Stacked tailings without pressure filtration: pilot-scale application of ATA rapid dewatering technology

Authors: Fischmann, AJ; van der Linde, J; Spagnuolo, C

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DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2655_60

Cite As:
Fischmann, AJ, van der Linde, J & Spagnuolo, C 2026, 'Stacked tailings without pressure filtration: pilot-scale application of ATA rapid dewatering technology', in AB Fourie, M Horta, M Oliveira & S Wilson (eds), Paste 2026: Proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Paste, Thickened and Filtered Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 1-12, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2655_60

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Abstract:
To achieve desaturation and the required moisture level tailings, filtering is required. In many cases, the capital cost of pressure filtration is prohibitive while lower cost vacuum filtration is unable to meet the required solids target (typically greater than 80% w/w solids). By anchoring fine particles to coarse particles using the dual polymer ATA® conditioning system, a granular and homogenous particle network structure is formed, resulting in improved dewatering efficiency. This enables acceptable solids concentrations using vacuum filtration in combination with a vibratory roller. This paper presents the results from a pilot-scale demonstration of ATA conditioning on tailings from an Australian Pb-Zn operation, conducted at a throughput of 0.5 t/h. A 2 m3 sample of tailings was split using a hydrocyclone and then treated in the ATA pilot unit. The dewatering performance of the ATA-treated tailings was assessed using a vacuum filtration pilot unit, enabling variation of the cake thickness, drying time and vibration conditions. A friable cake was produced at a filtration rate of 0.84 t/h/m2, containing 87.5% w/w solids. Geotechnical assessments showed that ATAtreated tailings filtered by vacuum filtration had a lower optimum moisture content and higher maximum dry density compared to untreated tailings. No significant difference in triaxial shear strength was observed between the treated and untreated material. This study demonstrates that ATA conditioning facilitates the production of low moisture, dry-stackable material using vacuum filtration, while maintaining comparable geotechnical properties to the benchmarked untreated tailings. The combination of an efficient hydrocyclone fines/coarse split with ATA conditioning and vacuum filtration unlocks a lower cost pathway to filtered tailings.

Keywords: tailings filtration, stacking, polymer conditioning, vacuum filtration, case study

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