Rare Element Resources
Bear Lodge Project
Canadian NI 43-101 Technical Report
October 9
th
, 2014
10135-200-46 - Rev. 0
18-28
accommodate access for continuous operation and to achieve the proposed
geometry as shown in the drawings. The TSF will be constructed in phases to
accommodate continuous placement of material and limit active operating areas.
Initial deposition of tailings will be in the northern end of the TSF and expanded as
necessary from north to south in a manner similar to expansion layouts shown in the
drawings. A detailed material stacking and expansion plan will be developed as part
of feasibility design of the TSF.
The TSF footprint design has an ultimate capacity of approximately 33 million tons of
waste material. The Hydromet plant operations over the current 45-year life-of-mine
(LOM) including additives for neutralization of the tailings mass will produce about
15.8 million tons (almost one-half of the ultimate TSF site design capacity). The
ultimate TSF capacity as shown on Figure 1 is approximately 33 million tons of waste
material placed at an average in-place density of 100 pounds per cubic foot (pcf). The
capacity of the ultimate TSF shown in Figure 1 may be increased by raising the
height of the stacked material or by expanding the TSF to the west up the slope.
Should the LOM capacity of the proposed TSF exceed 15.8 million tons due to
changes in the Hydromet plant operation or an increase in ore reserves, the TSF
footprint may be expanded as needed towards the ultimate configuration shown on
Figure 1 or by increasing the height of stacked ore or expanding the footprint
westward. The southern end berm and evaporation ponds would be adjusted as
needed to accommodate any increase in the TSF footprint. Increasing the height of
stacked tailings will not impact the evaporation pond layout.
18.2.7.3.1TSF Design
The TSF is designed to operate as a dry-stack waste facility with the following key
components:
•
TSF main toe embankment;
o
30-foot wide crest;
o
Approximately 60 feet tall (maximum height);
o
2.5H:1V downstream slopes;
o
3H:1V upstream slopes;
o
Constructed along the north and eastern boundaries of the TSF during
operation.
•
TSF intermediate toe berms:
o
10-foot wide crest;
o
Approximately 5 feet tall;
o
2.5H:1V downstream slopes;
