Proceedings of Heap Leach Solutions, 2015

September 14-16, 2015, Reno, Nevada, USA

Published by InfoMine, © 2015 InfoMine, ISBN: 978-0-9917905-8-6

Liquefaction analyses for a remediated

leach pad to increase copper ore heap capacity
Jorge Castillo, M.Sc., Ausenco, Engineering and Geotechnical Manager, USA
Allan Breitenbach, P.E., M.Sc., Ausenco, Principal Geotechnical Engineer, USA

Abstract
High phreatic levels are uncommon in fully drained heap leach pads under active leaching for ore
processing. However, in some sulfide copper ore heaps, the acid solution used for leaching can
degrade the ore over time and create low hydraulic conductivity conditions, or in some extreme cases,
relatively high phreatic levels within the heap. This condition can compromise the stability of the
heap facility, particularly in high seismic zones, where large magnitude earthquakes could potentially
induce liquefaction of the saturated ore and then cause heap slope failure.
This paper presents the dynamic liquefaction stability analyses of a mature heap leach pad under
high solution phreatic conditions subjected to a range of seismic loads (selected earthquakes
simulating 50 year, 100 year and 500 year return periods). Two different heap leach pad conditions
were considered for analyses: 1) idealized section based on the past conditions and issues in copper
heap leach pads with no remediation; and 2) expanded heap conditions with remediation. Liquefaction
would most likely occur in saturated zones of the heap leach pad without remediation, producing large
displacement and flow slide heap materials overtopping the downhill toe berm.
In order to improve the heap leach pad stability for continued operations, remedial measures
were implemented, including unloading of the upper slope and constructing a downhill toe buttress fill
support, as well as decreasing the phreatic level (by pumping system and additional drain system at
the toe). Dynamic liquefaction analyses were performed to investigate the effects of the additional ore
lift loads on top of the drained heap leach pad section and two alternatives of buttress geometries on
the expansion of the heap leach pad. The results showed that the buttress fill support that covers the
entire heap leach pad downhill toe area could reduce the seismic deformation, improve performance
of the heap leach pad by controlling the potential material flow, and provide adequate static and
seismic slope stability for heap expansion to closure.

Introduction
Heap leach pad (HLP) designs are typically based on the assumption that the heap remains fully
drained during leaching operations, with the average solution phreatic level not higher than 0.5 meter

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 HEAP LEACH SOLUTIONS, 2015 ● RENO, NEVADA, USA

above the pad liner surface for a gravity drain system. The phreatic level within the heap is a function
of ore permeability (hydraulic conductivity) and is controlled mainly by the solution application rate,
ore placement method, wetting load settlement, and solution collection drain system at the base of the
lined pad.
With sulfide copper ore, the acid solution used for leaching can progressively degrade the ore to
lower permeability characteristics over time. Ore degradation or related sediment migration within the
heap can cause zones of lower permeability or “blind off” zones to develop within the heap. These
low permeability zones or layers may result in perched water levels and then saturated ores within the
heap, even when the bottom heap zones remain fully drained. These conditions can compromise the
stability of the heap facility, particularly in active seismic zones, where large magnitude earthquakes
can induce liquefaction of the saturated ore for potential heap slope failure. Heap material runout flow
could develop from a liquefaction triggered failure slide during a short duration seismic event;
however heap fill runout beyond the lined pad limits historically has not happened to date for cases
where there was no major ponding of solutions on the top heap surface.
Consolidation of the leached ore at depth in the heap can also lead to lower ore permeability,
particularly if additional mine ore reserves result in the final heap being higher than originally
designed. This study assumes ore load consolidation and rate of irrigation leaching on expansion fills
placed in the interior of the heap will not change the extent of the saturated zones considered for
analyses of the exterior slope stability. In addition, long term conditions for closure assume leaching
operations have been discontinued, and therefore the spent ore heap fill would return to fully drained
conditions for higher long term static and dynamic factors of safety.

Study section and model

This paper presents the state-of-practice dynamic liquefaction stability analysis of a copper heap leach
pad with a high internal solution phreatic level and subjected to a range of seismic loads (earthquakes
at 50 year, 100 year and 500 year return periods) for two different heap leach pad conditions: 1)
idealized section based on the past conditions and issues in copper heap leach pads, with no
remediation (see Figure 1); and 2) future heap expansion with remediation (see Figure 2). Details of
these two pad conditions are addressed later in this paper. These idealized conditions can represent
characteristics common to many of the valley fill leach pad facilities in the Andes of South America
that include lined internal solution ponds within the downhill heap toe limits.
The dynamic analyses were conducted as fully non-linear elasto-plastic two-dimensional
coupled stress-flow analyses with coupled liquefaction triggering using Fast Lagrangian Analysis of
Continua (FLAC) finite difference code (Itasca 2008). The FLAC code solves the equations of motion
in explicit form in the time domain using very small time steps that allows non-linear inelastic stress
strain soil behavior to be incorporated.

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Figure 1: Idealized seection basedd on past coonditions at

sevveral coppeer sulfide heeap leach pa
ads

Fig ditions including stability remediattion

gure 2: Future expanded heap leacch pad cond

Thhe saturated ores

o below thhe phreatic suurface withinn the heap were
w modeled
d using UBCS
SAND, a
user deffined model incorporatedd into FLAC
C. The UBC
CSAND mod
del is based on the FLA
AC Mohr
model annd was deveeloped by Proofessor Peterr M. Byrne and
a his colleagues at the University of
o British
Columbia (Byrne 20
003, 2009). The
T model simulates
s o soil under static or
thee stress-strainn behavior of
cyclic looading for drained,
d un--drained, or partially drrained condiitions by using an elastto-plastic
formulattion at all staages of loadiing rather thaan just at thee failure statee. In this wayy plastic straains, both
shear annd volumetric, are prediccted at all staages of loadding. The plaastic parametters in the model
m are
selected to give agreeement with results
r from simple shearr element tessts, which can be consideered most
closely replicate
r nditions in the field during earthquakee loading.
con
Coonventional state-of-prac
s tice proceduures for evaluuating liqueffaction use separate
s anaalyses for
liquefacttion triggerinng, displacem
ment, and floow slides. Thhese conventtional proced
dures are nott capable
mic responsse, and displacement
of prediicting the generation off excess porre-water preessure, dynam
patterns simultaneou
usly. The UBCSAND
U model,
m LAC in the dynamic moode with
whenn used in FL
“flow on”, becomess a fully cooupled stresss flow effecctive stress procedure
p en
nabling the dynamic
o pore presssures, accellerations andd displacements caused by a specific input
responsee in terms of
seismic motion. In this manner liquefactioon triggeringg, deformation and flow
w slide poteential are
evaluateed in a singlee integrated aanalysis.
Thhe analysis stteps describeed in this papper include:

 sttatic analysess to establishh the state of stress prior to

t earthquakee loading;

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 HEAP LEACH SOLUTIONS, 2015 ● RENO, NEVADA, USA

 selection of earthquake time-history records and their modification to obtain a better match to
the design spectra;
 model calibration based on cyclic tri-axial tests and field test results;
 fully coupled non-linear dynamic liquefaction and deformation analysis; and
 discussion of results.

Static analysis
 Static analyses were primarily conducted using the FLAC code to establish the state of stress
prior to earthquake loading. The HLP ore were modeled using the Mohr Coulomb model.
The material properties utilized are based on the values obtained from laboratory testing,
published literature and previous experience with similar materials. The parameters adopted
for the static analysis are given in Table 1.
The static analysis was carried out considering the initial pore pressure based on the solution
phreatic level measured in the pad. The initial state of stress was established by reaching mechanical
and seepage flow steady state equilibrium prior to applying the seismic loading. Determining the
initial static shear stress distribution is an important component of the analyses since it can have a
significant effect on liquefaction triggering.

Table 1: Material properties used for static analyses

Initial elastic properties Mohr Coulomb

Density Friction
Material Bulk modulus Shear modulus Cohesion
angle
KN/m3 (KPa) (KPa) (KPa) (o)
Ore Variable (1) 1.79E+05 5.51E+04 0 34
Berm 16.5 1.19E+05 5.81E+04 0 35
Structural fill 16.5 1.59E+05 7.75E+04 0 33
Bedrock 25.5 3.53E+06 2.12E+06 100 39
Stabilization buttress 20.1 1.19E+05 5.8E+04 0 38
Geomembrane smooth Interface foundation – geomembrane 0 23
9.5
1.5 mm LLDPE Interface ore-geomembrane 0 27
Geomembrane double Interface foundation – geomembrane 0 27
texturate 1.5 mm 10.0
LLDPE Interface ore-geomembrane 0 27
(1) The density ranges from 16.3 kN/m to 22.9 kN/m3.
3

Dynamic analysis
The dynamic analysis was performed considering a completely non-linear method. The UBCSAND
Model was incorporated into FLAC 2D. The dynamic liquefaction analysis includes checking the
possibility of flow slide to be induced by employing a typical post-liquefaction residual strength. For
this post-liquefaction analysis, the shear strength of soil elements which underwent liquefaction was

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 HEAP LEACH SOLUTIONS, 2015 ● RENO, NEVADA, USA

changed to residual strength ratio Su/σ’v = 0.19. The residual strength was calculated based on results
from post cyclic triaxial tests and then corrected by using the cyclic stress ratio in order to obtain the
liquefaction resistance of soil elements in the field. . The FLAC is run once again to verify the static
equilibrium. If a post-earthquake factor of safety is significantly less than 1.0 using the residual
strength parameters, a debris type flow slide may occur. As mentioned earlier, outflows from heap
leach pads from large seismic earthquake events has historically been contained within the lined pad
limits with no major solution ponding on the top surfaces of the heap.

Earthquake input motions

For the dynamic analysis, three different time-history seismic records were employed to take into
account variable nature of seismic events and avoid bias in the results. They were adjusted to three
spectrum scenarios 50, 100 and 500 year return periods earthquakes associated to peak ground
acceleration (PGA) of 0.20 g, 0.30 g and 0.40 g, respectively. All records were corrected by baseline
and the frequencies over 10 Hz were eliminated, to assure better transmissibility of seismic waves in
the numerical models. The acceleration time histories were modified in the frequency domain to
obtain a better match to the design spectra.
Information of the typical earthquakes seismic records in the west coast of South America used
in the analyses (before adjusted) is shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Summary of the typical earthquakes seismic records in the west coast of South
America used in the analyses

Magnitude Distance from the source

Station Earthquake Component PGA (g)
(Mw) (Km)
ST-1A Earthquake 1 8.4 134 TR 0.19
ST-1B Earthquake 1 8.4 90 TR 0.31
ST-2 Earthquake 2 8.0 100 LN 0.07

Model calibration
The UBCSAND model implemented in FLAC was calibrated initially by selecting the (N1)60 value
and plastic correction factors in order to match the results of cyclic triaxial testing performed on
typical ore samples. The Cyclic Stress Ratio (CSR) applied to cyclic triaxial tests was reduced by a
factor of two-third, keeping the number of cycles to liquefaction (Idriss and Boulanger, 2008) in order
to make good adjustment with the calibration of a FLAC element to simulate a cyclic simple shear
stress reflecting in-situ conditions.
The model calibration was accomplished by using a single element simulation in FLAC to model
the results from the laboratory tests. The single element was assigned elastic and plastic parameters
based on an (N1)60 value as described by Byrne, et al. (2003). Based on comparison of the predicted
number of cycles to liquefaction to the measured number in the laboratory tests, the (N1)60 and the

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plastic ccorrection facctors were adjusted

a if neecessary andd the simulations were thhen repeated until the
predicted and measu
ured numberss of cycles were
w approxim
mately the saame.
Ass shown in Figure
F 3, for (N1)60=12, the calibrattion curve generated
g byy UBCSAND
D adjusts
appropriiately to the cyclic strenggth average curve
c based on lab test results.
r The model
m was calibrated
c
by usingg the results from the cyyclic triaxiall tests expressed in a sinngle cyclic resistance
r cuurve (i.e.,
corrected CSR valuues), as desscribed abov
ve. The (N1)60 data calculated from
m SPT fieldd values,
corrected for the con
ntent of finess in the saturrated zone annd field proccedures, varies between 9 and 21.
Based on the analysis of statisticcal frequencyy, the (N1)60 values betw
ween 11 and 14 are repreesentative
of the saaturated mineeral. This is consistent
c with calibratioon of UBCSA
AND model.
Figures 4 also
a shows a result from the UBCSA
AND calibratiion against thhe laboratoryy data on
ore pressure ratio vs. num
the plot of excess po mber of cyclles to liquefa
faction for thhe ore samplees with a
confininng stress of 700 kPa. In general, theree was a good agreement between
b the model
m and laaboratory
test dataa.
0.26

0.24

0.22

0.2
CV‐08‐Comp@150  kPa
0.18 CV‐08‐113@350  kPa
Stress Ratio

CV‐08‐115@350  kPa
0.16 CV‐08‐Comp@350  kPa
CV‐08‐113@700  kPa
0.14
CV‐08‐Comp@700  kPa
Averagge Curve
0.12
UBCSA
AND N160=12  hfac1=1.1
Simplee Shear N160=12  hfac1=0.68
0.1

0.08

0.06
1 10
0 100

Number of cycles

FFigure 3: Preedicted and measured liquefaction

n response for
f typically
y crushed orre

Figure 4: Calibration result fo

or pore presssure versuss number off cycles

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Cases a
analyzed
Two diffferent config
gurations of the heap leacch pads weree modeled: a)
a Case 1: idealized sectiion based
on the ppast conditioons and issuees in copper heap leach pads, condittion with noo remediationn; and b)
Case 2: future expannded HLP conditions withh remedial measures
m for improved sloope stability..
The HLP at Casee1 conditionns is 80 m hig
gh, overall exxterior slope 3.3H: 1.0V and solutionn phreatic
level rannges from 5 m to 24 m above the base of the exxterior pad slope
s (see Fiigure 1). The Case 2
future eexpanded HL medial measuures for leacch pad stabilization incllude (see
LP conditionns with rem
Figure 2):
2 removing some portioons of the uppper slope annd constructinng a downhiill toe buttresss for fill
support, as well as loowering the phreatic level (by pumping system and
a additionaal drain systeem at the
toe). Dyynamic liqueffaction analyyses were perrformed to innvestigate thhe effects of the additionaal ore lift
loads onn top of the drained
d heapp leach pad section
s and two
t alternativ
ves of buttreess geometriees on the
expansioon of the heeap leach paad. The totall height incrreased from 80 m to 112 m with ann overall
exterior slope of 4.5
5H:1V. The solution phrreatic level was
w considerred as an appproximate avverage of
the phreeatic level vaariations estiimated in thee numerical simulation of
o flow for leach
l pad annd ranges
from 0.55 m to 22 m above
a the baase of the extterior pad sloope as indicatted in Figuree 2.
As ppart of the remedial
r meaasures two different
d butttress geomettries were coonsidered. Buttress
B 1
shown iin Figure 5 is located on
o the toe area
a but entiirely placed on the ore material. Buttress 2
presenteed in Figure 6 shows a modification
m to Buttress 1, where thee lower butttress berm w
width was
extendedd from 8.3 m to 32.1 m, covering
c entiirely the berm
m.

Figure 5:
5 Buttress 1 details

Figure 6:
6 Buttress 2 details

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 HEAP LEACH SOLUTIONS, 2015 ● RENO, NEVADA, USA

Discussion of results

CASE 1: Idealized section based on the past conditions and issues in copper heap leach pads with
no remediation (see Figure 1)
The HLP seismic response at the end of the earthquake loading duration is presented in Table 3. The
results are discussed with respect to ground motion return periods of 50, 100 and 500 years. A total of
three time-history seismic records were considered: ST-1A, ST-1B and ST-2. The discussion below
focused on the seismic responses for ST-1A and ST-1B seismic records that appear to be more
representative of the seismic loads at the sites.

Table 3: Seismic response to Case 1 (HLP conditions with no remediation)

Maximum displacement Displacement at the

Seismic event return Seismic at the heap slope (m) toe (m) Debris type flow
period (year) record slide
Hor. Vert. Hor. Vert.
ST-1A 2.50 –0.75 1.50 0.25 Yes
50
ST-1B 4.00 –1.00 3.50 0.75 Yes

ST-1A 2.50 –1.00 2.00 0.25 Yes

100
ST-1B 4.50 –1.25 3.50 0.75 Yes

ST-1A 5.00 –2.00 3.50 0.50 Yes

500
ST-1B 7.00 –2.50 6.50 1.00 Yes
Note: Positive horizontal displacement indicates downhill direction. Negative horizontal displacement indicates
uphill direction. Positive vertical displacement indicates upward direction. Negative vertical displacement
indicates downward direction

50 and 100 years return period (PGA 0.20 g and 0.30 g, respectively)
The predicted seismic behavior of the heap for ST-1A and ST-1B indicates liquefaction of the
saturated portion of the heap. The maximum horizontal and vertical displacements of 4.0 m and 1.00
m is predicted for 50 year return period, respectively, while the 100 year return period is observed to
produce the maximum horizontal and vertical of 4.5 m and 1.25 m, respectively. Deformed meshes at
the end of the earthquake loading duration for the 50 and 100 year return periods are depicted in
Figure 7(a) and 7(b), respectively. Figure 7 shows considerably excessive deformations of soil
elements overtopping the toe berm. This indicates potential flow slide would occur under post-
earthquake loading conditions.

500 year return period (PGA 0.40 g)

As expected, the predicted seismic behavior of the heap for ST-1A and ST-1B indicates liquefaction
of the saturated portion of the heap along with greater deformations. The maximum horizontal and
vertical displacements of 7.0 m and 2.5 m are estimated for the 500 year return period, respectively.
Deformed model mesh at the end of the earthquake loading duration is also shown in Figure 8 and the
horizontal and vertical displacements contours at the end of the earthquake loading duration for ST-
1B 500 year are shown in Figures 9a and 9b, respectively. The deformed geometry resulting from the

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earthquaake-induced displacemennts was usedd to check possibility off the flow sliide. As a ressult, it is
anticipatted that poteential flow slide would occur undeer post-earthquake loadinng conditionns. Since
Figure 8 indicates considerably
c excessive deformations
d s of soil elem
ments overto
opping the tooe berm,
considerrably deform
med mesh is expected too experience numerical convergence
c issues in coontinuing
hereby it can’t provide ann estimate off the ultimatee run out distance under the post-
the compputations; th
earthquaake loading conditions.
c
Thhese levels off deformationns for 50, 1000 and 500 year return peeriods indicaate a flow slidde would
occur, ggenerating overall instabbility. The pad n measures to provide adequate
p requires remediation
physicall stability.

FFigure 7 (a):: Mesh disto

ortion at end
d of earthqu
uake load duration
d – STT-1B 50 yea
ar
(b): Mesh distortion
n at end of earthquake
e load duratio
on – ST-1B 100 year

Figure 8: Mesh he earthquake loading duration – ST-1B

h distortion at end of th S 500 year
y

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Figure 9 (a): Horizontal displacement contours

c forr ST-1B 500
0 year
(b): Vertical displacem
ment contou
urs for ST-1B
B 500 year

CASE 2: Future Exp

panded HLP conditions with
w remediaal measures for
f stabiliza
ation (see Fig
gure 2)
Table 4 summarizess the seismic response to
t Case 2 coonsidering tw
wo buttress geometries. Seismic
record ST-1B
S adjustted to the 1000 and 500 year
y return periods
p was used in thesse analyses since
s this
record pproduced the larger seism
mic deformatiions than ST
T-1A as show
wn in Table 3.
3 Seismic looading of
50 year return perio
od was not included
i in the analysess since loweer deformatio
on is expectted when
remedial measures are
a applied.

Table 4: Summary of the seismmic response to Case 2 (future exp

panded HLP conditions with
remediaation implem
mentation)

Maximum horizontal dissplacement (m

m)
Return
Post-earthhquake Debris tyype flow
Section period After th
he seismic eveent
(90 sec after the seismic
s eventt) sliide
(year)
Hor. Vertt. Hor. Vert.
100 3.2 0.8
8 4.0 1.3 Yes
Buttress 1
500 4.7 1.5
5 5.8 2.5 Yes

100 2.7 0.8

8 3.0 1.3 N
No
Buttress 2
500 4.0 1.5
5 Trunncated run N
No

Seismicc response considering

c g Buttress 1
As expeected, under earthquake and
a post-eartthquake loadding conditioons, horizonttal displacem
ments are
much grreater than th
he vertical. For
F the 100-yyear return period,
p the maximum
m horrizontal displacement
is 3.2 m at the end of the earthhquake loadding durationn and 4.0 m for the posst-earthquakee loading
conditioons (90 secoonds (sec) affter the earth
hquake). Thhe seismic reesponses inddicate that thhe entire
buttress moves to downhill
d withh the liqueffied ore overrtopping the toe berm as
a depicted in
i Figure
10(a).
For the 500-yeear return perriod, the max
ximum horizzontal displaccement is 4.7 m at the ennd of the
earthquaake loading duration andd 5.8 m forr the post-eaarthquake (90 seconds after
a the eartthquake).

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Similar to the responnses to the 100-year

1 retuurn period, itt is observedd that the enttire buttress moves
m to
downhilll with the liquefied oree overtopping
g the toe beerm as show
wn in Figuree 10(b). Figuure 11(a)
shows thhe horizontaal displacemeent contourss just at the end of the earthquake
e loading durattion, and
Figure 111(b) shows the horizonttal displacem
ment contourss at 90 sec after
a the earth
hquake. As indicated
i
in Figurre 11(b), botth heap ores and buttresss near the downhill
d toe area are observed to exxperience
horizonttal displacem
ments greater than 5 m.
Thhese results indicated
i thaat the proposed Buttresss 1 geometryy could not control the potential
materiall flow and noot provide addequate perfformance of tthe heap padd expansion under
u the eaarthquake
loadingss considered..

Figure 10 (a): Post earthquake mesh distortion

d (at 90 sec afteer earthquake) for 100 year
arthquake mesh
(b): Post ea m distorttion (at 90 sec
s after earrthquake) fo or 500 year

Figuree 11 (a): Ho
orizontal dissplacement contours at end of eartthquake loa
ading duration for
50
00 year. (b): Horizontal displacemeent contourss at 90 sec after
a earthquake 500 year

Seismicc response considering

c g Buttress 2
For the 100-year reeturn period,, the maxim ment is 2.7 m at the ennd of the
mum horizonttal displacem
earthquaake and 3.0 m under thee post-earthquake loadingg conditions (at 90 sec after
a the eartthquake).
Figure 112(a) shows deformed mesh
m at 90 seec after the earthquake.
e Figure
F 13 shhows the limiits of the
liquefiedd zones deveeloped durinng the 100-year return peeriod event, indicating th
hese zones occurs
o in
w the phreatic level. It is observed thaat the buttresss at the toe serves as
lower poortions of thee heap below

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containm
ment to the movement
m o sliding maass that may be induced by developm
of ment of the liquefied
zones. T i anticipatedd that no potential flow slide will occcur in the heaap pad.
Therefore, it is
For the 500-yeear return perriod, the maxximum horizzontal displaccement is 4.0 m at the ennd of the
earthquaake loading duration.
d Thee post-earthqquake analysses were trunncated due to
o a large defformation
into low
wer portions of the saturaated zones where
w the moodel mesh becomes too distorted to continue
the compputations. However,
H the horizontal displacement
d s just after thhe earthquak
ke indicate thhat larger
displaceements occurr in mid-sloppe (see darkk blue zone in Figure 14) and it is confined byy the toe
buttress where relattively lower displacemeent is observved. Deform
med mesh in the buttresss area is
considerred acceptab
ble, as shownn in Figure 12(b), and it
i is anticipaated that thee potential fllow slide
would nnot occur.

Figuree 12 (a): Po
ost earthqua
ake mesh distortion 90 sec after ea arthquake fo
or 100 year event
(b
b) Mesh disttortion just after earthq
quake for 50
00 year eveent

F
Figure 13: Id
dentified liq
quefaction zones
z for 10
00 year even
nt

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Fig
gure 14: Horrizontal disp
placement contours
c jusst after earth
hquake for 500
5 year ev
vent

Conclu
usion
In somee sulfide coppper ore heapp leach padss, applicationn of the acid
d solution used
u for leacching can
progresssively degradde the ores and result in
i lower oree permeabilitty characteriistics over tiime. Ore
degradattion and relaated sedimennt migration within
w the heeap during acctive leachinng can cause zones of
lower permeability or “blind off” zones annd layers too develop deeep within the
t heap. Thhese low
permeabbility zones or
o layers in turn
t may resuult in percheed water leveels and saturaated ore zonees within
the heapp, even when
n the base of the ore heapps remain fullly drained. These
T conditiions can com
mpromise
the stabbility of thee heap faciliity, particulaarly in activve seismic regions wheere large magnitude
m
earthquaakes can ind
duce liquefacction of the saturated
s orees. Valley heeaps with intternal solutioon ponds
within tthe downhill slope limitss have operaational drainnage control and pump systems
s thatt are at a
higher riisk for mainttaining fully drained cond
ditions from operations to
t closure.
w slides couldd occur due to liquefactiion induced by short
Heeap material runout debrris type flow
earthquaake duration,, as discusseed in this papper, althoughh uncontrolled mass mov
vement of fllow slide
has not ooccurred in the
t historicall cases for heeap fills withh no surface water
w pondinng.
A dynamic liq ysis of the hheap leach pads under high solution phreatic
quefaction stability analy
level and a range off seismic loaading (earthqquakes at 50 year, 100 year
y and 5000 year return periods)
dealized heaap based on the past
was perrformed for two differennt heap leacch pad condditions: 1) id
conditioons and issuees in copper heap leach pads with no
n remediatio
on, and 2) fu
uture heap exxpansion
with rem
mediation. Riigorous UBC
CSAND liqu AC was used for these
uefaction model incorporated in FLA
analysess to model thhe dynamic response
r in terms of porre pressures, accelerationns and displaacements

13
 HEAP LEACH SOLUTIONS, 2015 ● RENO, NEVADA, USA

induced by a specific input motion. In this manner liquefaction triggering, deformation and flow slide
potential were evaluated in a single analysis.
The seismic response to the idealized heap configuration, based on the past conditions and issues
in copper sulfide heap leach pads (with no remediation), shows unstable conditions. The magnitudes
of the estimated earthquake-induced deformations for 50, 100 and 500 year return periods indicate a
debris type flow slide overtopping the toe berm would occur, generating overall instability. Based on
the results from the dynamic analyses, remedial measures is required to provide adequate performance
of the heap pas under design earthquake events.
In order to improve the heap leach pad stability for continued operations, remediation
measurements were implemented including removing some portions of the upper slope and
constructing a downhill toe buttress for fill support, as well as lowering the phreatic level (by
pumping system and additional drain system at the toe). Dynamic liquefaction analyses were also
performed to investigate the effects of the additional ore fills placed on top of the drained heap leach
pad section and alternatives of two different buttress geometries on the expansion of the heap leach
pad.
The seismic response to the heap expansion with remediation showed that the configuration of
the buttress covering the entire heap leach pad toe area could reduce the earthquake-induced
deformations and control the potential flow slide, providing adequate seismic performance of the
heap. The remedial measures considered herein allow increasing the heap capacity with higher than
30 m of expansion ore on the top of the idealized study section heap leach pad. In addition, long term
conditions for closure assume leaching operations have been discontinued, and therefore the spent ore
heap fill would return to fully drained conditions for higher long term static and dynamic factors of
safety.

Acknowledgements
The authors sincerely acknowledge Dr. Yong Lee for his review and valuable comments, and Maria
Hashemi for her great effort in formatting this document.

References
Byrne, P.M., Park, S.S. and Beaty, M. 2003. Seismic liquefaction: centrifuge and numerical modeling, FLAC and Numerical
Modelling in Geomechanics, R. Brummer et al. (eds), Proceedings of the 3rd International FLAC Symposium,
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada: pp. 321-331, Lisse: Balkema.
Byrne, P.M. 2009. Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia, Civil Engineering Department. Personal
communication.
Idriss, I.M. and Boulanger, R.W. 2008. Soil liquefaction during earthquakes, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute,
MNO-12, Oakland, California, USA.
Itasca. 2008. Fast Lagrangian analysis of continua, Version 6.0, Itasca Consulting Group, Inc.

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