A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining
A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining
A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Figure 4.21 – Iluka staff engag<strong>in</strong>g with the local Wimmera community<br />
Integration of water supplies<br />
Lead<strong>in</strong>g <strong>practice</strong> dictates that supply of water <strong>to</strong> even a s<strong>in</strong>gle component/process<br />
with<strong>in</strong> the operation must be considered <strong>in</strong> a holistic way. The site operational<br />
simulation model with l<strong>in</strong>ked water quality requirements and constra<strong>in</strong>ts is the best<br />
<strong>to</strong>ol for analys<strong>in</strong>g options. The need for additional draw on new water resources<br />
outside of the exist<strong>in</strong>g water circuit needs <strong>to</strong> be fully justified. This <strong>in</strong>cludes a<br />
cost analysis and consideration of life-of-m<strong>in</strong>e requirements. Integration provides<br />
significant synergy and opportunities, while short–term s<strong>in</strong>gle-user solutions may<br />
become long-term liabilities. In some cases, it is possible <strong>to</strong> reduce overall water<br />
consumption by <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g sources from nearby m<strong>in</strong>es. Redirection of groundwater<br />
from m<strong>in</strong>e operational dewater<strong>in</strong>g at one m<strong>in</strong>e rather than cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> extract from<br />
a separate borefield at another is an active <strong>development</strong> <strong>in</strong> a number of Pilbara iron<br />
ore m<strong>in</strong>es, for example, Paraburdoo and Mt Whaleback.<br />
BHP Billi<strong>to</strong>n Iron Ore manages two satellite ore bodies, Orebody 23 and Orebody 25<br />
situated approximately 12 kilometres and eight kilometres <strong>to</strong> the east of Newman and<br />
the company’s Mt Whaleback operation. M<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g of both ore bodies requires lower<strong>in</strong>g<br />
of the water tables through the use of dewater<strong>in</strong>g bores.<br />
The Mt Whaleback m<strong>in</strong>e west of Newman has a large process water demand. Rather<br />
than develop local groundwater sources which would potentially be lower cost,<br />
the dewater<strong>in</strong>g water from Orebody 23 and Orebody 25 Pit 3 is pumped about 13<br />
kilometres and aga<strong>in</strong>st a static head of 90 metres <strong>to</strong> a s<strong>to</strong>rage tank which then<br />
provides a gravity supply of process water. By utilis<strong>in</strong>g the dewater<strong>in</strong>g water across<br />
this <strong>in</strong>terconnected system between Orebody 23, Orebody 25 and Mt Whaleback,<br />
the overall groundwater abstraction is m<strong>in</strong>imised, reduc<strong>in</strong>g the impact from m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
operations (see LP Water p.51).<br />
A GUIDE TO LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN MINING 125