Mine Tailings Storage: Safety Is No Accident
Mine tailings management and disposal Successfully managing mine tailings is a significant part of any large-scale mining operation. The methods employed for long-term storage should be based on a number of factors, illustrated below (Figure 14).
Major disposal techniques The pre-disposal treatment of the tailings, especially the degree of de-watering, influences the design and
management of tailings storage facilities. Tailings can be stored as wet slurry, thickened, paste, dry cake or a mix of tailings and coarse waste.
Considerations for long-term storage
Community settlements downstream existing land use infrastructure
EXTREME EVENTS flooding earthquakes Geographical setting downstream aquatic life
Financial cost
availability of water
operational cost
development cost
Regulations
government company policy associations guidelines
closure cost post-closure cost
Tailings
volume
toxic nature
terrestrial biodiversity
wet or dry
Figure 14. Considerations for implementing the long-term storage of mine tailings
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