Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.9
2.5
Journals
Minerals
Special Issues
Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment
share announcement

Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2022) | Viewed by 41306

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Masoud Zare-Naghadehi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Geotechnical Engineering Department, Universal Engineering Sciences (UES), Atlanta, GA, USA
Interests: risk assessment for geo-engineering projects; rock mechanics and geotechnical engineering; monitoring and data analytics; artificial intelligence, systems, and probabilistic analyses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Javad Sattarvand

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
Interests: artificial intelligence; data analysis; image processing; machine learning; robotics; resource estimation; production planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Large amounts of tailings are produced and accumulated as a result of the mining of mineral resources caused by the chemical and mechanical separation processes of mineral extraction. These waste materials are required to be reasonably managed to prevent them from entering adjacent environmental ecosystems. The slurry of waste material is often contained in large basins constructed by dams—called tailing dams—which are among some of the world’s most massive engineered structures. There is an upward trend in mining tailings dam failures and the discharge of vast volumes of tailings into the natural environment, many of which have caused significant damage to infrastructure and human lives. Therefore, there is a current demand for having a broader understanding of the physical and mechanical properties of these complex geotechnical structures, their geometrical design, analysis of failure mechanisms, as well as a thorough monitoring technologies and management systems.

This Special Issue aims to report high-quality research and recent advances in characterization, design, monitoring, and risk assessment of mine tailings dams, as well as the evaluation of standards and guidelines for these purposes. Topics of interest include but are not limited to those covered by the keyword list below.

Dr. Masoud Zare-Naghadehi
Dr. Javad Sattarvand
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • characterization of tailings deposits
  • geotechnical and condition monitoring of tailings dams
  • design issues and parameters of tailings dams
  • geotechnical and managerial risk assessment of tailings projects
  • case histories of failures or good design practices
  • modeling and simulation of tailings flows resulting from dam failure
  • dewatering technologies
  • closure of mine tailings dams
  • standards and guidelines
  • innovative tailings management approaches
  • environmental issues related to active/closed dams (such as dust emission, etc.)

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (10 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

14 pages, 6043 KiB  
Article
Commingling of Waste Rock and Tailings to Improve “Dry Stack” Performance: Design and Evaluation of Mixtures
by Ralph Burden and G. Ward Wilson
Minerals 2023, 13(2), 295; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min13020295 - 20 Feb 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2982
Abstract
Mine tailings are typically deposited as slurry and stored in impoundment dams. These structures pose a serious geotechnical risk, and are difficult to successfully reclaim at the end of mining. An increasingly common alternative to traditional tailings disposal is “dry stacking”: the placement [...] Read more.
Mine tailings are typically deposited as slurry and stored in impoundment dams. These structures pose a serious geotechnical risk, and are difficult to successfully reclaim at the end of mining. An increasingly common alternative to traditional tailings disposal is “dry stacking”: the placement of tailings dewatered using filtration in a self-supporting stack. It has been demonstrated that the addition of rock (termed “commingling”) to a filtered tailings stack has the potential to improve the geotechnical performance of the stack and may make large-scale dry stacking more economically viable. This paper discusses the application of commingling to tailings dry stacking, specifically relating to the design and evaluation of commingled blends of waste rock and tailings. The authors present a review of existing mix design theory, and present an extended theoretical model to predict the structure and behavior of blends of waste rock and tailings, based upon mix ratio and density. This paper is based upon established theory, but is extended to consider the case of loosely placed materials and the effect of volume change on structural configuration. The extended model may be used to describe the geotechnical behavior of commingled filtered tailings and waste rock. It is postulated that the geotechnical behavior of blends, and the primary mechanism of volume change, is governed by particle configuration. A brief discussion of experimental methods to evaluate the structure and configuration of commingled mine wastes is also presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 1811 KiB  
Article
The Use of Lightweight Penetrometer PANDA for the Compaction Control of Classified Sand Tailings Dams
by Gabriel Villavicencio, Claude Bacconnet, Pamela Valenzuela, Juan Palma, Alex Carpanetti, Gonzalo Suazo, Matías Silva and José García
Minerals 2022, 12(11), 1467; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12111467 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1469
Abstract
Sand tailings dams have historically been the most commonly used technology for tailings storage in Chile. Although engineering advances have resulted in the construction of approximately 250-m-high facilities, some operational challenges still remain, including compaction control. Control is currently performed at a few [...] Read more.
Sand tailings dams have historically been the most commonly used technology for tailings storage in Chile. Although engineering advances have resulted in the construction of approximately 250-m-high facilities, some operational challenges still remain, including compaction control. Control is currently performed at a few control points in a dam embankment, without considering a series of factors that affect its mechanical behavior (e.g.,layer thickness and material variability). Within this context, geostatistics can be applied in combination with low-cost geotechnical tools as an alternative to improve compaction control in tailings storage facilities. In this study, an extensive field investigation was carried out. A total of 91 PANDA penetrometer tests were conducted to monitor the degree of compaction in an experimental classified sand tailings dam. The results were analyzed using stochastic interpolation for ordinary kriging and considering the spatial distribution of the cone resistance and the degree of compaction determined for the dam. The results showed that spatial variability was associated with the material variability of sand tailings and the compaction method used, and deviations from design requirements. The article shows the value of the use of geostatistics in decision-making in the case of classified sand tailings dams. This is mainly due to the fact that it allows optimization of the compaction process used in these tailings dams. Additionally, a useful database is generated to continue deepening studies of physical stability during the useful life of the tailings storage facilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 3706 KiB  
Article
An Alternative Technology to Obtain Dewatered Mine Tailings: Safe and Control Environmental Management of Filtered and Thickened Copper Mine Tailings in Chile
by Carlos Cacciuttolo and Edison Atencio
Minerals 2022, 12(10), 1334; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12101334 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3554
Abstract
An alternative process to obtain a high degree of dewatering tailings that produces a high-density product is presented in this article. This technology involves the combination of tailings particle grain size classification by hydrocyclones (HC) and tailings dewatering by horizontal vibratory screens (HVS). [...] Read more.
An alternative process to obtain a high degree of dewatering tailings that produces a high-density product is presented in this article. This technology involves the combination of tailings particle grain size classification by hydrocyclones (HC) and tailings dewatering by horizontal vibratory screens (HVS). It makes it possible to dewater tailings to a high grade of performance. This alternative technology (HC-HVS) involves the recovery of water from the coarse fraction of tailings (sands) through two hydrocycloning stages, followed by a dewatering stage of cycloned tailings sands on horizontal vibratory screens, to reduce moisture content and turn it into a “cake”. The resulting coarse fraction tailings are easily transported to a dry stack tailings storage facility (TSF). The fine fraction of tailings (slimes) can be dewatered on thickener equipment to recover part of the process water. Finally, this article describes the main benefits of this alternative dewatered tailings technology with an emphasis on (i) dewatering technology evolution over the last 17 years; (ii) process stages features; (iii) pilot test results; (iv) tailings properties analysis (such as particle grain size distribution, fines content) and (v) lessons learned about the experience gained in the operation of Mantos Blancos case study with dry stack tailings storage facility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 4198 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Attenuation and Release of Cu2+ Ions by Polymer-Treated Tailings
by Mohammad Boshrouyeh Ghandashtani, Mansour Edraki, Thomas Baumgartl, Allan Costine and Samar Amari
Minerals 2022, 12(7), 846; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12070846 - 01 Jul 2022
Viewed by 1843
Abstract
This study investigated the attenuation and release behaviour of copper ions using a standard kaolin-silt slurry as the synthetic tailings in a high solids/high salinity application before and after inline flocculation. A homogenous, synthetic tailings slurry was prepared in a 0.6 M NaCl [...] Read more.
This study investigated the attenuation and release behaviour of copper ions using a standard kaolin-silt slurry as the synthetic tailings in a high solids/high salinity application before and after inline flocculation. A homogenous, synthetic tailings slurry was prepared in a 0.6 M NaCl solution and treated in a low-shear mixer by adding Magnafloc® 336 flocculant. Following the evaluation of morphological properties of both the untreated (UT) and polymer-treated tailings (PT), identical equilibrium tests were performed via the bottle-point method constant concentration technique. The maximum copper ions uptake capacity of polymer-treated tailings was 25% more than the untreated slurry at the equilibrium state in a chemisorption process in which the ions had the capability of binding onto one location on the sorbent, which could be influencing other binding sites on the same sorbent. Polymer treatment resulted in a highly porous structure that exhibited an increased capacity to adsorb and retain copper ions compared to the UT materials. This behaviour indicates the strong binding between the copper ions and active site of the treated tailings particles with greater capability of this material for preserving heavy metal ions within their structure across a wide pH range (2–10) compared to the UT materials. The results advance the fundamental understanding of how inline flocculation can considerably improve the sorption capacity of high solids/high salinity tailings favouring potential long-term rehabilitation purposes at mine closure and the role of sorption and desorption of heavy metal ions’ behaviour play to achieve this goal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 4005 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Self-Compaction Effect in Filtered Tailings Disposal under Unsaturated Condition
by Ricardo Gallardo Sepúlveda, Esteban Sáez Robert and Javier Camacho-Tauta
Minerals 2022, 12(4), 422; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12040422 - 30 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2399
Abstract
Filtered tailing is a relatively-environmentally friendly technique due to the recovery of water during the process of dehydration. This technique was recently developed and therefore there are few studies available compared to research on conventional tailings. This work focuses on the behaviour of [...] Read more.
Filtered tailing is a relatively-environmentally friendly technique due to the recovery of water during the process of dehydration. This technique was recently developed and therefore there are few studies available compared to research on conventional tailings. This work focuses on the behaviour of a filtered copper tailing under an unsaturated condition, studying the effect of self-compaction by self-weight which is triggered by the deposition process through 1D consolidation tests. In addition, the impact of confinement on the stiffness and shear strength was studied by means of unsaturated drained triaxial tests. The initial matric suction was determined based on soil-water characteristic curves for two initially loose dry densities and the water content at which the material leaves the dehydration process. The unsaturated consolidation tests showed that for vertical stresses above 100 kPa and with ratios between the applied matric suction and air entry value lower than twelve, the material approaches saturated condition, reaching up to 95% degree of saturation. On the other hand, for the unsaturated drained triaxial tests, the effect of the matric suction generates increases in the shear strength and the stiffness of the material up to 200% and 600%, respectively. However, the increase tends to disappear as confinement increases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

52 pages, 1639 KiB  
Article
Applying a Generalized FMEA Framework to an Oil Sands Tailings Dam Closure Plan in Alberta, Canada
by Haley L. Schafer, Nicholas A. Beier and Renato Macciotta
Minerals 2022, 12(3), 293; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12030293 - 25 Feb 2022
Viewed by 1889
Abstract
Historically, tailings facilities have been designed primarily with consideration of the mine’s active life. This is problematic, as the lifespan of a tailings dam may far exceed the life of the mine. Over time, it is expected that these structures will transform into [...] Read more.
Historically, tailings facilities have been designed primarily with consideration of the mine’s active life. This is problematic, as the lifespan of a tailings dam may far exceed the life of the mine. Over time, it is expected that these structures will transform into a mine waste structure and then eventually a landform. In Alberta, Canada, dam owners can submit a decommissioning, closure, and abandonment (DCA) plan and completion reports to apply for the facility to be de-registered as a dam. If successful, the structure would be considered a solid waste structure and may be reclassified and regulated as a mine waste dump. The Alberta Energy Regulator expects DCAs to be accompanied and supported by risk assessments that consider long-term physical failure modes, including failure modes that may not be applicable during operations, in accordance with Manual 019. To help support the process of de-registering a tailings dam, a risk management tool, referred to as a Generalized Failure Modes Effects (G-FMEA) framework, was developed and presented in the Journal of Minerals in the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment. The G-FMEA was designed to be used for assessing risks of an external tailings facility in closure, with the goal of assessing the long-term risk of geotechnical failure to support the process of de-registration. In Alberta, a number of tailings dams are undergoing closure and reclamation activities. This paper applies the developed G-FMEA framework to an oil sands tailings dam in Alberta to demonstrate the application of the framework. The paper assesses two specific failure modes of two different elements, including clogging of the drains and surface erosion of the berm. The failure modes are assessed over different timescales to demonstrate how the consequence, likelihood, and risk rating may change over time. The results of this process are discussed in the context of the potential for the facility to be de-registered as a dam. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

35 pages, 2776 KiB  
Article
A Failure Modes and Effects Analysis Framework for Assessing Geotechnical Risks of Tailings Dam Closure
by Haley L. Schafer, Nicholas A. Beier and Renato Macciotta
Minerals 2021, 11(11), 1234; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min11111234 - 06 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3987
Abstract
Tailings dams remain on site following mine closures and must be designed and reclaimed to meet long-term goals, which may include walk-away closure or long-term care and maintenance. The underperformance of these structures can result in significant risks to public and environmental safety, [...] Read more.
Tailings dams remain on site following mine closures and must be designed and reclaimed to meet long-term goals, which may include walk-away closure or long-term care and maintenance. The underperformance of these structures can result in significant risks to public and environmental safety, as well as impacts on the future land use and economic activities near the structure. In Alberta, Canada, the expectation is for a tailings dam to be reclaimed and closed so that it can undergo deregistration. To aid in assessing the risks of underperformance during and after closure, a Generalized Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (G-FMEA) framework was developed to assess the long-term geotechnical risks for tailings dams in Alberta, with the goal of assessing the potential success of a tailings dam closure strategy. The G-FMEA is part of an initiative to enhance closure evaluations in Alberta in a collaborative effort between industry, the regulator, and academia. The G-FMEA incorporates the element of time to account for the evolution of the system, which should be applied at the planning stage and updated continually throughout the life of the facility. This paper presents the developed G-FMEA framework for tailings dams in Alberta, including the developed risk matrix framework. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 9980 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Tailings Dams by Electrical Geophysical Methods (ERT, IP): Federico Mine (La Carolina, Southeastern Spain)
by Julián Martínez, Rosendo Mendoza, Javier Rey, Senén Sandoval and M. Carmen Hidalgo
Minerals 2021, 11(2), 145; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min11020145 - 31 Jan 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2622
Abstract
This work analyzed the effectiveness of two electrical geophysical methods in characte-rizing tailings dams. A large flotation cell used for sludge thickening in the concentration plant of the Federico Mine (closed in 1985) within the old mining district of La Carolina (southeastern Spain) [...] Read more.
This work analyzed the effectiveness of two electrical geophysical methods in characte-rizing tailings dams. A large flotation cell used for sludge thickening in the concentration plant of the Federico Mine (closed in 1985) within the old mining district of La Carolina (southeastern Spain) was selected for this research. In addition to the direct information provided by the geology of the study area and the surface exposure of the waste deposits, information regarding the construction of this mining structure was available, which helped in the interpretations of the geophysical survey data. In this study, two geophysical surveying methods were used simultaneously: Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and induced polarization (IP). Six profiles were acquired, processed, and interpreted. The length of the profiles allowed the obtaining of data reaching maximum investigation depths ranging between 7 and 65 m. These profiles provided information for a detailed analysis of the internal characteristics of the deposited materials. The lateral and vertical observed variations are linked to different degrees of moisture content. The study also defines the geometry of the top of the bedrock and the tectonics that affect the pouring/dumping hole. Old flotation sludge has resistivity values that range between 1 and 100 Ωm (i.e., wet waste 1–30 Ωm, dry waste 30–100 Ωm), while phyllites in the rocky substrate have resistivities larger than 200 Ωm and can even reach va-lues greater than 1000 Ωm. Between the waste and unaltered phyllites, there is a supergene alteration zone (weathering) with resistivity values between 100 and 200 Ωm. The IP method was used to detect the presence of metals in the accumulated waste in the pond by analyzing the presence of large chargeability anomalies. Anomalies were detected in four of the profiles, which ranged from low (i.e., between 0 and 8 mV/V) to medium (i.e., between 8 and 18 mV/V) and high values (i.e., 18 and >30 mV/V). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

64 pages, 28625 KiB  
Review
Practical Experience of Filtered Tailings Technology in Chile and Peru: An Environmentally Friendly Solution
by Carlos Cacciuttolo Vargas and Giovene Pérez Campomanes
Minerals 2022, 12(7), 889; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12070889 - 15 Jul 2022
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 8938
Abstract
In the last 20 years many mining projects around the world have applied a tailings deposition technology named “dry stacking of filtered tailings” at tailings storage facilities (TSFs). This technique produces an unsaturated cake that allows storing this material without the need to [...] Read more.
In the last 20 years many mining projects around the world have applied a tailings deposition technology named “dry stacking of filtered tailings” at tailings storage facilities (TSFs). This technique produces an unsaturated cake that allows storing this material without the need to manage large slurry tailings ponds. The application of this technology has accomplished: (i) an increase in tailings water recovery, (ii) a reduction of the TSF footprint (impacted areas), and (iii) a decrease in the risk of physical instability, being TSFs self-supporting structures under compaction (such as dry stacks), and (iv) a better regulator and community perception satisfying the need of stable TSFs. This paper presents the main features, benefits, and advances in filtered tailings technology applied in Chile and Peru with emphasis on: (i) filtering technology evolution over the last decade: description of main equipment, advantages, and disadvantages, (ii) design considerations for main TSF geometrical configurations, tailings transport and placement systems, TSF water management, TSF operational and emergency plans, and TSF progressive closure, (iii) operation experiences at site-specific conditions, (iv) technology acceptance in regulatory frameworks, (v) lessons learned and advances, and (vi) new trends and future developments, considering technical, environmental, regulatory frameworks and cost-effective manners. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

34 pages, 11970 KiB  
Review
Lessons from Tailings Dam Failures—Where to Go from Here?
by David John Williams
Minerals 2021, 11(8), 853; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min11080853 - 08 Aug 2021
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 8325
Abstract
Different regions worldwide have adopted various approaches to tailings management, as a result of the site settings and local practices as they have evolved. Tailings dam failures have continued to occur in both developing and developed countries, necessitating a range of tailings management [...] Read more.
Different regions worldwide have adopted various approaches to tailings management, as a result of the site settings and local practices as they have evolved. Tailings dam failures have continued to occur in both developing and developed countries, necessitating a range of tailings management approaches. These failures, while rare, continue to occur at a frequency that exceeds both industry and society expectations, and there is much to be learned from well-documented cases. Tailings management continues to be overly reliant on a net present value approach using a high discount factor, rather than a whole-of-life approach that may result in safer and more stable tailings facilities and may also facilitate the eventual mine closure. There is a need for the further development and implementation of new tailings management technologies and innovations, and for the application of whole-of-life costing of tailings facilities. Changes in tailings management will most readily be achieved at new mining projects, making change across the minerals industry a generational process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-10
Back to TopTop