Tailings Dam Embankment Construction
Challenge
Due to the environmental requirements related to the disposal of tailings, tailings dams are required to be lined with geomembranes. Tailings dam footprints organically increase over the life of mine and so do the associated environmental risks and impacts. The construction and preparation of tailings dams is both costly and time consuming.
Solution
SoilTain® dewatering technology in conjunction with our reinforcement solutions, helps to reduce the required footprint areas of tailings dams which leads to lower required capital investment. Embankment and dike construction with SoilTain dewatering tubes allows the incremental raising of tailings dams with a positive contribution to the environmental and economic sustainability of mining operations.
Advantages
Tailings dam footprint reduction
Stable embankment construction on geomembrane lined facilities
Embankments can be incrementally raised to keep up with the safe rate of rise
Utilization of tailings/waste fill for embankment construction
Improves tailings mechanical characteristics through encapsulation and confinement
Reduced carbon footprint
Tailings Dam Capacity Increase
Challenge
When tailings dams reach their capacity the common solution is to build a new tailings storage facility. This creates new environmental risks, increases capital outlay and new land requirements.
Solution
Our sustainable waste storage solutions provide greater utilization of current waste disposal space through increasing vertical storage capacity of existing tailings dams using SoilTain® tubes, Fortrac® geogrid reinforcement and Tektoseal® Clay barriers.
Advantages
Better utilization of waste material to construct stable embankments
Efficient use of existing tailings dam footprint
Reduction of environmental risk
Reduction of capital and operational expenditure
Increase of operational sustainability
Tailings Dams Embankment Stabilization
Challenge
Conventional dams continue to be constructed to greater heights with greater storage volumes. However, the safety record of conventional dams has been steadily improving over the past 40 years, to the point that the probability of the conventional dam failure in any given year is roughly 1 in 10,000. This safety trend is unfortunately not yet the case for mine tailings dams, which are failing at a rate at least ten times higher than that of conventional dams.
Solution
Tailings dams currently have a higher profile within the mining industry compared to any other previous period. HUESKER studies each tailings dam project individually and offers dedicated analysis and embankment stabilization design and supply capabilities, through the incorporation of superior flexible reinforcement geogrids and geotextiles. HUESKER´s geosynthetic solutions are able to withstand and conform to the harsh environments in which tailings dams are often constructed.
Advantages
Dedicated geosynthetic design capabilities
Flexible reinforcement geogrids and geotextiles, which perform to the desired level even the harshest conditions
HUESKER collaborates with our clients, providing economical sustainable design solutions
The combination of responsible design and superior products reduces the risk of failure
Gallery
