Taconite tailings disposal, Reserve Mining Company, Silver Bay, Minnesota. Concept evaluation report

The overall objective of this assignment is to develop minimum cost solutions consistent with the conference guidelines for protecting the environment in general and for conformance to the federally-approved 'Specific Standards of Quality and Purity for Lake Superior' (contained in WPC 15) in particular. The limits or ranges of the various contaminant substances specified in 'Specific Standards of Quality and Purity for Lake Superior' are shown. It should be noted that the assignment essentially was a presentation of an impartial evaluation rather than development of specific conclusions and recommendations. The sections cover the following: the major issues developed by previous studies of tailings discharges to Lake Superior, technical review of previous proposals for treatment and disposal of taconite tailings, discussion of ROY F. WESTON process investigation and tailings reuse, concept design of various alternatives for tailings processing and disposal, and the economic and financial impact on Reserve Mining and on the State of Minnesota of implementation of various proposals for taconite tailings disposal. (GRA)