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The drained stacking of granular tailings : a disposal method for a low degree of saturation of the tailings mass

Tailings and Mine Waste Conference (2011 : Vancouver, B.C.); University of British Columbia. Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering

The method of tailings disposal, has a strong influence on the characteristics of the tailings mass within the reservoir and on the behaviour of the tailings dam. The presence, and the amount of the water in the voids of the tailings, is an important factor that governs several aspects of the performance and the safety of tailings dams. A tailings mass with a low degree of saturation presents a lower risk of liquefaction of the tailings mass and achieves higher densities, in response to the loads applied by the reservoir filling. This paper describes a method of disposal of tailings composed of silt and a fine sand fraction, with provisions to drain the water from the voids of the tailings. The starter dam is a construction controlled pervious dam with a drainage system provided within the tailings deposition area, in order that the tailings mass achieves a low degree of saturation. Two examples are presented of tailings disposal systems using this method, with stack structures achieving up to 195.0 meters height. [All papers were considered for technical and language appropriateness by the organizing committee.]

Text

2011-11-04

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/38757

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/