ABSTRACT
The liner system in leach pads projects is especially valuable and implies a considerable part of the capital expenditure for the types of projects. As well as the overliner material, sometimes represent a big challenge to find a nearby and adequate material source capacity. The overliner must meet specific geotechnical properties to provide drainage and liner protection, been critical a controlled maximum coarse size and sieve distribution to avoid puncture failure in the liner system and provide efficient drainage. Large Scale Puncture test were developed with the collaboration of Geo-logic Associates in USA. The objective consisted of studying the influence of the overliner materials and subgrade on a geomembrane by applying a normal load equivalent to the heap leach's maximum height.
