Tailings dam closure scenarios, risk communication, monitoring, and surveillance in Alberta

A Failure Modes and Effects Analysis Framework for Assessing Geotechnical Risks of Tailings Dam Closure

“…It is expected that the dam will evolve significantly over time (i.e., clogging of drains, ageing of sands, etc.) [14,15]. Ultimately, the likelihood and consequences of failure are not static and may increase or decrease over time [14][15][16].…”

“…[14,15]. Ultimately, the likelihood and consequences of failure are not static and may increase or decrease over time [14][15][16]. Robertson and Shaw note that some risks have a different likelihood or consequences if they occur during operations or post closure [9].…”

“…Schafer et al [14,15] and a detailed literature review were used to develop the overall system definition, which included dam characteristics that impact dam behaviour. The sys-tem definition serves as the foundation of the development of the G-FMEA and Ayyub notes that the first step to conducting a system definition is to establish the objectives [8].…”