Environmental Impacts of Gold Recovery at a leading gold

mining enterprise in Bolivia,

South America

Thomas Reichard

Jaime A. Rocha

Karl E. Lorber Arequipa, 24.9.07

ContentsContents

1.1. IntroducingIntroducing myselfmyself: : FromFrom AustriaAustria to to BoliviaBolivia -- TheThe bigbig leapleap

2. 2. EmpresaEmpresa MineraMinera IntiInti RaymiRaymi S.A.S.A.

3. 3. TwoTwo keykey issuesissues of of environmentalenvironmental concernconcern

4. 4. ManyMany questionsquestions, , fewfew answersanswers

• Thomas Reichard

• Environmental Engineering

• University of Leoben

Institute for Sustainable Waste Management

and Technology, University of Leoben, Austria

Industrial Environmental

Protection

• Bachelor of Science, 2006

• Student of the Masterprogramme since 2006

•• StudiedStudied thethe Viola at Viola at thethe

ConservatoryConservatory of of ViennaVienna

19941994--19971997

•• Born in Born in ViennaVienna 1978 1978

•• Slogans: He Slogans: He whowho enjoysenjoys

helpinghelping, , shallshall receivereceive helphelp

alsoalso

•• A A smilesmile isis thethe shortestshortest

connectionconnection betweenbetween twotwo

peoplepeople

TheThe bigbig �������� leapleap

EmpresaEmpresa IntiInti RaymiRaymi S.A.S.A.

• The Kori Kollo mine:

• Situated in Oruro, Bolivia,

South America

• Since 1982-present days

• oxidised and sulphide ores

5 5 EpisodesEpisodes of of miningmining

11 oxidisedoxidised oresores Kori Kollo Kori Kollo hillhill: 1982: 1982--19921992

22 sulphidesulphide oresores Kori Kollo Kori Kollo hillhill: 1992: 1992--20032003

33 oxidisedoxidised oresores LlallaguaLlallagua depositdeposit: 1997: 1997--present present daysdays

44 releachingreleaching of of oxox--tailingstailings Kori Kollo Kori Kollo hillhill:: 19991999--present present daysdays

55 sulphidesulphide oresores LlallaguaLlallagua depositdeposit currentlycurrently underunder investigationinvestigation

Two key issues of concernTwo key issues of concern

•• The handling of water (liquids) The handling of water (liquids)

•• The handling of the mineral (solids)The handling of the mineral (solids)

OxidisedOxidised ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill

19821982--19921992The path of water (Ox)The path of water (Ox)

operation

100 % H2O recycling

collectionsystem

H2Oox, precH2Oox, evapo

H2Oox, out -> H2O sulph, inH2Oox, river

OxidisedOxidised ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill

19821982--19921992The path of the mineral (Ox), part 1The path of the mineral (Ox), part 1

selective blasting

ore

waste

mine

crushing in 2 steps

lixiviation

waste dump

OxidisedOxidised ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill

19821982--19921992The path of the mineral (Ox), part 2The path of the mineral (Ox), part 2

on-off pad

lixiviation

permanent pad

leached mineral

Rinsing with fresh water

encapsulation

used as construction material

Rinsing with fresh water

waste dump

Environmental aspects of Environmental aspects of

the project of the project of oxidisedoxidised oresores

•• HH22OOox, ox, precprec leaching CN or other harmful substances from leaching CN or other harmful substances from

the heapsthe heaps

•• Impacts from the waste dumps Impacts from the waste dumps

•• Handling of CNHandling of CN--solution in the case of spills and after the solution in the case of spills and after the

closure of operationsclosure of operations

SulphideSulphide ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill

19921992--20032003The path of water (The path of water (SulphidesSulphides), part 1), part 1

operation

H 2O su lph , p rec

H 2O su lph , river

H 2O su lph , ox

H 2O su lph , dom

H 2O su lph , op

H 2O su lph , p it H 2O c lassification

T D S < 4 .000 [m g/l]

T D S > 4 .000 [m g/l]

SulphideSulphide ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill

19921992--20032003

The path of the mineral (The path of the mineral (SulphidesSulphides), part 1), part 1

selective blasting

ore

waste, sulph

mine

crushing

waste dump, sulph

SulphideSulphide ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill

19921992--20032003The path of the mineral (The path of the mineral (SulphidesSulphides), part 2), part 2

crushing

milling

lixiviation

adsorption

SulphideSulphide ores of the Kori Kollo hillores of the Kori Kollo hill

19921992--20032003The path of the mineral (The path of the mineral (SulphidesSulphides), part 3), part 3

adsorption

desorption

electrowinning

bars of doré

tailing dam

Environmental aspects of Environmental aspects of

the project of sulphide ores, 1the project of sulphide ores, 1

•• Waste dump of sulphide ores Waste dump of sulphide ores --> generate AMD?> generate AMD?

•• High CN in: fountain PFSAHigh CN in: fountain PFSA--5 (San 5 (San AndrAndrééss):):

01/94: 2.58 mg/l, 07/94: 4.88 mg/l, 01/95: 18.58 mg/l01/94: 2.58 mg/l, 07/94: 4.88 mg/l, 01/95: 18.58 mg/l

--> > What happened with that fountain? What happened with that fountain?

--> 07/95: dried out, 01/96: closed why?> 07/95: dried out, 01/96: closed why?

--> What measured were taken by EMIRSA? > What measured were taken by EMIRSA?

--> Did EMIRSA report to the authorities?> Did EMIRSA report to the authorities?

--> > How did the authorities react?How did the authorities react? EnvironmentalEnvironmental ActAct 1333: 19921333: 1992

Environmental aspects of Environmental aspects of

the project of sulphide ores, 2the project of sulphide ores, 2SalinisationSalinisation: Did heavy rainfalls surpass capacity of : Did heavy rainfalls surpass capacity of

evaporation ponds?evaporation ponds?

Air: Monitoring only includes PM10, TSPAir: Monitoring only includes PM10, TSP

--> what about the form of the particles?> what about the form of the particles?

--> what about the chemical composition of dust?> what about the chemical composition of dust?

Low collaboration by EMIRSA: Why? Do they have to hide Low collaboration by EMIRSA: Why? Do they have to hide

somethingsomething??

SummarySummary

•• EMIRSA at Kori Kollo: 1982EMIRSA at Kori Kollo: 1982--present present daysdays

•• MiningMining of of oxidised and sulphide ores

-> various by-products of environmental concern

-> uncertainties and doubts remain

•• EnvironmentalEnvironmental ActAct 1333: 1992: 1333: 1992:

--> > UncertaintyUncertainty in in executionexecution on both sides after 15 years of enpowerment: Enterprise and authorities

=> These issues shall be further investigated in a masterthesis

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

•• ArrivedArrived in La Paz 24.3.07: in La Paz 24.3.07:

I I havehave beenbeen livingliving thethe Latin Latin adventureadventure forfor 6 6 monthsmonths

and am and am lookinglooking forwardforward to to everyevery second of second of itit

•• My My heartfeltheartfelt thanksthanks gogo to:to:

-- ALFA/TECLIMINALFA/TECLIMIN

-- Institute for Sustainable Waste Management and Technology, Institute for Sustainable Waste Management and Technology,

University of University of LeobenLeoben, Austria, Austria

-- Metallurgy and Materials Research Institute, University of San Metallurgy and Materials Research Institute, University of San

AndrAndrééss, La Paz, Bolivia, La Paz, Bolivia

…… and to YOU!and to YOU!

ThankThank youyou forfor youryour attentionattention!!

GlGlüück Auf!ck Auf!