Identification of Flow Zones Inside and at the Base of a Uranium Mine Tailings Dam Using Geophysics

Arcila, Erika Juliana Aldana; Moreira, César Augusto; Camarero, Pedro Lemos; Casagrande, Matheus Felipe Stanfoca

doi:10.1007/s10230-020-00746-y

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…In order to control seepage in a tailings dam, there exist some drainage measures in an actual tailings dam, such as drainage gravel, blanket drain [ 27 ], drainage mat [ 28 ], and drainage tube [ 29 , 30 ]. The distribution of these drainage structures is seriously complex.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Suggested Equivalent Method for a Drainage Structure to Analyze Seepage in Tailings Dam

Zhang

Shen²,

Liu³

et al. 2022

Materials

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To better understand the seepage field in tailings dam with a drainage structure that combines drainage mat, drainage tube, and geotextile, an equivalent seepage analysis method for the drainage structure is presented. In the method, an equivalent drainage structure is suggested to replace the original drainage. It has enough size to be easily presented in the three-dimensional (3d) model of a tailings dam. According to a back analysis procedure using the quasi-3d models of a tailings dam with original and equivalent drainage structures, the material properties of the equivalent drainage structure can be obtained under the principle of drainage capacity equivalence. It is demonstrated that the suggested method is accurate enough to capture the seepage field in a tailings dam based on comparing the calculated and measured phreatic lines in a tailings dam for verification. Then, the method is employed to investigate the seepage field in a tailings dam in China for a case study. The rise of water level, damage of drainage structure, or increase of tailings discharge speed and time will lift up phreatic line. After terminating tailings discharge, phreatic line will first rise and then fall. The effect of tailings discharge on phreatic line will almost disappear after terminating tailings discharge for 24 h.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Suggested Equivalent Method for a Drainage Structure to Analyze Seepage in Tailings Dam

Zhang

Shen²,

Liu³

et al. 2022

Materials

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“…Geophysical methods may be employed to trace the flooded areas and directions of water infiltration, as well as areas of pollution around the dump, including minerals redeposited by aeolian processes: authigenic or detrital. Many researchers emphasize the indispensability of geophysical methods for studying the internal structure of waste rock piles and migration of pollutants [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current State of the Gold Mining Waste from the Ores of the Ursk Deposit (Western Siberia, Russia)

et al. 2022

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The article presents the original results of the investigation of sulfide-bearing mine tailings dumps (Ursk, Western Siberia, Russia), the adjacent territory, and acid mine drainage flows. The novelty of this study is related to integration of geophysical and geochemical data. The geoelectrical structure of the dump and the drainage valley was determined using the electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method. Magnetic anomalies above the surface of the site were identified using ground magnetic surveys. The orthophotomap and a digital elevation model were obtained on the basis of aerial photography from an unmanned aircraft. The model of thermal imaging allows us to identify a number of temperature anomalies in the upper part of the dump slope and filtration zone in the drainage valley, caused by exothermic reactions. The digital relief model was constructed comprising three zones: (1) oxidation, (2) leaching, and (3) mixing and dilution. The oxidation zone is marked by low electrical resistivity (1–10 Ω·m), low pH values of the drainage waters (pH 3.61), low values of the modulus of the magnetic induction vector, and heating by +5 °C compared to the solid dump material that is not actively exposed to water. The oxidative conditions and low pH values favor the dilution of the Fe2+ compounds in the drainage solutions, which also contain Cu (3000 μg/L), Pb (1200 μg/L), As (1300 μg/L), and Hg (34 μg/L). The zone of the primary geochemical barrier is formed within the first 400 m, where the major proportion of dissolved elements if deposited. The second iron–aluminum sorption geochemical barrier is formed at a distance of 1000 m at the mixing zone with the Ur River. The stable geochemistry of surface waters, formed due to the inflow of drainage waters into the Ur River and further into the reservoir, persists at a distance of up to 7.7 km from the dump.

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Non-invasive geophysical imaging and facies analysis in mining tailings

Canales

Kozlovskaya

Lunkka

et al. 2021

Journal of Applied Geophysics

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Identification of Flow Zones Inside and at the Base of a Uranium Mine Tailings Dam Using Geophysics

Cited by 7 publications

References 23 publications

A Suggested Equivalent Method for a Drainage Structure to Analyze Seepage in Tailings Dam

A Suggested Equivalent Method for a Drainage Structure to Analyze Seepage in Tailings Dam

Current State of the Gold Mining Waste from the Ores of the Ursk Deposit (Western Siberia, Russia)

Non-invasive geophysical imaging and facies analysis in mining tailings

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