132 Martac
132 Martac
132 Martac
https://www.issmge.org/publications/online-library
ABSTRACT: Throughout the world, tailings have accumulated as processing residues from the mining indus-
try that still contain significant amounts of base, rare earth and precious metals. Rising demands from high-
tech industries bring tailings into the focus as a source of raw materials. Fugro has developed a new tool for
fast, minimally-invasive and in situ screening of tailings. A standard cone penetration test (CPT) combined
with a built-in, highly sensitive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) detector measures element-specific X-ray fluores-
cence radiation in the screened soils. The system simultaneously detects metal content and distribution, and
geotechnical parameters, such as lithology and density, within tailings bodies — in real-time and with high
resolution. In this contribution, we present insights from copper tailings exploration in Chile comprising field
investigations and 3D modelling of the element distribution for the studied tailings bodies. The XRF-CPT can
investigate tailings to a depth of several tens of meters, making it a faster and more cost-effective tool to as-
sess and quantity metals contents compared to conventional approaches based on drilling, sampling and as-
saying. Our studies demonstrate the relevance and capability of XRF-CPT investigations as a promising tool
for commercial environmental assessments and feasibility studies for the re-mining of tailings.