Tailings Disposal

Changing Trends

The trend in tailings pipeline systems is toward longer distances, higher concentrations, and longer design lives. The “brute force” approach, with its need for frequent pipeline repair, rotation, and replacement is finding less application in the design of tailings disposal systems and is environmentally unacceptable.

State-of-the-Art Design

PSI specializes in the design of a wide variety of state-of-the-art tailings disposal systems that couple experienced and innovative design approaches with the latest materials. Our solutions include gravity flow, open channel flow, energy dissipation, multiple pumps in series, and thickened paste disposal.

A New Era of Responsibility

At PSI, we understand that your tailings disposal decisions are affected by economic and environmental factors that didn’t exist in past decades. We apply our understanding of complex hydraulics and tailings disposal (e.g., dam construction) to your unique requirements to identify solutions that will result in longer design lives, reduced failure risk, and increased operating efficiency.

Key Services
Basic and Detailed Engineering
Design Audits/Optimization Studies
Feasibility Studies
Laboratory and Loop Testing Programs
Solids/Liquid Separation Evaluation
Transient Pressure Analysis
Complex Hydraulic Modeling
Pipeline SCADA and Telecommunications
Pump, Choke, Valve, and Cyclone Station Design
Site and Route Selection
Construction Support
Start Up and Commissioning
Operator Training/Operations Support

Types of Projects
Surface Disposal of Thickened/Paste Tailings
Conventional Tailings Disposal
Recovery, Reprocessing and Relocation of Existing Tailings
Subsea Tailings Placement (DSTP)
Open Channel Flow (Launder System)
Packed Flow Pipeline Systems
Tailings Disposal Site Location
Water Reclaim Systems
Distribution System Design
Underground Hydraulic/Paste Backfill Systems