Economic aspects of pad construction costs on heap leach projects

Summary Pad construction costs can affect the overall economics of heap leach projects. Costs for single- and double-lined pads, using various designs, are listed for a typical small and large project. Double-lined pads are now frequently required by regulatory agencies. Unless such designs significantly reduce the risk of site-specific contamination, the extra costs cannot be justified from an economical viewpoint. Specific attention is given to the short project life (typically five years) of heap leach projects. A few numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the overall impact of these costs on economic parameters.