Many publications are available that provide statements of best practice in terms of open pit slope risk management. However, to date none provide a risk model that demonstrates the risk reduction achieved for applying each of the risk management elements. This leaves the slope stability practitioner unable to analytically answer questions such as: ? How frequently should slopes be inspected? ? How frequently should prisms be read? ? Should a radar be acquired? If so, which one? ? How many monitoring systems to use? And many more. This paper applies the Venter and Hamman (2018a) temporal safety risk model to an open pit in West Africa. The paper demonstrates the use of the model to a small saprolite open pit and concludes with recommendations for slope instability registers to facilitate future back?analysis in terms of this model.
Planning, operating, monitoring and closing a tailings storage facility (TSF) can present many challenges, especially in dynamic mining environments where site conditions vary spatially and with time. However, big impacts can be made at relatively small cost once the tailings management system, design and performance are well defined and understood. This paper presents various examples of initiatives aimed at achieving the design intent that have been adopted by Rio Tinto Iron Ore, which also reduce risks and improve tailings management performance. Examples presented include development and communication of short-term, long-term and life-of-facility deposition plans, implementation of simple deposition management tools, monitoring and managing slurry density, development and continual oversight of water balance models, and sound investment in water management infrastructure extending to safe performance in emergency situations. Regular governance was also implemented to provide assurance that these controls remain effective.
There are growing expectations of mining companies to operate in a more sustainable manner, with a strong business case for improving waste management and reducing environmental impacts. As the stewardship of tailings come under increasing scrutiny, decision-makers are urged to adopt a robust approach to the selection of a tailings management strategy that encompasses design for closure, and leading practices to lower the risk of catastrophic dam failures, optimise the use of resources, and mitigate environmental impacts on climate change. An integrated analysis, considering economic, environmental, social, and risk aspects of the operation can therefore provide decision-makers with balanced information to ensure the right projects proceed with an optimal business case so that the most cost-effective solution, that does not externalise costs, can be selected. However, literature review revealed that fundamental shortcomings exist within traditional evaluation approaches used for economic comparisons. This paper reports on life cycle cost analyses conducted for comparing various tailings management options under different scenarios. A conceptual case study for the disposal of gold tailings in Western Australia as a slurry, as thickened, or as filtered tailings, was considered. This was done for examining the extent to which potentially hidden costs impact on the total cost of a project. It is suggested that the proposed approach will lead to selection of a tailings management alternative that ensures sound economic, environmental, and social performance is achieved.
This bulletin describes various methods of tailings transport (slurries vs. dry tailings), tailings placement (cyclone, spigot, paddock, mechanical placement), and decant systems. The bulletin is intended to provide advice for design of these elements based on project-specific characteristics. The bulletin also provides guidance for assessing the water balance of a tailings impoundment.
This bulletin considers the environmental impact assessment that must be made at the planning stage. It also provides consideration of the environmental stability to be achieved during the years of tailings dam construction and the period after completion and rehabilitation.
This bulletin discusses common problems in the disposal of tailings at mines, quarries and other industries, and identifies safe methods of designing and operating dams and impoundments. The problems encountered at the end of operations when it becomes desirable to end tailings dam construction and it is necessary to rehabilitate the dam and its impoundment to make it permanently safe and environmentally acceptable are discussed and a final chapter describes some of the governmental regulations controlling tailings dams in some countries.
This bulletin provides guidance for the designers, owners, operators and regulators of tailing dams on closure considerations for design at all stages of the tailings dam. The bulletin contains three main sections with a discussion on the following topics: Sustainable Closure Principles, covering current international practice, regulations, objectives, design life and phases, financial and risk management practices as they relate to closure; Sustainable Design Considerations, covering the main aspects of physical, chemical, ecological and social stability associated with tailing dam closure; Monitoring, covering post closure and long term monitoring requirements. The document presents a range of international approaches to the subject of sustainable tailings dam closure.
This bulletin deals with: Location of dams, Site investigation, Design, Construction and operation, Closure and abandonment
This bulletin is intended primarily for the use of the Regulatory Agencies responsible for the safety of tailings dams, both structurally and environmentally. However, it is also intended to assist the mine operator in understanding the measures that must be adopted to ensure that his tailings dam is safe, both during operation and after rehabilitation. Finally, it should also benefit those individuals or organizations involved in the design, construction, operation, and rehabilitation of tailings dams.
This bulletin was prepared to show the current state-of-the-practice for the design of new dams to resist earthquake forces and for treating existing dams to make them better able to withstand earthquake shaking. This bulletin gives remedial measures for improving the safety of existing impoundments. It also gives a very comprehensive collection of references so that the reader can go back to original sources and study various methods in greater detail.