TMF Extension at the Björkdal Mine : Dam Foundation Challenges ...

• Main Authors: Bjelkevik, Annika, Stenberg, Mikael, Vestman, Marcus, Olofsson, Dennis, Printzell, Lena, Holmström, Tobias, Wiklund, Viktor
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: The University of British Columbia 2023
• Subjects: Northern Sweden
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0438134; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0438134

The Björkdal Mine is a gold mine situated 28 km northwest of Skellefteå in Northern Sweden and owned by Mandalay Resources since 2014. Mining operations started in 1988. In 2018 a new permit was granted to extend the life of the tailings management facility (TMF) for an additional 10 years, as well as increase the annual ore production by 30%, up to 1,7 million tonnes per annum. This extension of the TMF includes a 6.5 m raise of an existing dam, dam K1, and major extensions of both abutments. The raise results in approximately a three-fold increase of the total length of dam K1. Construction of the abutments brought specific challenges when it came to foundation works as the south extension involved foundation on saturated silt and the north on complicated bedrock. The silt foundation was required as the silt in this location, close to a waste rock dump, could not be excavated to the required depth. During construction, a control program with pore water pressure measurements was set up to maintain safe and ...