Move to the left a bit to get a better angle and you still cant see a shed. They are massive structures that would easily be seen above the tree line regardless.
I don't think so. The SMSL photo you brought in doesn't seem to support that, either. May not have been constructed at the time (using your 2013 date), either.
Why would the WLP RSF need a roof? What purpose would it serve if there is a water retention pond? If they need to temporarily store WLP residue during monsoon season when placement into the RSF may be difficult at times they could easily store it in an enclosed shed. Exactly like they do with the Mt Weld concentrate.
No other residue would need a roof. Erosion of and runoff from pre-compacted pre-graded pre-air-dried WLP pastes would be far greater. I think they store all WLP under the roof until it's ready to be compacted or until after the monsoon season has passed. That prevents the "pond" surrounding the pile from being filled prematurely; perhaps also helps prevent returning suspended solids to the leaching circuit with the water.
All residues required storage capacity for life of project and were designed and built as PDF's. During the design, construction stage and for a number of years of operation NUF & FGD were considered radioactive material, same as WLP.
NO, that isn't correct. They clearly indicate in the site drawings reserved areas for additional residue storage. In the case of WLP, that space has already been opened and put in use. In the case of FGD and NUF, those reserved areas remain undeveloped. They will build additional NUF storage areas (using NUF for embankment) as needed.
What happened to your theory they are mixing NUF and FGD? Why would they go to the expense of storing FGD in geotubes when it could easily be disposed of as scheduled waste in landfill?
As I indicated before, I allow data to dictate. In this case, the site layout plans showing FGD storage in two uniquely-shaped areas combined with satellite imagery of Geotex bags in those exact places strongly suggests that the FGD is - or was at one point - being dewatered in geotubes. They may have later decided to filter it like NUF and WLP, but I don't think that is likely. Where is the FGD slurry going if not into geotubes? What is in the geotubes if not FGD? Why are the geotubes in the area reserved for FGD storage if they don't contain FGD?
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