Rheology for deposition control and deposit failure risk analysis

Authors: Simms, P; Xia, X; Patel, A; Parent, E; Beier, NA; Zambrano-Narvaez, G

Open access courtesy of:

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2355_42

Cite As:
Simms, P, Xia, X, Patel, A, Parent, E, Beier, NA & Zambrano-Narvaez, G 2023, 'Rheology for deposition control and deposit failure risk analysis', in GW Wilson, NA Beier, DC Sego, AB Fourie & D Reid (eds), Paste 2023: Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Paste, Thickened and Filtered Tailings, University of Alberta, Edmonton, and Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 567-579, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2355_42

Download citation as:   ris   bibtex   endnote   text   Zotero


Abstract:
Application of rheology to the post-deposition behaviour of tailings is important for the design of the slope of the impoundment, control of layering for purposes of strength enhancement through desiccation, properly describing the mixing of different tailings streams and for dam breach consequence analysis. This paper aims to advance the understanding of tailings rheology in the post-deposition context to aid all of these applications. Firstly, thixotropy and its quantitative implications for beach slope and layer geometry are explored using a simple treatment. Secondly, method dependency in yield stress measurement is discussed, along with how such uncertainty can be practically handled by considering the appropriate stress path and timescale for a particular application. Finally, numerical simulation using a thixotropic rheology of channel flow down a beach and runout from a dam breach experiment, conducted in a centrifuge, is used to highlight the utility of advanced rheology to such problems. The paper uses data collected from published work on both hard rock and oil sands tailings over the last 15 years.

Keywords: rheology, tailings geometry, beach slope, rheometry, surface deposition, thixotropy, tailings flow modelling

References:
Addis, PC & Cunningham, EJ 2010, ‘Comparison of beaching slopes from two centrally discharging tailings storage facilities’, in R Jewell & AB Fourie (eds), Paste 2010: Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 255–263,
Coussot, P, Nguyen, QD, Huynh, HT & Bonn, D 2002, ‘Viscosity bifurcation in thixotropic, yielding fluids’, Journal of Rheology, vol. 46, pp. 573–589.
Daliri, F, Kim, H, Simms, P & Sivathayalan, S 2014, ‘Impact of desiccation on monotonic and cyclic shear strength of thickened gold tailings’, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, vol. 140, no. 9.Henriquez, J & Simms, P 2009 ,‘Dynamic imaging and modeling of multilayer deposition of gold paste tailings’, Miner Engineering, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 128–139.
Hewitt, DR & Balmforth, NJ 2013, ‘Thixotropic gravity currents’, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, vol. 727, pp. 56–82.
Li, AL 2011, ‘Prediction of tailings beach slopes and tailings flow profiles’, in R Jewell & AB Fourie (eds), Paste 2011: Proceedings of the 14th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 307–322,
Mizani, S, He, X & Simms, P 2013,‘Application of lubrication theory to modeling stack geometry of high density mine tailings’, Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, vol. 198, pp. 19859–19570.
Mizani, S & Simms, P 2016, ‘Method-dependent variation of yield stress in a thickened gold tailings explained using a structure based viscosity model’, Miner Engineering, vol. 98, pp. 40–48.
Mizani, S, Simms, P & Wilson, W 2017, ‘Rheology for deposition control of polymer-amended oil sands tailings’, Rheologica Acta,
Olsen, S & Stark, T 2002, ‘Liquefied strength ratio from liquefaction flow failure case histories’, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, vol. 39, pp. 629–637.
Parent, E & Simms, P 2019, ‘3D modelling of dam breach and deposition using viscosity bifurcation rheology’ Proceedings of Tailings and Mine Waste 2019, University of British Columbia and C3 Alliance Corp, Vancouver.
Parent, E 2020, Field Scale Flow Modeling of Thixotropic Mine Tailings Using the Material Point Method, MSc thesis, Carleton University, Ottowa.
Pirouz, B, Javadi, S, Williams, P, Pavissich, C & Caro, G 2015, ‘Chuquicamata full-scale field deposition trial’, in R Jewell & AB Fourie (eds), Paste 2015: Proceedings of the 18th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 477–489,
Rana, NW, Ghahramani, N, Evans, SG, McDougall, S, Small, A & Take, A 2021, ‘Catastrophic mass flows resulting from tailings impoundment failures’, Engineering Geology, vol. 292, httos://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2021.106262
Ruhanen, E, Kosonen, M, Kauvosaari, S & Henriksson, B 2018, ‘Optimisation of paste thickening at the Yara Siilinjärvi plant’, in RJ Jewell & AB Fourie (eds), Paste 2018: Proceedings of the 21st International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 75–88, 
Saeed, A, Xi, X, Esfandiari, Z, Zabolotnii, E & Simms, P 2022, ‘Multi-model assessment of dam failure and runout’, Proceedings of Tailings and Mine Waste 2022, Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, Colorado State University, Denver.
Simms, P, Williams, P, Fitton, T & McPhail, FG 2011, ‘Beaching angles and evolution of stack geometry for thickened tailings—a review’, in RJ Jewell & AB Fourie (eds), Paste 2011: Proceedings of the 14th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings, Australia Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 323–338,
Simms, P 2007, ‘On the relation between laboratory flume tests and deposition angles of high density tailings’, in: RJ Jewell & AB Fourie (eds), Paste 2007: Proceeding of the 10th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings, Australia Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 329–335.
Simms, P 2017, ‘Geotechnical and geo-environmental behaviour of high-density tailings’, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, vol 54, pp. 455–468,
Wennberg, T, Stalnacke, A & Sellgren, A 2020, ‘Commission and Operation Experiences of Two Thickened Tailings Facilities’, in H Quelopana (ed.), Paste 2020: 23rd International Conference on Paste, Thickened and Filtered Tailings, Gecamin Publications, Santiago,
Xia, X & Simms, P 2021, ‘Three-dimensional simulations of tailings dam breach using the material point method’, Proceedings of Tailings and Mine Waste 2021, University of Alberta Geotechnical Centre, Edmonton.
Yuhi, M & Mei, CC 2004, ‘Slow spreading of fluid mud over a conical surface’, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, vol. 519, no. 2, pp. 337–358.




© Copyright 2024, Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG), The University of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
View copyright/legal information
Please direct any queries or error reports to repository-acg@uwa.edu.au