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For 10 years, MWH has provided Newmont Gold with permitting, engineering
and environmental services for development, operation, and/or closure
of various sites (Carachugo, Maqui Maqui, Cerro Yanacocha, La Quinua,
and Cerro Negro facility areas) at the Yanacocha mine located at the
top of the Peruvian Andes. Specific projects include environmental impact
studies, waste rock reclamation design, reclamation plans, staff training,
sediment control studies, and design/construction management of sediment
control structures.
With the assistance of MWH, Minera Yanacocha prepared a 5-year, $50
million (total installed cost) Site-Wide Surface Water Management Plan.
The plan addresses the most critical aspects of surface water sediment
and chemistry related to mine operations. MWH has worked closely with
Yanacocha to provide detailed, high quality dam designs using lower cost
construction materials that are available at/near the mine site. Our
designs were prepared under a rapid investigation and design schedule
such that bidding and construction could start quickly.
MWH prepared evaluations of surface water total suspended sediment (TSS)
based on a site-wide hydrology and sedimentology model for this 10,000
ha mine site. MWH was then contracted to design three dams to provide
detention of surface water leaving the mine site to reduce the TSS levels
to meet regulatory requirements: Rio Rejo Dam is a 35-meter high, concrete
faced, hardfill structure; Rio Grande Dam a 46-meter high, concrete faced,
hardfill structure; and Rio Azufre Dam a 21.5-meter high, rockfill structure.
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