Experience on application of continuous drain trench during the remediation of tailings ponds in Hungary

Abstract

In the course of the four-decade-lasting uranium ore mining in Hungary two tailings ponds of altogether 165 ha area were constructed, in which approx. 20.3 million tons of solid material and about 32 million m³ of technological solutions were dumped. The ore production was finished in 1997, now remediation takes place. A decontamination system was built treat the underground water pollution developed in the surroundings of tailing ponds. The free water was removed from the tailings ponds, reshaping and covering of tailing ponds and, previously to them, the stabilization of fine-grain tailing surface are on their way. In the course of remediation activities, horizontal drains were used for removing of contaminated groundwater for the stabilization of a previously damaged dam section and for the acceleration of the consolidation of fine tailing surface. The paper presents the experiences of application, with special regard to the results achieved during the application for the acceleration of the consolidation of fine tailings.