What are tailing dams

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Tailings dams are used to store water and other waste products that are by-products of mining activities. They’re used all over the world at industrial mines because they offer very safe management of tailings. They can vary in size, depth and other design specifications based on the requirements of your facility. They’re built to allow a constant slurry of waste to be piped into the dam, the solids settle to the bottom and the water is recycled to be used in the separation process again. Complete CM Solutions is an expert in mining and bulk haulage services across Western Australia, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about tailing dams right here…

How do tailing dams work?

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In some cases, tailing damns are established to initially store water at the start-up phase of a plant. Tailings are placed behind the dam with raised embankments designed to permanently store the tailings. Every individual dam is unique and therefore needs custom designing and building. A wide range of our successful past projects has taught us that tailings dams need to be tailored to the physical nature of the materials themselves and other factors like local climate and seismicity. Tailings dams need regular maintenance and monitoring because of the materials they process. Proper drainage needs to be consistent, and the dam structure needs to remain strong to contain the mining waste.

What are mine tailings?

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Tailings are the waste products from mining work. The tailings comprise water and other waste products. As the tailings are piped into the dam, the water is separated from fine particles. This can happen naturally or through a mechanised process. The separated water can then be recycled back into the mining process. The mechanical separation process is meant to grind up the particulars into fine sand to extract valuable minerals or metals. Everything that is left, unusable and economic remnants, are waste. Depending on the type of mining our clients specialise in, tailings can be liquid, dry or a combination of slurry particles. A common aspect of all mine tailings is that they may contain toxic substances that need proper management and storage. Speaking to a professional about mine tailings management can help you with your concerns about toxic or hazardous waste.

What causes collapsed dams?

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The mining industry has to rely on a wide variety of storage facilities and tailings dams are one of the more traditional types. They are affordable, easily manageable, and efficient waste facilities. Unfortunately, they do pose some significant threats if there are cases of collapse. That is why we go out of our way to ensure that tailings facilities are managed to the highest standards of safety using the latest technologies. Thankfully, tailing dam failures are not inevitable and can easily be prevented. The causes of mine tailings dam failure are different because they are always site-specific. However, there are common themes, and they include the below:

  • Poor site safety and investigation
  • Poorly executed engineering design
  • Deficient dam construction
  • Operation and/or closure
  • A lack of comprehensive safety training

Are mine tailings dam failures preventable?

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We’ve already touched on this briefly but yes, of course, all failures are preventable – without a doubt. All it takes is a comprehensive approach to all stages of installation and management. There needs to be meticulous care applied to planning, construction, operation and eventually closure and rehabilitation. Recent failure cases have helped highlight exactly what needs to be addressed to prevent the same in future. It is the role of industry experts and stakeholders to ensure that fundamental safety procedures are enforced. Complete CM Solutions designers, operators, and suppliers have learned from their extensive experience, and knowledge gained from partners, to gain in the interest of safety on our client’s site.

What can be done to improve tailings dam safety?

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You can start by reaching out to the Complete CM Solutions team. We have actively refined and upgraded our technical standards for tailings dam safety management and continue to do so. To improve tailings dam safety for our client, we go beyond established regulatory and industry standards in many respects. You can rely on us to install tailings dams that minimise the impact on the surrounding ecosystems and create a safer environment for your working team.