Lessons from Tailings Dam Failures—Where to Go from Here?

Abstract

Different regions worldwide have adopted various approaches to tailings management, as a result of the site settings and local practices as they have evolved. Tailings dam failures have continued to occur in both developing and developed countries, necessitating a range of tailings management approaches. These failures, while rare, continue to occur at a frequency that exceeds both industry and society expectations, and there is much to be learned from well-documented cases. Tailings management continues to be overly reliant on a net present value approach using a high discount factor, rather than a whole-of-life approach that may result in safer and more stable tailings facilities and may also facilitate the eventual mine closure. There is a need for the further development and implementation of new tailings management technologies and innovations, and for the application of whole-of-life costing of tailings facilities. Changes in tailings management will most readily be achieved at new mining projects, making change across the minerals industry a generational process.

Past, Present, and Future of Copper Mine Tailings Governance in Chile (1905–2022): A Review in One of the Leading Mining Countries in the World

“…The tailings storage facility was located in Mina El Teniente, approximately 180 km from the epicenter in the city of Talca, with an earthquake measuring 8.2 on the Richter scale in central Chile. The failure of this tailings storage facility on 1 December 1928 was the first recorded case of dynamic liquefaction-induced failure of a tailings storage facility in Chile [ 16 ]. The tailings dam was destroyed as a result of this earthquake, and the resulting flow of liquefied tailings inundated downstream settlements and facilities, killing 54 people.…”

“…From 2014 to date, there were major disasters worldwide as a result of tailings deposit failures. Some examples are Mount Polley Canada (2014), Fundao Samarco Brazil (2015), Corrego do Feijao Brumandinho Brazil (2019), and Jagersfontain South Africa (2022), which caused the death of hundreds of people and irreparable environmental damage [ 16 ]. As a consequence of these disasters, the international community, institutions and global groups such as the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), UN environment program, and the Principles for Responsible Investments (PRI), developed a “Global Tailings Management Standard for the Mining Industry”, launched in August 2020, with the aim of regulating the operation throughout the entire life cycle of tailings deposits, including closure and post-closure (perpetuity), considering zero harm to people and the environment, and zero tolerance for human fatalities [ 2 ].…”

Advanced numerical modelling for closure work assistance

“…This is becoming an ever-increasing concern for the industry as the volume of tailings being produced continues to increase over time (Bowker & Chambers 2015). Tailings are generally made up of clays and silts, often with very high moisture content due to the pumping requirements and favourable economics of pumping compared to alternative deposition methods (Williams 2021). Tailings are stored in engineered facilities that are planned, designed, constructed, operated, closed and maintained in the long-term post-closure period (Mining Association of Canada 2017).…”

Additive-Free Aqueous Extraction of Copper and Zinc from Sulfidic Tailings Using Fast Microwave-Assisted Pre- and Post-Treatments

“…6 Sulfidic Cu−Zn−Pb tailings not only contain a significant amount of Cu, Zn, and Pb, but they also pose a threat to the environment (due to their As content) either by acid mine drainage (AMD) 7,8 or dam failure. 9,10 Lastly, extraction of valuable metals from such materials, as well as removal of toxic elements, also makes one step forward toward closing the loop of a circular economy according to near-zerowaste principles. 11 Thereby, the leftover matrix can be valorized as a product, such as inorganic polymers, supplementary cementitious materials, aggregates, ceramic products, etc.…”

“…In the past few decades, humanity has faced an increasing demand for commodity metals such as Cu, Zn, and Pb as well as technology metals like Co, Mn, and others. , Increased pressure on the supply and a decrease of the grade of primary ores made secondary raw materials, such as industrial process residues, slags, and tailings, a progressively more viable resource for harvesting base and technology metals. − In metallurgical processes, tailings represent the unwanted fractions when the minerals of interest are concentrated from ores . Sulfidic Cu–Zn–Pb tailings not only contain a significant amount of Cu, Zn, and Pb, but they also pose a threat to the environment (due to their As content) either by acid mine drainage (AMD) , or dam failure. , Lastly, extraction of valuable metals from such materials, as well as removal of toxic elements, also makes one step forward toward closing the loop of a circular economy according to near-zero-waste principles . Thereby, the leftover matrix can be valorized as a product, such as inorganic polymers, supplementary cementitious materials, aggregates, ceramic products, etc. − …”