Tailings are produced from the processing of mineral ores and are commonly stored within embankment dams. The design of the dams requires application of sound engineering principles and an understanding of the properties of the tailings. This Bulletin provides a framework for classifying different types of tailings, ranging from ultra-fine to coarse, based on their geotechnical properties and provides typical geotechnical parameters for the different tailings types. Technologies f...
Tailings are produced from the processing of mineral ores and are commonly stored within embankment dams. The design of the dams requires application of sound engineering principles and an understanding of the properties of the tailings. This Bulletin provides a framework for classifying different types of tailings, ranging from ultra-fine to coarse, based on their geotechnical properties and provides typical geotechnical parameters for the different tailings types. Technologies for dewatering tailings to reduce the risk of storage continue to be developed and the different technologies, from thickening to filtration, and re-application of old technologies are presented to illustrate the options available and, where appropriate, typical in situ properties. This bulletin is directed towards a wide audience of stakeholders: designers, owners, regulators, communities and various organizations and provides a reference for communicating tailings properties and the benefits and limitations of technologies. All mining operations, and thereby tailings operations, are unique. There is no one-solution-fits-all. Tailings dam designs need to account for site-specific conditions, such as climate, physiography, geochemistry, geomorphology, seismology, mining processes, environment, and community setting, with the application of technologies playing an important role in developing safe, sustainable tailings facilities. Les steriles miniers sont produits a partir du traitement des minerais et sont generalement stockes derriere des barrages en remblai. La conception des barrages necessite l’application de principes d’ingenierie solides et une comprehension des proprietes des residus. Ce bulletin fournit un cadre pour classer differents types de residus, allant de l’ultra-fin au grossier, en fonction de leurs proprietes geotechniques et propose des parametres geotechniques typiques pour les differentes sortes de residus. Les technologies d’assechement des residus pour reduire le risque de stockage continuent a etre developpees ; les differentes technologies, de l’epaississement a la filtration, en passant par l’application des anciennes technologies, sont presentees pour illustrer les options disponibles et, le cas echeant, les proprietes in situ typiques. Ce bulletin s’adresse a un large public d’intervenants : concepteurs, proprietaires, regulateurs, communautes et organisations diverses et fournit une reference pour communiquer les proprietes des residus et les avantages et les limites des technologies. Toutes les operations minieres et, par consequent, les traitements des residus, sont uniques. Il n’y a pas de solution unique pour tous. La conception des barrages de residus doit tenir compte des conditions propres au site, telles que le climat, la physiographie, la geochimie, la geomorphologie, la sismologie, les processus miniers, l’environnement et le milieu communautaire, l’application de technologies jouant un role important dans le developpement de parcs a residus surs et durables.
