:: Thickened Tailings Methods Reviewed

By thickening tailings to a non-segregating high-density slurry or paste, prior to disposal, it is possible to create a self-supporting stack, or hill, of tailings removing the need for a conventional tailings dam, which is basically a mass of unconsolidated tailings together with a large volume of process water held back by large impoundment walls.

As real examples become more common, and as mines develop in more seismically active and arid areas, the importance of thickened tailings technology looks set to rise.

A comprehensive review can be found in the July 2007 issue of Mining Magazine (pps. 33-39).