What causes tailing dam failures?
The presence of high water content in tailings and the resulting water action (erosion, seepage, overtopping) is a primary factor of tailings dam failure [19].
What happens to tailing dams?
Tailings are pumped into a pond to allow the sedimentation – or separation – of solids from the water. The water removed from tailings dams can be, and often is, later reused in the mine’s processing cycles.
Are tailings dams safe?
Hazard from seismic events Upstream tailings dams are known to have very poor properties during seismic events. During cyclic mechanical stress, as experienced during seismic events, the tailings slurries (including the material used for the dam) may liquefy.
How do you dispose of tailings?
The predominant method of tailings disposal is by pumping and sub-aerial deposition of an aqueous slurry (typically at 30–45% initial solids concentration by mass and an initial gravimetric moisture content, w, of 233–122%) to a surface TSF.
How does a tailing dam work?
Tailings dams can be huge in size, as big as lakes, and reach 300 metres high. As the slurry of waste is piped into the dam, the solids settle to the bottom and the water is recycled to be used in the separation process again. Rather than reinforced concrete, tailings dams use earth or rock to create a barrage.
What are the impacts of underground mining to human health?
Respiratory complications Studies indicate that mining is one of the most perilous occupation in the world in terms of injuries and fatalities, and also due to the long term health effects associated with it. Long term effects include respiratory problems such as pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, and silicosis.
What is a tailing?
Tailings are the waste materials left after the target mineral is extracted from ore. They consist of: Crushed rock.
What are tailings used for?
Tailings ponds are used to store the waste made from separating minerals from rocks, or the slurry produced from tar sands mining. Tailings are sometimes mixed with other materials such as bentonite to form a thicker slurry that slows the release of impacted water to the environment.