Project: Water and Tailings Management of Chehelkureh Copper Mine
Client: National Iranian Copper Industries Company
Background: Located at the south-east edge of the Lut Desert in Iran, Chahkureh is a small copper mine with ore reserves of 3 Mt. The concentrator plant is designed for a feed capacity of 0.35 MTPA. MEWE undertook both the engineering design and construction supervision of the water and tailings management systems.
Actions: A complete, climate-adapted solution was developed, considering the region’s extreme heat and arid conditions. Pressure filtration was selected for tailings dewatering, followed by dry stacking for storage. Seasonal high winds, occurring over four months of the year, were factored into the dry stack positioning.
Results: The system ensured reliable tailings management and optimized water recovery. Fresh water—approximately 0.45 MCM/year—was sourced via a 27-kilometer pipeline from the nearest wells. Due to water scarcity and poor water quality, maximum tailings water recovery was achieved through the use of filtration technology.
