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• Erosional stability of waste rock batters under simulated rainfall: Report on progress (PDF - 1,051 KB)

Executive summary

Report on progress on waste rock dump, erosion study at Ranger Uranium Mine in Northern Territory.

1. Development of the rainfall simulator has reached the stage at which nozzles are being tested.
2. Modeling using USLE and ANSWERS suggests erosion rates of the order of 2 to 4 tonnes/ha on the batters and 0.5-2 tonnes/ha on the cap for storms with intensities between 50 and 100mm.h^-1. The annual erosion rates are of the order of 10 and 2 tonnes/ha respectively.
3. Modeling suggests that rill/gully erosion is the most significant erosion process and the one likely to lead to breaching of the protective cap of the waste rock dump.
4. The monitoring equipment is largely installed, if somewhat behind schedule, and monitoring is underway.