Water Management Simulation Around Tailings Impoundments

The mining and quarrying industry produces very large quantities of fine-grained tailings that are generally disposed of in slurry form. The most common tailings disposal method consists in pumping the tailings into dedicated ponds. The ponds’ twofold purpose is to confine the solids within their boundaries and achieve clarification of the process water for re-use. Questions can be raised about the nature of the interactions between a tailings pond and its surroundings. Useful information for tailing impoundment management can be obtained by simulation of both the impoundment filling process with that of water seepage. In this article, the authors present a simulation environment that combines dynamic prediction of the behavior of a tailing pond by sediment transport and consolidation modeling, with simulation of ground water seepage. It is concluded that computer simulation could become a powerful tool for assisting professionals with design, operation and monitoring of tailings ponds.