- Library Home /
- Search Collections /
- Open Collections /
- Browse Collections /
- Tailings and Mine Waste Conference /
- Questa rock-pile weathering study : geotechnical characterization
Open Collections
Tailings and Mine Waste Conference
Questa rock-pile weathering study : geotechnical characterization Van Zyl, Dirk J. A.
Abstract
The Questa Weathering and Stability Study that was commissioned by Molycorp, Inc. (now Chevron Mining Inc., CMI) included extensive geotechnical characterization of the rock pile and analog materials. For the most part the Questa rock piles are matrix supported. This paper provides a summary of the geotechnical characterization results obtained during the research project. It provides summary level information and compares the summary statistics, especially the coefficients of variation, obtained for the results with those from previous studies as compiled in the literature. The results show that the variability as expressed by the coefficients of variation obtained for the Questa study is similar to those in the literature. These consistent results show that the geotechnical characteristics of the Questa materials do not contain significant “outliers”. Furthermore, the characteristics are consistent between rock piles so that all the data can be combined into one set of data for evaluation. It is expected that the friction angle will not reduce significantly with time as the rock piles age because geochemical evaluations concluded that new clay minerals will not form in the rock piles in the 100 to 1000 year timeframe. While weathering products may result in the deposition of cementation in the matrix it is not expected that this will result in measurable effects on the c-parameter. [All papers were considered for technical and language appropriateness by the organizing committee.]
Item Metadata
Title |
Questa rock-pile weathering study : geotechnical characterization
|
Creator | |
Contributor | |
Date Issued |
2011-11
|
Description |
The Questa Weathering and Stability Study that was commissioned by Molycorp, Inc. (now Chevron Mining
Inc., CMI) included extensive geotechnical characterization of the rock pile and analog materials. For the most
part the Questa rock piles are matrix supported. This paper provides a summary of the geotechnical
characterization results obtained during the research project. It provides summary level information and
compares the summary statistics, especially the coefficients of variation, obtained for the results with those from
previous studies as compiled in the literature. The results show that the variability as expressed by the
coefficients of variation obtained for the Questa study is similar to those in the literature. These consistent results
show that the geotechnical characteristics of the Questa materials do not contain significant “outliers”.
Furthermore, the characteristics are consistent between rock piles so that all the data can be combined into one
set of data for evaluation. It is expected that the friction angle will not reduce significantly with time as the rock
piles age because geochemical evaluations concluded that new clay minerals will not form in the rock piles in
the 100 to 1000 year timeframe. While weathering products may result in the deposition of cementation in the
matrix it is not expected that this will result in measurable effects on the c-parameter.
[All papers were considered for technical and language appropriateness by the organizing committee.]
|
Genre | |
Type | |
Language |
eng
|
Date Available |
2011-11-02
|
Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
|
Rights |
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
|
DOI |
10.14288/1.0107709
|
URI | |
Affiliation | |
Peer Review Status |
Unreviewed
|
Scholarly Level |
Other
|
Rights URI | |
Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
|
Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International