Treatment of Acid Drainage at the Anaconda Britannia Mine Britannia Beach, BC

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 . SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................ 1
1.1 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................. 1
1.2 TERMS OF REFERENCE ................................................................................................. 1
1.3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................ 2
1.3.1 2200 Pipeline .......................................................................................................... 2
1.3.3 Process Selection. .................................................................................................. 2
1.3.4 Process Description. H igh Density Sludge Proces.s.. ........................................... 3
2 . PROJECT CRITERIA... ............................................................................................................ 4
2.1 GENERAL SITE DESCRIPTION.. ..................................................................................... 4
2.2 CLIMATE CRITERIA ......................................................................................................... 5
2.3 PROCESS DESIGN CRITERIA ......................................................................................... 6
2.3.1 Design Parameters ................................................................................................. 6
2.3.2 Operating Characteristics.. ..................................................................................... 6
2.3.3 Sludge Disposal ...................................................................................................... 6
7
Effluent 2.3.4 7
2.5 SECURITY ......................................................................................................................... 7
3. PROJECT SCOPE.. ................................................................................................................. 8
3.1 WATER COLLECTION AND DISCHARGE.. .................................................................... 8
3.2 PROCESS OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................... 8
3.4 FEED PIPELINE 9
9
3.5 REAGENT SYSTEMS ....................................................................................................... 9
3.5.1 Lime Receiving and Storage.. ................................................................................. 9
3.5.2 Slaking and Storage ............................................................................................... 9
3.5.3 Lime Slurry System.. ............................................................................................... 9
3.5.4 Flocculant Preparation.. .......................................................................................... 9
3.5.5 Flocculant Distribution .......................................................................................... 10
3.5.6 Process Air ........................................................................................................... 10
3.6 NEUTRALIZATION - PRECIPITATION TANKS ............................................................. 10
3.6.1 Lime-Sludge Mix Tan..k.. ...................................................................................... 10
3.6.2 Lime Reactor ........................................................................................................ 10
3.7 CLARIFIER.. .................................................................................................................... 11
3.8 UNDERFLOW ................................................................................................................. 11
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3.8.1 Sludge Recycle ..................................................................................................... 11
3.8.2 Sludge Wasting .................................................................................................... 11
3.8.3 Sludge Handling.. .................................................................................................. 11
3.9 RECYCLE WATER TANK ............................................................................................... 12
3.10 DISCHARGE PIPELINE ................................................................................................ 12
3.11 INSTRUMENT AIR SYSTEM ........................................................................................ 12
3.12 SUMPS .......................................................................................................................... 12

............................................................................................................ 16
4.3 OPERATING COSTS ...................................................................................................... 19
4.4 SCHEDULE ..................................................................................................................... 21
5 . DRAWINGS ............................................................................................................................. 22
6 . REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................ 23
APPENDIX A - PROCESS SELECTION .......................................................................... A-1
7.1 GENERAL ..................................................................................................................... A-1
7.2 REVIEW OF PROCESS ALTERNATIVES LIME NEUTRALIZATION ........................ A-1
7.2.1 Lime Neutralization- High Density Sludge.. ....................................................... A-2
7.2.2 IrodAlum Coagulation ........................................................................................ A-2
7.2.3 Neutralization - Alternative Reagents ................................................................. A-2
7.2.4 Sulphide Precipitation ......................................................................................... A-3
7.2.5 Sea Water Dilution .............................................................................................. A 4
7.2.6 Ion Exchange ...................................................................................................... A4
7.2.7 Carbon Adsorption. ............................................................................................. A 4
7.2.8 Reverse Osmosis ............................................................................................... A-5
7.2.9 SX-EW ................................................................................................................ A-5
7.2.10 Summary of Alternatives ................................................................................... A-6
7.3.1 Metal Recovery ................................................................................................... A-8
7.3.2 Direct Electrowinning .......................................................................................... A-8
7.3.3 Sulphide Precipitation via Microbial Sulphate Reducti.o...n.. .............................. A-9
7.3.4 Metal Removal Pre-Treatment ......................................................................... A-10
7.3.5 Pulp Mill Residue for Neutralization.. ................................................................ A-10
7.3 ADDITIONAL WORK .................................................................................................... A-7
7.4 FINAL PROCESS SELECTION.. ................................................................................ A-10
APPENDIX B REVIEW OF USE OF ALKALINE PULP MILL RESIDUES .............. 6-1
8.1 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 6-1
8.2 REVIEW ......................................................................................................................... 6-1
APPENDIX C - REVIEW OF SLUDGE DISPOSAL OPTIONS... .................................. C-1
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Treatment of Acid Drainage
Anaconda . Britannia Mine
Britannia Beach. EC
9.1 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... C-1
9.2 ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................... C-1
APPENDIX D - SITE HYDROLOGY AND DESIGN FLOW ESTIMATES... .............. D-1
10.2 HYDROLOGY D-1
10.1 FLOWS ........................................................................................................................ D-1
..............................................................................................................
10.2.1 Jane Basin ........................................................................................................ D-1
10.2.2 Diversions ......................................................................................................... D-1
10.2.3 Collection .......................................................................................................... D-1
10.3 PAST PREDICTIOFNLSO ODWEF SIGN D-2
10.4 UPDATED DESIGN FLOW BASIS ............................................................................. D-2
.................................................................
10.4.1 Reservoir .......................................................................................................... D-3
10.4.2 Assumptions ..................................................................................................... D-3
10.4.3 Effective Catchment Method.. .......................................................................... 0-4
10.4.4 Wet Year Determination ................................................................................... D-5
10.4.5 Design Flow ...................................................................................................... D-6
10.4.6 2200 Portal ....................................................................................................... D-6
10.4.7 Probablllty Analysis.. ......................................................................................... D-7 ..
10.5 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. D-8
APPENDIX E - EVALUATION OF CONTAMINANT LOADING AND
ESTIMATION OF DESIGN FEED CHARACTERISTICS ........................................... E-1
11.1 2200 AND 4100 LEVEL DISCHARGE ANALYSIS.. ................................................... E-1
11.2 COMBINED ESTIMATE .............................................................................................. E-3
APPENDIX F - GEOTECHNICAL, PIPELINE AND ANCILLARY SYSTEMS
ASSESSMENTS ................................................................................................................ F-1
12.1 4100 LEVEL BULKHEAD - FLOW REGULATION ..................................................... F-I
12.2 BULKHEAD TO PLANT PIPING - OPTIONS .............................................................. F-1
12.3 2200 LEVEL DISCHARGE ROUTED INTO 270L0E VEL AD IT .................................. F-2
12.4 REMOVAL AND SALVAGE OF EXISTING PIPELINES ............................................. F-3
12.5 BRITANNIA BEACH WATER SUPPLY - ALTERNATES ............................................ F-3
12.6 PLANT LOCATION ALTERNATIVES.. ........................................................................ F-4
12.7 BC MINING MUSEUM PARTICIPATIO.N... ................................................................. F-5
12.8 TREATED EFFLUENT DISCHARGE PIPELIN.E... ..................................................... F-5
12.9 EVALUATION OF HYDRO POWER POTENTIAL ...................................................... F-6
APPENDIX G - 4100 PLUG STABILITY ASSESSMENT.. .......................................... G-1
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Treatment of Acid Drainage
Anaconda - Britannia Mine
Britannia Beach, BC
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2-1 Plant Environment ....................................................................................................................... 5
Table 2-2 Feed and Process Conditions.. ................................................................................................... 6
Table 2-3 Effluent Characteristics ............................................................................................................... 7
Table 4.1 Equipment List ........................................................................................................................... 17
Table 4.2 Factored Cost Estimate ............................................................................................................. 18
Table 4.3 Operating Cost Estimate ........................................................................................................... 20
Table 7-1 Treatment Alternatives ............................................................................................................ ~ - 6
Table 7-2 Estimated Gross Revenue from Metal Recovery .................................................................... ~ - 8
Table 8-1 Comparison of Pulp Mill Residues Dosage with Lime Dosage.. ............................................. 6-2
Table 8-2 Dosages for Combined Pulp Mill Residue and Lime Usage.. ................................................. 8-3
Table 9-1 Order of Magnitude Cost Estimate Summary. R eagenVSludge DisposaOl ptions ............... c-3
Table 10-1 Summary of Estimate of Design Flow ................................................................................... 13-6
Table 11-1 Summary of Analyses - 2200 Portal Drainage ...................................................................... ~ - 1
Table 11-2 Summary of Analyses - 4100 Portal Discharge .................................................................... E-2
Table 11-3 Flow Weighted Combined Discharge Estimate ..................................................................... E-3
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 - Mean Annual Precip. vs. Return Period for the Furry Creek Statio...n.. ................................... D-5
Figure 2 - 4100 Flow Alone, Undiverted' ................................................................................................... D-8

1. SUMMARY
1.1 BACKGROUND
The Anaconda-Britannia Mine isp resently discharging, on average, an estimated 500 m3/hr of
Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) to Howe Sound from underground workings abandoned in 1974.
The discharge is typically very acidic, with a pH of 2.8 to 3.5, contains elevatedl evels of
sulphate and metals and is highly toxic to fish (Le. according to the 96 hour LC50 test). The
discharge exceeds Federala nd Provincial Regulations for discharge to the marine environment.
The shoreline adjacent the outfalils severely impacted and the area is considered hazardoust o
juvenile salmon stocks from thSeq uamish Estuary.
The Anaconda-Britannia propertyc, omprising over 200 mineral claims, 22 surface lotsa nd
frontage on Howe Sound, was sold to a real estate development company, CoppeBr each Estates
Ltd, in 1974 following the closureof the mine. Copper Beach Estates subsequently defaultedon
its mortgage in 1993. The trustee, Coopers Lybrand Ltd., currently manages the properties.
Future development of the Britannia properties and the on-going provision of community
services at the Britannia Beach townsite will hinge onc learly defining the liabilitieasn d costs
associated with the ARD discharge. Additionally, in order to secure long-term financial
commitments from public and privatseta keholders it is essential that a treatment plant be
operated, potentially in perpetuityin, a manner that complies with all Federal and Provincial
regulations.