Braveheart Resources Inc has announced that it has engaged Stantec Consulting Ltd to design a new Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) at its 100% owned Bull River mine property near Cranbrook, British Columbia. Braveheart is working towards restarting the mining and milling operations at the site. The TSF design will be used by Braveheart in support of its applications to the British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (MEMPR) and the Ministry of Environment (MOE) for a new permit to store tailings on surface.
As part of the re-start plan, the mine requires the construction of a new TSF to manage tailings waste from the processing of an existing stockpile of mineralised material on surface and future underground mining at the site. Braveheart has identified a possible location for the TSF within the existing mine permit boundary and adjacent to the process plant. Filtered tailings (also referred to as dry stack tailings) has been identified as the preferred tailings deposition technology for the new TSF. Permitting of the new TSF will require completion of a Best Available Technology (BAT) options assessment as per MEMPR regulations. Should the BAT assessment identify other technologies as better options for the project, Stantec and Braveheart will review the impacts on the regulatory application process.
Stantec possesses global mining and extensive experience in the design and development of tailings storage facilities, waste rock storage facilities, and associated water management structures. Its expertise extends from feasibility level to detailed design, site construction, and supporting mines from operations through closure. It has successfully completed designs and obtained mine permits in British Columbia for tailings facilities, mine rock dumps and water management dams. Its experience with filtered tailings facilities ranges in scale from 1,000 to 40,000 t per day capacity including facilities in Turkey and Brazil.
Ian Berzins, President and CEO stated, “Completion of a detailed TSF design is a critical component of our permit application. Stantec has previously completed TSF design and implementation and BAT assessments at similar sized operations as well as at larger projects. We look forward to working with them as we move the Bull River mine project towards a restart.”
The Bull River mine project has a current mineral resource containing copper, gold and silver. The property is fully developed with 21,000 m of underground developments in terms of ramps, raises and drifting on mineralised structures on seven levels. The surface infrastructure includes a 750 t per day conventional mill with adjoining crushing facilities as well as offices and mine maintenance facilities. The property is connected to grid power and there is year-round access to the site by paved and all-weather roads.
