Towards an integrated approach to tailings management

Authors: Chryss, A; Fourie, AB; Mönch, A; Nairn, D; Seddon, KD Download Paper

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1263_01_Chryss

Cite As:
Chryss, A, Fourie, AB, Mönch, A, Nairn, D & Seddon, KD 2012, 'Towards an integrated approach to tailings management', in R Jewell, AB Fourie & A Paterson (eds), Paste 2012: Proceedings of the 15th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 3-9, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1263_01_Chryss



Abstract:
Tailings management aims to dispose of tailings at the minimum cost consistent with meeting or exceeding imposed standards, including legislative obligations. This simple business objective requires managing the tailings storage facility (TSF) risks associated with surface water, groundwater, dust, sustainable closure and potential catastrophic failure. The individual nature of every ore body and specific site topography ensures that no ‘one size fits all’. It has been suggested that paste and thickened tailings (P&TT) provides the ability to tailor the production and transportation of tailings to suit the deposition site, rather than the traditional approach of accepting that the deposition site has to accommodate tailings of high variability. While the traditional approach can be made to work, it is directly linked to the catastrophic failures of tailings impoundments, where large volumes of decant water have triggered failures due to overtopping, piping or slope instability, or saturated tailings have simply liquefied. P&TT offers an ability to mitigate these risks and when implemented into new projects with variable tailings streams there are significant benefits to be realised. The paper identifies the inter-dependencies between the various tailings disposal processes, such as thickening, pumping and deposition. It demonstrates that there are benefits in taking a more integrated approach to the design and operation of tailings disposal facilities. A collaborative industry project to tackle this challenge is described.

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