«Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoe Mining and Concentration Production Association» JSC (Rudny, Kazakhstan):

Machihin A. N., Head of Tail Facility Site, e-mail: machihin@ssgpo.enrc.com

Tail facilities of Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoe Mining and Concentration Production Association were designed in 1959 by “Soyuzvodokanalproekt” Institute (Moscow) with expectation of productivity of 26 mln. t of ore per year. The chamber No. I of tailing dump with 86 mln. m³ capacity was commissioned in 1964, while the chamber No. II of tailing dump with 104 mln. m³ capacity was commissioned in 1975. In 2002, there was started the joint use of I and II chambers with total project capacity of 335 mln. m³, i. e. the storage of tails was increased by 2.3 times. Nowadays, there are exploited 4 pulp-pump stations, equipped by frequency transformer and system of smooth multiple launch of each hydraulic dredge (Siemens). Operation of frequency transformer is realized both in direct and in frequency mode. Operation mode is changed without stopping of hydraulic dredge, at the expense of which, there is reached the launching of hydraulic dredge in frequency mode and regulation of productivity of pulp-feed lines, depending on operation of sections, which excludes the feeding of additional water. In 2014, there was started the construction of chamber No. 4 of tailing dump, designed between the I and II chambers and Central dumps of Sokolovskiy open pit, providing the exploitation safety and decreasing of distance of pulp and circulating water transportation, in comparison with chamber No. III.