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Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment, 2nd Edition
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Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Mineralogy and Biogeochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 14279

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Masoud Zare-Naghadehi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Geotechnical Engineering Department, Universal Engineering Sciences (UES), Atlanta, GA, USA
Interests: risk assessment for geo-engineering projects; rock mechanics and geotechnical engineering; monitoring and data analytics; artificial intelligence, systems, and probabilistic analyses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Javad Sattarvand

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
Interests: artificial intelligence; data analysis; image processing; machine learning; robotics; resource estimation; production planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Large quantities of tailings are produced and accumulated as a result of the mining of mineral resources and the chemical and mechanical separation processes of mineral extraction. These waste materials are need to be reasonably managed to prevent them from entering adjacent environmental ecosystems. The slurry of waste material is often contained in large basins that are constructed by dams; these are called tailing dams, and are among some of the world’s largest engineered structures. In recent years, there has bene an increase in the number mining tailings dam failures and the discharge of vast volumes of tailings into the natural environment, many of which have caused significant harm to infrastructure and human lives. Therefore, there is a current demand for a broader understanding of the physical and mechanical properties of these complex geotechnical structures, an understanding their geometrical design, an analysis of the failure mechanisms, as well as the development of thorough monitoring technologies and management systems.

Subsequent to the successful publication of the 1st Edition of this Special Issue, this 2nd Edition aims to report recent advances in the characterization, design, monitoring, and risk assessment of mine tailings dams, as well as the evaluation of standards and guidelines for these purposes. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, those covered by the keyword list below.

Dr. Masoud Zare-Naghadehi
Dr. Javad Sattarvand
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • characterization of tailings deposits
  • geotechnical and condition monitoring of tailings dams
  • design issues and parameters of tailings dams
  • geotechnical and managerial risk assessment of tailings projects
  • case histories of failures or good design practices
  • modeling and simulation of tailings flows resulting from dam failure
  • dewatering technologies
  • closure of mine tailings dams
  • standards and guidelines
  • innovative tailings management approaches
  • environmental issues related to active/closed dams (such as dust emission, etc.)

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 6741 KiB  
Article
Geotechnical and Hydrogeological Zonation of Tailings Storage Facilities: Importance for Design, Construction, Operation, and Closure
by Roberto Rodríguez-Pacheco, Joanna Butlanska and Aldo Onel Oliva-González
Minerals 2025, 15(2), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15020105 - 22 Jan 2025
Viewed by 825
Abstract
This study introduces a conceptual model for understanding the hydromechanical behavior and zonation within tailings storage facilities (TSFs) constructed using the hydraulic backfill method, which constitutes over 98% of TSFs worldwide. The model identifies four distinct zones—dike, discharge, transition, and distal—each characterized by [...] Read more.
This study introduces a conceptual model for understanding the hydromechanical behavior and zonation within tailings storage facilities (TSFs) constructed using the hydraulic backfill method, which constitutes over 98% of TSFs worldwide. The model identifies four distinct zones—dike, discharge, transition, and distal—each characterized by unique physical, geotechnical, and hydraulic properties. Key findings highlight gradients in parameters which systematically vary from the dam toward the settling pond. This study observes that seven parameters such as grain size, friction angle, shear strength, dry density, permeability, shear wave velocities, and liquefaction capacity decrease in value from the dike to the lagoon. Conversely, thirteen parameters such as fine content, porosity, cohesion, plasticity, degree of saturation, volumetric and gravimetric water content, capillary height, specific and volumetric surface of tailings, suction, air and water entry value in the soil water characteristic curve increase in value from the dike to the lagoon. These trends underscore the complex behavior of tailings and their implications for stability, drainage, and environmental impact. By integrating geological, geotechnical, hydrogeological, and geophysical data, this study provides a holistic framework for TSF management, addressing both current challenges and long-term environmental considerations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment, 2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 4203 KiB  
Article
Impact of Inline Polyacrylamide Polymer Flocculation on the Mechanical and Hydrological Properties of Saline Tailings
by Bob Boshrouyeh, Mansour Edraki, Thomas Baumgartl, Allan Costine, Sebastian Quintero Olaya, Kateřina Lepková and Deepak Dwivedi
Minerals 2024, 14(11), 1180; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14111180 - 20 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1013
Abstract
This study examines the geotechnical and hydro-mechanical behaviour of a model slurry used in high-solids, high-salinity applications, both before and after inline flocculation with an anionic polyacrylamide. Initial evaluations showed untreated tailings (UT) with a water content of 107%, void ratio of 2.6, [...] Read more.
This study examines the geotechnical and hydro-mechanical behaviour of a model slurry used in high-solids, high-salinity applications, both before and after inline flocculation with an anionic polyacrylamide. Initial evaluations showed untreated tailings (UT) with a water content of 107%, void ratio of 2.6, and dry density of 0.711 t/m3, compared to polymer-amended tailings (PAT) with 53% water content, a void ratio of 1.6, and a dry density of 1.069 t/m3. Post-flocculation consolidometer tests revealed a distinct consolidation mode, with PAT showing 60% less settlement within the first 48 h and achieving 50% more free water drainage. Polymer treatment improved consolidation parameters, yielding a lower compressibility index (Cc of 0.74 vs. 1.05 for raw slurry), a higher coefficient of consolidation (Cv of 0.005 cm2/s for PAT vs. 0.0009 cm2/s for raw slurry), and an increased water retention capacity. Additionally, PAT demonstrated a final void ratio of 0.62 compared to 0.51 for the UT sample and an internal porosity characterised by discrete voids, supporting enhanced stability for long-term rehabilitation. These findings underscore the potential of inline flocculation to improve tailings management in saline conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment, 2nd Edition)
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13 pages, 4902 KiB  
Article
Granular Soils and Contaminant Modeling in Tailing Dams
by Hadi Farhadian, Behshad Jodeiri Shokri and Ali Mirzaghorbanali
Minerals 2024, 14(11), 1134; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14111134 - 9 Nov 2024
Viewed by 811
Abstract
The granular soils of tailings, encompassing clay, gravel, sand, and silt, play a pivotal role in the behavior and stability of tailings dams. Different types of granular soils significantly influence the tailings material’s strength, compressibility, and permeability. This study highlights the importance of [...] Read more.
The granular soils of tailings, encompassing clay, gravel, sand, and silt, play a pivotal role in the behavior and stability of tailings dams. Different types of granular soils significantly influence the tailings material’s strength, compressibility, and permeability. This study highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between soil types and contaminant properties when analyzing solute transport through numerical modeling. Consequently, various soil types were incorporated into the initial tailings dam model to simulate contaminant transport based on solute transport analysis. The findings underscored the essential role of granular soils in contaminant dispersion within tailings dams. Finer particles, such as clay and silt, demonstrated higher adsorption capacities, which slow contaminant movement. In contrast, coarser materials, like sand and gravel, enable faster transport, increasing the potential for rapid dispersion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment, 2nd Edition)
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Review

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28 pages, 4159 KiB  
Review
A Review of Tailings Dam Safety Monitoring Guidelines and Systems
by Masoud Zare, Florida Nasategay, Jose A. Gomez, Arsham Moayedi Far and Javad Sattarvand
Minerals 2024, 14(6), 551; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14060551 - 27 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4955
Abstract
The awareness of tailings dam safety monitoring has widened due to the recent disasters caused by failures of such structures. The failure rate of tailings dams worldwide (i.e., the percentage of failed dams out of total) is estimated at 1.2%, compared to the [...] Read more.
The awareness of tailings dam safety monitoring has widened due to the recent disasters caused by failures of such structures. The failure rate of tailings dams worldwide (i.e., the percentage of failed dams out of total) is estimated at 1.2%, compared to the 0.01% rate for traditional water dams. Most of the tailings dam monitoring guidelines suggest that the owner develops a robust surveillance program to detect possible indicators of potential failures. This paper presents a thorough review of major guidelines on tailings storage facility (TSF) monitoring and surveillance, the visual parameters to be monitored, as well as good practice in the development of monitoring systems. This paper reviews the recent literature with an emphasis on the development of monitoring systems utilizing sensors, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and satellite images that may be considered as supplementary guarantees against failure events. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment, 2nd Edition)
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Other

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34 pages, 9922 KiB  
Systematic Review
Sensor Technologies for Safety Monitoring in Mine Tailings Storage Facilities: Solutions in the Industry 4.0 Era
by Carlos Cacciuttolo, Valentina Guzmán, Patricio Catriñir and Edison Atencio
Minerals 2024, 14(5), 446; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14050446 - 24 Apr 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5617
Abstract
The recent tailings storage facility (TSF) dam failures recorded around the world have concerned society in general, forcing the mining industry to improve its operating standards, invest greater economic resources, and implement the best available technologies (BATs) to control TSFs for safety purposes [...] Read more.
The recent tailings storage facility (TSF) dam failures recorded around the world have concerned society in general, forcing the mining industry to improve its operating standards, invest greater economic resources, and implement the best available technologies (BATs) to control TSFs for safety purposes and avoid spills, accidents, and collapses. In this context, and as the era of digitalization and Industry 4.0 continues, monitoring technologies based on sensors have become increasingly common in the mining industry. This article studies the state of the art of implementing sensor technologies to monitor structural health and safety management issues in TSFs, highlighting advances and experiences through a review of the scientific literature on the topic. The methodology applied in this article adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and utilizes scientific maps for data visualization. To do so, three steps were implemented: (i) a quantitative bibliometric analysis, (ii) a qualitative systematic review of the literature, and (iii) a mixed review to integrate the findings from (i) and (ii). As a result, this article presents the main advances, gaps, and future trends regarding the main characteristics of the sensor technologies applied to monitor TSF structural health and safety management in the era of digitalization. According to the results, the existing research predominantly investigates certain TSF sensor technologies, such as wireless real-time monitoring, remote sensors (RS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned survey vessels (USVs), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing (CC), and Internet of Things (IoT) approaches, among others. These technologies stand out for their potential to improve the safety management monitoring of mine tailings, which is particularly significant in the context of climate change-related hazards, and to reduce the risk of TSF failures. They are recognized as emerging smart mining solutions with reliable, simple, scalable, secure, and competitive characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tailings Dams: Design, Characterization, Monitoring, and Risk Assessment, 2nd Edition)
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