Annual Meeting Preliminary Program - Full Brochure (PDF) - SME

TECHNICAL PROGRAM
chair:
2:00 PM
Introductions
environmental:
environmental topics
2:00 PM • Monday, February 25
A. Duex, Rio Tinto, South Jordan, UT
2:05 PM
Kennecott Utah Copper Quality Hectares Assessment Framework
B. Boyle 1 , M. Wheeler 3 , T. Gullison 2 and A. Neville 4 ; 1 Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ; 2 Hardner
& Gullison Associates, LLC, Lantzville, BC, Canada; 3 WP Natural
Resource Consulting, Inc, Salt Lake City, UT and 4 Sustainable
Development, Kennecott Utah Copper, South Jordan, UT
Rio Tintos goal is to have a net positive impact on biodiversity in the regions
where its mines operate. For most species and habitats area-based metrics adjusted
for habitat quality are used to determine a sites net impact. These qualityhectares
measures provide a common currency for integrating the positive and
negative impacts to native vegetation at a site with the biodiversity benefits provided
by reclamation and restoration. Rio Tintos Kennecott Utah Copper site in
Utah developed the quality-hectares framework in the following steps: (i) identification
and description of the natural vegetation communities present on property;
(ii) identification of benchmark conditions of structure and composition for
each vegetation type in order to function as a point of comparison for the actual
natural and restored areas of vegetation present the property; and (iii) development
of a scoring system for natural vegetation and reclaimed and restored sites
against the benchmark sites. Preliminary results of the application of the qualityhectares
framework will be presented as well as a description of the vegetation
monitoring program Kennecott is implementing.
2:25 PM
Managing Air Quality Impacts of a Global Diversified
Mining Company
F. Turatti; Group HSEC, Rio Tinto, Salt Lake City, UT
Rio Tinto is one of the world’s largest international mining groups with operations
located in more than 50 countries in multiple continents. This diversity of
operations and variation in the nature, amount and impacts of air emissions
poses a significant environmental management challenge in an increasingly regulated
environment. A global strategy was developed to manage air quality impacts,
consisting of three objectives: improving air quality performance of operations,
developing industry leading practices and engaging and influencing in air
issues. Each objective is supported by comprehensive work programs that are delivered
globally and tailored regionally for a holistic global approach. This presentation
will discuss Rio Tintos approach to global air quality management and
the successes this approach has secured. Three programs of work are highlighted.
Firstly, how airshed resources are managed in constrained airsheds where we
have operations. Secondly, how financial modeling has allowed a true value to be
placed on air constraints and thirdly, how a rigorous e-learning course was developed
to improve the overall level of air management knowledge of environment
managers.
2:45 PM
Arsenic Leaching from a Mine Tailing by Acidithiobacillus
Ferrooxidans: Role of Temperature, pH, and Pulp Density
J. Park 1 , E. Lee 1 , J. Hong 1 , K. Yoo 2 , J. Park 3 , U. Choi 3 and H. Kim 1 ;
1
Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering, Chonbuk
National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea; 2 Department of
Energy & Resources Engineering, Korea Maritime University, Busan,
Republic of Korea and 3 R&D Team, Institute of Mine Reclamation
Corporation, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Arsenic leaching behavior from a mine tailing by Acidithiobacillus Ferrooxidans
(A. Ferrooxidans) was i emp=30 oC), and temperature (25-35 oC, pulp density=0.5%,
pH=1.8). The reaction speed and initial cell concentration were fixed
to 150 rpm and 1E8 cells/ml, respectively. To complement leaching experiments,
zeta potential measurements for cells and tailings, and SEM, XRD, and particle
size analyses for tailings before and after leaching were conducted. Overall, the
arsenic leaching efficiency increased with decreasing pulp density, decreasing pH,
and increasing temperature regardless of the presence of A. Ferrooxidans.
Additionally, the arsenic leaching rate was faster for the samples in the presence
of A. Ferrooxidans as compared to those in the absence of A. Ferrooxidans at the
conditions investigated in this study.
3:05 PM
Aquatic Life Criteria Are Protective Against Copper-caused
Impairment of Olfaction in Salmonid Fishes
J. Meyer 1 , D. DeForest 2 , R. Gensemer 3 , J. Gorsuch 4 and W. Adams 5 ;
1ARCADIS U.S., Lakewood, CO; 2 Windward Environmental,
Seattle, WA; 3 GEI Consultants, Denver, CO; 4 Copper Development
Association, Webster, NY and 5 Rio Tinto, Lake Point, UT
Major concerns have recently been expressed that short-term exposures to low
Cu concentrations might cause olfactory impairment in fish [especially migratory
Pacific salmon and trout (Oncorhynchus spp.)], which might limit their ability
to detect predators, reproduce, or migrate. This is becoming an important
issue for the mining sector, and other metals are also of concern for olfactory impairment
(e.g., Cd, Zn). However, water chemistry matters in determining lethal
and sublethal effects (including olfaction) of metals to aquatic organisms. For example,
although olfactory impairment can occur at low Cu concentrations in dilute
laboratory waters, we demonstrate that the USEPAs biotic ligand model
(BLM)-based aquatic life criteria for Cu are protective against olfactory impairment
across a wide range of fresh waters. Additionally, we propose a unified
freshwater-saltwater BLM to predict olfactory effects of Cu to salmonid fishes,
which suggests that the threshold-effect concentrations of Cu will be even higher
in salt water than in fresh water and that the current saltwater Cu criteria are protective
across a wide range of saltwater chemistries.
3:25 PM
Regulatory Implications of Chemosensory and Behavioral Effects
of Copper to Fish
R. Gensemer 1 , D. DeForest 2 and J. Gorsuch 3 ; 1 Ecology Division, GEI
Consultants, Inc., Denver, CO; 2 Windward Environmental, Seattle,
WA and 3 Copper Development Association, Webster, NY
Regulatory criteria for aquatic life protection are based primarily on laboratory
toxicity data using test endpoints derived on the basis of survival, growth, and reproduction.
These endpoints are believed to provide the best representation of
overall ecological impacts of chemicals to aquatic organisms in the field.
However, some have proposed that aquatic life criteria for copper are insufficiently
protective of sublethal chemosensory and behavioral endpoints in
salmonid fishes, and therefore regulatory criteria need to be revisited. We review
the ecological basis of aquatic life criteria derivation using the more traditional
endpoints of survival, growth, and reproduction, and discuss the extent to which
other sublethal endpoints may influence how criteria are derived. For copper, we
contend that traditionally based aquatic life criteria are adequately protective
against chemosensory or behavioral effects in salmonid fishes. This is because
other aquatic species are more sensitive to copper than salmon, but also owing to
the influence of water chemistry on the toxicity of copper regardless of whether
traditional or non-traditional sublethal endpoints are considered.
chair:
2:00 PM
Introductions
environmental:
uranium
2:00 PM • Monday, February 25
G. Robinson, R Squared, Inc., Greenwood Village, CO
2:05 PM
Are We There Yet?
W. Heili; Ur-Energy, Casper, WY
Eight years after the initiation of permitting activities for Ur-Energy’s Lost Creek
Project, the long road is coming to a successful conclusion. Facility construction
is scheduled to be underway in the fall of 2012 with production commencing in
2013. This presentation will take a look back at some of the pioneering efforts
that went into permitting of a new ISR uranium production facility in Wyoming.
Additionally, the presentation will review several technological and design innovations
that are featured in the production plant and well field designs for this
state-of-the-art In Situ Recovery site.
This is the Technical Program as of September 1, 2012. IT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
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Please see the Onsite Program for final details.