Combined Treatment Plant

Project Information

Client: De Beers Consolidated Mines
Location: Kimberley, South Africa
Project Classification: Paste and thickened tailings

Background:

The Combined Treatment Plant processes a wide range of re-mined tailings from historical mining dumps in the Kimberley region. After processing, the fine waste tailings are sent to the thickening facility to maximise the water recovery, and the thickened underflow is pumped using positive displacement pumps to a the deposition site, where it is deposited from a central riser to form a conically shaped disposal area.

Services:

1999-2001: Paterson & Cooke completed extensive rheological characterisation test work on the various deposits, and were responsible for the front end engineering design and commissioning of the high pressure pump and pipeline system.

Project Publications:

Paterson, A., J., C., Houman, J. and van Sittert, F., “Quantifying the Effect of Pump Shear on Slurry Rheology: A Case Study at the Combined Treatment Plant”, Paste 20079, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Fremantle, Australia, April 2009.

Johnson G., Vietti A., (2003) : “The Design of a Co-Thickened Slimes Disposal System for the Kimberley Combined Treatment Plant”, 4th International Seminar on High Density & Paste Tailings, Melbourne, Australia, May 2003.

Houman J., Johnson G., (2003) : “Commissioning and Operation of the Paste Thickening Farm at Kimberley Combined Treatment Plant”, 4th International Seminar on High Density & Paste Tailings, Melbourne, Australia, May 2003.