Unit of competency
Modification History
Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to PMAOPS460A Monitor and operate tailings management facilities
Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to monitor and operate a tailings disposal site.
This unit of competency applies to environmental officers, operators or those in similar roles who are required to apply in-depth knowledge to identify risks (business and environmental), operate equipment to deposit tailings in the tailings management facility (TMF), take measurements and make observations on the integrity of the facility, and take actions to prevent or ameliorate adverse environmental outcomes from the tailings management facility.
This unit of competency applies to early stage metal beneficiation processes, typically associated with aluminium, iron, gold, copper, tin, silver, lead and zinc. The TMF will have deposited material suspended in varying levels of water ranging from slurry (e.g. ‘red mud’), through high slump pastes (e.g. filter cake) to low slump pastes; the focus being sub-aerial deposition (not subaqueous or sea deposition).
However, with appropriate contextualisation the unit of competency may be applied to other types of waste deposited in a TMF, including overburden, slag or other solid waste products from later metalliferous or other processes.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Pre-requisite Unit
Nil
Competency Field
Operations
Unit Sector
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. |
Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
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1 |
Prepare for work |
1.1 |
Receive and give shift handover |
1.2 |
Identify work requirements. |
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1.3 |
Identify and control work health and safety (WHS) hazards and identify risks to the environment |
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1.4 |
Coordinate with appropriate personnel |
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1.5 |
Check for recent work undertaken on TMF |
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1.6 |
Note any outstanding/incomplete work |
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1.7 |
Check operational status of TMF and ancillary equipment |
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1.8 |
Coordinate with appropriate personnel, including facility managers and team members |
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2 |
Operate equipment for tailings deposition |
2.1 |
Access and interpret process waste/tailings management plan and comply with documented processes |
2.2 |
Identify the type of facility equipment and assess the appropriateness of the equipment given the tailings physical characteristics |
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2.3 |
Measure and report on rate of flow, tailings characteristics and deposition outcomes, as required |
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2.4 |
Set plant to deliver tailings to appropriate location of discharge point according to tailings management plan |
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2.5 |
Complete routine checks, logs and paperwork, taking action on unexpected readings and trends |
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2.6 |
Discharge tailings, as appropriate, based on set rotation sequence for discharges (‘paddocks’) and duration of deposition |
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3 |
Monitor and control TMF in accordance with procedures |
3.1 |
Carry out routine plant and facility inspections |
3.2 |
Check flora and fauna near TMF |
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3.3 |
Check for indications of problems with TMF containment/wall |
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3.4 |
Monitor indicators of location of phreatic zone |
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3.5 |
Check beaching and decant water draw off locations |
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3.6 |
Collect samples and conduct and analyse tests |
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3.7 |
Record observations |
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3.8 |
Compare operational performance against standards established in the tailings management plan |
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3.9 |
Adjust spigots (feed) and decant location (withdrawal) to optimise operation of TMF |
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3.10 |
Report operational condition of the tailings management facility |
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4 |
Recognise problems and take action in accordance with procedures |
4.1 |
Recognise developing situations which may require action |
4.2 |
Use water balance principles to determine adequacy of TFM capacity |
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4.3 |
Adjust inflows and outflows (e.g. decant rate and tailings inflow) to respond to potential water imbalance especially overflows |
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4.4 |
Identify and respond to problems arising from dust generated in TMF |
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4.5 |
Report any issues identified with the integrity of the equipment delivering tailings to the TMF |
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4.6 |
Apply the requirements of the emergency management plan in case of significant breaches of TMF integrity (for instance a breach of dam wall). |
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5 |
Isolate and de-isolate facility |
5.1 |
Complete any required pre-start checks |
5.2 |
Start up/shut down TMF plant and equipment according to their type and duty in liaison with other personnel |
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5.3 |
Start up/shut down/changeover component plant items which are part of the TMF according to their type and duty in liaison with other personnel |
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5.4 |
Isolate entire TMF and/or any component plant item |
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5.5 |
Make safe for required work |
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5.6 |
Check TMF/plant item is ready to be returned to service |
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5.7 |
De-isolate and prepare TMF plant unit/plant item for return to service |
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range of Conditions
This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. |
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Regulatory framework |
The latest version of all legislation, regulations, industry codes of practice and Australian/international standards, or the version specified by the local regulatory authority, must be used, and include one or more of the following:
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment (HSE) requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence. |
Hazards |
Hazards include one or more of the following:
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Procedures |
All operations must be performed in accordance with relevant procedures. Procedures are written, verbal, visual, computer-based or in some other form, include one or more of the following:
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Routine problems |
Routine problems are predictable problems with known solutions and include one or more of the following:
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Non-routine problems |
Non-routine problems are unexpected problems, or variations of previous problems and must be resolved by applying operational knowledge to develop new solutions, either individually or in collaboration with relevant experts, to:
Operational knowledge includes one or more of the following:
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Logs and reports |
Logs and reports include one or more of the following:
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Action |
Action in accordance with procedures includes one or more of the following:
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Tailings/waste characteristics |
Tailings/waste characteristics include the following:
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Tailings disposal strategy |
Tailings disposal strategy includes one or more of the following:
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Work requirements |
Work requirements will be identified from one or more of the following:
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Unit Mapping Information
Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to PMAOPS460A Monitor and operate tailings management facilities
Links
Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=9fc2cf53-e570-4e9f-ad6a-b228ffdb6875