Tailings recovery system
OwnerAly Gomaainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for recovering fine tailings from a tailings pond includes selecting a desired density of fine tailings to be removed from the tailings pond. Positioning a hollow shell having a closed bottom and holes formed through a sidewall of the shell within the tailings pond such that the holes are located at a depth of a layer of the fine tailings of the desired density and such that a top of the shell is disposed above a free water surface of the pond. Causing a flow of the fine tailings of the desired density through the holes into into the shell and removing the fine tailings of the desired density from within the shell.
Claims16
A method for recovering fines from a tailings pond, the method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a desired density of fine tailings to be removed from the tailings pond;
- positioning a hollow shell having a closed bottom and holes formed through a sidewall of the shell within the tailings pond such that the holes are located at a depth of a layer of the fine tailings of the desired density and such that a top of the shell is disposed above a free water surface of the pond;
- causing a flow of the fine tailings of the desired density through the holes and into the shell;
- and
- removing the fine tailings of the desired density from within the shell, wherein positioning the shell includes positioning the shell such that the holes are located at a depth so that at least one-third of a thickness of the layer of fine tailings of the desired density is disposed above and below the holes.
A system for recovering fine tailings, the system comprising:
- a tailings pond including fine tailings;
- a hollow shell having a closed bottom and holes formed through a sidewall of the shell, the shell positioned within the tailings pond such that the holes are located at a depth of a layer of the fine tailings of a desired density and such that a top of the shell is disposed above a free water surface of the pond;
- and
- wherein a number of the holes and the size of each hole is selected such that when fine tailings are being removed from within the shell, a net hydraulic head pressure acting upon the fine tailings at an exterior side of the shell balances a sum of a net hydraulic head pressure acting over a predetermined fill level height upon the fine tailings at an interior side of the shell, a dynamic pressure of the fine tailings, and an operating shear resistance of the fine tailings, wherein the shell is positioned in the tailings pond such that the holes are located at a depth so that at least one-third of a thickness of the layer of fine tailings of the desired density is disposed above and below the holes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.