The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Paste 2023 seeks to explore the considerations needed to raise mining industry leaders' awareness of how important tailings stewardship is to long-term industry sustainability.
AGENDA
Click here for the Final Paste 2023 Conference Program!
New Brunswick Room
Workshop: Rheology Fundamentals for Slurries and Pastes
Workshop: Tailings Dewatering by Pressure Filtration
Workshop: Paste Backfill System Optimization
Early Registration
Avoid the lineups on Monday and pick up your registration package early!
Welcoming Address & Principal Sponsor Address
Keynote Address - Tailings Dewatering: a key ingredient in the on-going mining industry transformation
M Julien, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Canada
Evaluation of automatic polymer dosing control to optimise the performance of belt presses
J Koenig, A Dowd, J Ballantyne, R Schroeter, SNF Australia, Australia
Fruta del Norte paste plant – case study
LDC Correia, RE Brown, Paterson & Cooke, Canada; D Moore, Lundin Gold Inc., Canada
Filtered tailings plant design at Krumovgrad Mine
A Diaz, I Ahmed, WSP, Canada; P Kerry, P Corrigan, WSP, Ireland; F Stewart, Dundee Precious Metals, Bulgaria
Case study - Brucejack paste backfill pumping system
D Balthazar, Weir Minerals, Canada; L Fleming, Newcrest Mining, Canada; E Vlot, Weir Minerals, Netherlands
Developing predictive empirical filtration models for advanced tailings handling
J Nupehewa, Metso Outotec, Finland; J Palmer, Metso Outotec, Australia; P Suvio, V Koponen, Metso Outotec, Finland; D Safonov, Metso Outotec and LUT, Finland
The evolution of co-disposal stopes at Newmont Tanami Operations
CJ Mackay, RL Veenstra, AD Zajac, Newmont Australia, Australia
Study of the reduction of resistance in time of specimens tested by UCS for paste filling
GN Huillca, GM Gonzales, Process and Pipeline, WSP, Peru
Improved slurry dewatering via process water conditioning: Equipment sizing and tailings storage implications
RG de Kretser, Acclarium Tailings and Solid-Liquid Separations Consulting, Australia; A Vietti, F Dunn, Vietti SlurryTec, South Africa
Morning Coffee Break
Consolidation and unsaturated properties of in-line flocculated fluid fine tailings and centrifuged tailings from oil sands mines
LK Kabwe, GW Wilson, D Barsi, NA Beier, University of Alberta, Canada
Study of the effects of arsenic trioxide roaster waste dusts on the mechanical behavior of cemented paste backfills
A Mohammadi, I Demers, UQAT-Polytechnique Research Institute on Mines and Environment, Canada; NA Beier, University of Alberta, Canada; M Benzaazoua, UQAT-Polytechnique Research Institute on Mines and Environment, Canada
Benefit of delithiated beta spodumene to reduce the carbon footprint of cemented paste backfill
A Safari, IGO Ltd., Australia; H Lim, Tianqi Lithium Kwinana, Australia
Co-processing of fresh oil sand tailings and fluid fine tailings
XS Yuan, N Wang, A Dunmola, M Curran, J Sharp, A Lanoue, Syncrude Canada Ltd., Canada
Determination of the relationship between direct tensile test and Brazilian splitting test of cemented tailings backfill
G Tang, L Guo, G Liu, X Yang, Beijing General Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, China
Assessment on consolidation behaviors of treated fluid fine tailings using applied suction method
BT Fisseha, Tetra Tech, Canada; GW Wilson, DG Fredlund, University of Alberta, Canada
Oil sands – backfill for tailings management
S Morton, Drift Resource Technologies, Canada; S Longo, G Stadler, WSP Canada, Canada
An alternative to NaOH in the alkali-activation of ground granulated blast furnace slag in the formulation of cemented paste backfills
N Ouffa, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada; M Benzaazoua Mohammed, VI Polytechnic University, Morocco; T Belem, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada; R Trauchessec, A Lecomte, Université de Lorraine, France
Poster Session
Make sure to drop by and chat with our Poster Presenters!
Application of filtered tailings storage method at Tüprag Efemçukuru Gold Mine
YS İnci, G Uzunçelebi, H Ürkmez, TÜPRAG Metal Madencilik San.Tic.A.Ş., Turkey; S Ennis, P Kimball, E Ruiz Castro, Stantec, Canada
Mechanical properties and mesoscopic analysis of rock-backfill-rock composite sample under dynamic loading
) D Zheng, LJ Guo, GS Liu, XC Yang, S Wu, Beijing General Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, China
Selection and operation of Metso Outotec 2nd Generation paste thickener at the New Afton Mine
S Carlberg, New Gold Inc., Canada; S Courtenay, Metso Outotec Australia Limited, Australia; J Katchen, New Gold Inc., Canada
Numerical procedure for scaling up pressure loss from mini flow loop tests
K Kalonji, Stornoway Diamonds, Canada; M Mbonimpa, T Belem, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada; S Ouellet, Canadian Malartic Mine, Canada; LP Gélinas, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Canada
Assessment of static liquefaction susceptibility of early age cemented paste backfills
T Belem, M Mbonimpa, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada; J Oke, Rockeng, Canada; LP Gélinas, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Canada
Technical and economic assessment of dry stack tailings alternatives for an iron ore project – a case study
J de Guzman, TAKRAF, Canada; R Neumann, TAKRAF, Germany
Design and commissioning of coal fly ash filter plant
J Hamelehle, C Schmitt, J Keat, Paterson & Cooke, USA
Pressure instrument slack flow detection – three methods to determine flow status of a paste reticulation system
D Coulton, Paterson & Cooke, Sweden
Tailings dewatering with the ElectroKinetic Solutions-Dewatering Technology Process
JK Vandersleen, JE Hanna, ElectroKinetic Solutions Inc., Canada
Reduction of strength losses in paste backfill with sludge cake
I Bazán, P Ainsworth, Paterson & Cooke, UK; B Salvoldi, Paterson & Cooke, South Africa; R Cano, D López, Minera Los Frailes, Spain
Afternoon Coffee Break
Arctic backfilling: challenges and lessons learned
LP Gélinas, J Alcott, Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd., Canada
Case study: holistic test work campaigns for tailings management system designs
J Wickens, Z Dreyer, J Gerhardi, B van der Spuy, Paterson & Cooke, South Africa
Natural mixing behaviour of waste rocks poured in a paste backfill
Y Zhang, L Li, Polytechnique Montréal, Canada
Loop pumping tests of crushed rock mixed with thickened tailings
T Wennberg, A Stålnacke, LKAB, Sweden; A Sellgren, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Rheology for deposition control and deposit failure risk analysis
P Simms, X Xia, A Patel, E Parent, Carleton University, Canada; NA Beier, G Zambrano-Narvaez, University of Alberta, Canada
Backfilling in the permafrost: prediction of the pressure loss and temperature distribution along the paste backfill pipeline system
K Kalonji, Stornoway Diamonds, Canada; M Mbonimpa, T Belem, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada; S Ouellet, Canadian Malartic Mine, Canada; LP Gélinas, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Canada
KEYNOTE: Evaluation of commingled tailings and waste rock as an integrated approach to mine waste management – outcomes of a pre-pilot trial
D Machin, (Carlos Espinoza Asencios & Carlos Leon Aguilar), Antamina, Peru
Prediction of the mechanical properties of cemented paste backfill using artificial intelligence approaches
M Amri, T Belem, H Mrad, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada; LP Gélinas, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Canada; F Masmoudi, National School of Engineering of Sfax, Tunisia
Is the implementation of dry stacking for tailings storage increasing? A Southern African perspective
A Copeland, Knight Piésold, South Africa; V Daigle, Knight Piésold, Namibia; A Strauss, Knight Piésold, South Africa
A review of modern paste admixture technology and their effect on cement reduction in paste mix designs
S Arcila Gut, Sika Canada Inc., Canada; F Erisman, Earth Resource Investment Group, Switzerland; B Ting, T Engineering, Canada
Dry stacked filtered tailings: seepage behaviour during the construction process
B Sanchez, M Sutta, J Soto, I Benites, Ausenco, Peru
Estimating Rheological Properties of Liquified Tailings for Dam Break Simulation Using Site-Specific Parameters and Laboratory Testing
Estimating Rheological Properties of Liquified Tailings for Dam Break Simulation Using Site-Specific Parameters and Laboratory Testing
B Pirouz, Z Lu, S Javadi, ATC Williams Pty Ltd., Australia
Using cemented paste backfill strength profiles to assess the potential for continuous pouring and liquefaction resistance
MW Grabinsky, University of Toronto, Canada; BD Thompson, Paterson and Cooke, Canada; RL Veenstra, Newmont, Australia
Morning Coffee Break
Case study: the impact of tailings properties on conveying system designs
C Olsen, K Rahal, FLSmidth, USA
Stacked deposits of thickened and filtered fluid fine tailings using geotextile tubes – concepts, lessons learned updates
F Da Silva, SNC-Lavalin Inc., Canada
Throttling a cemented paste backfill underground distribution system
RL Veenstra, Newmont, USA; A Rosewall, Paterson & Cooke, Australia; H Rose, Newmont, Australia
Effects of low suction and wetting – drying cycles on filtered tailings shear strength
VH Le, T Pabst, Polytechnique Montréal, Canada
Unsaturated soil behaviour in thickened and filtered tailings
P Simms, Carleton University, Canada
Hydraulic design of a thickened tailings gravity discharge and distribution system
C Riquelme, U Mirdha, B Lin, Hatch, Canada
Large scale thickened tailings delivery and distribution system upgrade and optimisation
S Javadi, B Pirouz, ATC Williams Pty Ltd., Australia; A Bibby, M Newby, M Purevdorj, Rio Tinto, Mongolia
Large strain shearing behaviour of untreated and polymer treated clayey silt slurry specimens
D Reid, B Tiwari, AB Fourie, The University of Western Australia, Australia
KEYNOTE: The Tailings Management Consortium, a unique industry collaboration to achieve safe tailings facilities
I Oyarzún Olave, BHP, Australia; Y Mladinic, Rio Tinto, Australia
A cost-effective tailings solution to rheology issues while meeting the environmental constraints using inexpensive additives
YK Leong, The University of Western Australia, Australia; SJ Bensley, J Drewett, S Burkett, Rio Tinto, Australia
Evaluating the dry stacking performance of commingled waste rock and filtered tailings
R Burden, Frontera Geotechnical, Canada; GW Wilson, University of Alberta, Canada
Geochemical and hydrogeological behavior of commingled mixtures of tailings and waste rock
A Dadashi, University of Alberta, Canada; B Bussière, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada; GW Wilson, University of Alberta, Canada
Comparing various thixotropic models and their performance in predicting flow behavior of treated tailings
AM Talmon, Deltares, and Delft University of Technology, Netherlands; E Meshkati, Deltares (currently with R&D Boskalis), Netherlands; M Nabi, Deltares, Netherlands; P Simms, Carleton University, Canada; RM Nik, Imperial Oil, Canada
A case study on the commingling of tailings and waste rock at a Brownfields open cast mine in Ghana
J Boshoff, L McNab, Gold Fields Ltd., Australia, N Asifu Mensah, Gold Fields Ltd., West
Rheological testing for dam break modelling
GI McPhail, R Ugaz, F Garcia, Water, Waste and Land, Australia
Exhibitor Trade Show & Afternoon Coffee Break
Be sure to have your Exhibitor Ballots filled in and ready for some fantastic prize draws!
Paste 2023 Banquet
Please note you do need a banquet ticket to attend! Contact Sally Petaske (sally.petaske@ualberta.ca) if you have not yet bought your ticket.
- Cocktails 6:00 pm
- Seating 6:30 pm
- Dinner 6:45 pm
KEYNOTE: Mining with backfill: from the prediction of the required strength of the backfill to its long-term behavior through its placement underground
T Belem, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada
The production and management of coal and copper dry tailings
S Meiring, Ausenco Pty Ltd., Australia
How to compact filtered tailings
G McKenna, McKenna Geotechnical Inc., Canada
Tailings filtration: integrating process design with geotechnical outcomes
R de Kretser, Acclarium Tailings and Solid-Liquid Separations Consulting, Australia; F Sofra, Rheological Consulting Services Pty Ltd., Australia
How high is too high? Challenges on the next generation of dewatered tailings stacks
RE Norambuena Mardones, SRK Consulting, Canada; C Caldwell-Crystal, SRK Consulting, USA; D Cobos, SRK Consulting, Colombia
Morning Coffee Break
Assessing tailings consolidation and changes in supernatant pond area using InSAR and the Normalized Differential Moisture Index
A Koleshwar, R Tortini, G Falorni, TRE Altamira Inc., Canada
Application of risk-based tailings management at Tüprag Efemçukuru Gold Mine
YS İnci, G Uzunçelebi, H Ürkmez, TÜPRAG Metal Madencilik San.Tic.A.Ş., Turkey; S Ennis, P Kimball, E Ruiz Castro, Stantec, Canada
A comparison between in-situ techniques to measure undrained shear strength of oil sands tailings
I Entezari, D McGowan, J Glavina, J Sharp, ConeTec, Canada
Design of a reliable pressure measurement method for paste backfill pipelines
C Lee, WSP, Canada
Best practices in continuously (or not continuously) pouring paste backfill
BD Thompson, Paterson & Cooke, Canada; RL Veenstra, Newmont, Australia; P Carmichael, Paterson & Cooke, Canada; WF Bawden, Bawden Engineering, Canada; MW Grabinsky, University of Toronto, Canada
Optimal paste backfill specification development
SC Wilson, PWJ Leacy, Paterson & Cooke, UK
The new norm for gold miners and how change in mine waste management could help
I Karajeh, WSP, Canada
Critical timelines and pathways – addressing ESG and permitting
JR Kellner, Nevada Gold Mines, USA; A Hall, FM Tanentzap, Responsible Mining Solutions, Canada
REGISTRATION FEES
All prices are in CAD dollars.
Student Registration Scholarship!
The Paste 2023 Organizing Committee is excited to announce that Shreyas Aralumallige from Syracuse University has received the full Student Scholarship Registration for Paste 2023. Thank you to AGNICO EAGLE for their sponsorship of this award.
If you have any questions regarding registration fees, sponsorship or exhibitor opportunities please contact Sally Petaske at sally.petaske@ualberta.ca
Click HERE for the registration cancellation policy.
Speakers
Tikou Belem
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)
Professor
Professor of Geomechanics and GeoEnvironmental Engineering
Research Institute of Mining and Environmental (RIME)
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)
Dr. Tikou Belem is a Professor of Geomechanics and GeoEnvironmental Engineering at the Research Institute of Mining and Environmental (RIME) of the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT). He started working on mine fills since 1998 and accumulate over 24 years of experience in industry-related research on solid mine wastes management, including cementitious materials through underground mine backfilling. Thanks to the proximity of UQAT to the numerous mines in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Prof. Belem has developed a strong expertise on mining with backfill. He has also served as a specialist external reviewer for some consulting engineering firms.
Dr. Belem has contributed to the realization of numerous technical service contracts on mine backfills with almost all the mining companies operating in Quebec and many others internationally (Finland, Mali, Mexico, Sweden). Prof. Belem has also attracted the trust of many engineering consulting firms in Canada and abroad to benefit from his strong expertise on mine backfills.
Concerned with the need to always find practical, reliable, and affordable solutions for the mining operations with backfill, Prof. Belem has largely contributed to the development of physical models simulating the hydro-mechanical properties of backfilled mine stopes at the laboratory scale. Dr. Belem's work on the backfilling sequencing was awarded the Best paper award at the 23rd World Mining Congress, organized by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM).
More recently, Dr. Belem carried out a major research project on the evaluation of the performance of superabsorbent polymers in the management of mine tailings in terms of dehumidification, cemented paste backfill preparation, retention of heavy metals and metalloids, and creation of a barrier layer to water and oxygen.
Since 2003, Prof. Belem has implemented a course on mine backfills whose presentation notes are highly valued by rock mechanics and ground control engineers in the mining industry. This course is given to undergraduate students in mining engineering and to graduate students in mineral engineering at UQAT and Polytechnique Montréal.
Michel Julien
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited
Vice-President, Environment and Critical Infrastructure
Michel Julien, P.Eng., MSc, PhD, FEIC, ASC, is Vice-President, Environment and Critical Infrastructure for
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (AEM). He joined AEM in 2011. In his current role, he is providing guidance,
mentoring and alignment on strategical issues on environmental management, mine waste and water
management and site rehabilitation. Prior joining AEM, he was with Golder Associates Ltd (Golder)
between 1990 and 2011 where he was Principal in the field of environmental management in mining.
Dr. Julien has also been involved with University of Toronto since 2012 as Adjunct Professor at the
Lassonde Institute of the Civil and Mineral Department. He has been co-responsible of the course
Environmental Management in Mining since 2012. He is also Director at Large on the Board of the
Canadian Dam Association (CDA) since 2021. Over the years, he has authored or co-authored several
articles, publications and presentations in the field of mine waste and water management.
David Machin
Antamina, Peru
Senior Manager Tailings Strategy
David has over 30 years’ experience as a consultant and corporate employee working on a variety of projects in Australia, Europe, South-east Asia, Africa, North and South America. This experience has included; assessment of tailings, waste and operational facilities for corporate governance of tailings facilities and water dams, financial due diligence, mine closure planning, technical feasibility and implementation methodology and schedules; construction management of tailings and water management facilities; design, monitoring, and inspection of tailings and water management facilities; design of soil covers on waste rock spoil piles and tailings facilities; development, costing and implementation of mine closure plans; rehabilitation of acid mine drainage; design and supervision of site investigations for civil geotechnics, hydrogeology and hydrology; evaluation and modelling of potable and process water supplies; hydrological evaluation and design of river diversions and stormwater runoff control measures; evaluation, design, modelling and construction management of sediment and erosion control measures for storm water runoff; and design and installation of automated performance monitoring instrumentation.
Yure Mladinic
Rio Tinto Copper
Manager Research & Development
Yure Mladinic is Manager Research & Development within Rio Tinto Copper based in Brisbane, Australia. He graduated with an engineering degree from Universidad de Santiago de Chile and obtained an MBA from Vlerick Business School in Belgium.
In his current role he has supported the shaping of the Rio Tinto Copper technology pipeline by accelerating key programmes with a focus on growth and strategic priorities. This has included establishing a partnership with BHP to jointly accelerate the development of tailings dewatering technology.
Yure has over 15 years of experience in the mining industry including JV management and governance, partnerships, technology development, capital projects, mine operations and technical. He is passionate about teamwork, partnering internally and externally, and designing and implementing innovative solutions.
Clara Balasko
BHP
Head of Planning and Technical
Clara Balasko is the Head of Planning and Technical for BHP Legacy Assets. The Legacy Assets team manages 23 sites in various stages of closure across Canada and the United States of America. Clara is a civil engineer with 20 years of experience spanning geotechnical, environmental, and closure design, execution, and construction management focusing on lifecycle management of tailings storage facilities.
She has a Bachelor’s in Geology from Texas A&M University and a Master’s in Geological Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno. She started with BHP 4 years ago as a Responsible Tailings Facility Engineer for BHP’s 18 tailings storage facilities in the US and held the Geotechnical Manager position prior to her current role. Before joining BHP, she also worked as a consultant on projects in the Americas, Australia, and Asia.
Projects she worked on include 1) design and field engineering for closure of plant facilities, tailings impoundments, waste rock dumps, and a heap leach facility as part of the BHP San Manuel Mine Closure, 2) design of the tailings and waste rock storage facility in Papua New Guinea that required the design of a two large (greater than 200 m) earthen dams in an area of high seismicity, and 3) operational support for a tailings storage facility at a Copper Mine in eastern Nevada.
Location details
Address: Fairmont Banff Springs, 405 Spray Avenue, Banff, AB, Canada
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