Kontain · Geobag Calculator Suite (Client Access)

Not for construction · estimates only. These tools provide preliminary planning estimates only and are based entirely on user-entered assumptions. They are not certified design outputs, construction advice, regulatory approval, or a substitute for project-specific engineering review. Kontain has not verified all project conditions, including sediment properties, geotechnical conditions, hydraulics, chemistry, site access, environmental approvals, safety requirements, constructability, installation constraints, or third-party product performance. Outputs apply only to Kontain products and indicative Kontain geobag/geotextile tube applications where those products are specifically selected. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Kontain accepts no liability for reliance on these outputs, incorrect assumptions, or use outside confirmed product capability.

Polymer Dosing Calculator

Flocculant make-down and dosing rates from slurry mass balance — feed rate, dilution and pump duty for a target dose.

Inputs

Blue = editable

Volume of mixturem³

Slurry solids concentration (in-situ)%

Specific gravity (particle density, Sg)–

Solids concentration while pumping%

Sludge pumping flow ratem³/hr

Polymer dosagekg/MTds

Polymer concentration (make-down)%

Results

Live

Mass balance

Porosity––

Water volume–m³

Solids volume–m³

Solids weight–t

Dosing

Dry-bone dose rate–MTds/hr

Polymer feed rate–kg/hr

Parts water (make-down)–:1

Diluted polymer pump flow–L/hr

Diluted polymer dose rate–ppm

PPM dose rate (undiluted)–ppm

Total polymer required (batch)–kg

Note: Polymer dose is highly tailings-specific and should be confirmed from bench / pilot flocculation trials, not a rule of thumb. Make-down dilution and pump duty are theoretical; verify against the dosing skid's operating envelope. Specific gravity assumes a single mineral phase.

Geobag Tailings Cost Model

Cost-per-dry-tonne (AUD/DMT) built from a solids mass balance, with every cost tied to a physical driver and split into tonnage-variable vs fixed/time-based.

Inputs

Blue = editable

1 · Project basis

Annual throughputdry t/yr

Project lifeyr

Operating days / yeard/yr

Hours per shifthr

2 · Tailings & dewatering

Final in-bag dry densitydry mass ÷ bulk fill volume — biggest driver of stored volumet/m³

3 · Geobag geometry & supply

Settled cake volume / lineal metrem³/lm

Standard bag unit lengthm

Geobag supply incl. delivery$/lm

4 · Polymer

Polymer dosekg/t

Polymer unit cost$/kg

Dosing unit rental$/mo

5 · Labour

Deployment ratelm/shift

Mine deployment crewppl

Mine labour rate$/hr

Specialist contractorppl

Contractor labour rate$/hr

Ops & monitoring labourhr/d

Ops crew rate$/hr

Flocculant technicianhr/d

Technician rate$/hr

6 · Accommodation & mobilisation

Personnel requiring accommodationppl

Accommodation / LAHA rate$/n

Roster on-site factorfrac

Mobilisation, flights & demob$

7 · Civil works

Pad aream²

Pad preparation rate$/m²

Containment cell / bunding$

Drainage & water management$

8 · Equipment & pumping

Pumps, dredge & generators$/mo

Pipework, valves & fittings$

Power / fuel$/d

9 · Commercial

Contractor / applicator margin%

Results — base case

Live

Total installed cost–$/DMT

Direct cost–$/DMT

Total project cost–$

Total dry tonnes stored–DMT

Quantities

Geobag lineal metres required–lm

Standard bag units–no.

Deployment shifts–no.

Cost breakdown (direct)

$/DMT split

Tonnage-variable–$/DMT

Fixed / time-based–$/DMT

Sensitivity — $/DMT vs annual throughput

DMT/yr	$/DMT total

Fixed costs are diluted as tonnage rises — which is why $/DMT falls across the scenario rows. The scenarios hold project life & all unit rates constant and vary only annual throughput.

Planning / comparison tool — figures are illustrative until project-specific inputs are populated. Replace geobag $/lm, polymer dose & $/kg, and all rental/labour rates with quoted / bench-tested values. Final dry density is the single biggest driver of stored volume — confirm it for your tailings. Excludes (unless added): return-water collection/treatment, double-handling, closure/capping, royalties, GST and finance costs. Commercial, contractual and regulatory matters should be verified with the relevant suppliers and advisors.

Geotextile Tube Fill-Height Calculator

Physics-first: maximum safe fill height is the lower of hoop tension, rolling stability and the geometric ceiling — no empirical fill-height table.

Inputs

Blue = editable

A · Slurry properties

Particle specific gravity, Gssand/silt ~2.65; organic 2.40–2.58; calcareous 2.68–2.72–

Solids mass fraction, wₛlean 0.10–0.20 | moderate 0.25–0.35 | dense 0.40–0.50–

B · Bag geometry

Circumference, Cif you have flat width b, enter 2×bm

C · Fabric properties

Seam tensile strength, T_seam300/500 Series ≈ 90 | 1000 Series ≈ 170 kN/m — confirm from TDSkN/m

Factor of safety, FoS1.3 excellent | 1.5 typical | 2.0 poor / first fill–

D · Engineering parameters

Shape factor, k0.70–0.80 lenticular | 0.85 typical | 1.00 conservative–

Stability ratio, (h/D)_max0.50 conservative | 0.55 typical | 0.65 aggressive–

Site control reduction, f_sc0.00 ideal | 0.05 typical | 0.10–0.20 variable–

Results

Live

Derived slurry & geometry

Slurry density, ρ_mix–kg/m³

Hydrostatic gradient, γ–kPa/m

Theoretical diameter, D = C/π–m

Design tension, T_design–kN/m

Calculated fill heights

Hoop-tension limit–m

Stability limit–m

Geometric ceiling–m

Operating fill height, h_op–m

Operating pressures

Base hydrostatic pressure at h_op–kPa

Target pump pressure (90%)–kPa

Hard pressure cap (105%)–kPa

Capacity (volume per metre)

h/D at h_op––

Volume / m at max pump height–m³/m

Volume / m at 75% settled–m³/m

Capacity utilisation–%

Method: h_max = MIN of three independent limits — (1) hoop tension h = √(T_design / (k·ρ·g)), independent of circumference; (2) stability h ≤ (h/D)_max·D; (3) geometry h ≤ D = C/π. Use pressure (kPa) for real-time operator control — it is more reliable than measuring height on imperfect foundations. After consolidation a second fill pass is usually possible; recalculate using the consolidated surface as the new datum. Always confirm with a bench / pillow test on the actual slurry where consequences of failure are material.

Geotextile Tube Volume Calculator

Volume from circumference & fill height using the empirical cross-section formula.

Inputs

Blue = editable

V = L · D² · [ (h/D)^0.815 − (h/D)^8.6 ] where D = C / π

Circumference, Cm

Fill height, max pumpm

Fill height, settled drieddefaults to 0.75 × max pump height; override if knownm

Length, Lm

Results

Live

Theoretical diameter, D–m

Fill ratio, h/D (settled)––

Cross-section area, A–m²

Volume per metre–m³/m

Total volume–m³

Assumptions: D = C/π (theoretical diameter the section would have if filled to a full circle). Exponents 0.815 and 8.6 are an empirical fit — validate outputs against the manufacturer's published volume / fill tables before relying on them for design. Cross-section area peaks at h/D ≈ 0.74 then declines (a mathematical artefact of the form). Units are consistent-length agnostic (m → m³). General guidance only — confirm site-specific limits and good engineering practice.

Geotube Sizing & Dewatering Mass Balance

Tracks solids and water through three states — original slurry, pumped into the tube, and dewatered — then sizes the length and number of tubes required from the dewatered volume.

Inputs

Blue = editable

n = G(1−S) / [ G(1−S) + S ] · V/m = D²·[(h/D)^0.815 − (h/D)^8.6]

Slurry & solids

Original volume of mixture, V_om³

Specific gravity of solids, G–

Solids concentration — original%

Solids concentration — pumped into tube%

Solids concentration — dewatered (final)%

Pumping

Pump ratem³/hr

Tube selection

Chosen tube circumference, Cm

Max fill heightm

Settled heightdefaults to 0.75 × max fill height; override if knownm

Length of chosen tubesm

Results

Live

Mass balance

Property	Original	Into tube	Dewatered

Tube sizing

Length of tube required–m

Number of tubes (rounded up)–units

Number of tubes (exact)–units

Tube capacity

Theoretical diameter, D = C/π–m

Volume / m at max fill height–m³/m

Volume / m at settled height–m³/m

Pumping

Volume pumped into tube–m³

Time to pump at pump rate–hr

Method: porosity n = G(1−S)/[G(1−S)+S] from solids SG (G) and solids mass fraction (S). Solids volume and bone-dry solids weight are conserved across all three states; water volume is recomputed at each state's porosity (water density = 1.0 t/m³). Tube volume per metre uses the empirical section formula (exponents 0.815 & 8.6, peak at h/D ≈ 0.74); validate against the manufacturer's published volume / fill tables before relying on it for design. Length required = dewatered volume ÷ settled volume per metre. Planning tool — confirm site-specific values and good engineering practice.