Mine waste and water management at the Mt. Milligan Project

The Mt. Milligan Project is a recently permitted large tonnage open pit mine in British Columbia currently under construction. Permit approvals were achieved by integrating the complete mine life cycle into the mine waste planning and design process. Knight Piésold (KP), in close collaboration with Terrane Metals Corp. (Terrane), developed a long-term, scientifically sound and sustainable design for an integrated tailings, overburden, mine waste rock and water management facility. Challenges in developing this state-of-the-art facility were numerous and included specific design measures to meet site specific environmental, geological, geotechnical and hydrogeological conditions, as well as geographic and economic factors. The storage of waste within the Tailing Storage Facility (TSF) has many advantages, including reduced environmental impacts, a reduced mine footprint, and economic savings while still ensuring secure and permanent engineered containment of mine waste solids during and after operations. The closure and reclamation initiatives will eventually return the TSF site to a self-sustaining facility with pre-mining usage and capability. [All papers were considered for technical and language appropriateness by the organizing committee.]Non UBCUnreviewedOthe