Case study:
The Altenberg Tailing Dam in Germany
Dr. Ing. F.C. Benthaus, Dipl.-Ing Maike Kühn
Challenges and environmental solution in
degraded areas:
National and international experiences
FGV PROJETOS
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 2
Altenberg Mine
Remediation and securing Altenberg Tailing Dam
Berlin
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 3
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Remediation Task:
Long term stability
Dewatering mine
Surveying Tailing Dam
- Tin Mining since 1440
- Industrial Mining since 1960
- Closed 1991
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 4
Operating time 1967 – 1991
Volumes ca. 10.5 Mio. m³
Surface 73000 m²
Dam height 80 m, Width: 680 m
Altenberg Bielatal Tailings Dam
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 5 5
Public Entities Mining Company Mining Authority
Participation of
Authorities
§ 54 BBergG a.o.
Nature
Agriculture
Water
Infrastructure
Work-out of a de-
commissioning plan § 53 BBergG Check of the prerequisites for
licensing by the mining authority § 55 BBergG
Consideration of the statements
Process for applying mining approval
Work-out of a draft licensing with
auxiliary conditions § 8 VwVfG
Licensing by mining authority § 55
BBergG
Statement of the
company
Presentation to public
entities Municipalities
Begin of Work
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 6
Approval Process for Tailings Compound Altenberg
1967 Approval for erecting the tailing pond
…
…
…
1975 Approval for enlargement
the tailing pond
…
…
…
…
…
1993 Approval for remediation of the tailing pond
…
…
1995 Risk assessment study
…
…
2011 Approval for long-term stability and flood prevention
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 7
Altenberg Tailings Dam Construction
Seepage line
Dam Construction
Sand Silt
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 8
Flood prevention by overflow canal
Flood prevention on a 1.000 year high water:
• Spillway chute for overflow
• Covering the thixotropic substance on surface
• Water cleaning plant
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 9
Passive Treatment Plant to reduce Iron and Arsenic Loads
Problem:
Seepage water 30l/s with As 1 mg/l
Solution:
Passive treatment plant:
Oxidation As(III) to As(V), Sorption on Fe OH
Fe-As Coagulation
Reduction up to 70%
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 10
Surveying and Monitoring Ground- and Surface Water Regime
Folie 10
Groundwater Surface Water Lake water
Reporte to the Autorithities
Mining - Water - Enviroment
Waterlevel Waterquality
Proof of the Piezometer Measuring Points, once a Month/Year
In Mining induceed Areas
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 11
Long Term Surveying Altenberg Tailings Compound
Results of 2015 monitoring
Dam movement: (once a year)
- 30 extensometer point
- 160 – 330 mm/a stable
Seepage line: (4 times a year)
- 12 piexometer
- Line of saturation: stable
Water Quality: (12 times a year)
- Dam outflow (Fe, As,…)
- Biela creek inflow (Fe, As,)
Report once a year to Mining Authority
Continuous monitoring: no risk at any time!
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 12
Iron in the River Spree
Ecological consequences:
water plants - lack of light
mussels – smother by fine silt
fishes – mud accumulation
(spawning grounds)
2
4
2
22 2 SOFeOFeS
Extensive Pyrite Weathering
of Groundwater
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 13
Master Plan Spree-River
From
Bärwalde (Saxonia)
…
… Via
Spreewald
(Brandenburg)
To Berlin
Worked out
by LMBV
Approved by
Mining and
Water Authorities
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 14
Iron Trap at Spremberg reservoir
Liming and Sedimentation
in the upper Pond of Spremberg Reservoir
m/s
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 15
Sedimentation Pond Project at Kahndorfer Lake
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 16
Social Disputes
Investigation upon depositing
iron bog in post mining lakes
Published by LMBV via internet
Water treatment plant Vetschau
Protesters at town hall and parliament
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 17
In-Situ treatment
at the inflow to the Spree river
In-Situ aquifer treatment through microbial iron reduction
FIB: Mikrobiell induzierte Eisenretention zu Fließgew ässern:
Pilotprojekt Ruhlmühle 2014
Reduction Result:
-Iron: 70 - 90%
-Sulfate: 80 - 95%
-pH Value +30%
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 18
Long-term Safeguarding the Altenberg Tailing Compound
Case Studies:
Altenberg Bielatal Tailing Compound
Rio de Janeiro
13.09.2017
Folie 19
Summary
Tailings are an inherent risk:
Tailing management could reduce the risk
Long-term Surveying necessary
Organizational and technical Solutions
available for River basin management
GLÜCKAUF OBRIDADO [email protected]