Unit of Competency Mapping – Information for Teachers/Assessors – Information for Learners

PMAOPS460A Mapping and Delivery Guide
Monitor and operate tailings management facilities

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


Qualification -
Unit of Competency PMAOPS460A - Monitor and operate tailings management facilities
Description This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge needed to monitor tailings disposal sites, identify and manage risks (business and environmental), and respond to threats to tailings site integrity.
Employability Skills This unit contains employability skills.
Learning Outcomes and Application This unit applies to a person who has the responsibility for deposition of tailings from early stage metalliferous beneficiation processes and monitoring and operating tailings management facilities for the duration of a facility’s life. The work may involve assessing risks associated with a tailings management facility, operating equipment to deposit tailings in the tailings management facility, taking measurements and making observations on the integrity of the facility, and taking actions to prevent or ameliorate adverse environmental outcomes from the tailings management facility. The type of people to whom this unit may apply include (but are not limited to):environmental officerprocess workeroperatorinspection and monitoring officer.This unit applies to an individual working alone or as part of a team or group and working in liaison with other shift team members and the control room operator, as appropriate.Where sampling and testing is part of this job, MSAPMSUP292A Sample and test materials and product may also be relevant. Where operating a vehicle is part of the job, PMASUP236B Operate vehicles in the field may also be relevantThis unit requires a detailed knowledge about the characteristics of the tailings (particularly as they occur in regard to the facility being managed), the design of the tailings management facility, methods of tailings disposal and deposition and associated equipment, water balance issues and environmental risks. Understanding of related processes and plant that produces tailings would be beneficial. This unit has been written with a focus on early stage metal beneficiation processes in mind, particularly in regard to processes associated with aluminium, iron, gold, copper, tin, sliver, lead and zinc. Tailings management facilities may 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, but the focus has been on sub-aerial deposition (not subaqueous or sea deposition). While not specifically considered, the unit should also be applicable to other types of waste that might be deposited in a tailings management facility, including overburden and possibly slag or other solid waste products from later metalliferous processes with appropriate contextualisation.
Duration and Setting X weeks, nominally xx hours, delivered in a classroom/online/blended learning setting.
Prerequisites/co-requisites Not applicable.
Competency Field
Development and validation strategy and guide for assessors and learners Student Learning Resources Handouts
Activities 		Slides
PPT 		Assessment 1 Assessment 2 Assessment 3 Assessment 4
Elements of Competency Performance Criteria              
Element: Prepare for work
  • Identify work requirements
  • Identify and control work health and safety (WHS) hazards and identify risks to the environment
  • Coordinate with appropriate personnel, including facility managers and team members
  • Check for recent work undertaken on facility
  • Note any outstanding/incomplete work
  • Check operational status of ancillary/feed equipment
  • Complete any required pre-start checks, including an assessment of process production levels, and therefore likely tailings production levels
       


Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria required skills and knowledge range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence are:

work requirements are identified

appropriate routine checks, logs and paperwork are completed and appropriate action planned, as required

routine plant and facility inspections are properly carried out

problems are identified and responses planned

work environment and equipment are made safe for use.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of this competency will occur over a range of situations which will include typical disruptions to normal, smooth operation. This will require access to an operating plant over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating ability. Where safety, lack of opportunity or significant cost is an issue an industry-based simulation may be employed to assist the process.

Guidance information for assessment

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, competency and safety requirements of the site and consistent with workplace systems or procedures.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assignment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

Required skills include:

conducting a range of tests to measure tailings management facility performance, including for water quality, dam wall movement, water pressure and water flow

interpreting outcome measures from tests performed

recognising conditions which will lead to out of specification operation

implementing enterprise procedures against the waste/tailings management plan within time constraints and in a manner relevant to the correct use of the equipment

conveying information relevant to the operation clearly and effectively

using communication technology

driving vehicles in remote settings with limited support, as required

maintaining appropriate levels of quality assurance

reading and numeracy to interpret workplace documents, calculate various indices and interpret technical information

applying mathematics to the level of year 10

Required knowledge

Required knowledge, to the breadth and depth required for the operation of the tailings management facility, includes:

principles of operation of pumps under conditions of different tailings consistency and water percentage

principles of operation of conveyor belts under conditions of different tailings consistency and water percentage

process parameters and limits of tailings disposal plant (e.g. pressure, flow and pH)

duty of care obligations

hierarchy of control

communication protocols (e.g. radio, phone, computer, paper and permissions/authorities)

typical issues causing problems (plant/equipment, process, environmental) and the resolution of those problems

relevant alarms and actions

physics and chemistry relevant to the tailings being managed and their chemical, physical, handling and placement characteristics

relevant environmental and heritage requirements

mathematical formulae and their application to waste management calculations, as needed

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Procedures

Procedures may be written, verbal, computer-based or in some other form. They may include, but are not limited to:

all work instructions

standard operating procedures

formulas/recipes

batch sheets

temporary instructions

any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant

good operating practice as may be defined by industry codes of practice

Procedures would be expected to comply with any relevant government regulations.

Logs and reports

Logs and reports may include:

paper or electronic-based logs and reports

verbal/radio reports

reporting items found which require action

Appropriate action

Appropriate action includes, but is not limited to:

positioning of the decant pond, damp or seepage at the dam wall, status of leak detection systems, any unusual vegetation or wildlife occurrences, tailings surface status, and integrity of the dam wall

recording piezometer readings on water pressure, groundwater quality, seepage and leakage rates through notch weirs, settlement and displacement survey measurements of dam walls

calculating water balance based on measures of inflow (with tailings, rainfall, catchment run-off, and so on), storage and outflow (seepage, water reclaim, evaporation, and so on)

responding to dust issues by spraying with chemical dust suppressants, covering the tailings with gravel, setting up silt trap fences or changing the tailings water ratio to maximise the wetted surface

determining problems needing action

accessing and applying relevant technical and plant data

applying appropriate problem solving techniques to determine possible fault causes

rectifying problem using appropriate solution within area of responsibility

following through items initiated until final resolution has occurred

reporting problems outside area of responsibility/ability to designated person

Typical problems

Typical problems may include, but are not limited to:

rupture of the tailings slurry delivery pipeline or decant water return pipeline

rainfall induced erosion of the tailings facility containment wall or water imbalance

geotechnical failure/excessive deformation of containment wall

overfilling with tailings beyond management facility capacity, especially the result of unpredicted tailings production

seepage of hazardous materials through the dam wall or through the foundation into the groundwater

dust emissions especially of toxic materials

uncontained floodwater in high rainfall areas

Tailings/waste characteristics

Tailings/waste characteristics include:

mineralogy: residual resource potential, and plant nutrients

chemical reactivity: toxicity, leachate potential, acid producing potential, spontaneous combustion, cementation/hydration and weathering

physical characteristics: particle size distribution, particle density compressibility, shear strength, liquefaction potential, erodibility and dusting potential

placement characteristics: placed dry density, particle sorting, permeability, bearing capacity and initial placement density

handling characteristics: solids content of slurries, trafficability during placement, flocculation/settling time and abrasiveness

Tailings disposal strategy

Tailings disposal strategy can include:

use/operating of equipment, such as pipes, pumps, conveyor belts, pipeline delivering tailings to management facility (leaks, blockages) and associated equipment (for instance centrifugal or positive displacement pumps)

the location of discharge points

the rotation sequence for discharges

the duration of deposition in an area

the location of settling ponds and decant facilities

the location and timing of intermediate paddock bunding

the likely landform created by the deposition processes at stages throughout operations up to and including final landform

flowable volumes and potential flow paths

operational maintenance requirements (e.g. dust suppression, fauna exclusion and drainage)

Health, safety and environment (HSE)

All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent HSE requirements, which may be imposed through state 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.

Work requirements

Work requirements may come from briefings, handovers and work orders and may include:

compliance documentation

product specifications

nature and scope of tasks

achievement targets

operational conditions

geological data

site survey data

site layout and out of bounds areas

worksite inspection requirements

lighting conditions

plant or equipment defects

hazards and potential hazards

coordination requirements or issues

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Identify work requirements 
Identify and control work health and safety (WHS) hazards and identify risks to the environment 
Coordinate with appropriate personnel, including facility managers and team members 
Check for recent work undertaken on facility 
Note any outstanding/incomplete work 
Check operational status of ancillary/feed equipment 
Complete any required pre-start checks, including an assessment of process production levels, and therefore likely tailings production levels 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

PMAOPS460A - Monitor and operate tailings management facilities
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Assessment Record Sheet

PMAOPS460A - Monitor and operate tailings management facilities

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: