Antofagasta Minerals has requested Expande to scout for suppliers in the local and international ecosystem that can provide solutions for the challenge “Ensure the mechanical stability of a tailings dump”

Due to the presence of a high quantity of fines and humidity in the reclaimed tailings, the material has a low resistance for the transit of equipment and installation of the infrastructure, therefore, an activity has been incorporated that ensures the load capacity in specific areas of the tailings dump. This method consists of removing material deposited in the dump, to replace it with sterile material of higher granulometry and without moisture, along the tracks of the equipment and infrastructure that are reinstalled in each transfer (Shifting). This civil road construction activity requires a high amount of resources and time for its execution.

SCOPE OF THE CHALLENGE:

• Road construction process for the operation of equipment and infrastructure:
▪ Conveyors: length -> 2500m, width -> 3.6m, height -> 0.5m
▪ Tripper: length -> 5000m, width -> 3.0m, height -> 2.1m
▪ Spreader: length -> 5000m, width -> 5.0m, height -> 2.1m

• This challenge requires solutions to increase the mechanical stability of the dump or reduce costs and times in the method currently used by Minera Antucoya, but no consulting or engineering studies are required.

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:

The current solution takes long to carry out, and thus is expensive.

• Decrease the execution time of the change of material properties
• Greater operational continuity
• Maintain the load bearing capacity

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:

• Maintain the load bearing capacity
• Progress in road construction (building materials)
• Time of execution of the works (days of execution of works)
• Costs (US$/m)