Masbate Gold Project – PhilippinesTailings Storage Facility (TSF) and associated infrastructure

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GHD was appointed by CGA Mining Limited to carry out the detailed design of the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) and associated infrastructure for the Masbate Gold Project – Philippines.

The Masbate Gold Project comprises four planned open pits, located on a mine site previously developed and operated by Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation. It is located approximately 7 km south of the town of Aroroy on the northern coast of the island of Masbate (approximately 350 km south of Manila), a province of the Philippines in the Bicol Region.

The initial study results of the project (October 2007) showed gold production at 206,000 ounces per annum for the next eight years. Construction of the process plant and TSF started on November 2007 and February 2008, respectively. Commissioning of the process plant is scheduled for January 2009, while mine production is targeted to commence in February 2009.

The scope of work includes the review of existing design documents and the detailed design of a TSF capable of storing a total of approximately 37 million tonnes of tailings for a mine life of eight years. The associated infrastructure include a division dam, saddle dams, sediment containment pond, water treatment plant, tailings delivery pipeline and return water system and tailings delivery pipeline route service road.

The general mine layout comprises of a number of open pits, with a process plant to the west and the TSF to the south of the pits and process plant. A division embankment is located upstream of the southern part of the TSF to divert surface runoff from south of the TSF. A Sediment Containment Pond (Surface Runoff Sediment Dam) is located downstream of the TSF to intercept contaminated runoff and seepage from the TSF.

All of the embankments, including the Main Embankment, Division Embankment and all Saddle Dam Embankments will have an estimated final crest at RL 51 metres at the end of the Life of Mine (LoM).

Dams

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GHD has been providing innovative, safe and optimised solutions for large and small-scale dams since 1930. We have been involved in the construction of more than 60 large dams — many of these in recent times.

Dams engineering requires understanding and control of the enormous forces and potential energy of water.  From foundation and seismic assessments through to geotechnical, hydrological, hydraulic and structural design — projects demand specialist skills and a coordinated approach.

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Tailings

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Over the past 30 years, GHD has gained a high level of local and international recognition for its cost-effective, practical, and innovative methods used in tailings design and management. GHD is represented on national and international technical committees including Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD) and close links with other organisations such as the Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG).

Successful tailings and mine waste management must incorporate many disciplines to produce safe and reliable solutions. GHD provides many of these skills in-house and customises project teams to provide a focused service that meets client needs.

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