Management of tailings pond water at the Kettle River Operation

The Kettle River Operation of Echo Bay Minerals Company is located about 30 km north of the town of Republic in northeastern Washington State. In turn, Republic is about 170 km north and a little west of the city of Spokane, Washington. It is also about 50 km south of the town of Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada. At this time it is the only gold mining and milling operation in the State. Tailings are stored in a double lined, zero discharge facility. It became evident in mid1996 that the rate of free water accumulation in the tailings pond was going to result in the level in the pond reaching its permitted free-board elevation long before the solids plus pore water capacity was reached. It was then necessary to embark on a mission to manage tailings pond water on several fronts: reduce fresh water usage in the process, divert spring seeps and surface runoff and install a system to enhance evaporation.