Lisheen Mine TMF Closure | Golder

Project Title

Location

Lisheen, Tipperary, Ireland

Client

Vedanta Zinc International

Date

2012-2018

Business Sectors

Mineral Resources

Services (Technical Disciplines)

Design and CQA of rehabilitation and restoration of TMF Capping Phases 2 to 7 comprising 61.5 ha over 5 years, 6 tender and construction Phases and 4 different
Design and CQA of Surface Water Management Infrastructure comprising Spillways and Wetlands
Management of monitoring and aftercare following completion

Project Objectives/ Outcomes

The Lisheen Mine was an underground lead and zinc mine which produced approximately 1.18 million tonnes of tailings per annum, approximately 60% of which were deposited in the tailings management facility (TMF) located adjacent to the plant site, covering a footprint of circa 70 ha at the crest.

Lisheen commenced with progressive rehabilitation of Phases 2 to 7 in 2012, while still in production (Phase 1 having been completed as a scale trial in the early 2000’s). Production ceased in December 2015 and the rehabilitation works were considered to have been completed in February 2018.

Our Role

Golder prepared the conceptual and detailed design for the surface water management infrastructure for the Lisheen TMF at closure.

Golder prepared the Tender Package and subsequently provided Construction Quality Assurance (CQA) services, in conjunction with the Lisheen Mine Closure Team, for the construction of the spillway and channel structures required to convey surface water discharge from the Lisheen TMF, to the Attenuation Pond (Wetlands) located downstream of the TMF and from the Attenuation Pond to discharge in the Cloheen River, via the Cloheen Pond.

The works were carried out during March to August of 2017 and a CQA Validation Report was compiled on completion for submittal to the EPA.

Geoscience Ireland Contact

Balding, Barry – Barry_Balding@golder.com