Tailing Suitability Map_Analysis
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Abstract: One major concern for mining operations is where to put the tailings. Tailings are the left over material after ore has been extracted. This material usually has a concerning amount of toxic metals that can be damaging to the environment; therefore, it is important to find a suitable place to store them. The state of Arizona just approved for Resolution Copper Mining to start operations near Superior, AZ. This new mine is estimated to be the largest copper producer in North America. Currently, the company's plan of operations does not specify what exactly will be done with the tailings. They are exploring whether or not to put them in the older Pinto Valley copper mine. This mine is an open pit mine about 10 miles away from Resolution Copper Mining’s base of operations. This study will use ArcGIS to determine if the expected amount of tailings will fit into the Pinto Valley mine, and it will use ArcGIS’s weighted sum tools to determine if there is a viable location to store the tailings closer to the mining base of operations. Using the 3-D analyst tools in ArcGIS the volume of the Pinto Valley mine can be estimated. This volume will then be compared to the estimated tonnage expected from the Resolution Copper Mine. Then using the weighted sum tools in ArcGIS a suitability study will be performed. This study will take into account the following variables: distance from the base of operations (10 mi), city limits, endangered species habitat, water ways, land use, slope, and accessibility. This analysis will produce a map highlighting the areas suitable for storage of the tailings. It is expected that the tailings will fit into the Pinto Valley mine, but it is also expected that there is another location closer to the mining base of operation. Discussion: The final suitability map (map 1.1) highlights areas of interest in green. The majority of the areas are to the northeast of the base of operations, and to the west near Superior, AZ. Many of the possible locations are on National Forest Service land. A deal would need to be worked out with the Nation Forest Service in order to acquire the land needed. Private land with potential for storage is located within a mile of the base of operations, and would be the ideal location. Other factors to consider for this area would be who owns the land and if it could be acquired from them. Private land north, south and west of superior could also be considered, but may be too close to the city of Superior.. Conclusion: There are about ten areas worth considering for tailing storage. The closest is within a mile of the base of operations. A physical survey could rule out areas that are not suitable because of reasons not addressed in this study such as land acquisition. The sights closer to Superior and the U.S. Highway 60 would need a line of sight study done in the future. This would determine if They would be visible to residents and people on the highway. Further analyses of these ten areas would need to be conducted in order to make a final decision. Sources: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/basic/#productSearch http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/maps/gis_files.html https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/tiger- geodatabases.html http://resolutioncopper.com/ Point Feature classes created by Blake Rothlisberger Results: Resolution Copper Mining Environmental Suitability Study for Tailings Storage: Superior, AZ By: Blake Rothlisberger, BYU-Idaho Department of Geology Map 1.2 Methods: During the analysis the Pinto Valley mine Started up operations again. Therefore, Resolution Copper may no longer use it to store their tailings. The volume of the mine was not calculated in this study due to the restart of mining operations in Pinto Valley and the lack of recent elevation data for the area. The proceeding figures will be used to explain the methods used for the weighted sum analysis. Figure 1.2 (Figure 1.2) is a model of the GIS tools used to create the map of the data to be analyzed. Each set of data was clipped to the study area. The study area is a 10 mile buffer with the Resolution Copper Mine being the center. Any vector data was converted to raster data, and then reclassified. Specifics will be given in figures 1.3-1.7. Figure 1.3 (Figure 1.3) is the result of a slope analysis. The Digital Elevation Model was reclassified into 3 different classes using a natural breaks classification. The steepest slopes were given a weight of 1 in each pixal. The intermediate slopes a weight of 2 and the most level slopes a weight of 3. With 3 being the most desirable. Figure 1.4 (Figure 1.4) is a map of private, Forest Service, State and BLM land boundaries. Private land was given a weight of 3. State and BLM a weight of 1, and the Forest Service a weight of 2. With 3 being the most desirable and 1 being the least desirable. Figure 1.6 (Figure 1.6) is a raster of the line hydrology and areal hydrology in the area. A 300 ft. buffer was created around all of the water. These areas are off limits to store the tailings and are marked as such on Map 1.2. Figure 1.7 (Figure 1.7) is a raster of environmental areas of concern, endangered desert tortoise habitat and the Arizona Trail with a ¼ mi buffer around it. These areas are off limits to store the tailings and are marked as such on Map 1.1. Map 1.1 (Map 1.1) is a spatial display of the suitability analysis conducted and takes into consideration city limits, endangered species habitat, water ways, land use, and slope. The data in figures 1.5- 1.7 were added as layers and then symbolized to highlight areas that are more suitable to hold the tailings. (Map 1.2) is a spatial representation of locations Resolution Copper Mine may store their tailings. The digital elevation model was created in 2013. The DEM’s purpose is to help visualize the topography of the area. It is draped over a hillshade and displayed with 50% transparency. A road layer was added to the map in order to visualize possible ways to access these areas and to help give a spatial reference to the area. (Figure 1.1) Copper mine tailings. Figure 1.1 (Figure 1.5) is the result of the weighted sum between the slope analysis (Fig 1.3) and the land use (Fig 1.4). Figure 1.5 +
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Transcript of Tailing Suitability Map_Analysis
Abstract: One major concern for mining operations is where to put the tailings. Tailings are the left over material after ore has been extracted. This material usually has a concerning amount of toxic metals that can be damaging to the environment; therefore, it is important to find a suitable place to store them. The state of Arizona just approved for Resolution Copper Mining to start operations near Superior, AZ. This new mine is estimated to be the largest copper producer in North America. Currently, the company's plan of operations does not specify what exactly will be done with the tailings. They are exploring whether or not to put them in the older Pinto Valley copper mine. This mine is an open pit mine about 10 miles away from Resolution Copper Mining’s base of operations. This study will use ArcGIS to determine if the expected amount of tailings will fit into the Pinto Valley mine, and it will use ArcGIS’s weighted sum tools to determine if there is a viable location to store the tailings closer to the mining base of operations. Using the 3-D analyst tools in ArcGIS the volume of the Pinto Valley mine can be estimated. This volume will then be compared to the estimated tonnage expected from the Resolution Copper Mine. Then using the weighted sum tools in ArcGIS a suitability study will be performed. This study will take into account the following
variables: distance from the base of operations (10 mi), city limits, endangered species habitat, water ways, land use, slope, and accessibility. This analysis will produce a map highlighting the areas suitable for storage of the tailings. It is expected that the tailings will fit into the Pinto Valley mine, but it is also expected that there is another location closer to the mining base of operation.
Discussion: The final suitability map (map 1.1) highlights areas of interest in green. The majority of the areas are to the northeast of the base of operations, and to the west near Superior, AZ. Many of the possible locations are on National Forest Service land. A deal would need to be worked out with the Nation Forest Service in order to acquire the land needed. Private land with potential for storage is located within a mile of the base of operations, and would be the ideal location. Other factors to consider for this area would be who owns the land and if it could be acquired from them. Private land north, south and west of superior could also be considered, but may be too close to the city of Superior..
Conclusion: There are about ten areas worth considering for tailing storage. The closest is within a mile of the base of operations. A physical survey could rule out areas that are not suitable because of reasons not addressed in this study such as land acquisition. The sights closer to Superior and the U.S. Highway 60 would need a line of sight study done in the future. This would determine if They would be visible to residents and people on the highway. Further analyses of these ten areas would need to be conducted in order to make a final decision.
Sources: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/basic/#productSearch http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/maps/gis_files.html
https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/tiger- geodatabases.html http://resolutioncopper.com/ Point Feature classes created by Blake Rothlisberger
Results:
Resolution Copper Mining Environmental Suitability Study for Tailings Storage: Superior, AZ By: Blake Rothlisberger, BYU-Idaho Department of Geology
Map 1.2
Methods: During the analysis the Pinto Valley mine Started up operations again. Therefore, Resolution Copper may no longer use it to store their tailings. The volume of the mine was not calculated in this study due to the restart of mining operations in Pinto Valley and the lack of recent elevation data for the area. The proceeding figures will be used to explain the methods used for the weighted sum analysis.
Figure 1.2
(Figure 1.2) is a model of the GIS tools used to create the map of the data to be analyzed. Each set of data was clipped to the study area. The study area is a 10 mile buffer with the Resolution Copper Mine being the center. Any vector data was converted to raster data, and then reclassified. Specifics will be given in figures 1.3-1.7.
Figure 1.3
(Figure 1.3) is the result of a slope analysis. The Digital Elevation Model was reclassified into 3 different classes using a natural breaks classification. The steepest slopes were given a weight of 1 in each pixal. The intermediate slopes a weight of 2 and the most level slopes a weight of 3. With 3 being the most desirable.
Figure 1.4
(Figure 1.4) is a map of private, Forest Service, State and BLM land boundaries. Private land was given a weight of 3. State and BLM a weight of 1, and the Forest Service a weight of 2. With 3 being the most desirable and 1 being the least desirable.
Figure 1.6
(Figure 1.6) is a raster of the line hydrology and areal hydrology in the area. A 300 ft. buffer was created around all of the water. These areas are off limits to store the tailings and are marked as such on Map 1.2.
Figure 1.7
(Figure 1.7) is a raster of environmental areas of concern, endangered desert tortoise habitat and the Arizona Trail with a ¼ mi buffer around it. These areas are off limits to store the tailings and are marked as such on Map 1.1.
Map 1.1
(Map 1.1) is a spatial display of the suitability analysis conducted and takes into consideration city limits, endangered species habitat, water ways, land use, and slope. The data in figures 1.5- 1.7 were added as layers and then symbolized to highlight areas that are more suitable to hold the tailings.
(Map 1.2) is a spatial representation of locations Resolution Copper Mine may store their tailings. The digital elevation model was created in 2013. The DEM’s purpose is to help visualize the topography of the area. It is draped over a hillshade and displayed with 50% transparency. A road layer was added to the map in order to visualize possible ways to access these areas and to help give a spatial reference to the area.
(Figure 1.1) Copper mine tailings.
Figure 1.1
(Figure 1.5) is the result of the weighted sum between the slope analysis (Fig 1.3) and the land use (Fig 1.4).
Figure 1.5
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