An important aspect of the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining program is continuous improvement. In Manitoba, we continued to build on our multi-year tailings stability initiative to implement best practices in managing risks and opportunities associated with our tailings facilities.
In 2023, key activities included:
- Flin Flon Tailings Impoundment System (FFTIS) legacy dam upgrades – Following the shutdown of the 777 mine and processing activities in 2022, the FFTIS facility went into care and maintenance in 2023 for the first time since the 1930s, changing the facility’s status. This required reassessing the existing structures, reviewing the Dam Consequence Classification and updating the stability assessment. We also implemented the Engineer of Record’s recommended actions to minimize the risk of static liquefaction. In 2024, we will continue to analyze the remaining structures for future stability upgrades.
- Reprocessing of FFTIS tailings – More than 100 million tons of tailings have been deposited in the FFTIS for over 90 years. In 2023, we conducted metallurgical research with technology partners to explore the potential for reprocessing FFTIS tailings to produce non-acid-generating residual tailings. If feasible, this would reduce the on-site waste that contributes to ongoing water treatment requirements, offer a new mineral resource and extend the life of the Flin Flon metallurgical complex operation.
- FFTIS water treatment – We commissioned a pH-adjustment system to manage and treat water within the FFTIS tailings ponds and water clarification pond. The cessation of milling and lower-than-normal spring runoff required us to discharge treated water for a short time in the fall. We are studying technological solutions that address our water management and treatment needs.
- Anderson Tailings Impoundment Area (ATIA) – A key priority at the ATIA in Snow Lake is optimizing space to reduce the facility’s footprint and avoid the need for an additional tailings facility in the future. In 2023, Hudbay implemented several deposition methodology improvements to maximize available space in the ATIA. Additionally, we applied for regulatory approval to transition from subaqueous to subaerial deposition. This change could enhance impoundment space efficiency, address seasonal operational challenges and defer capital expenditures for dam raise construction to future years.