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Mill Design

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
66 views90 pages

Mill Design

Uploaded by

Aws Emam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
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101768-RPT-0002

Revision Number 0

Calico Resources USA Corp.


Grassy Mountain Gold Project,
Malheur County, Oregon, USA
Mill Design Report
June 2019
June 24 2019
Disclaimer
This document and its contents were prepared for Calico Resources USA Corp. (“Calico”) for the particular
purpose which Calico previously described to Ausenco Engineering Canada Inc. (“Ausenco”). Except to the
extent otherwise agreed in writing, Ausenco assumes no responsibility or liability to Calico or any third party
for any use of or reliance on this document for any purpose other than that for which it was prepared.

Particular financial and other projections, analysis and conclusions set out in this document, to the extent
they are based on assumptions or concern future events and circumstances over which Ausenco has no
control are by their nature uncertain and are to be treated accordingly. Ausenco makes no warranty
regarding any of these projections, analysis and conclusions.

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Table of Contents
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Plant Design Basis 2
1.2 Throughput & Availability 3
1.3 Key Design Criteria 3
1.4 Overall Site Process Flow Diagram 4
2 Area 3110 – Crushing 4
2.1 Crushing Plant 4
3 Area 3200 – Grinding 5
3.1 Ball Mill 5
3.2 Cyclone Classification 6
4 Area 3300 – Gravity Circuit and Intensive Cyanidation 6
4.1 Process Background 7
4.2 Scalping Screen and Gravity Concentrator 8
4.3 Intensive Leach Reactor 8
5 Area 3400 – Carbon-in-Leach 9
5.1 Process Background 9
5.2 Pre-Aeration and Carbon-in-Leach Tanks 10
6 Area 3500 – Acid Wash and Elution 11
6.1 Process Background – Elution 11
6.2 Loaded Carbon Screening 12
6.3 Acid Wash 12
6.4 Elution 12
7 Area 3500 – Carbon Regeneration and Management 13
7.1 Carbon Regeneration 13
7.2 Carbon Pre-attrition 13
7.3 Carbon Transport Water 14
8 Area 3650 – Electrowinning and Gold Room 14
8.1 Electrowinning 15
8.2 Smelting 15
9 Area 3600 – Cyanide Detoxification 15
9.1 Process Background 16
9.2 Carbon Safety Screen 16
9.3 Cyanide Detoxification Tanks 17
9.4 Tailings Discharge 17
10 Area 3800 – Reagents and Services 18
10.1 Hydrated Lime 18
10.2 Sodium Hydroxide 18
10.3 Sodium Cyanide 19
10.4 Sodium Metabisulphite 19
10.5 Copper Sulphate (Pentahydrate) 20
10.6 Hydrochloric Acid 20
10.7 Flocculant 20
10.8 Blower Air 20
10.9 Plant & Instrument Air 20

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10.10 Assay and Metallurgical Laboratory and Quality Control 21
11 Area 3920 – Water Services 21
11.1 Tailings Storage Facility 21
11.2 Raw Water 21
11.3 Gland Water 22
11.4 Process Water 22
12 Process Solution Containment 22
12.1 Process Flows and Reagents 22
12.2 Surface Contact Water 23
13 Dust Suppression and Collection 23
13.1 Summary of Applicable Regulations 23
13.2 Dust Generating Sources and Controls 24
14 Reclamation Plan 24
14.1 Reclamation Objective 24
14.2 Reclamation Requirements 25
14.3 Removal of Infrastructure 25
14.4 Material Management 27
14.5 Re-Vegetation 27
14.6 Site Drainage 28
14.7 Monitoring 28

Appendix A – Overall Process Flow Diagram


Appendix B – Process Flow Diagrams
Appendix C – General Arrangements
Appendix D – Concrete Containment Drawings

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1 Introduction
Paramount Gold Nevada Corporation (Paramount), a gold mining company based in Nevada, USA,
is continuing to develop the Grassy Mountain Project in Malheur County, Oregon. The site is located
in eastern Oregon, approximately 70 miles west of Boise, Idaho and 22 miles south of Vale, Oregon.

The project includes an underground mine, process plant, and associated infrastructure, with a
capacity to process 255,500 short tons of ore per year resulting in approximately 44,200 ounces of
gold annually. The process plant will produce gold doré bars to be sold to local gold refiners.

The crushing plant consists of primary and secondary crushing producing a crushed ore product,
which is then conveyed to feed the process plant. The carbon-in-leach (CIL) circuit cyanide is used
to recover gold from the ore and activated carbon is used to adsorb the extracted gold from solution.
Following the CIL circuit, the carbon is collected and treated in the elution circuit which separates the
gold from the carbon. The carbon is regenerated and reused in the CIL circuit, while the gold is
removed from solution in the integrated electrowinning plant. The stripped gold is then smelted in a
gold room to produce gold doré bars. Leached tails are detoxified in an INCO™ Air/SO 2 cyanide
destruction circuit. Detoxified tails are pumped to a tailings storage facility (TSF) for final deposition
and recovery of decant water.

The crushing and process plant consists of:

• Crushing and screening plant


• Ball mill grinding circuit
• Gravity and intensive cyanidation circuit
• Pre-aeration & CIL circuit
• Elution circuit
• Gold room
• Carbon regeneration
• Cyanide detoxification
• Reagent and air services
• Water services (raw water, process water, potable water)
A depiction of the key unit operations involved in the process is shown in Figure 1.

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Figure 1: Grassy Mountain Process Flowsheet

The intent of the Mill Design Report is to address the following items from Chapter 340, Division 43 -
Chemical Mining by the Department of Environmental Quality of the State of Oregon:

• Description of the facilities to be constructed, including tanks, pipes and other storage and
conveyance means for processing chemicals, solutions, and wastewaters;
• Description of all chemical process and facilities for mixing, distribution, and application of
chemicals associated with on-site mining operations, ore preparation, and beneficiation
facilities;
• Description of all chemical conveyances (ditches, troughs, pipes, etc.) and the requisite
equipment with secondary containment and leak detection means for preventing and detecting
release of chemicals to surface water, groundwater and soils.

1.1 Plant Design Basis

The key criteria selected for the plant design are:

• Average plant treatment rate of 700 st/d on a solids basis


• Design crushing plant operating time of 70% (crushing / screening / conveying)
• Design process plant operating time of 91.3% (milling / leaching & adsorption / detoxification /
elution / refining).

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1.2 Throughput & Availability

An overall crushing plant availability of 70% and a process plant availability of 91.3% over the course
of the year yield total crushing plant operating time of 6,132 h/y and a total process plant operating
time of 7,998 h/y.

1.3 Key Design Criteria

The major process design criteria developed for the Grassy Mountain Project are outlined in Table 1.

Table 1: Grassy Mountain Process Design Criteria

Description Units Value


Ore Throughput st/y 255,500
Design Grade - Au oz/st 0.22
Design Grade - Ag oz/st 0.35
Operating Schedule
Crusher Availability % 70
Plant Availability % 91.3
Throughput, Daily - average st/d 700
Plant capacity, Hourly st/h 32
Crushing (Two Stage)
Primary Crusher type Single Toggle Jaw Crusher
Secondary Crusher type Cone Crusher
Fine Ore Stockpile Residence Time - Live d 1
Grinding
Circuit Type Ball mill
Bond Ball Mill Work Index Hp/st 25.8
Ball Mill, Dimensions ft x ft 11 x 14
Ball Mill Power hp 1072
Feed Particle Size, F80 in 0.394
Product Particle Size, P80 U.S. mesh 100
Gravity Concentration
Overall Gravity Gold Recovery % 10
Carbon-in-Leach
Total Leach Time h 24
Number of Tanks # 1 pre-aeration + 7 leach / adsorption
Cyanide Addition lb/st 0.82
Lime Addition lb/st 2
Carbon Concentration lb/ft3 1.56

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Description Units Value
Carbon Loading (Au + Ag) oz/st 175
Desorption
Carbon batch size st 3.3
Elution CIL strips per week # 7
Gravity strips per week # 7
Cyanide Destruction
Method - Air / SO2
Residence time h 2
CNWAD not-to-exceed value ppm 30

1.4 Overall Site Process Flow Diagram

Drawing Overall Site Process Flow Diagram (101768-0000-F-001) shows the basic process design
circuits and the selection of major equipment for the process plant. This drawing can be found in
Appendix A.

The descriptions in the following sections include references to Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs) which
are included in Appendix B.

2 Area 3110 – Crushing


Overview:

Run-of-mine (ROM) ore is transported by haul truck from the underground mining operation to the
crushing plant area, and fed either directly to the ROM hopper or to the coarse ore stockpile. Ore is
received by the ROM hopper at the crushing plant before being discharged onto the vibrating grizzly
feeder and fed to the primary crusher for the first crushing stage. The crushed ore is then collected
onto the coarse ore conveyor which conveys the reduced ore to the coarse ore screen. The undersize
from the screen is suitable for ball mill feed while the oversize is fed to the secondary crusher included
in the crushing plant. The secondary crusher product is received by the coarse ore conveyor and is
returned to the coarse ore screen along with new crushed product from the primary crusher, initiating
the closed-circuit loop within the crushing plant. This process repeats itself to ensure that the ore has
enough time to be reduced before moving on for further downstream processing.

Reference PFDs:

101768-0000-F-002 Crushing, Screening, and Reclaim Area

2.1 Crushing Plant

The crushing plant operates 7 days per week for the entire year with an availability of 70%. The
nominal throughput is 42 short ton per hour. The crushing plant consists of one of each of the
following: ROM hopper, vibrating grizzly feeder, primary crusher, coarse ore screen, and secondary
crusher. The ROM ore is received at a ROM hopper having a capacity 353 ft3, filled either directly by

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the dump truck or by using a front-end loader (FEL) that draws from the ROM ore stockpile. The ROM
hopper is equipped with a static grizzly, and particles larger than the grizzly can be removed for
individual breakage. The ore passes over a vibrating grizzly feeder leaving the ROM hopper before
is fed to the primary crusher. The vibrating grizzly feeder allows for smaller material to pass directly
though the feeder and onto the coarse ore conveyor, allowing for more efficient crushing in the
primary crusher. The ore passing over the vibrating feeder then is reduced by a primary crusher and
discharged onto the coarse ore conveyor as well.

The coarse ore conveyor transports the crushed ore to the coarse ore screen, where the undersize
is collected and conveyed for mill feed, while the oversize is sent to the secondary crusher to be
reduced further. The secondary crusher discharge is recirculated to the coarse ore screen to repeat
the size classification step. A metal detector is included in the crushing plant to recognize any metal
debris that could potentially cause damage to the crushing equipment.

The product from the crushing plant is conveyed to the crushed ore stockpile to be sent to the grinding
circuit in the process plant. The stockpile conveyor is fitted with a weightometer to monitor crushing
plant throughput and assist with operational and metallurgical accounting. The fine ore stockpile has
a live capacity of 1 day, the equivalent of 750 short tons of live material. This material is collected
with a front-end loader which deposits the fine ore into the fine ore reclaim hopper.

3 Area 3200 – Grinding


Overview:

The grinding circuit receives the fine ore product at the ball mill feed conveyor which then deposits
the material at the mill feed chute. The ore is ground to a desired product size with the addition of
process water and steel ball grinding media. The ground ore slurry is discharged to the cyclone feed
pumpbox and pumped to the cyclone cluster pack to be classified into cyclone overflow stream,
dominated by fine particles, and cyclone underflow stream, dominated by coarse particles. The
overflow stream is sent to leaching process while the underflow is split into two streams, which one
reports back to the ball mill and the other one reports to the gravity concentration and intensive
leaching circuit.

Reference PFDs:

101768-0000-F-002 Crushing, Screening & Reclaim Area Process Flow Diagram

101768-0000-F-003 Grinding & Gravity Process Flow Diagram

3.1 Ball Mill

The fine ore stockpile allows for over 24 hours of continuous milling operation at the nominal feed
rate of 31.9 short tons per hour. A front-end loader is used to transport the fine ore from the stockpile
to the fine ore reclaim hopper, which has sufficient capacity to provide the grinding circuit with 1 hour
of feed. The fine ore is fed to a 11.0 ft x 14.0 ft (d x EGL) overflow ball mill, which is operated at 75%
of the critical speed and with a normal operating ball mill charge of 35% on a volumetric basis. Ore
addition to the ball mill is supplemented with process water to achieve a milling density of 72% solids
(by weight). The ball mill also receives a nominal circulating load of 350% from the underflow portion
of the cyclone cluster. To avoid damage to the cyclone feed pumps and cyclone cluster, the ball mill

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discharge is screened through a trommel to scalp off oversized particles and broken grinding media.
The scalped off materials are then stored in the scats bunker. The aperture size of the ball mill
trommel is the same as the product size leaving the crushing plant. The oversize material will be
manually removed periodically.

The trommel screen undersize slurry from the ball mill is discharged to the cyclone feed pumpbox,
diluted to 61% solids with process water, and pumped to two classification cyclones (1 duty / 1
standby).

3.2 Cyclone Classification

The cyclone cluster operates in a closed-circuit with the ball mill and is configured to achieve a target
cyclone overflow product size. The cyclone cluster has one operating and one standby unit with
pneumatically actuated valves that allow automated feed pressure control, as well as manually
actuated isolation valves.

The slurry from the cyclone cluster underflow launder flows to the manual splitter box which splits
approximately 33% of the cyclone underflow to the gravity concentrator via a scalping screen to
remove particles larger than 10 mesh (0.08”). The remaining portion is recirculated back to the ball
mill for further grinding.

The cyclone overflow slurry from the cyclone clusters gravity flows to a trash screen distributor where
the slurry is distributed over the trash screen to remove any plastic, steel, wood and organic refuse
coming from the mine. The overflow slurry density is nominally 42% solids.

A sump pump is installed in the grinding area to facilitate clean-up. The pump discharges into the
cyclone pumpbox. Maintenance activities in the grinding and classification area are serviced by the
mill area crane (33 st) and the grinding area hoist (3.3 st) which will be used for ball mill charging
duties and minor lifts.

4 Area 3300 – Gravity Circuit and Intensive Cyanidation


Overview:

The gravity circuit included in the process plant receives a portion of the cyclone cluster underflow
slurry that is passed through the gravity scalping screen. The slurry is treated by the gravity
concentrator to recover free gold from the slurry into gravity concentrate. The concentrate is
transported to the intensive leach reactor system by fluidization water. During this stage, the gravity
concentrate is exposed to cyanide leaching resulting in high gold extraction. The pregnant solution is
pumped to the electrowinning area while the tailings is recirculated back to the ball mill for further
grinding.

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Reference PFDs:

101768-0000-F-003 Grinding & Gravity Process Flow Diagram

101768-0000-F-004 Intensive Cyanidation Process Flow Diagram

4.1 Process Background

The gravity concentration and intensive leaching reactor circuit offers several advantages by:

• Reducing the exposure and accumulation of gold in grinding equipment


• Reducing the quantity of loaded carbon to be eluted
• Reduces the chances of losing gold to tailings from the CIL circuit either from:
o Incomplete leaching of gold, or
o operational fluctuations causing inefficiencies in carbon adsorption.

The concentrating portion of the process allows for free gold to be separated from the gangue material
through the principal of a centrifuge, where the heavier gold particles are collected in the bowl of the
concentrator while the lighter gangue material overflows and are removed back to the ball mill. This
allows the free gold to be recovered with minimal processing, reducing the risk of losing gold to tailings
and grinding circuit. Once the gold concentrate has reached its specified loading, fresh water is used
to move the concentrate to the intensive leaching area without exposing it to any contaminants in the
process water. The size and number of gravity concentrators required depends on the throughput
and rate at which free gold is collected.

The intensive leaching reactor circuit is typically a packaged system designed to receive a
concentrated coarse gold bearing ore product from the gravity concentrator. These systems, as well
as all other gold leaching circuits, rely on the fundamental leaching reaction seen below, known as
the Elsner Equation.

4𝐴𝑢(𝑠) + 8𝑁𝑎𝐶𝑁(𝑎𝑞) + 𝑂2 (𝑔) + 2𝐻2 𝑂(𝑙) → 4𝑁𝑎𝐴𝑢(𝐶𝑁)2 (𝑎𝑞) + 4𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻(𝑎𝑞)

From this equation it can be observed that the reaction relies heavily on sodium cyanide and oxygen
to complete the gold leaching reaction. Dissolved oxygen oxidizes the gold resulting in the formation
of the soluble gold complexes. Sodium hydroxide is added to provide a basic pH environment required
to prevent cyanide ions from reacting with hydrogen cations to form hydrogen cyanide. As such the
reagents and dosages supplied to the intensive leaching reactor must be able to satisfy these
requirements. Oxygen is supplied through a hydrogen peroxide tote and dosing pump located in the
ILR area. Adequate concentration of oxygen is essential for the cyanidation reaction, and its absence
will prevent the reaction from occurring. Additional reagents can also be included depending on the
specific process or a specific operational objective.

After the addition of the initial levels of reagents along with the required water and gravity concentrate,
the agitator is started, and the leaching reaction begins. Dosing rates of reagents are calibrated to
optimize the process, depending on the ore in question. The leaching reaction lasts several hours
before the gold is leached into the pregnant leaching solution and transferred to the electrowinning
area for gold plating. Tailings from the reactor typically are collected and recirculated to the grinding
area. Gold recoveries using this process are typically above 95%.

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4.2 Scalping Screen and Gravity Concentrator

A portion of the cyclone underflow slurry is directed to one gravity circuit scalping screen where
oversized material is subsequently sent back to ball mill, while the undersize is supplied to a single
gravity concentrator. Nominally 90% of the slurry received by the screen passes and is received by
the gravity concentrator, while the remaining 10% is oversized and recirculated back to the ball mill.
Process water is added to the screen feed stream to reduce the percent solids from 76% to 55%,
allowing for improved screening efficiency.

The centrifugal gravity concentrator is an automated batch process. Feed is received from the cyclone
underflow for a specified time. When one concentration cycle is finished, the feed stream is paused
and the bowl stops spinning to allow the concentrate that has been built up in the bowl to be flushed
to the concentrate holding tank. After the flushing, a new concentration cycle starts again. Gravity
concentrator tails flow back to the ball mill during the feeding portion of the cycle. Cycle times are 45
minutes each and about 46lb of concentrate is expected from each cycle of the selected unit. Cycle
time is manually adjusted based on the head grade and circuit performance.

Flushing water rinses the gravity concentrate to a gravity concentrate holding tank located beneath
the concentrator. Water is continually decanted as the gravity recoverable gold concentrate
accumulates in the hopper. Access to the gravity concentrator holding tank is restricted, and only
authorized personnel are allowed access.

Once per day the concentrate accumulated in the gravity concentrate holding tank is pumped to the
intensive leach reactor where it is dosed with sodium hydroxide and high levels of sodium cyanide.

4.3 Intensive Leach Reactor

Following gravity concentration, the concentrate is held by the gravity concentrate holding tank before
being supplied to one intensive leach reactor. The agitated reactor is dosed with sodium hydroxide,
sodium cyanide, hydrogen peroxide and flocculant/leach aid to facilitate the high-cyanide gold
extraction reaction. A complete cycle for the concentrate to be fully leached will take 24 hours and is
operated daily. The gold bearing pregnant solution is then pumped to the gravity electrolyte tank for
the electrowinning process. Tailings from the reactor are collected and pumped back to the ball mill
feed chute.

Given the nature of the process, cyanide specific design considerations are implemented for both
personnel safety, equipment integrity and operational performance. Control valves and alarm
interlocks are utilized to ensure the operation is performed within an acceptable pH range and will
also monitor the presence of hydrogen cyanide, a toxic gas evolved from cyanide bearing solution
when pH values are lowered out of the operating range. The area will be equipped with hydrogen
cyanide monitors, and operators will wear hydrogen cyanide badges to alert them of any potential
evolution of cyanide gas in the area. The sodium cyanide solution is monitored by operator titration,
ensuring that the dosing concentration is suitable for the intensive leaching reaction. Piping providing
cyanide solution is socket welded stainless-steel connection, with double block and bleed isolation
valving. The area is also designed to account for complete containment of all process vessels.
Standard operating procedures are developed to accurately describe the methods and equipment
required to achieve these tasks safely.

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5 Area 3400 – Carbon-in-Leach
Overview:

The overflow slurry from the cyclone cluster is initially screened by the trash screen to prevent any
debris that could impact the gold extraction or recovery to reach the CIL circuit. After passing through
the screen the slurry reports to the pre-aeration tank where the slurry is pre-treated with air to ensure
optimal gold extraction and minimize cyanide consumption. Following pre-treatment, the slurry flows
through the leaching tanks. During this stage the slurry and activated carbon flow counter-currently
throughout the CIL tanks. Carbon is added to the last tank and sequentially pumped to the first tank,
while slurry is added to the first tank and flows to the last. Most of the metal extraction from ore to
solution occurs at the front end of the circuit, while adsorption from solution to the carbon primarily
occurs towards the end of the circuit. The slurry exits the final tank and is sent to the carbon safety
screen before being treated for tailings storage. The loaded carbon exiting the first CIL tank is pumped
to the loaded carbon screen in the elution circuit to be prepared for acid washing and elution.

Reference PFDs: 101768-0000-F-005 Pre-Leach & CIL Area Process Flow Diagram

5.1 Process Background

The CIL circuit is responsible for the gold leaching and carbon adsorption of the main slurry stream
coming from the grinding circuit. It utilizes a counter-current flow of activated carbon in reference to
the slurry flow to optimize the gold extraction and recovery. After the grinding circuit the ore particle
size should be sufficiently reduced so that the gold in the ore is exposed allowing for the leaching
reaction to occur.

In the presence of sulphide species native to the ore, the leach rate of gold into solution can be
influenced by the amount of dissolved sulphur and the oxygen concentration in solution. A pre-
aeration tank is used to oxidize and precipitate soluble species such as sulphides to prevent them
from consuming oxygen during the process. A pre-aeration tank can also prevent a passivation layer
from forming over the ore that hinders the leaching process. This passivation layer is often caused
due to sulphide species forming sulphur monolayers on the surface of the exposed gold in the ore.

In this circuit the leaching reaction follows the same reaction shown in the intensive leaching reaction.

4𝐴𝑢(𝑠) + 8𝑁𝑎𝐶𝑁(𝑎𝑞) + 𝑂2 (𝑔) + 2𝐻2 𝑂(𝑙) ↔ 4𝑁𝑎𝐴𝑢(𝐶𝑁)2 (𝑎𝑞) + 4𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻(𝑎𝑞)

Sodium cyanide is dosed into the front end of the circuit along with air additions to facilitate the
dissolution of gold into solution. The rate of the gold extraction is highest in the first tank where the
reaction begins and rapidly decreases as the gold in the ore becomes scarcer. The extraction
eventually reaches a plateau point where all the recoverable gold has been leached into solution in
the form of a soluble and stable cyanide-gold species. With the gold in solution, the adsorption
process will then recover the dissolved gold onto activated carbon to be recovered in the elution
circuit.

The availability of free cyanide in solution is dependent on the pH of the solution. At a lower pH less
cyanide ions are retained in solution while more are evolved as hydrogen cyanide molecules. From
this relationship we can determine that the desired result is to have the free cyanide ions stay in
solution at high pH. This is true for both safety and operation, as hydrogen cyanide gas is toxic to
operators and cyanide must be in solution to perform the leaching reaction. For this reason, the CIL
circuit is operated in a basic environment maintained through the addition of hydrated lime.

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In solution the sodium-gold-cyanide complex dissociates into a negative gold-cyanide anion and a
positive sodium cation. The negative gold-cyanide ion in solution preferentially pairs with a positive
ion found in solution based on reduced activation energy. The addition of lime in the CIL circuit
ensures sufficient calcium is available to produce an ionic pair between the gold-cyanide anion and
the calcium cation resulting in a stable pair with neutral charge. The importance of this lies in the fact
that the surface of activated carbon has a neutral charge and for species to adsorb to it they also
require a neutral charge.

2𝐴𝑢(𝐶𝑁 − )−
2 + 𝐶𝑎
2+
↔ 𝐶𝑎 (𝐴𝑢(𝐶𝑁2 ))2 (𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑟)

As both the ion-pair and the surface of the carbon are neutral, no reaction occurs between the two
items and the adsorption process is dependent on process parameters. Key parameters include
mixing efficiency, slurry density, particle size of carbon, cyanide concentration, slurry pH and gold
concentration among others used to design the adsorption process of a specific operation.

With the activated carbon being introduced in the last tank and moving towards the first tank the
greatest gold recovery occurs in the last tank of the CIL circuit and progressively diminishes as the
carbon advances through the tanks with increasing gold loading. After the fully loaded carbon is
reaches the first tank of the circuit, the final transfer pump transports the loaded carbon to the next
stage for the acid wash and elution stages.

Testwork determined that the gold is leached to completion with a residence time of 24 hours. Carbon
management modelling determined that 7 leach stages were required, the optimum carbon
concentration is 1.56 lb/ft3 and advance rate to minimize solution losses is 3 tonnes per day.

5.2 Pre-Aeration and Carbon-in-Leach Tanks

The leach feed slurry from the cyclone cluster overflow reports to the pre-aeration and CIL circuit.
The slurry will first reach one pre-aeration tank where low-pressure air addition is added prior to the
introduction of cyanide. Lime is added to adjust the solution to a pH of 10-10.5. Following the pre-
aeration step the slurry will then flow to a series of 7 open top CIL tanks.

In the CIL tank train, the gold bearing slurry is brought into contact with cyanide and dissolves the
gold from the ore into solution by forming stable gold-cyanide complexes in the presence of sparging
air. The pH of slurry in the tanks is monitored and lime is added as necessary at several points in the
CIL circuit to maintain target (10-10.5 pH typical). Low pressure compressed air is blown into slurry
in the tank through blowers and dispersed using dispersion cones located at the bottom of the
agitator.

Slurry exiting each tank flows by gravity to the next through an up-comer inside the tank to an overflow
launder. Each tank is connected to the next two tanks via overflow launders with knife gate valves for
tank isolation on each discharge point. This arrangement will allow the slurry to bypass the next tank
in the series if one of the downstream tanks must be taken out of service for maintenance. Once the
slurry discharges at the final tank, the slurry gravity flows to the carbon safety screen.

The purpose of the activated carbon is to recover gold from leached slurry. The gold is recovered by
bringing the leached slurry, containing gold in solution, in contact with the carbon so that the dissolved
gold can be loaded onto it through the process of adsorption. Each CIL tank is equipped with an
agitator, an inter-stage screen to retain the carbon and a carbon advance transfer pump. Slurry in the
first tank flows through the inter-stage screen to the next tank via an overflow launder while the screen
holds back the carbon from moving to the next tank. Each subsequent tank in the series sends slurry
to the next tank until the slurry reaches the last tank which then gravity flows out to the cyanide

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destruction circuit by the carbon safety screen. Carbon flows through the circuit in the opposite
direction, through carbon advance pumps in a batch process. The carbon is transferred once per day
and is retained in the tanks by the inter-stage screens. Once the carbon has been transferred through
all CIL tanks to the first tank in the train, the loaded carbon recovery pump will transfer the loaded
carbon to the loaded carbon screen before being treated in the elution circuit.

As the nature of the process is similar to that of intensive leaching, similar safety considerations are
implemented. Cyanide monitors will be installed at the top of the tanks and at ground level. Control
valves, and alarm interlocks are utilized to ensure the operation is performed within an acceptable
pH range and will monitor the presence of hydrogen cyanide. Operators are also equipped with
hydrogen cyanide badges to alert them of any potential generation of cyanide gas. The sodium
cyanide solution will be monitored by operator titration, ensuring that the dosing concentration is
suitable for the leaching and adsorption reactions. Standard operating procedures are developed to
accurately describe the methods and equipment required to achieve these tasks safely.

6 Area 3500 – Acid Wash and Elution


Overview:

Carbon containing slurry from the CIL circuit is transferred by the loaded carbon recovery pump to
the loaded carbon screen in preparation for the acid wash and elution steps. The undersize slurry
from the screen is sent back to the pre-aeration tank while the carbon retained in the oversize fraction
reports to the acid wash column. During the acid wash stage, acid soluble contaminants that were
adsorbed onto the surface of the loaded carbon are removed using a dilute hydrochloric acid stream
followed by a rinse water cycle to clean the acid washed carbon before moving onto the elution step.
The acid rinsed carbon is then transferred from the acid wash column to the elution column. During
this step a strip solution of sodium hydroxide and cyanide is heated and is passed through the carbon
in the elution column. This process reverses the kinetics of the gold loading onto the carbon and
brings the gold into solution. The gold bearing solution also known as the pregnant solution then flows
to the gold room where the gold will be recovered in the electrowinning process. Once the loaded
carbon has been stripped of gold it is considered barren carbon and is transferred to the carbon
regeneration area.

Reference PFDs:

101768-0000-F-006 – Desorption Area Process Flow Diagram

6.1 Process Background – Elution

Loaded carbon will undergo the desorption process where the loaded carbon is acid washed and
eluted. The underlying principle during these stages is that the stable gold complexes loaded on the
carbon must be changed so that they separate from the carbon.

The loaded carbon is initially received from the adsorption stage to a loaded carbon screen, where
the carbon and slurry are separated. The carbon is then fed to one acid wash tank where a dilute
hydrochloric acid solution is passed through. This process removes undesirable contaminants such
as calcium carbonate from the surface of the carbon that would otherwise move forward to the elution
column. The acid wash cycle is done at ambient conditions. Rinse water is passed through to remove
residual acid and protect downstream equipment from low pH conditions.

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Once the loaded carbon is acid washed it is transferred from the acid wash column to one elution
column. In the elution stage a solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium cyanide, called the strip
solution, is heated under pressure and flows up through the elution column. During elution the
adsorption kinetics that initially bonded the gold complexes to the carbon are reversed and the gold
is brought back into solution. This solution flows from the elution column to the electrowinning cells.

After the stripping of the pregnant solution by the electrowinning cell, the solution has trace amounts
of gold remaining that will not be recoverable in electrowinning. Due to need for new reagent additions
and water top ups, a certain portion of the barren solution will be bled to the CIL circuit, where the
gold has the potential to be re-adsorbed.

6.2 Loaded Carbon Screening

Once the carbon in the first CIL tank is completely loaded, carbon slurry is pumped to the loaded
carbon screen where the loaded carbon is screened and separated from the slurry under water spray.
Water sprays on the vibrating screen decks wash off process slurry from the loaded carbon. The
loaded carbon gravity flows to the acid wash column ahead of the elution cycle, and the slurry returns
to the pre-aeration tank.

6.3 Acid Wash

The loaded carbon from CIL tanks recovered on the loaded carbon screen is directed to an acid wash
column. Acid soluble foulants which have loaded onto the carbon are dissolved during the acid
washing stage. Hydrochloric (HCl) acid is diluted with fresh water to provide the required acid wash
solution concentration of 3% HCl and injected into the acid wash column. The solution will soak in the
acidic solution for 30 minutes.

Following acid solution contact, the carbon is rinsed with fresh water to remove residual acid of the
liquor in the carbon column at a rate of two bed volumes (BVs) per hour. The neutralized acid solution
is drained back to the acid solution circulation tank. Washed carbon is then hydraulically transferred
to the elution column using pressurised transport water supplied by a transport water pump.

6.4 Elution

The elution system comprises an elution column, strip solution tank, strip solution pump and an elution
heater package. Strip solution (eluate) is made up in the strip solution tank using raw water dosed
with 2% sodium hydroxide and 0.2% cyanide to form an electrolyte for the electrowinning process.
The eluate flows upwards through a stationary bed of loaded carbon at a flow rate of about two BVs
per hour at 275°F. The elution system is pressurized to keep the solution from flashing to steam in
the heater or elution column. At this temperature gold that was previously adsorbed on the carbon is
desorbed from the carbon by a reversal of the adsorption kinetics.

The direct electric strip solution heater is designed to increase the temperature of the strip solution
up to 275oF (135°C) for the stripping cycle. Additionally, an elution recovery heat exchanger ensures
that the nominal temperature of the pregnant solution directed to the electrowinning cells is below
boiling to prevent flashing.

Following the elution process, gold is recovered from the pregnant strip solution with a single
electrowinning cell located inside the gold room (the gravity circuit has its own electrowinning cell).
The pregnant and barren solution streams will be pumped between the elution plant and
electrowinning cell in a dual contained pipe with flow meters positioned at both ends for leak detection.

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The gold depleted solution from electrowinning is then re-heated and recycled to the elution column
for additional stripping.

Given the use of sodium cyanide during the elution of the loaded carbon, additional steps are included
to ensure safe and efficient operation. The pH of the solution will be properly buffered using sodium
hydroxide, utilizing control valve interlocks to ensure the process is operating at the designed
operating parameters.

7 Area 3500 – Carbon Regeneration and Management


Overview:

After the completion of the elution stage, the barren carbon is transported to the carbon regeneration
area to treat the used carbon to be recycled for the adsorption process. The carbon is first screened
through the kiln dewatering screen, where the oversize will report to the horizontal kiln while the
undersize carbon and water are collected in the carbon fines clarifier. The carbon in the kiln is
exposed to elevated temperatures to remove any remaining foulants that could impact the adsorption
process. The carbon is then received by the quench tank for cooling before being sent to the carbon
sizing screen in the CIL circuit. The fine carbon reporting to the clarifier is collected with the use of a
filter press for further off-site processing, while the process water from the clarifier overflow is received
by the transfer water tank for application in the elution circuit.

Reference PFDs: 101768-0000-F-007 Carbon Regeneration Process Flow Diagram

7.1 Carbon Regeneration

After completion of the elution process, barren carbon is hydraulically transferred from the elution
column to a kiln dewatering screen. The screened carbon is fed into the kiln feed hopper then metered
into a carbon regeneration kiln. The carbon regeneration kiln is a horizontal, rotary, electrically heated
unit and reaches a temperature of at least 1400oF (750oC) to regenerate the stripped carbon.

Regenerated carbon discharges by gravity from the kiln to a quench tank to cool down and is then
transferred via recessed impeller transfer pump to the carbon sizing screen. The barren carbon is
then screened and reports to the last tank in the CIL adsorption train.

Fine carbon is received by the carbon fines clarifier, which then settles to the bottom of the tank while
water overflows out of the top. The underflow of the clarifier is batch fed to the carbon fines filter,
which removes additional water allowing the fines to be bagged and may be sold for further gold
recovery at an offsite location.

7.2 Carbon Pre-attrition

Bags of new carbon are processed in a pre-attrition tank before being sent to the leach circuit. This
process breaks off the corners of the angular coconut shell-based carbon particles, and the fine
particles are collected. The fine particles are too small to be retained by the leach tank inter-stage
screens and would therefore pass through to leach tails. Without this step the sharp corners of the
loaded carbon particles would be broken off in the leach circuit and these carbon fines would flow to
tails carrying the gold they had adsorbed causing gold losses.

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The new carbon is charged to the pre-attrition tank via a bag breaker where water is added to produce
an effective solids density of about 50% carbon. A high intensity agitator stirs the carbon slurry
vigorously to break off the sharp corners, reducing the angular particles to a more rounded shape.
Once complete, the new carbon is pumped to the regeneration kiln quench hopper where it is stored
before being added to the leach circuit. Fresh and regenerated carbon passes over a barren carbon
sizing screen, which also separates and removes fines.

7.3 Carbon Transport Water

All carbon movements in the elution and regeneration circuits are accomplished using carbon
transport water. A transport water tank and pump are provided to supply transport water to carbon
movement demands as needed.

As an example; when moving carbon from the acid wash column to the elution column, the carbon is
drained into a venturi with transport water passing through it in sufficient quantity and velocity to carry
it to the next destination at an effective solids density of about 20%. As the carbon arrives at the
elution column, strainers in the column discharge ports allow the transport water to exit the column
while retaining the carbon.

Transport water picks up fines when moving carbon from one place to another as a result of both the
previous process and the attrition associated with the carbon movement itself. Once the movement
is complete, strained or decanted transport water reports to a carbon fines clarifier where flocculant
settles the fines and the overflow water recharges the transport water tank. Process water is added
as necessary to maintain the level in this tank. The carbon fines are removed from the clarifier
underflow periodically and shipped to the refinery to recover contained precious metal values.

8 Area 3650 – Electrowinning and Gold Room

Overview:

The elution circuit and the intensive leach reactor circuit both produce a gold bearing solution that will
flow through electrowinning cells to remove the gold from solution and onto cathodes. The flow of
pregnant solution and the electrical current is controlled for operation under optimal gold plating
parameters. The plated gold is removed from the cathodes with the use of a high-pressure cleaner
and the gold sludge is collected in the electrowinning sludge filter feed tank. The sludge is pumped
through a filter and then moved by hand to the drying oven. The smelting of the dried sludge is then
completed by hand and ultimately produces the final doré bars.

Reference PFDs:

101768-0000-F-008 Gold Room Process Flow Diagram

The gold room houses the electrowinning cells, smelting furnace, and associated support equipment
within a security envelope which limits access to authorized gold room personnel only. Access and
egress are controlled by security personnel at both a man door and a vehicle access roll up door for
the armoured car. The armoured car door is enclosed by a fence with an automated gate controlled
by security personnel. The exception to this is an emergency exit door which sets off alarms when
opened from the inside.

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8.1 Electrowinning

Two electrowinning sludging cells are located on the upper floor within the gold room. One
electrowinning cell is dedicated to the intensive cyanidation circuit and the other to the elution circuit.
The rectifiers associated with the electrowinning cells back onto the gold room wall, allowing easy
access for operations and maintenance outside the secure area of the gold room.

The electrowinning cell dedicated to the intensive cyanidation circuit is fed eluate via a fixed speed
centrifugal pump from the gravity eluate storage tank. Eluate is pumped to the electrowinning cell and
then gravitates back into the gravity eluate storage tank in a closed loop until suitable gold recovery
is achieved. The electrowinning cell dedicated to the elution circuit operates in a closed loop with the
elution column and associated equipment. Eluate flows directly from the top of the elution column to
the electrowinning cell after cooling through heat exchangers. The eluate flows through the
electrowinning cell and then gravitates back to the strip solution tank and is pumped to the elution
column in a continuous closed loop. Both cells extract gold by passing a current through the liquid
solution, resulting in metal extraction through electroplating onto the cathodes within the cell.

Periodically, high pressure spray dislodges sludge from the cathodes and cell floor to a sludge
hopper. A positive displacement pump feeds a plate and frame filter from the sludge hopper where
the moisture content of the sludge is reduced. The pressed filter cake (gold sludge) is loaded from
the plate and frame filter into trays on the electrowinning sludge trolley. The trays slide into the gold
room drying oven, which heats the sludge to remove the entrained moisture.

8.2 Smelting

The dried and cooled sludge is combined with fluxes (silica, nitre, borax and sodium carbonate) in
the flux mixer. The fluxes are manually added to the flux mixer after they are weighed. The sludge-
flux mix is direct smelted in an electric furnace. The fluxes react with base metal oxides to form a low
viscosity, free flowing slag, whilst the gold and silver remains as a molten metal.

The gold doré is poured into a cascade pouring table of doré moulds. The slag (non-precious metal
compounds) is separated from the precious metal and collected in slag trays at the bottom of the
cascade tables. The doré bars solidify and are quenched in water, cleaned to remove slag, weighed,
stamped for identification, sampled for analysis and stored in a safe while awaiting dispatch.

9 Area 3600 – Cyanide Detoxification


Overview:

Tailings from the CIL circuit that no longer contains economically recoverable gold will flow to the
carbon safety screen prior to reaching the cyanide detoxification stage. The slurry contains cyanide
species that are not suitable for release from the process plant, and therefore a detoxification process
is completed. In this circuit reagents are added to facilitate the breakdown of cyanide species to
acceptable levels before reporting to the tailings pumpbox and sent to the TSF.

Reference PFDs:

101768-0000-F-009 Cyanide Detoxification & Tailings Disposal Area Process Flow Diagram.

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9.1 Process Background

The cyanide detoxification stage of a gold processing operation is the location where the process
slurry reports prior to tailings storage to reduce the level of Weak Acid Dissociable (WAD) cyanide
and in turn the total cyanide released from the plant.

WAD cyanides are described as weak metal complexes that form during the leaching stage of the
operation. Typical metals seen in these complexes include copper, zinc and nickel. The concern with
these complexes is that they dissociate in solution to produce an environmentally significant
concentration of free cyanide that could pose a risk to the environment and wildlife, or persist on a
longer term basis due to a resistance to natural degradation.

The detoxification circuit receives all of the slurry from the upstream processes with the addition of
acid rinse solution from the elution circuit and sump slurry on an intermittent basis from several areas
within the plant. During the detoxification process the reaction will convert the free cyanide in solution
to the less toxic cyanate ion. This is achieved through the SO 2/Air reaction utilizing a copper catalyst,
and the reaction is shown below.

𝐶𝑁 − + 𝑆𝑂2 + 𝑂2 + 𝐻2 𝑂 → 𝑂𝐶𝑁 − + 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4

The free cyanide and WAD cyanide are oxidized during the reaction to form cyanate and sulphuric
acid. The reaction typically operates in the pH range of 8 to 9 therefore requires the addition of lime
to counteract the acid production.

Sodium metabisulphite (Na2S2O5), also known as SMBS, is the source for SO2 in the Air/SO2 process.
The reaction also requires a soluble copper catalyst to achieve the cyanide reduction. The copper is
typically administered in the form of a soluble copper sulphate pentahydrate solution.

Iron cyanide removal is initiated by the reduction of iron from the ferric to the ferrous state. Following
this step, the reaction will then react with a soluble metal cation to produce a precipitate. The same
will be the case for trace metals that will be precipitated as their hydroxides. The remaining
thiocyanate and cyanate are reduced by means of oxidation and hydrolysis respectively.

Through this process the key cyanide species of interest are converted into chemical species
acceptable for discharge to the tailing’s storage facility.

Once in the tailing’s management facility processes such as photodegradation by UV light and
biodegradation will also contribute to the minimization of cyanide species in a lined TSF where
precautions are implemented to minimize the impact to wildlife.

9.2 Carbon Safety Screen

Tailings from the CIL circuit flows by gravity to a carbon safety screen. The safety screen retains any
carbon that has reported with the slurry due to a leak in inter-stage screen mesh or seals in the CIL
circuit. Water sprays are used on the vibrating screen deck to wash off process slurry from the carbon
particles before reporting to a tote box. Screen underflow flows to the cyanide detoxification tanks.

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9.3 Cyanide Detoxification Tanks

The cyanide detoxification circuit provides sufficient residence time for the detoxification reaction. In
addition to leach tails, the tanks receive acid wash effluent from the acid wash column and the area
sump pump discharge on an intermittent basis.

The cyanide detoxification circuit reduces weak acid dissociable cyanide (CNWAD) to a target value.
Air supply for the detoxification reaction is supplied to each cyanide destruction tank via a dispersion
cone mounted to the bottom of each tank to maintain a high redox potential, maximizing oxidation of
cyanide. The tanks utilize dual-impeller high shear agitators to enhance air dispersion and dissolution
in the slurry to meet the oxygen demand of the cyanide destruction process. A sodium metabisulphite
solution (the source of SO2) is added to the slurry in the tanks. Copper sulphate solution, when
needed, is dosed as catalyst for the cyanide detoxification process while lime slurry is added from a
ring main into each tank to maintain a desired pH between 7.0 and 9.0. pH monitoring and HCN gas
monitors will be interlocked with control valves to prevent detect the evolution of HCN gas. Operators
will also wear personal HCN badges or monitors. The slurry will be reduced from a CNWAD
concentration of 100 ppm from the CIL circuit to below the not-to-exceed limit of 30 ppm. The final
CN concentration will be monitored by operator titration to ensure compliance with the target
discharge limit and the not-to-exceed regulatory limit of 30 ppm.

9.4 Tailings Discharge

Detoxified slurry overflows the second detoxification tank to the final tailings pump box, where it is
then pumped to the TSF by two final tailings pumps (1 duty / 1 standby). The tailing slurry flows
through a tailings discharge pipeline and will have dual containment initially provided through a
buried pipe-in-pipe configuration, before daylighting to an HDPE lined containment trench. At the
TSF the tailings are deposited using spigotting manifolds positioned along the rim of the
impoundment to create low angle deposition beaches.

The position of the spigotting manifolds are moved periodically to produce an even beach head and
push decant water towards the decant water pool. A pontoon mounted decant return water pump is
provided to pump decant water back to the process water tank plant for re-use in the plant.

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10 Area 3800 – Reagents and Services
Overview:

Given the properties of the reagents and their interactions with each other, design of the reagent
preparation area will largely focus on the isolation of the cyanide. The cyanide preparation area is
located away from incompatible reagents and in a low traffic area of the process plant. The cyanide
preparation area will also be separated from the acidic reagents preparation area by the alkaline
reagents. In this configuration the basic chemicals act as a buffer to prevent the exposure of acidic
reagents and sodium cyanide, which would lead to the generation of cyanide gas.

Reference PFDs:

101768-0000-F-010 Alkaline Reagents Process Flow Diagram

101768-0000-F-011 Acidic Reagents Process Flow Diagram

101768-0000-F-012 Reagents General Process Flow Diagram

101768-0000-F-013 Plant Services – Air Process Flow Diagram

10.1 Hydrated Lime

Preparation of the hydrated lime will require:

• A bulk storage silo


• A mixing tank
• Dosing pumps feeding a ring main
• Automatically controlled dosing points from the ring main.

Hydrated lime is used in leaching and detoxification for pH control. The hydrated lime is delivered to
site by bulk tanker and blown into a bulk storage silo.

When the mixing tank level is low, hydrated lime is added to the tank via a rotary valve and screw
feeder. Process water is added at the same time to maintain the mixture strength of 20% forming a
milk-of-lime suspension.

Milk-of-lime is distributed to the various dosing points using a ring main that provides constant flow
to various destinations. Dosing is accomplished with drop lines off the ring main with automated on-
off valves that open when pH is low and close when the operator specified target is reached.

10.2 Sodium Hydroxide

Preparation of Sodium hydroxide will require:

• Dosing pumps.

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also known as caustic soda, is used as a pH modifier in the intensive
cyanidation and in the elution circuit to prepare the stripping solution used to recover the gold from

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the loaded carbon. The reagent will be delivered in a 1,000 L tote received by truck and unloaded
near sodium hydroxide area. The solution is supplied at a concentration of 50 percent by weight basis.
Three positive displacement pumps will then each provide the required dosages of sodium hydroxide
to their dedicated area. These areas include the intensive leach area, the elution circuit and the
sodium cyanide preparation area.

10.3 Sodium Cyanide

Preparation of sodium cyanide will require:

• A bulk handling system


• Mixing and holding tanks
• Dosing pumps.

Sodium cyanide is used in leaching as a lixiviant and in elution as a carbon stripping aid. Cyanide is
delivered to site in 1-ton bulk bags contained within wooden boxes and is stored in a separate area
of the plant from the other chemicals.

When the storage tank level is low, a cyanide mix batch is started by removing a cyanide bulk bag
from its box and dropping it onto a bag breaker, which discharges cyanide into the mix tank. The mix
tank has been previously filled with sufficient raw water and buffered with sodium hydroxide to pH 12
to produce a cyanide mixture strength of 28%. Once mixing is complete and there is sufficient room
in the holding tank, the mixed cyanide solution is pumped to the holding tank by a sodium cyanide
transfer pump.

Sodium cyanide is dosed from the storage tank to dosing points via dedicated positive displacement
metering pumps. The discharge piping is arranged such that the infrequently utilized pumps can be
used as back-up spares for the leach dosing pump. For additional information on the equipment and
procedures for the handling of cyanide, reference the Cyanide Management Plan in Appendix F of
the Consolidated Permit Application.

10.4 Sodium Metabisulphite

Preparation of Sodium metabisulphite (SMBS) will require:

• A bulk handling system


• Mixing and holding tanks
• Dosing pumps.

Sodium metabisulphite (Na2S2O5), also known as SMBS, is the source for SO2 in the Air/SO2 process
and will be supplied in 2000 lb bulk bags with a minimum quality of 67 percent SO2. It will be shipped
by road to site, offloaded by forklift, and stored in the reagents storage area.

When the storage tank level is low a SMBS mix is started by dropping a bulk bag of SMBS onto a
bag breaker which discharges SMBS into the mix tank. The mix tank has been previously filled with
sufficient process water to produce a mixture strength of 20%. Once mixing is complete, and there
is sufficient room in the holding tank, the mixed SMBS solution is pumped to the holding tank by a
sodium metabisulphite transfer pump.

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SMBS is dosed from the storage tank to the detoxification circuit via dedicated positive displacement
metering pumps for each stage. A third pump is provided as an installed spare for the detoxification
dosing pumps.

10.5 Copper Sulphate (Pentahydrate)

Preparation of Copper Sulphate will require:

• A bulk handling system


• A combined mixing/storage tank
• Dosing pumps.

Copper sulphate (pentahydrate) (CuSO2.5H2O) is supplied in 2000lb bulk bags at a purity of 98


percent on a weight basis. It will be shipped by road to site, offloaded by forklift and stored in the
reagents storage area adjacent to the reagents mixing facility. Copper sulphate is mixed and stored
in a combined mixing/storage tank laid out such that the mixing tank is directly above the storage tank
and mixed solution drops by gravity into the storage tank.

When the storage tank level is low copper sulphate is added to the mixing tank by dropping a bulk
bag of onto a bag breaker which discharges copper sulphate into the mix tank. The mix tank has been
previously filled with sufficient process water to produce a mixture strength of 15%. Once mixing is
complete, and there is sufficient room in the holding tank, the mixed copper sulphate solution is
transferred by gravity to the holding tank.

Copper sulphate is dosed from the storage tank to the detoxification circuit via duty / standby positive
displacement metering pumps.

10.6 Hydrochloric Acid

Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) is used in the elution circuit and is supplied in 275-gallon totes in liquid form
at 32 percent concentration on a weight basis. The acid will be dosed directly to the acid wash column
through the use of a metering pump.

10.7 Flocculant

Flocculant will be used in the carbon fines clarifier and intensive leach reactor to assist in solids
settling. The flocculant will be supplied in 1,000L totes and dosed directly through two metering
pumps.

10.8 Blower Air

The blowers will supply low pressure process air to the CIL tanks and the cyanide detoxification
circuits. Both the CIL and cyanide detoxification trains will have a dedicated blower fan, with one
common standby fan, able to supply process air to any of the four usage points.

10.9 Plant & Instrument Air

An air compressor will provide high pressure compressed air operating in lead-lag mode, to meet the
demand for plant and instrument air requirements.

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Plant air will be stored in the plant air receivers to account for variations in demand prior to being
distributed throughout the plant. Instrument air will be dried in an instrument air dryer before being
stored in the instrument air receivers and distributed throughout the plant.

10.10 Assay and Metallurgical Laboratory and Quality Control

The plant is equipped with automatic samplers to collect shift and routine samples for aqua regia
digestion, atomic absorption, and fire assays. Those samples include plant feed, intermediate
products, tailings, and final products. The data obtained will be used for product quality control and
routine process optimization.

The metallurgical laboratory will perform metallurgical tests for quality control and process flowsheet
optimization. The laboratory will include equipment such as laboratory crushers, ball mill, sieve
screens, laboratory flotation cells, balances, and pH meters.

11 Area 3920 – Water Services


Overview:

The overall process has a negative water balance and requires raw water makeup from site wells.
The raw water is used for gland water, makeup water, and treated to produce potable water. Raw
water that has entered the process becomes part of the process water circuit and may be eventually
discharged to the TSF. Decanted water from the TSF is recycled back to the process plant for reuse
in the process water circuit.

Reference PFDs:

101768-0000-F-014 Plant Services – Water (Sheet 1 of 2)

101768-0000-F-015 Plant Services – Water (Sheet 2 of 2)

11.1 Tailings Storage Facility

The TSF receives the treated tails from the process plant and allows for material to settle while water
is decanted and recovered at the process water tank for re-use in the process plant. Two centrifugal
pumps (1 duty / 1 standby) located on a barge at the TSF return water through a decant water pipeline,
which runs in the same containment trench used for the tailings discharge pipeline.

The TSF also allows for the natural degradation of remaining trace cyanide. Degradation is achieved
through exposure to ultraviolet light received from the sun and metabolic processes from micro-
organisms native to the environment in the water of the tailings pond.

11.2 Raw Water

Raw water will be pumped from site wells to the raw water tank for distribution throughout the
operation.

Raw water in the tank is used to supply the following services:

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• Reagent preparation water
• Slurry pumps gland seal water
• Intensive cyanidation
• Make-up water for the process water system
• Fire Water
• Potable water treatment plant, potable water is then sent to the potable water tank for safety
showers and eyewash stations.

11.3 Gland Water

Water for the gland water system is supplied by fresh water from the raw water tank and distributed
to each slurry pump by the gland seal water pumps in a duty/standby configuration.

11.4 Process Water

Process water is comprised of decant water from the TSF and raw water additions. Process water is
stored in the process water storage tank and distributed by the Process Water Pumps, in a
duty/standby configuration, to the circuits throughout the process plant, select reagent preparation
areas and the truck washing station.

12 Process Solution Containment


The containment strategy associated with the process plant can be divided between the containment
of process flows and reagents, and the collection and containment of surface contact water.

12.1 Process Flows and Reagents

There are eight primary areas which require containment at the plant site. Each area is located on a
cast in-situ concrete slab, which will have curbs providing the required containment volume. The
required volume is determined by the equipment located in the area, and in each case this has been
determined to be 110% of the volume of the largest vessel plus allowance for adequate freeboard for
precipitation. Adequate precipitation freeboard is defined as the height required to provide a volume
capable to contain a 25-year 24-hour storm event. The containment areas have been summarized in
the following table:

Required Total
Reference
Location Containment Containment
Drawing
Volume (m3) Volume (m2)

Grinding Area 18.1 21.9 101768-1200-C-101

CIL Area 324.2 326.5 101768-1200-C-102

Goldroom – Refining Area 0.8 5.5 101768-1200-C-103

Goldroom – ILR Area 6.6 9.5 101768-1200-C-103

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Required Total
Reference
Location Containment Containment
Drawing
Volume (m3) Volume (m2)

Desorption and Regeneration – Acid


13.3 13.7 101768-1200-C-104
Wash Area

Desorption and Regeneration –


27.2 76.3 101768-1200-C-104
Elution Area

Reagents Area – Alkaline


12.7 16.4 101768-1200-C-105
Containment

Reagents Area – Acidic Containment 12.7 15.5 101768-1200-C-105

Air Services Area 3.2 16.1 101768-1200-C-106

The concrete bund for the air services area is mainly for housekeeping purposes, and the required
volume is only related to the 25-year 24-hour storm event for the catchment area.

12.2 Surface Contact Water

For a detailed description of contact water management and the design of water management
structures, reference Appendix Y of the Consolidated Permit Application.

Diversion ditches will be constructed above plant infrastructure where required to prevent runoff from
entering the process plant areas. Precipitation that falls directly on the pad will be collected in a
system of ditches and culverts and directed by gravity towards the collection pond.

The contact collection pond is sized to contain the runoff from a 100-year 24-hour storm event and
includes other allowances such as sediment deposition and freeboard. The pond will be double lined
with a fluid evacuation zone between the liners.

13 Dust Suppression and Collection


Considerations for the design of the dust suppression and collection facilities is intended to comply
with applicable federal and state regulations for air quality, including the Cleaner Air Oregon
objectives.

13.1 Summary of Applicable Regulations

Regulations applicable to the Grassy Mountain project include, but are not limited to:

Table 2 - Applicable Air Quality Regulations

Regulation # Description
OAR 340-216 Air Contaminant Discharge Permits
Oregon Permitting Rules
OAR 340-218 Title V Operating Permits

101768-RPT-0002 23
Rev: 0
Date: June 24 2019
OAR 340-202 Ambient Air Quality Standards and
Oregon Air Quality Standards Prevention of Significant Deterioration
OAR 340-245 Cleaner Air Oregon
40 CFR Part 63 Gold Ore Processing
National Emissions Standards for Subpart EEEEEEE
Hazardous Air Pollutants
(NESHAP) 40 CFR Part 63 Gasoline Tanks
Subpart CCCCCC
40 CFR Part 60 Metallic Mineral Processing Plants
Subpart LL
New Source Performance 40 CFR Part 60 Non-Metallic Mineral Processing
Standards (NSPS) Subpart OOO
40 CFR Part 60 Emergency Generators
Subpart IIII

13.2 Dust Generating Sources and Controls

The key dust generating sources and identified control methods for the plant site are identified as
follows:

Table 3 - Selected Air Quality Controls

Dust Source Control Method


Unpaved Roads Dust suppression chemicals and water application
Stockpiles (ROM and Crushed Ore) Inherent moisture content of the ore
Primary and Secondary Crushing Unit Inherent moisture content of the ore
Ball Mill Feed Conveyor Inherent moisture content of the ore
Carbon Kiln Wet dust scrubber
Barring Furnace Baghouse
Lime Silo Bin ventilation baghouse

Additional information pertaining to the identification and control of air emissions can by found in
Appendix M of the Consolidated Permit Application.

14 Reclamation Plan
The reclamation of the process facilities and ancillary infrastructure is described below. The
reclamation of the entire project (including these facilities) will be described in other sections of the
DOGAMI Consolidated Permit Application and associated documents.

14.1 Reclamation Objective

The goal of this reclamation plan is to minimize environmental damage through the use of best
available, practicable, and necessary technology and provide protection measures that are consistent
with the policies of the permitting agencies.

101768-RPT-0002 24
Rev: 0
Date: June 24 2019
14.1.1 Scope of Reclamation

The scope of this reclamation plan includes the process plant and facilities, ancillary infrastructure,
and water management structures including the water collection pond.

14.1.2 Conceptual Plan

The general concept for reclaiming the project site is to remove all buildings and facilities that can be
dismantled. Non-movable physical aspects such as the plant site itself will be contoured to match the
original site topography and re-vegetated.

Removal of facilities and remediation of the site, including re-vegetation, will take approximately two
years. Monitoring of site conditions will be undertaken on a quarterly and annual basis for the first five
years with maintenance and remedial action taken on an as-required basis to ensure that the results
of reclamation are sustainable.

14.1.3 Final Topography

All man-made slopes on the project site will be reduced to 3:1 (h:v) or less as required. Re-sloping is
intended to create contours in disturbed areas that blend into the surrounding terrain, flatten the
landscape as much as possible to prevent erosion and enable easy access by wildlife and humans.
Where exceptions to the above grade are required, they will comply with the requirements of OAR
632-030-0027.

14.2 Reclamation Requirements

The reclamation plan is designed to satisfy the requirements of The Mined Land Reclamation Act of
1971, comply with OAR 632-030-0025 Requirements for an Operating Permit and Reclamation Plan,
and OAR 632-030-0027 Minimum Standards for a Reclamation Plan. Reclamation performance
standards as stated by the State of Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries include:

• Ensure protection of human health and safety (also livestock, fish, and wildlife)
• Ensure environmental protection
• Require certification to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Department of
Agriculture of a self-sustaining ecosystem comparable to undamaged ecosystems in the area
• Include backfilling or partial backfilling on a case-by-case basis
• Ensure adequate, long-term environmental monitoring
• Provide adequate financial security

14.3 Removal of Infrastructure

The majority of buildings and structures erected on site during the mining operation will be
decommissioned and removed as part of the reclamation process, unless otherwise agreed to remain
after the mine’s closure.

14.3.1 Buildings

Buildings at the plant site will be dismantled during the first year of reclamation and sold or re-used
elsewhere. These buildings will include:

101768-RPT-0002 25
Rev: 0
Date: June 24 2019
• Administration building
• Laboratory
• Plant Workshop/Warehouse
• Mine Offices
• Truck Workshop/Warehouse
• Mill Building and Structures

The administration, laboratory, and mine office buildings will be modular structures that will break
down into their component parts and can be hauled away and re-used. The Plant and Truck
Workshop/Warehouses are steel frame, fabric covered structures that can be similarly dismantled
and re-used elsewhere. The process facility is a steel frame non-enclosed structure containing
process equipment, which will be removed before the frame is dismantled and removed.

14.3.2 Surface Water Management Structures

The reclamation of the contact water collection pond will be in accordance with the Water Pollution
Control Facility (WPCF) permit as required by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

Reclamation of lined ditches and other water management structures will be in accordance with the
Stormwater Management Plan in Appendix Y of the Consolidated Permit Application.

14.3.3 Other Infrastructure

Other structures to be remediated and removed include:

• Truck Wash Pad


• Crushing Area

The Truck Wash Pad is a concrete slab that will be broken up, have the rebar removed, and disposed
of offsite. The crushing area consists of a series of portable units mounted on chassis that can be
towed away for use elsewhere.

14.3.4 Electrical Infrastructure

Electrical infrastructure that will be removed or disconnected includes:

• Plant site distribution powerlines


• Main substation

14.3.5 Pipelines

Pipelines will be removed and disposed of offsite:

• Tailings distribution pipeline


• Tailings reclaim water pipeline

101768-RPT-0002 26
Rev: 0
Date: June 24 2019
14.3.6 Roads

Roads that will be reclaimed include:

• Plant site roads

All road surfaces will be ripped and then capped with overburden, topsoil, and seeded. The timing to
reclaim roads will depend on the necessity to access a particular area during reclamation. For
example, plant site roads will be reclaimed once the process plant area is dismantled and removed.

14.3.7 Removal/Burial of Foundations

All foundations remaining from decommissioned structures, made from inert materials such as
concrete, will be broken up and removed to an approved construction material disposal facility or
another approved site. This includes concrete slabs. Any broken concrete or complete foundations
(below 0.5m grade) left on the reclaimed site will be buried a minimum of 0.5m below the final site
grade. Before burial, all exposed rebar, that has a potential to protrude through the completed backfill,
will be cut off level with the remaining concrete.

Concrete that may be contaminated through exposure to process reagents will be excavated and
disposed of in the TSF.

14.4 Material Management

14.4.1 Topsoil and Overburden

Refer to Section 3.5.3.3 and 4.1 of the Consolidated Permit Application.

14.4.2 Waste Rock

Refer to Section 3.3.4 and Section 4.6.3 of the Consolidated Permit Application.

14.4.3 Contaminated Materials

Soil, waste rock, or concrete that have been exposed to hydrocarbons or process reagents on a
frequent basis during the life of the project may have become contaminated. Hydrocarbon
contaminated soils will be excavated and transported to an approved dump site. This procedure also
applies to any soil contaminated with hydrocarbons from leaking fuel oil storage tanks discovered
during the removal from site.

Soil, rock, or concrete contaminated by process reagents will be excavated and disposed of in the
TSF. Pre-existing soil contamination, resulting from historic mining activity, will be further delineated
by sampling, either through drilling or the digging of test pits. Risk assessment based on the degree
of contamination and likelihood of remobilization of contaminants will determine if the material is left
in place or excavated and disposed of in the TSF or offsite.

14.5 Re-Vegetation

Refer to Section 4.2 of the Consolidated Permit Application.

101768-RPT-0002 27
Rev: 0
Date: June 24 2019
14.6 Site Drainage

Site drainage will be managed with the objective of:

1. Preventing contamination of surface and groundwater flows


2. Preventing erosion and sedimentation
3. Protection of natural watercourses and wetlands

Site grading will facilitate drainage such that runoff disperses from the area in a manner which reflects
natural flows. Ditches will be rip-rapped where necessary to prevent erosion. All slopes will be
reduced to 3:1 (h:v) or less to minimize the velocity of runoff.

14.7 Monitoring

The primary goal of post-mining monitoring activities will be to determine the progress being made in
restoring the site and to make adjustments, if required, that lead to a successful conclusion of site
reclamation.

Monitoring after mining ceases will initially be an extension of the monitoring programs that were used
to support production activities. These will include monitoring physical and chemical parameters for
air, surface and ground water, soil and sediments. In addition, routine surveys and field observations
will be conducted with regard to flora and fauna on and around site. The status of various VECs
(valued ecological components) such as woodlands, wetlands, and watercourses will be assessed.

Post-mining monitoring will ensure, through inspection, that decommissioned structures such as the
re-contoured plant pad are not subject to damage from erosion or settlement and that spillways and
ditches remain functional. The monitoring program will be linked to remedial action plans in the event
that reclamation measures require enhancement.

The specific monitoring requirements will be defined and described in the Water Pollution Control
Facility Permit (WPCF) which is required under OAR 340-043 and will be submitted as part of the
DOGAMI Consolidated Permit Application.

101768-RPT-0002 28
Rev: 0
Date: June 24 2019
Appendix A – Overall Process Flow Diagram

101768-RPT-0002 Appendices
Rev: 0
Date: June 24 2019
Appendix B – Process Flow Diagrams

101768-RPT-0002 Appendices
Rev: 0
Date: June 24 2019
Appendix C – General Arrangements

101768-RPT-0002 Appendices
Rev: 0
Date: June 24 2019
DITCH

CULVERT COLLECTION POND


VOL: 110,000 ft³
SEPTIC TANK

DITCH
PARKING PLANT OFFICES
TP-B2 & CHANGE HOUSE
TP-B1
LABORATORY
ADMINISTRATION
BUILDING PLANT WORKSHOP
CULVERT
& WAREHOUSE

TP-B3
CULVERT

TP-B4 TP-B5
GOLDROOM ELUTION AREA TP-C1
STOCKPILE & TP-C2
RECLAIM AREA

REAGENT AREA

TP-B6
PAD TP-C3
EL. 3710' WATER SERVICE
(NOM.) AREA

TP-C4 TP-C5
DITCH
CIL AREA
TP-A1 GRINDING AREA
TP-A2

TP-C6
TP-A3
PAD
EL. 3730'
CRUSHING AREA
(NOM.)
TRUCK WASH
TP-C8
TP-C7
SUMP
TP-A4 TP-A5

ROM
STOCKPILE

PRELIMINARY
TP-A6

FUEL STORAGE
FUEL STORAGE TRUCK WORKSHOP
& WAREHOUSE
L

MINE OFFICE &


A
RT

CHANGE HOUSE
PO
G
U/
TO

50' 0 50' 100' 150' 200'

SCALE: 1"=50'

CLIENT
DRAWN RK 16NOV2018
Ausenco
PARAMOUNT GOLD NEVADA COPYRIGHT
PROJECT No.
c Ausenco
SCALE SIZE
DWG. CHECKED
E
D
LB
LB
21JUN19
08MAY19
ISSUED FOR CLIENT REVIEW
ISSUED FOR CLIENT REVIEW
LK
LK
Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada
TITLE GRASSY MOUNTAIN PROJECT 101768 1" = 50' D
DESIGNED JTR 16NOV2018
C
B
LB
RK
10APR2019
05APR2019
ISSUED FOR CLIENT REVIEW
ISSUED FOR CLIENT REVIEW
LK
JTR
T +1 604 684 9311 PLANT SITE DRAWING No. REV
W www.ausenco.com
DES. APPR. GENERAL ARRANGEMENT PLAN
REF. DRAWING No. REFERENCE DRAWING
A RK

No. BY DATE
04DEC2018 ISSUED FOR INTERNAL REVIEW

REVISION DETAILS
JTR

CHKD ENG APPR PROJ. APPR.


101768-0000-G-102 E
Appendix D – Concrete Containment Drawings

101768-RPT-0002 Appendices
Rev: 0
Date: June 24 2019
Project No.: 1901-0033
Date: 5/8/19
12/31/20

Seal applies to sizing of secondary


containment volumes for compliance
with International Cyanide
Management Code only.
Project No.: 1901-0033
Date: 5/8/19
12/31/20

Seal applies to sizing of secondary


containment volumes for compliance
with International Cyanide
Management Code only.
Project No.: 1901-0033
Date: 5/7/19
12/31/20

Seal applies to sizing of secondary


containment volumes for
compliance with International
Cyanide Management Code only.
Project No.: 1901-0033
Date: 5/8/19
12/31/20

Seal applies to sizing of secondary


containment volumes for compliance
with International Cyanide
Management Code only.
Project No.: 1901-0033
Date: 5/7/19
12/31/20
Seal applies to sizing of secondary
containment volumes for
compliance with International
Cyanide Management Code only.
Project No.: 1901-0033
Date: 5/8/19
12/31/20

Seal applies to sizing of secondary


containment volumes for compliance
with International Cyanide
Management Code only.
CIL Area Containment Calculations
Grassy Mountain Mine Containment
Malheur County, OR

Client Information Project Site


Thomas Mills Grassy Mountain
Ausenco Minerals and Metals Malheur County, OR
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada

Scope: Review of containment volume calculations for conformance


with applicable cyanide codes. Sealing of documents for
volume calculations only. All other elements including
construction of containment curbs are by others. Review
based on tank and equipment volumes provided by client.

Review By: Endorsement


Peterson Structural Engineers
May 7, 2019
Job No. 1901-0033

12/31/20
Calculation
Calculation No:
1200 - CIL Area Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0001

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Area/Code:
Equipment Description: Containment of CIL area to cyanide code requirements
Equipment No:

Design Inputs References


Containment Volume Requirement International Cyanide Code of Practice
= 110% Volume of largest tank + one design storm event Section 4.7
Boise, Idaho - Record Rainfall - 1.22in
25 Yr Storm event
https://www.wunderground.com/history
= 31mm (1.22 inches)
/daily/KBOI/date/2009-5-12
Containment Area from 101768-1200-C-102

Design Asumptions and Basis


Assumes process plant containment pond is suitably lined

Calculation Summary and Outcome


The CIL containment area will require a minimum curb height of 864mm (34 inches).

Other calculations if this calculation is revised:

Rev Date Description Prepared Checked Approved


A 2019-03-28 Issued for Internal Review JT TM
B 2019-04-11 Issued for Peer Review JT JTR
C 2019-04-22 Issued for Permitting JT TM
Calculation
Calculation No:
1200 - CIL Area Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0001

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Rev: C

GENERAL INPUTS Comments


TANK SIZE AND VOLUME
Leach Tank Diameter n/a m no Leach Tanks
Leach Tank Plinth Diameter n/a
Leach Tank Height n/a m
Number of Leach Tanks n/a No
CIL Tank Diameter 6.9 m
CIL Tank Plinth Diameter 7.2 m
CIL Tank Height 7.3 m
Number of CIL Tanks 8 No
Detox Tank Diameter 4.7 m
Detox Tank Plinth Diameter 4.9 m
Detox Tank Height 5.3 m
Number of Detox Tanks 2 No
Volume of largest tank 273 m3 CIL Tank

BUND DIMENSIONS
CIL / Detox
CIL Bund Length 45.7 m
CIL Bund Width 16.9 m
CIL Area for rainfall catchment 774 m2
CIL Tank Area 299 m2
Detox Tank Area 35 m2
CIL Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 326 m2
Detox Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 38 m2
Equipment Deductions 2 m2
SW corner of
Notched Area Deduction
49 m2 containment
CIL Containment Catchment Area below top of plinth 359 m2
CIL Containment Catchment Area above top of plinth 391 m2
Containment CALCULATION
Bund Wall Height (from 101768-1200-C-102) 0.864 m
CIL and Detox Average Tank Plinth height 0.35 m
Volume below top of plinth 126 m3
Volume above top of plinth to Bund Wall 201 m3
Total Volume Designed 327 m3

STORMWATER
24 Hour 25 Year Storm Event Cover 30.988 mm 1.22 in
CIL/Detox Stormwater Catchment 24 m3
Total Stormwater Catchment Volume 24 m3

CONTAINMENT REQUIRED
110% One Largest Tank Volume + One Storm Event 324 m3
Reagents Area Containment Calculations
Grassy Mountain Mine Containment
Malheur County, OR

Client Information Project Site


Thomas Mills Grassy Mountain
Ausenco Minerals and Metals Malheur County, OR
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada

Scope: Review of containment volume calculations for conformance


with applicable cyanide codes. Sealing of documents for
volume calculations only. All other elements including
construction of containment curbs are by others. Review
based on tank and equipment volumes provided by client.

Review By: Endorsement


Peterson Structural Engineers
May 7, 2019
Job No. 1901-0033

12/31/20
Calculation
Calculation No:
1200 - Reagents Area Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0002

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Area/Code:
Equipment Description: Containment of Reagents Area
Equipment No:

Design Inputs References


Containment Volume Requirement International Cyanide Code of Practice
= 110% Volume of largest tank Section 4.7
Largest tank volume = 12 m³ 101768-MEL-0001 Rev B
Containment General Arrangement from 101768-1200-C-105

Design Assumptions and Basis

No storm containment required as this area is covered.

Calculation Summary and Outcome


The containment in the Alkaline area will require a minimum curb height of 160mm (6.3in) to satisfy the
containment requirements, but has been raised to 203mm (8in) for consistency throughout the area.
The containment in the Acidic area will require a minimum curb height of 170mm (6.7in) to satifsy the
containment requirements but has been raised to 203mm (8in) for consistency throughout the area.

Other calculations if this calculation is revised:

Rev Date Description Prepared Checked Approved


A 2019-03-28 Issued for Internal Review JT TM
B 2019-04-11 Issued for Peer Review JT JTR
C 2019-04-22 Issued for Permitting JT TM
Calculation - Alkaline Area
Calculation No:
1200 - Reagents Area Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0002

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Rev: C

GENERAL INPUTS Comments


TANK SIZE AND VOLUME
Lime Tank Diameter 2.4 m
Lime Tank Plinth Diameter 2.8
Lime Tank Height 2.55 m
Number of Lime Tanks 1 No
CN Mix Tank Diameter 2.4 m
CN Mix Tank Plinth Diameter 2.8 m
CN Mix Tank Height 2.55 m
Number of CN Mix Tanks 1 No
CN Storage Tank Diameter 2.4 m
CN Storage Tank Plinth Diameter 2.8
CN Storage Tank Height 2.55 m
Number of CN Storage Tanks 1 No
Volume of largest tank 3
12 m

BUND DIMENSIONS
Alkaline Area
Bund Length 10.8 m
Bund Width 9.1 m
Area for rainfall catchment 99.0 m2
Lime Tank Area 4.5 m2
2
CN Mix Tank Area 4.5 m
2
CN Storage Tank Area 4.5 m
Lime Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 6.2 m2
CN Mix Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 6.2 m2
CN Storage Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 6.2 m2

Containment Catchment Area below top of plinth


81 m2

Containment Catchment Area above top of plinth


85 m2
CONTAINMENT CALCULATION
Bund Wall Height (from 101768-1200-C-105) 0.203 m
Average Tank Plinth height 0.20 m
Volume below top of plinth 16 m3
Volume above top of plinth to Bund Wall 0.02 m3
Total Volume Designed 16.4 m3

STORMWATER
24 Hour 25 Year Storm Event Cover 0 mm
Stormwater Catchment 0 m3
Total Stormwater Catchment Volume 0 m3

CONTAINMENT REQUIRED
110% One Largest Tank Volume 12.7 m3
Calculation - Acidic Area
Calculation No:
1200 - Reagents Area Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0002

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Rev: B

GENERAL INPUTS Comments


TANK SIZE AND VOLUME
SMBS Tank Diameter 2.4 m
SMBS Tank Plinth Diameter 2.8
SMBS Tank Level 2.55 m
Number of SMBS Tanks 1 No
SMBS Mix Tank Diameter 2.3 m
SMBS Mix Tank Plinth Diameter 2.7 m
SMBS Mix Tank Level 2.45 m
Number of SMBS Mix Tanks 1 No
CuSO4 Mix/Storage Tank Diameter 2.4 m
CuSO4 Mix/Storage Tank Plinth Diameter 2.8
CuSO4 Mix/Storage Tank Level 2.55 m
Number of CuSO4 Mix/Storage Tanks 1 No
Volume of largest tank 3
12 m

BUND DIMENSIONS
Acidic Area
Bund Length 10.3 m
Bund Width 9.1 m
Area for rainfall catchment 94.1 m2
SMBS Storage Tank Area 4.2 m2
2
SMBS Mix Tank Area 4.5 m
2
CuSO4 Mix/Storage Tank Area 4.5 m
SMBS Storage Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 5.7 m2
SMBS Mix Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 6.2 m2
CuSO4 Storage Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 6.2 m2

Containment Catchment Area below top of plinth


76 m2

Containment Catchment Area above top of plinth


81 m2
CONTAINMENT CALCULATION
Bund Wall Height (from 101768-1200-C-105) 0.203 m
Average Tank Plinth height 0.20 m
Volume below top of plinth 15 m3
Volume above top of plinth to Bund Wall 0.02 m3
Total Volume Designed 15.5 m3

STORMWATER
24 Hour 25 Year Storm Event Cover 0 mm covered containment
Stormwater Catchment 0 m3
Total Stormwater Catchment Volume 0 m3

CONTAINMENT REQUIRED
110% One Largest Tank Volume 12.7 m3
Desorption and Regeneration Area Containment
Calculations
Grassy Mountain Mine Containment
Malheur County, OR

Client Information Project Site


Thomas Mills Grassy Mountain
Ausenco Minerals and Metals Malheur County, OR
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada

Scope: Review of containment volume calculations for conformance


with applicable cyanide codes. Sealing of documents for
volume calculations only. All other elements including
construction of containment curbs are by others. Review
based on tank and equipment volumes provided by client.

Review By: Endorsement


Peterson Structural Engineers
May 7, 2019
Job No. 1901-0033

12/31/20
Calculation
Calculation No:
1200 - Desorption and Regeneration Containment
101768-0000-MX-CALC-0003

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Area/Code:
Equipment Description: Containment of Desorption and Regeneration Area
Equipment No:

Design Inputs References


Containment Volume International Cyanide Code of Practice
= 110% Volume of largest tank + 24hr Storm Event Section 4.7
Boise, Idaho - Record Rainfall - 1.22in
https://www.wunderground.com/history
25 Yr Storm event
/daily/KBOI/date/2009-5-12
= 31mm (1.22 inches)
Largest tank volume Acid Wash Area = 10 m³ 101768-0000-G-108
Largest tank volume Elution Area = 16 m³ 101768-0000-G-108
Containment General Arrangement 101768-1200-C-104

Design Asumptions and Basis

Calculation Summary and Outcome

The acid wash area will require a minimum curb height of 254mm (10in).

The elution area containment will require a minimum curb height of 86mm (3.4in) but will be raised to
254mm (10in) to match the curb height of the acid wash area.

Other calculations if this calculation is revised:

Rev Date Description Prepared Checked Approved


A 2019-03-28 Issued for Internal Review JT TM
B 2019-04-11 Issued for Peer Review JT JTR
C 2019-04-22 Issued for Permitting JT TM
Calculation - Acid Wash Area
Calculation No:
1200 - Desorption and Regeneration Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0003

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Rev: C

GENERAL INPUTS Comments


TANK SIZE AND VOLUME
Transfer Water Tank Diameter 2.3 m
Transfer Water Tank Plinth Diameter 2.7
Transfer Water Tank Height 2.5 m
Number of Transfer Water Tanks 1 No
Acid Wash Column Tank Diameter 1.4 m
Acid Wash Column Tank Plinth Diameter 0.0 m no plinths
Acid Wash Column Tank Height 5.2 m
Number of Acid Wash Column Tanks 1.0 No
Volume of largest tank 10.4 m3

BUND DIMENSIONS
Acid Wash Area
Bund Length 11.1 m
Bund Width 4.8 m
Additional Bund Length 4.0 m
Additional Bund Width 1.5 m
Area for rainfall catchment 59.5 m2
Transfer Water Tank Area 4.2 m2
not mounted on
Acid Wash Column Tank Area 0.0 m2
ground
Transfer Water Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 5.7 m2
not mounted on
Acid Wash Column Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 0.0 m2
ground
Containment Catchment Area below top of plinth 2
54 m
Containment Catchment Area above top of plinth 55 m2
CONTAINMENT CALCULATION
Bund Wall Height (as designed) 0.254 m
Average Tank Plinth height 0.25 m
Volume below top of plinth 14 m3
Volume above top of plinth to Bund Wall 0 m3
Total Volume Designed 13.7 m3

STORMWATER
24 Hour 25 Year Storm Event Cover 30.988 mm
Stormwater Catchment 2 m3
Total Stormwater Catchment Volume 2 m3

CONTAINMENT REQUIRED
110% One Largest Tank Volume + One Storm Event 13.3 m3
Calculation - Elution Area
Calculation No:
1200 - Desorption and Regeneration Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0003

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Rev: C

GENERAL INPUTS Comments


TANK SIZE AND VOLUME
Strip Solution Tank Diameter 2.77 m from GA drawing
Strip Solution Tank Plinth Diameter 3.17
Strip Solution Tank Height 2.71 m
Number of Strip Solution Tanks 1 No
Elution Column Tank Diameter 1.3 m
Elution Column Tank Plinth Diameter 0.0 no plinths
Elution Column Tank Height 4.8 m
Number of Elution Column Tanks 1 No
Carbon Fine Clarifier Diameter 2.4 m
Carbon Fine Clarifier Plinth Diameter 0.0 no plinths
Carbon Fine Clarifier Height 3.5 m
Number of Carbon Fine Clarifiers 1 No
Volume of largest tank 16.3 m3

BUND DIMENSIONS
Elution Area

small notches
between the two
Bund Length 24.0 m rectangular areas
assumed to be similar
and cancelled out
Bund Width 10.3 m
Additional Bund Length 11.3 m
Additional Bund Width 4.8 m
Area for rainfall catchment 300.2 m2
Strip Solution Tank Area 0.0 m2
not mounted on
Carbon Fine Clarifier Area
0.0 m2 ground
Strip Solution Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 7.9 m2
Elution Column Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 0.0 m2
Containment Catchment Area below top of plinth 292 m2
Containment Catchment Area above top of plinth 300 m2
CONTAINMENT CALCULATION
Bund Wall Height (as designed) 0.254 m
Average Tank Plinth height 0.254 m
Volume below top of plinth 74.25 m3
Volume above top of plinth to Bund Wall 0.0 m3
Total Volume Designed 74.25 m3

STORMWATER
24 Hour 25 Year Storm Event Cover 30.988 mm
Stormwater Catchment 9 m3
Total Stormwater Catchment Volume 9 m3

CONTAINMENT REQUIRED
110% One Largest Tank Volume + One Storm Event 27.2 m3
Grinding Area Containment Calculations
Grassy Mountain Mine Containment
Malheur County, OR

Client Information Project Site


Thomas Mills Grassy Mountain
Ausenco Minerals and Metals Malheur County, OR
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada

Scope: Review of containment volume calculations for conformance


with applicable cyanide codes. Sealing of documents for
volume calculations only. All other elements including
construction of containment curbs are by others. Review
based on tank and equipment volumes provided by client.

Review By: Endorsement


Peterson Structural Engineers
May 7, 2019
Job No. 1901-0033

12/31/20
Calculation
Calculation No:
1200 - Grinding Area Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0004

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Area/Code:
Equipment Description: Containment of Grinding Area
Equipment No:

Design Inputs References


Containment Volume International Cyanide Code of Practice
= 110% Volume of largest tank + one design storm event Section 4.7
Boise, Idaho - Record Rainfall - 1.22in
25 Yr Storm event https://www.wunderground.com/history
= 31mm (1.22 inches) /daily/KBOI/date/2009-5-12
30% of Mill Volume - 3.2m dia x 5.25 m EGL
Containment General Arrangement from 101768-1200-C-101

Design Assumptions and Basis

Calculation Summary and Outcome

The grinding area will require a minimum curb height of 168mm (6.6in) to satisfy the minimum
containment requirements, but has been designed with 203mm (8in) curb height for consistency
throughout the plant.

Other calculations if this calculation is revised:

Rev Date Description Prepared Checked Approved


A 2019-03-28 Issued for Internal Review JT TM
B 2019-04-11 Issued for Peer Review JT JTR
C 2019-04-22 Issued for Permitting JT TM
Calculation
Calculation No:
1200 - Grinding Area Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0004

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Rev: C

GENERAL INPUTS Comments


TANK SIZE AND VOLUME
30% of 3.2m x 5.25m
Volume of Grinding Mill 12.7 m3
EGL

BUND DIMENSIONS
Grinding Area
Bund Length 14.6 m
Bund Width 9.1 m
Additional Bund Length 0.0 m
Additional Bund Width 0.0 m
Area for rainfall catchment 133.8 m2
Tank Area 0.0 m2 no tanks
mill foundations
Deductions for other equipment 2
26.0 m (20m2) and cyclone
feed hopper (6m2)
Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 0.0 m2

Containment Catchment Area below top of plinth 2


0 m

Containment Catchment Area above top of plinth 107.8 m2

CONTAINMENT CALCULATION
Bund Wall Height (as designed) 0.203 m
Average Tank Plinth height 0.00 m
Volume below top of plinth 0 m3
Volume above top of plinth to Bund Wall 22 m3
Total Volume Designed 21.9 m3

STORMWATER
24 Hour 25 Year Storm Event Cover 30.988 mm
Stormwater Catchment 4 m3
Total Stormwater Catchment Volume 4 m3

CONTAINMENT REQUIRED
110% One Largest Tank Volume + One Storm Event 18.1 m3
Gold Room Containment Calculations
Grassy Mountain Mine Containment
Malheur County, OR

Client Information Project Site


Thomas Mills Grassy Mountain
Ausenco Minerals and Metals Malheur County, OR
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada

Scope: Review of containment volume calculations for conformance


with applicable cyanide codes. Sealing of documents for
volume calculations only. All other elements including
construction of containment curbs are by others. Review
based on tank and equipment volumes provided by client.

Review By: Endorsement


Peterson Structural Engineers
May 7, 2019
Job No. 1901-0033

12/31/20
Calculation
Calculation No:
1200 - Gold Room Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0005

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Area/Code:
Equipment Description: Containment of Gold Room
Equipment No:

Design Inputs References


Containment Volume International Cyanide Code of Practice
= 110% Volume of largest tank Section 4.7
Largest Tank - ILR Area = 6m3 from 101768-0000-G-109
Largest Tank - EW Area = 0.78m3 from 101768-0000-G-109
Containment Area from 101768-1200-C-103

Design Asumptions and Basis


Assumes process plant containment pond is suitably lined
The gold room will be covered, so therefore no requirement to design for a 25 year storm event.

Calculation Summary and Outcome


The ILR area containment requires a minimum of 140mm (5.6in) to satisfy the minimum requirements.
The EW Area requires a minimum of 30mm (1.25in). The area has been designed with curb height of
203mm (8in).

Other calculations if this calculation is revised:

Rev Date Description Prepared Checked Approved


A 2019-03-28 Issued for Internal Review JT TM
B 2019-04-11 Issued for Peer Review JT JTR
C 2019-04-22 Issued for Permitting JT TM
Calculation - ILR Area
Calculation No:
1200 - Gold Room Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0005

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Rev: C

GENERAL INPUTS Comments


TANK SIZE AND VOLUME
Intensive Leach Reactor Diameter 2.01 m
Intensive Leach Reactor Plinth Length 4.27 m
Intensive Leach Reactor Plinth Width 2.13 m
Intensive Leach Reactor Height 1.88 m
Number of Intensive Leach Vessels 2.00 No
Volume of largest tank 3
5.98 m

BUND DIMENSIONS
ILR Tank Area
Bund Length 12.20 m
Bund Width 4.57 m
Area for rainfall catchment 55.77 m2
ILR Plinth Area 2
9.11 m

Total Catchment Area 46.66 m2 ILR tanks at grade

CONTAINMENT CALCULATION
Bund Wall Height (from 101768-1200-C-102) 0.20 m
Average Plinth Height 0.25 m
Volume around ILR below ILR Plinth 9.48 m3
Total Volume Designed 9.48 m3

STORMWATER
area covered by a
24 Hour 25 Year Storm Event Cover 0.00 mm
roof
CIL/Detox Stormwater Catchment 3
0.00 m
Total Stormwater Catchment Volume 0.00 m3

CONTAINMENT REQUIRED
110% One Largest Tank Volume 6.57 m3
Calculation - EW Area
Calculation No:
1200 - Gold Room Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0005

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Rev: C

GENERAL INPUTS Comments


TANK SIZE AND VOLUME N/A - old option
Sludge Filter Feed Tank Diameter 0.99 m
Sludge Filter Feed Tank Plinth Diameter 0.00 no plinths
Sludge Filter Feed Tank Level 0.99 m
Number of Sludge Filter Feed Tanks 1.00 No
Strip Solution Tank Diameter 0.99 m
Strip Solution Tank Plinth Diameter 0.00 no plinths
Strip Solution Tank Level 0.99 m
Number of Strip Solution Tanks 1.00 No
Volume of largest tank
0.76 m3

BUND DIMENSIONS
EW Area
Bund Length 6.10 m
Bund Width 6.10 m
Area for rainfall catchment 37.18 m2
Sludge Filter Feed Tank Area 0.77 m2
Strip Solution Tank Area 0.77 m2
2
Sludge Filter Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 0.00 m no plinths
Strip Solution Area Tank Plinth Area (Divide is middle of detox tanks) 0.00 m2 no plinths
Equipment Area Deductions 10.00 m2

Containment Catchment Area below top of plinth


27.18 m2

Containment Catchment Area above top of plinth


37.18 m2 no plinths
CONTAINMENT CALCULATION
Bund Wall Height (from 101768-1200-C-103) 0.20 m
3
Volume floor to Bund Wall 5.52 m
Total Volume Designed 5.52 m3

STORMWATER
24 Hour 25 Year Storm Event Cover 0.00 mm
CIL/Detox Stormwater Catchment 0.00 m3
Total Stormwater Catchment Volume 0.00 m3

CONTAINMENT REQUIRED
110% One Largest Tank Volume 0.84 m3
Air Services Area Containment Calculations
Grassy Mountain Mine Containment
Malheur County, OR

Client Information Project Site


Thomas Mills Grassy Mountain
Ausenco Minerals and Metals Malheur County, OR
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada

Scope: Review of containment volume calculations for conformance


with applicable cyanide codes. Sealing of documents for
volume calculations only. All other elements including
construction of containment curbs are by others. Review
based on tank and equipment volumes provided by client.

Review By: Endorsement


Peterson Structural Engineers
May 7, 2019
Job No. 1901-0033

12/31/20
Calculation
Calculation No:
1200 - Air Services Area Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0006

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Area/Code:
Equipment Description: Containment of Air Services Area
Equipment No:

Design Inputs References


Containment Volume Requirement International Cyanide Code of Practice
= Volume of largest tank + one design storm event Section 4.7
Boise, Idaho - Record Rainfall - 1.22in
25 Yr Storm event
https://www.wunderground.com/history
= 31mm (1.22 inches)
/daily/KBOI/date/2009-5-12
Containment Area 101738-1200-C-106

Design Asumptions and Basis

There are no tanks in this area.

Calculation Summary and Outcome

The air services area has sufficient volume to contain a single 25 year storm event.

Other calculations if this calculation is revised:

Rev Date Description Prepared Checked Approved


A 2019-03-28 Issued for Internal Review JT TM
B 2019-04-11 Issued for Peer Review JT JTR
C 2019-04-22 Issued for Permitting JT TM
Calculation
Calculation No:
1200 - Air Services Area Containment 101768-0000-MX-CALC-0006

Project Title: Grassy Mountain Project No: 101768-01


Rev: C

GENERAL INPUTS Comments


TANK SIZE AND VOLUME
Tank Diameter n/a m
Tank Plinth Diameter n/a
Tank Height n/a m
Number of Tanks n/a No
Volume of largest tank n/a m3 no tanks in this area

BUND DIMENSIONS

Air Service Bund Length 15.2 m


Air Service Bund Width 6.7 m
Air Service Area for rainfall catchment 102 m2
Equipment Deductions 39 m2 3 Blowers + Air Skid
Air Service Area for containment volume 63 m2
Containment CALCULATION
Bund Wall Height (from 101768-1200-C-106) 0.203 m
Total Volume Designed 13 m3

STORMWATER
24 Hour 25 Year Storm Event Cover 30.988 mm 1.22 in
Air Service Area Stormwater Volume 3.2 m3

CONTAINMENT REQUIRED
One Storm Event 3.2 m3

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