What Are Tailings and Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs)?
Tailings are the by-products left behind after the processing of mined ore. They consist of finely ground rock, unrecoverable or uneconomic metals, chemicals, organic matter, and effluent from the extraction process. Managing tailings effectively is critical for sustainable and safe mining operations.
Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs)
TSFs are engineered structures designed to store tailings generated by mining activities. These facilities are dynamic and evolve over the mine's lifecycle to accommodate increasing volumes of tailings.
Types of TSFs:
Surface Facilities:
Includes paddock-style or valley-fill designs.
May comprise multiple dams (or cells) with interconnected walls that share structural similarities.
In-Pit Facilities:
Constructed within mined-out pits to store tailings.
Dry Stack Facilities:
Utilise filtered tailings, which are stacked and compacted, minimising water content and reducing environmental risks.
How Do TSFs Differ from Conventional Water Dams?
The key differences between TSFs and water dams lie in their purpose, construction, and adaptability:
Purpose:
TSFs are designed to store tailings (waste material from mining).
Water dams are built to store and manage water for various uses.
Construction Process:
TSFs are dynamic and often expanded throughout the life of a mine to accommodate more tailings.
Water dams are typically built in a single construction phase.
Materials:
TSFs are constructed using earth and rock waste materials from the mine.
Water dams may include earth, rock, concrete, and other materials.
Types of TSF Construction
The design of a TSF depends on several factors, including:
Location: Whether on the surface, in a valley, or within a pit.
Site Conditions: Geological, seismic, and climatic considerations.
Available Construction Materials: Earth, rock, or waste materials.
Tailings Characteristics: The physical and chemical properties of the tailings.
Effective management and design of tailings storage facilities are essential for ensuring environmental and operational safety. With advances in tailings technology, such as dry stacking, mining operations can reduce environmental impact while maintaining efficiency.
Explore Tailings Management Solutions with Phibion
Phibion leads the way in innovative tailings management with advanced technologies like the MudMaster and Accelerated Mechanical Consolidation (AMC).
Our cutting-edge solutions provide in-situ tailings dewatering, compaction, and consolidation, enabling:
Efficient Water Removal: Reducing water content directly at the source for safer and more sustainable tailings management.
Enhanced Tailings Strength: Increasing stability and operational safety while supporting progressive rehabilitation.
Sustainability Aligned with Global Standards: Meeting the requirements of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) and reducing environmental impact.
Why Choose In-Situ Dewatering with Phibion?
The MudMaster and AMC technologies offer the safest scalable and cost-effective solutions to manage tailings without extensive infrastructure upgrades. By focusing on in-situ methods, we help mining operations achieve:
Reduced tailings volume.
Faster consolidation timelines.
Improved site rehabilitation potential.
Transform your tailings management practices today with Phibion’s state-of-the-art technologies. Delivering results that drive operational efficiency, environmental stewardship, and sustainability
The Life Cycle of Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs)
Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs) are dynamic structures that evolve throughout their life cycle, transitioning through several key stages:
Planning and Design:
Initial assessments and designs are tailored to the site-specific conditions, ensuring safety, stability, and compliance with regulatory standards.
Construction:
TSFs are built to accommodate tailings while factoring in future expansions as the mine progresses.
Operations:
During mining operations, tailings are deposited into the TSF. Continuous monitoring ensures the structure remains stable and environmentally compliant.
Closure:
The closure phase begins when tailings deposition ceases.
This phase often lasts longer than the operational phase and includes transitioning from active care to passive care.
Post-Closure:
Once active care requirements decrease, the TSF moves to passive care, involving minimal maintenance.
Rehabilitation efforts, such as earthworks and re-vegetation, may be conducted to restore the site.
Active vs. Passive Care in TSFs
Active Care:
After operations cease, active care focuses on maintaining TSF integrity.
Includes ongoing water management, geochemical controls, and physical stability measures.
Passive Care:
As the TSF stabilises over time, care requirements diminish.
Minimal maintenance is required, with efforts shifting toward environmental rehabilitation and eventual site integration with the surrounding landscape.
Rehabilitation During the TSF Lifecycle
Once the TSF transitions to passive care, rehabilitation activities begin to restore the land. Common steps include:
Earthworks: Reshaping and stabilising the TSF to support vegetation and reduce erosion.
Re-Vegetation: Planting native flora to promote ecosystem recovery and long-term sustainability.
Properly managed TSFs ensure safety during operations and minimise environmental impact during closure and post-closure phases. This comprehensive approach supports sustainable mining practices and helps return the land to a more natural state.
Learn More About TSF Best Practices with Phibion
Phibion’s innovative technologies, including the MudMaster and Accelerated Mechanical Consolidation (AMC), are transforming tailings storage facility (TSF) management across every stage of the life cycle.
Innovative Solutions for TSF Management
Active Care: Use the MudMaster and AMC to enhance in-situ tailings dewatering and compaction, improving stability and operational safety while reducing water content directly at the source.
Rehabilitation and Passive Care: Achieve faster site recovery with advanced consolidation techniques that prepare tailings for long-term sustainability and progressive closure.
Why Phibion?
Meet global sustainability standards, including the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM).
Improve environmental outcomes while reducing operational risks and costs.
Accelerate the transition from active care to passive care with innovative, scalable technologies.
Explore how Phibion’s MudMaster and AMC can help you effectively manage tailings, from active care through to final rehabilitation. Together, we’re addressing environmental and operational challenges while setting new standards for TSF safety and sustainability.
Comments