The Miduk Copper Project: Down-Valley Discharge of Paste Thickened Tailings, Design and Early Operating Experience

Authors: Williams, MPA; Murphy, SD; MacNamara, L; Khoshniaz, N Paper is not available for download Contact Us

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/663_11

Cite As:
Williams, MPA, Murphy, SD, MacNamara, L & Khoshniaz, N 2006, 'The Miduk Copper Project: Down-Valley Discharge of Paste Thickened Tailings, Design and Early Operating Experience', in R Jewell, S Lawson & P Newman (eds), Paste 2006: Proceedings of the Ninth International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 117-130, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/663_11



Abstract:
The new Miduk copper mine is owned and operated by the National Iranian Copper Industries Company (NICICO) and is located in the Zagros Mountains in southern Iran. Commissioning commenced in April/May 2005. Planning has been based on 30 years production at 5 Mtpa (625 tph). On-site facilities consist of the open cut mine, a concentrator plant and the tailings dam. Concentrate is trucked to a new smelter at Khatoonabad about 50 km from the mine. Tailings disposal is by down-valley discharge (DVD) to a retaining embankment at the toe of the beach. Paste thickeners were selected on economic grounds. Tailings properties from laboratory testing are presented. Early operating experience – the plant was only commissioned in April/May 2005 – has suffered from teething problems but improved performance is expected as initial difficulties are overcome.

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