The OzMinerals Carrapateena mine is a copper-gold project located approximately 160 km north of Port Augusta in South Australia. The ore is processed onsite to produce a gold-copper concentrate. A lined tailings storage facility was required to receive the tailings by-product and protect the surrounding environment. A lined decant pond was also constructed as part of
the processing facility.
For both the TSF and the decant pond, the designer required a Bituminous Geomembrane (BGM) with specified mechanical, durability and hydraulic properties. Coletanche ES3 met or exceeded all the specification requirements and was selected as the appropriate BGM. Quality assurance measures for the
installation called for air-lance testing, ultrasonic testing and vacuum testing
Coletanche ES3 was well suited to the rugged conditions of the site. ES3 is designed to interface directly with various stone and large soil particle sizes. This allows it to be installed efficiently without additional protection measures.
Coletanche BGMs have been tested for chemical compatibility with various tailings types and have a hydraulic conductivity which easily met project
requirements. An additional benefit of the Coletanche BGM is the dimensional stability it provides in exposed conditions. Unlike many polymeric liners, ES3 does not wrinkle and deform in the high heat conditions of the site.
