In use, being raised |
| Construction began | 2000 |
| Opening date | 2001 |
| Owner(s) | Teck Resources |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Tailings dam |
| Impounds | Ayash River |
| Height | Concrete-face rock-fill: 130 m (427 ft) Rock-fill raising: 215 m (705 ft) |
| Length | Concrete-face rock-fill: 1,050 m (3,445 ft) Rock-fill raising: 1,300 m (4,265 ft) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 570,000,000 metric tons (560,997,721 long tons; 628,317,447 short tons) |
The Antamina Tailings Dam, also known as the Antamina Tailings Impoundment Facility, is a
Background
The dam was designed by Golder Associates, Burnaby, B.C. and Ingetec SA between 1998 and 1999. Construction on the 130 m (427 ft) high concrete-face rock-fill starter dam began in 2000 was complete in April 2001. A 15,000,000 m3 (12,161 acre⋅ft) reservoir was filled behind the dam assist the concentrater. By April 2003, the dam was raised from its original elevation of 4,010 m (13,156 ft) above sea level to 4,045 m (13,271 ft).[3] The dam will continually be raised until it reaches 240 m (787 ft) tall at an elevation of 4,125 m (13,533 ft) and length of 1.3 km (0.8 mi). Currently the dam is undergoing its fourth raising to 215 m (705 ft) in height.[1]
Design and operation
As a base for the dam, a 130 m (427 ft) concrete-face rock-fill dam was constructed. From there, the dam is being raised with rock-fill with the upstream side being protected by a concrete slab. The original starter dam was 1,050 m (3,445 ft) in length and when the dam reaches its final height of 240 m (787 ft), it will be 1,300 m (4,265 ft) long. The dam will hold 570,000,000 metric tons (560,997,721 long tons; 628,317,447 short tons) of tailings and the mine is expected to produce 546,000,000 metric tons (537,376,764 long tons; 601,861,976 short tons).
References
- ^ a b c "Tailings Dam". Antamina. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ "Award of Merit: Antamina Tailings Facility". Canadian Consulting Engineer. 1 October 2002. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ a b Eldridge, T.; K. Moffitt; S. Botts; C. Dechert. "Operation at the Antamina Copper-Zinc Mine in Central Peru" (PDF). Info Mine. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2011.