Pierre River Mine Project

MINING AND PROCESSING ERCB SIRS 3 – 38
Section 4.1
will be required for the ore removed before the plant start-up. Stockpiled ore
will be blended into the extraction plant during early production.”
14a For the temporary ore stockpile, provide a table that includes on an annual
basis:
i tonnes of ore moved to the temporary stockpile,
ii. expected grade of the stockpiled ore, and
iii. tonnes of ore processed from the temporary stockpile.
Response 14a Details of the commissioning plan have not yet been finalized. The requirements
for a temporary ore stockpile will be detailed when the opening mine cut is
designed during commissioning planning and will be provided as part of the
ERCB annual mine plans.
Question No. 15
Request Volume 1, Section 10.1, Page 10-83, Table 159-1, Supplemental Information
Responses.
Shell notes in Table 159-1 that the Solvent Loss based on TSRU only for 2003
was 10.6 Vol solvent /kvol Bitumen. Information provided in the Muskeg River
Mine Expansion supplementary information responses submitted in April, 2006
indicated that the annual average solvent losses for 2003 were greater than 17
volumes of solvent per 1000 volumes of bitumen produced.
15a Clarify and provide the correct volumes of solvent losses per thousand volumes
of bitumen production for 2003.
Response 15a The solvent losses shown in Table 159-1 are correct. The differences referred to
are the result of changes in the calculation method requested by the ERCB during
the Muskeg River Mine Expansion approval. In 2003, the ERCB’s definition of
solvent loss was based on the tailings solvent recovery unit (TSRU) losses only.
In 2006, the Muskeg River Mine approval was amended to define solvent losses
to include vapour recovery unit losses. In 2003, there were substantial vapour
losses, primarily to flare, which resulted in greater than 17 vol/kvol solvent loss.
Request 15b Based on the solvent losses summary in Table 159-1, it is acknowledged that
Muskeg River Mine has experienced difficulties achieving ERCB solvent losses
per bitumen production requirements since start-up. Shell is requesting approval
to construct and operate a similar tailings solvent recovery unit (TSRU) for the
Pierre River Mine Project. Justify the approval of similar design concepts in the
April 2010 Shell Canada Limited 4-13
CR029