North American Palladium
BESTECH conducted an engineering study to enhance the underground dewatering system and establish new water storage facilities, dams, and pump stations at North American Palladium’s Lac des Iles mine, located north of Thunder Bay, Ontario.
The mine has shifted from open pit to deep underground operations using sublevel cave mining with shaft access.
SCOPE
Phase one of the project involved reconfiguring the dewatering system to increase capacity and reduce flooding risk during spring runoff. BESTECH designed two new concrete dams for underground water storage and upgraded pump systems for increased water flow.
The scope included civil and structural engineering tasks, specifying dewatering pump systems, designing piping from pump stations to the shaft, and creating structural supports like thrust blocks for piping stability. Designs also integrated this new infrastructure with existing surface piping and discharge systems.
OUTCOME
The improvements to the dewatering and water storage systems at Lac des Iles significantly enhanced the mine’s ability to manage high water volumes during peak runoff, safeguarding against flooding and improving operational safety and efficiency.