Last fall, we visited Rio Tinto Kennecott to check out the copper mining process from A to Z. While we saw almost every step, from loading ore to refining the 99.9% copper, we missed one critical step—tailings.
Tailings are everything that isn’t the copper, gold, silver, and other metals Rio Tinto produces. Similar to beach sand, the Rio Tinto team and a host of contractors, like Ames, must effectively manage the material.
So, in this video, we’re exploring the tailings process from A to Z, which made for a fantastic day!
To learn more about Rio Tinto Kennecott and Ames, check out their websites below!
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Why so little plant life also we’re the metal plants like the ones that accumulate metal in there bodies up to 5% or more.
Also how toxic is the water at the end and do they reuse it.
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I wish there was more data and context for some of these Big Works but I'm glad we can still see them.
I live in Magna Utah, which is the city directly south of this tailings pond. It’s always fun when we get a rain storm with wind out of the north. The wind picks up the dust, which then mixes with the rain and coats the whole city in a reddish mud. Get it off your car fast if you want the clear coat to last! Super fun to breathe as well!🤮
What's crazy is this use to be out in the boonies and away from the population but the last few decades have surrounded this area. I will say they have done as much as humanly possible to keep it safe and less impact on the environment as possible. (of course its not 100% but still)
Thank you for the video
They extracted copper but are there other minerals they could remove from the tailings? Seems a little wasteful. In Florida where they extract phosphate, the tailings piles still contain Uranium Thorium, Palladium, Silver, and massive amounts of Magnesium and of course Gypsum. Those tailings piles(Gypsum Stacks) are toxic and an environmental nightmare.
I wonder if the underflow or overflow could be used in concrete production.
Excellent video.
In the process of changing job position from Crusher operator to tailing maintenance. Interesting video. ⛏️
At what point in the rock to copper to tailings processing are they inserting a process to isolate and refine Te ? This was noted about a year ago in news releases but I never caught exactly where and when in the process it fit.
Couldn't the course stuff be used as… sand? It seems we're running out of the good jagged sand in many areas of the world.
Where does the water come from originally?
Guessing the mining company wanted to reduce its liability so outsourced its risk. Smart move
Thank you very very much for going to the ( Trailing recycling area) I went to the overlook visiting center and I very much wanted to see the END process 😊❤😊
You my all things ", MINE" friend 😊❤😊
Showing me this is a dream come true. I saw the copper making building way off from the mining hole. I wanted so badly to SEE what you showed US all in the U- tube
Land. Again Thank you my friend. The "BIG" John Deere farm tractor was very interesting and to hear the superior say trials and errors "TESTING" of compact machines making it the best 😊❤😊
That is amazing that a Big farm tractor does the best compaction. I have watched videos of Farms doing corn storage for COWS and using Farm tractor for compactor in cement walled storage areas. Great video content, you are so so
Amazing the places you visited. And this end result is you have basic "SAND" storage with GRASS and it's not a big environmental issue. It's just a big sand bank. The same as the sea does in many areas of the country. Southern Oregon is one of them.
They did that up on MN and a big rain broke the pond sending all the tailings into Lake Superior…1970’s?
The question is, how many hard hats were dropped and pipes clogged before the removal of hard hats were required? When these types of rules are made, its always interesting to go look at the history behind it.
ah yes, everyones favorite chinese spy gaining access to private companies and secure facilities under the disguise of "nerdy white guy"
I've been wondering what goes on in that big pile of dirt I have to drive around whenever I drive into the city for a while, finally an answer!
interesting. once all this land has been built up…. what can people do with this land? i assume its out in the middle of nowhere, do they grow grass on it and fence it off for cows?
Ames is absolutely fucking HUGE
Love your content. You do a great job with your explanations. Just a question regarding recycling of the tailings material……great to hear that 85% of the water is recycled! Since the de-watered material is referred to as "sand", are there any other uses for this material other than just building it up in berms and being used as impoundment for the tailings ponds? I'm guessing that there are heavy metals in the sand and that's why it's not re-used?
I live just down the road in eastern Ky where the Martin co impoundment cut loose….i couldn’t imagine a place like this havin a accident like that
There are new ways to deal with the waste of copper mining. There are enzymes that safely break down sulfides. People need to study the science and not base their opinions on emotion and old technology. We do a lot of safe mining here in MN. I worked in a mine that had to deal with copper and cobalt. We did it safely and100% environmentally friendly.
Very interesting 👌
Any idea what size of pumping systems or pump stations they are using? Absolutely amazing setup they have on the barge that is awesome 👍. Excellent video, presentation and detailed description of the process 👍👍 Thanks for sharing.
At the coal mine, i worked at. A lot of the old guys would dump used oil and waste diesel on the coal before getting haul away to the prep plant. They would say that's why our coal had such high BTU's 😂
where is the Video from Germany?
Highly doubt those tractors running on saturated sand are getting it to 98% compaction
Why not " What tailings are?" He said,"What tailings is?"
Couldn't that sand be used for making concrete?
I work in tailings at highland valley copper in B.C, super ingeresting seeing different setups. Our tailings used to be gravity but are now all pumped. Interesting to see tractors without blades to be used to place sand, our dam contractor uses d8's.
The price just to dispose of the waste.😢😢😢😢😢😢😢 Very interesting the amount of money and machinery involved in this process. Great video.
7:20 A forgotten chocker cable?
I can't imagine what goes into a maintenance shutdown and startup.
"I hate sand! It gets everywhere!"
-some longhaired dude named Skywalker 😁😁😁
7,000 tons an hour🤯 that’s gett’n it!! Copper mining is narly!! People have no idea what it takes to mine minerals like copper and zinc and nickel is another nasty one. Cool content boys👍👍
Super interesting. I wonder how abrasive that slurry is on those pipelines. Seems like it's essentially a liquid sandpaper.
Your ideas are always fresh and original. Thank you for the inspiration!🎂🪞🪟🍃
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