Risk Analysis of Tailings Dam Failure and Environmental Management Resulting from It

Abstract

The production of processing waste is increasing due to the rise in global population, the increasing demand and consumption of minerals, the decrease in the grade and quality of minerals, and the improvement of processing technology. The most common method of accumulating waste materials is the tailings dam. The failure of a tailings dam will have severe consequences on the environment and the cost of its cleanup.

In this study, the probability of dam failure and its consequences are predicted using the risk analysis method. For this purpose, by studying 306 tailings dams that failed between 1914 and 2024, the factors affecting tailings dam failure were identified. These factors were categorized into four failure mechanisms and then weighted using the priority voting method.

The failure mechanisms and their respective weights are:

• Sloping failure (48.9%)
• Overflow failure (23.7%)
• Gully failure (remaining percentage)

This study provides a comprehensive risk assessment framework for tailings dam failures and proposes effective environmental management strategies to mitigate potential hazards.