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Safe disposal of contaminated tailings is recognized as the single largest environmental challenge facing the mining industry worldwide. Because suitable land for a new tailings pond is becoming rare and expensive, more and more mine operators tend to heighten the existing tailings dams to improve their storage capacity. However, this could lead to...
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... Modern advances in geological exploration, mining technologies, and ore processing have led to increased mineable resources and extended mine life for operations worldwide (Reid et al. 2009), while also creating additional overburden waste and tailings material. The design of safe and highcapacity tailings impoundments has thus been an emerging research focus; priorities include minimizing surface footprint, optimizing storage and closure costs, and reducing environmental risks (Wei et al. 2016). Recently, thickened or paste tailings have been preferred to conventional slurry to increase stacking height, and reduce spread, as well as lower risks of seepage and structural failure (Simms Responsible Editor: Zhihong Xu 2017). ...
Use of waste wood biomass for bioenergy produces wood ash as a by-product; this ash is typically landfilled, but can potentially play an important role in soil improvement and forest restoration. In particular, high-carbon wood ash biochar (HCWAB) could supply nutrients, improve substrate water-holding capacity and pH, and emulate the ecosystem benefits of wildfire residues. Thickened tailings sites at metal mines across Canada are subject to stringent restoration regulations that entail planting of native trees to promote rapid reforestation. While HCWAB may prove beneficial in this context, field trials have been very limited to date. We conducted a large-scale, replicated field trial on sand-capped tailings at an operational gold mine in the Canadian boreal forest to assess the impact of HCWAB (at dosages of 0, 6.4, 12.8, and 19.1 t/ha) on survival and growth of four native tree species, as well as substrate chemical properties and element uptake in tree tissues. After 2 years, the survival of planted, native trees was highest at low to moderate application rates; HCWAB dosages above 13 t/ha presented reduced tree survival to levels comparable to unamended substrates. Tree growth was higher across all HCWAB doses relative to growth in samples planted on untreated substrates; tree species and initial size also had large impacts on final tree survival and aboveground growth. The survival of Betula papyrifera was significantly higher than other species, while smaller transplanted trees in general survived in greater numbers compared to larger size classes. Volunteer herbaceous vegetation significantly increased at the higher HCWAB application dosages and tree performance was negatively correlated with vegetation cover, consistent with a resource competition effect. HCWAB additions to sand-capped mine tailings did not significantly alter tree tissue concentrations or substrate availability of potentially toxic metals (Cd, Cu, Al). We conclude that low to moderate dosages of HCWAB on sand-capped tailings, particularly between 6.4 and 12.8 t/ha, may offer benefits to early tree survival, growth, and substrate nutrient status without causing significant risks of phytotoxicity and recommend future field trials focus on strategies to reduce tree competition with competing vegetation.
... Among the main causes of tailings dam failure, overtopping dam break is difficult to prevent [6]. Extreme climate combined with the failure of spillway and other drainage facilities will lead to the rapid rise of reservoir water levels and overtopping, and the corresponding risk assessment and emergency operation response are important links in the feasibility analysis of related projects [7,8]. Under the action of overtopping flow, the tailings dam will be eroded and gradually develop into dam failure [9][10][11]. ...
The analysis of overtopping dam break caused by extreme rainstorms and other special circumstances is very important in the feasibility analysis of new construction or expansion projects of tailings reservoirs. Reduced-scale physical model tests can directly reflect the topography and dam-break influence range, but the reasonable selection of model dam material is the key to ensure the model’s similarity. Based on the similarity optimization of the limit state of scour inception of sediment particles, a new method for the model material of tailings dams can be proposed, but it needs to be verified by a similar overtopping model test. In this paper, the modeling and numerical calculation analysis of a prototype tailings dam and a similar reduced-scale model are carried out by using FLOW-3D v11.2 numerical software. The calculation results show that the model test scheme optimized by inception similarity can well reproduce the overtopping failure process of the prototype dam.
... Several studies have incorporated geotechnical investigations for various purposes such as for assessing the suitability of rock mass for mining dimension stones (Mustafa et al., 2015), stability analysis of tailing dam (Wei et al., 2016), and slope stability analysis (KC et al., 2023). In all of these studies, geotechnical exploration revolves around a variety of methods, including drilling boreholes, examining cores, conducting laboratory measurements on cores, and performing mechanical and hydraulic tests in boreholes. ...
Geotechnical exploration in the youngest Himalayan range requires a thorough understanding of subsurface geological conditions, including lithological, structural, and mechanical properties. Accurate data obtained from test boring, in-situ borehole tests, and logging are essential for this purpose. Down-hole optical imaging, such as the optical televiewer (OTV), can provide a cost-effective and efficient approach to capturing structural geotechnical data by providing high-resolution, oriented images of borehole walls. This study aims to test the effectiveness of a hybrid logging method that combines OTV imaging with manual core logging for geotechnical investigations in the eastern part of the Lesser Himalaya, Nepal. The hybrid method addresses inherent problems such as actual depth matching, errors in the reorientation of acquired cores, and ambiguity in the placement of weak zones like intensely fractured zones, fault gouges, and sheared zones. This approach is critical for identifying weak zones and ensuring safe and stable construction.
... The main reasons for experiencing stress are, the tightening environmental protection legislation and regulations on tailings disposal, the rising cost of land acquisition, and the lessening suitable places for the tailings pond construction near the mines. To ensure the sustainable production of the mine in case of being shut down due to no place to discharge tailings, more and more mine enterprises tend to heighten the operating tailings dams to improve their storage capacity (Wei et al. 2016). In this way, the design height and the storage capacity of the tailings pond will be increased. ...
In China, there are more than 12,000 tailings ponds, and the number is still growing. With the rapidly increasing number of tailings ponds, the safety issue has drawn more and more attention by governments and local communities. The design and construction of each tailings pond must meet the specific requirements of a particular mining project and the changing conditions with time. This paper presents a case study of the Dahongshan Longdu tailings pond which combined upstream and centerline methods for dam construction. The Dahongshan Copper Mine and Iron Mine were facing a challenge of the disposal of increased production of tailings. The current upstream method of dam construction could no longer guarantee its safety. Therefore, the original design of tailings pond should be revised for the safety of the tailings pond. This tailings dam used centerline method for subsequent construction after total height of this dam was constructed up to 100 m by upstream method. This tailings pond initially used upstream method for the dam construction. To pile up the increased production of tailings, the dam construction method was switched to centerline method after dam height of 100 m. Numerical simulation was performed to analyze the seepage and displacement fields, stability and storage capability of the tailings dams constructed by upstream and mixed methods, respectively. Through the simulated results, the mixed method was demonstrated to be more beneficial to the practical safety management of this tailings pond than the upstream method.
... Among the various main reasons for tailings dam failure, overtopping dam break is difficult to prevent (Chen et al. 2015a;Amini et al. 2017). Extreme climate combined with failure of spillway and other drainage facilities will cause the reservoir water level to rise rapidly and overtop, the corresponding risk assessment and emergency operational response are important segments in the feasibility analysis of related projects (Wei et al. 2016;Wang et al. 2019). Under the action of overtopping flow, the tailings dam will be eroded and develop into dam break (Zhou et al. 2022;Tao et al. 2021;Zhu et al. 2020;Jiang et al. , 2021. ...
Construction or enlargement of tailings ponds must consider the potential risk assessment on life safety and environmental protection in the downstream areas. Among various analysis methods, reduced scale physical model test is an important and intuitive method to carry out the impact analysis of flood overtopping tailings dam. However, the selection of model dam material for progressive overtopping dam failure is a difficult problem, and the impact of flood or debris flow can be greatly overestimated by the instantaneous dam break model tests. Based on the similarity analysis of tailing particle incipient motion, the critical inception state of the tailing particle in model dam is analyzed under the action of similar overtopping flow. Inception similarity of the model is confirmed impossible when using prototype tailings to set up model dam. Preconditions for model dam to reach the inception similarity in reduced scale physical tests are deduced, and incipient velocity tests are carried out to verify the rationality of the theoretical analysis. Taking the soil shear strength as a control method to improve the inception similarity of the reduced scale model, two feasible model dam material schemes are proposed through controlling the particle size or mixing bentonite. Although physical model tests involve multi-aspects of similarity laws, the research on the model material selection based on inception similarity optimization will provide a new reference for improving the physical model testing techniques of overtopping dam break, which can be helpful to emergency management and operational response.
... Diminishing the diving surface and protecting the tailings from leakage requires designing a drainage system. Consequently, a stepwise coupled hydraulic mechanical model is applied by Hu et al. (2015) and Wei et al. (2016) to examine seepage control's influence on the tailing dam's stability during construction. Regarding the relevant literature, the stability of the dam slope is affected by the position of the phreatic line. ...
This study is aimed at investigating acid rock drainage reactions and the impacts of seepage composition on the release and mobility of metals from mine tailing dams. Also, it seeks to inspect potential metal filtering by the soil, specify factors subjecting to metal leaching, and detect leaching metals from neutral mine tailings. To this end, both the geochemical and mineralogical parameters of two selected partially or completely reclaimed sites located adjacent to the western part of Azarbaijan province (Iran) are investigated. The bioavailability of three toxic elements in soil samples overlying the tailing formation collected in the case study (i.e., Agh-darreh) yielded a maximum value because of natural pollution in the riverbed for As (90.22%), Sb (82.26%), and Hg (41.15%). Regarding the As and Sb concentrations in the water of the main branch and the tributary of the Agh-darreh river, As and Sb concentrations in the polluted water of the tributary of the Agh-darreh river after joining to the main branch of Agh-darreh river increased by about 800% and 300% compared to the healthy water of the Agh-darreh river, respectively. Moreover, the concentration of these elements was compared in the bed sediments of the main and subbranches of the Agh-darreh river after joining these two branches. The results revealed that the Agh-darreh subbranch increases the As, Sb, and Hg concentrations in the sediments of the Agh-darreh river bed by 11%, 240%, and 80%, respectively. Overall, recognizing the contaminated areas contributes to providing such solutions, making good infrastructure for the construction of tailing dams, and achieving effluent control by constructing a concrete obstacle to subdue this matter.
... Tailings dam failure often results in environmental pollution, economic losses, and even fatalities, and it is one of the most dangerous disasters (Jing et al. 2012). On average, 2-5 significant tailings dams fail worldwide yearly (Wei et al. 2016). The probability of tailings dam failure is approximately ten times higher than reservoir dam failure (Du et al. 2020). ...
Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has been effectively used to monitor surface deformation in a mining area with millimeter-level accuracy. On March 27, 2022, a tailings dam failure occurred in Shanxi Province, China, causing significant damage to surrounding houses, woodland, and roads below the tailings pond. We obtained the surface deformation map of the tailings dam before the catastrophic failure using the InSAR time-series method with a full resolution of Sentinel-1 A. This paper employed a GPU-assisted InSAR processing method for 91 Sentinel-1 images in Interferometric Wide Swath (IW) mode acquired from January 8, 2019, to March 17, 2022. The InSAR results show that during the 25 months preceding the tailings dam failure, Dam-II experienced an average cumulative LOS deformation of nearly 80 mm, while Dam-I experienced a significant deformation of more than 140 mm in the LOS direction. The analysis combining the deformation and rainfall results shows that rainfall significantly affects tailings pond deformation. In general, the deformation evolution has a high correlation with the rainfall annually, but the maximum deformation rate occurs with a delay of about one month compared to the peak rainfall. InSAR technology can significantly improve the monitoring capability of tailings dam failure and other landslide disasters, but it is limited by the observation frequency of the satellite. Thus, improving the temporal resolution of SAR data may assist in predicting tailings dam failure times more accurately.
... calculated the infiltration line of a tailings dam slope, analyzed the dam body condition and stability safety factor after heightening and expansion, and proved that the elevation and expansion scheme of a tailings rockfill dam is safe and reliable. Wei et al. 23 used the upper bend drainage system to analyze the successful cases of increasing and prolonging the service life of an existing tailings pond. Cao et al. 24 carried out an experimental study on the effect of particle size distribution on the shear wave velocity (Vs) of unsaturated tailings. ...
With the economic development and industrialization, the increasingly accumulated tailings ponds in China have become a great risk. Due to the difficulty of selecting proper site for a new reservoir in Yunnan, a sub-dam was built at the downstream original reservoir. This study explored the fracture development and progressive failure characteristics of the tailings reservoir area after capacity expansion based on a similarity experiment and the numerical simulation. The results showed that the primary cracks in the reservoir area were more than those at the top of the sub-dam. With the increase of the upper load, the primary cracks further developed and penetrated the whole sub-dam top, and the sub-cracks were then produced under the concentrate stress of the primary cracks. After the further development of the sub-cracks, the secondary cracks parallel to the primary cracks were formed on the outer slope of the sub-dam. The progressive failure of a tailings dam can be summarized as: the maximum shear stress was firstly generated at the toe of the slope or the top of the dam which then extended to the top of the sub-dam in the form of a curve and finally formed the failure surface by connecting with the primary fracture of the tensile plastic zone at the top of the dam. The study also found that in the process of tailings accumulation in the new reservoir area, tailings would form "back pressure slope protection" at the initial dam of the original reservoir, which not only effectively delayed the occurrence of shear failure, but also inhibited the generation and penetration of tensile plastic zone.
... In order to control seepage in a tailings dam, there exist some drainage measures in an actual tailings dam, such as drainage gravel, blanket drain [27], drainage mat [28], and drainage tube [29,30]. The distribution of these drainage structures is seriously complex. ...
To better understand the seepage field in tailings dam with a drainage structure that combines drainage mat, drainage tube, and geotextile, an equivalent seepage analysis method for the drainage structure is presented. In the method, an equivalent drainage structure is suggested to replace the original drainage. It has enough size to be easily presented in the three-dimensional (3d) model of a tailings dam. According to a back analysis procedure using the quasi-3d models of a tailings dam with original and equivalent drainage structures, the material properties of the equivalent drainage structure can be obtained under the principle of drainage capacity equivalence. It is demonstrated that the suggested method is accurate enough to capture the seepage field in a tailings dam based on comparing the calculated and measured phreatic lines in a tailings dam for verification. Then, the method is employed to investigate the seepage field in a tailings dam in China for a case study. The rise of water level, damage of drainage structure, or increase of tailings discharge speed and time will lift up phreatic line. After terminating tailings discharge, phreatic line will first rise and then fall. The effect of tailings discharge on phreatic line will almost disappear after terminating tailings discharge for 24 h.
... Tailings dam is an important production facility for tailing sand storage after beneficiation, which runs through the whole life cycle of mining and plays a vital role in mine production management (Lyu et al. 2019;Wei et al. 2016;Naeini and Akhtarpour. 2018b, a). ...
This research aims to study the seepage failure characteristics of the tailing sand, as well as the seepage stability of the tailings dam in the Makeng mine, Fujian, China. Combining with post-test X-ray computed tomography, a macroscopic seepage test was employed to reveal the macro-meso seepage failure mechanism of the tailing sand. The three-dimensional (3D) model was used to analyze the seepage and safety stability of the tailings dam. Results show that the pore and particle changes of tailing sand are greatly affected by the seepage. Along the seepage direction, the migration of the 0–40 μm fine particles leads to the separation of the large pores into small pores with a diameter of 0–40 μm, which reduces the connectivity of the pores. The pore abundance values gradually converge to 0–0.6, and the pore shape becomes elongated. Furthermore, numerical studies show that the depth of the tailings dam's saturation line meets the specified requirements at both the existing and designed elevations. The tailings dam's shear displacement moves in horizontal space and develops downstream along the dam axis. Piping failure may occur on the tensile failure area of the tailings dam surface, and the shear zone near the foundation dam is likely to occur flowing soil failure at the designed elevation.
