Abstract
The co-disposition of mine tailings and waste rock in tailings storage facilities (TSFs) could contribute to increase the consolidation rate and decrease long-term settlement of tailings. Non-linear change of tailings properties during the filling process and interaction between tailings and waste rock inclusion (WRI) are critical to mechanical analysis but can, however, be complicated to simulate. The question of net volume gains or losses of tailings was also raised. In this study, fully coupled analysis which considered continuous variation of hydraulic conductivity and stiffness of tailings were performed to assess the evolution of consolidation of various tailings types in the presence of WRI. Effects of volume ratio of tailings over WRI on the net volume was investigated. Finally, effect of several practical aspects such as filling rates, and instantaneous filling assumption were considered. Results indicated that WRI could increase by 3.3 times the rate of consolidation of tailings. The zone of influence of WRI on tailings consolidation varied for each tailings. Using updated properties showed significant differences compared to models with constant values. The application of WRI can reduce volume available for the storage of tailings and net volumetric change due to settlement of the tailings with or without WRI could be estimated explicitly. Equations predicting evolution of net volume with the changes in the volume ratio of tailings and WRI were accordingly proposed. WRI effects were more pronounced with the increase of the filling rate. Finally, instantaneous filling assumption had little effect on the simulated rate of consolidation.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
All data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author upon request.
References
Agapito LA, Bareither CA (2018) Application of a one-dimensional large-strain consolidation model to a full-scale tailings storage facility. Minerals Eng 119:38–48
Aubertin M, Bussière B, Pabst T, et al (2016) Review of reclamation techniques for acid generating mine wastes upon closure of disposal sites. In: Geo-Chicago 2016, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Aubertin M (2013) Waste rock disposal to improve the geotechnical and geochemical stability of piles. In: 23rd World Mining Congress. Montreal, Canada
Aubertin M (2018) Waste rock inclusions in tailings impoundment: analysis (and design) based on the Canadian Malartic Mine. In: Mines and the environment. Rouyn Noranda, Quebec, Canada
Azam S, Li Q (2010) Tailings Dam Failures: A Review of the Last One Hundred Years. Geotechnical news 28:50-53
Bartholomeeusen G, Sills GC, Znidarčić D et al (2002) Sidere: numerical prediction of large-strain consolidation. Géotechnique 52:639–648
Bhuiyan I, Azam S, Landine P (2015) Consolidation behavior of a uranium tailings storage. Fac Saskatch 19:4015005
Blight GE (2010) Geotechnical engineering for mine waste storage facilities. CRC Press
Bolduc LF, Aubertin M (2014) Numerical investigation of the influence of waste rock inclusions on tailings consolidation. Can Geotech J 51:1021–1032
Boudrias G (2018) Évaluation numérique et expérimentale du drainage et de la consolidation de résidus miniers à proximité d’une inclusion de roches stériles. Master Thesis, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Canada
Bussière B, Guittonny M (2020) Hard rock mine reclamation from prediction to management of acid mine drainage. CRC Press
Chapuis RP, Aubertin M (2003) On the use of the Kozeny-Carman equation to predict the hydraulic conductivity of soils. Can Geotech J 40:616–628
Coffin J (2010) A 3D Model for Slurry Storage Facilities. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Braja D (2010) Principles of geotechnical engineering. Cengage Learning
Essayad K, Aubertin M (2021) Consolidation of hard rock tailings under positive and negative pore-water pressures. Test Proced Exp Results 58:49–65
Ferdosi B, James M, Aubertin M (2015) Effect of waste rock inclusions on the seismic stability of an upstream raised tailings impoundment. Num Invest 52:1930–1944
Fredlund M, Donaldson M, Chaudhary K (2015) Pseudo 3-D deposition and large-strain consolidation modeling of tailings deep deposits. In: Tailings and Mine Waste. Vancouver, BC
Han J (2015) Principles and practice of ground improvement. Wiley
Hansbo S, Jamiolkowski M, Kok L (1981) Consolidation by vertical drains. Géotechnique 31:45–66
Indraratna B, Rujikiatkamjorn C, Balasubramaniam AS, McIntosh G (2012) Soft ground improvement via vertical drains and vacuum assisted preloading. Geotext Geomembr 30:16–23
Itasca (2021) FLAC3D 7.0 (Fast lagrangian analysis of continua in 3 dimensions) User Manual. Itasca Consulting Group, Inc
Jahanbakhshzadeh A, Aubertin M, Yniesta S, Zafarani A (2019) On the seismic response of tailings dikes constructed with the upstream and center-line methods. In: 72nd Canadian Geotechnical Conference (GEO 2019). St. John’s, Canada
James M (2009) The use of waste rock inclusions to control the effects of liquefaction in tailings impoundments. PhD Thesis, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Canada
Jaouhar EM, Aubertin M, James M (2013) The effect of tailings properties on their consolidation near waste rock inclusions. In: GeoMontréal 2013. Montréal, Canada
Lévesque R (2019) Consolidation des résidus miniers dans les fosses en présence d’inclusions de roches stériles. Master Thesis, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Canada
Li L, Aubertin M (2009) A three-dimensional analysis of the total and effective stresses in submerged backfilled stopes. Geotech Geol Eng 27:559–569
Liu J, Znidarčić D (1991) Modeling one dimensional compression characteristics of soils. J Geotech Eng 117:162–169
Matt G (2015) Geotechnical Characterization of Bauxite Residue. Ph.D. Thesis, The University of Texas at Austin, USA
Mbonimpa M, Aubertin M, Chapuis RP, Bussière B (2002) Practical pedotransfer functions for estimating the saturated hydraulic conductivity. Geotech Geol Eng 20:235–259
McDonald L, Lane JC (2010) Consolidation of in-Pit tailings. Mine Waste 2010. Perth Australia (pp. 49-62)
MEND (2015) MEND report 2.36.1 In-pit disposal of reactive mine wastes: approaches, update and case study results
Morgenstern N, Vick S, Viotti C, Watts B (2016) Report on the Immediate Causes of the Failure of the Fundão Dam. Fundão Tailings Dam Review Panel
Morris PH (2002) Analytical solutions of linear finite-strain one-dimensional consolidation. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 128:319–326
Newson T, Dyer T, Adam C, Sharp S (2006) Effect of structure on the geotechnical. Propert Baux Res 132:143–151
Nguyen D, Pabst T (2020) Comparative experimental study of consolidation properties of hard rock mine tailings. 73rd Canadian Geotechnical Conference (GeoVirtual 2020), Online
Nicolas P, Michel A, Michael J (2012) Seismic table investigation of the effect of inclusions on the cyclic. Behav Tail 49:416–426
Priestley D (2011) Modeling multidimensional large strain consolidation of tailings. Master Thesis, University of British Columbia, Canada
Robertson PK, Lucas de Melo, David J. Williams, Wilson. GW (2019) Report of the Expert Panel on the Technical Causes of the Failure of Feijão Dam I
Saleh-Mbemba F, Aubertin M (2021a) Physical model testing and analysis of hard rock tailings consolidation considering the effect of a drainage inclusion. Geotech Geol Eng 39:2777–2798
Saleh-Mbemba F, Aubertin M (2021b) Physical and numerical modelling of drainage and consolidation of tailings near a vertical waste rock inclusion. 0:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2020-0372
Schiffman RL (1982) The consolidation of soft marine sediments. Geo-Mar Lett 2:199–203
Shahsavari M, Grabinsky M (2015) Mine backfill porewater pressure dissipation: numerical predictions and field measurements. In: 68th Canadian Geotechnical Conference. Québec, Canada
Somogyi F (1976) Dewatering And Drainage Of Red Mud Tailings. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Michigan, USA
Somogyi F (1980) Large Strain Consolidation of Fine Grained Slurries. In: the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering. Winnipeg, Manitoba
Townsend M (1990) SOA: large strain consolidation predictions. J Geotech Eng 116:222–243
van Eekelen SJM, Bezuijen A, van Tol AF (2013) An analytical model for arching in piled embankments. Geotext Geomemb 39:78–102
Vick SG (1990) Planning. BiTech Publishers Ltd, Vancouver, BC, Design and analysis of tailings dams
Yang P (2016) Investigation of the geomechanical behavior of mine backfill and its interaction with rock walls and barricades. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Canada
Zhang J, Yao Z, Wang K et al (2021) Sustainable utilization of bauxite residue (Red Mud) as a road material in pavements: a critical review. Constr Build Mater 270:121419
Zhou, Amodio A, Boylan N (2019) Informed mine closure by multi-dimensional modelling of tailings deposition and consolidation. Mine Closure 2019, Perth, Australia
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to the financial support from Fonds de recherche du Québec—Nature et Technologies (FRQNT) and partners of Research Institute on Mines and the Environment (RIME UQAT—Polytechnique; http://rime-irme.ca/en). The authors also gratefully acknowledge Dr. Huy Tran, Dr. Kazim and Itasca technical support team for their valuable support and comments to improve the code in this study.
Funding
This work was supported by the Fond de Recherche du Québec - Nature et Technologie (FRQNT, Grant Number 2017-MI-202116) and from the industrial partners of the Research Institute on Mines and the Environment (RIME UQATPolytechnique; http://rime-irme.ca/en).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
All authors contributed to the conceptualized models, data analysis. First author performed models and wrote the draft version of the manuscript. All authors commented on draft versions of the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors have not disclosed any competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Nguyen, N.D., Pabst, T. Consolidation behavior of various types of slurry tailings co-disposed with waste rock inclusions: a numerical study. Environ Earth Sci 82, 65 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-10750-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-10750-4