What is mine waste and tailings?4 answersMine waste and tailings refer to the residual materials left over after the valuable components have been extracted from rocks during mining activities. These materials, such as tailings, are produced in large quantities globally and are traditionally disposed of in landfills, posing environmental and health risks. However, there is a growing emphasis on the sustainable management and utilization of mine waste and tailings. Various applications have been explored, including their use in civil, mining, agriculture, and infrastructure projects, such as in bricks, concrete, soil stabilization, and leakage prevention through geomembranes. Efforts are being made to develop innovative protocols for the environmentally friendly exploitation of mine waste, aiming to reduce ecological footprints and transition mining activities towards sustainability.
What are the main failures modes of tailings stack?4 answersThe main failure modes of tailings dams include slope instability, overtopping, liquefaction-related instabilities, foundation failure, erosion, and structural failure. These failure modes can lead to the collapse of the dams and subsequent environmental impacts. Slope instability is the most common cause of failure, followed by overtopping and liquefaction-related instabilities. Foundation failure and erosion also contribute to dam failures. Structural failure is another significant failure mode. In some cases, the causes of failure are unknown. It is important to address these failure modes and implement prevention and remediation measures to enhance the stability and safety of tailings dams. Additionally, other factors such as seismicity and piping can also contribute to dam failures.
What are the different methods for simulating dam break?5 answersDifferent methods for simulating dam break include the Flow-3D model, smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, large eddy simulation (LES), k-ε turbulence models, laminar models, Hydraulic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System (HEC-RAS), and the material point method. The Flow-3D model accurately simulates dam-break flow characteristics over rough beds and structures. The SPH method, along with a novel boundary model, provides close results to experimental studies for free-surface and velocity profiles. HEC-RAS is used to analyze dam break scenarios, predict breach parameters, and generate inundation maps. The numerical simulation method proposed for concrete faced sand-gravel dams accurately simulates erosion, scour, and the failure process of the dam. The material point method, based on continuum mixture theory, accurately predicts failure rate parameters and captures water and soil interaction during dam breaches.
What are mine tailings?5 answersMine tailings are the residual materials left over after the extraction and beneficiation of ores in mining activities. They consist of fine-grained material with high concentrations of metals, salts, and other toxic elements. Mine tailings are a major environmental concern due to their potential hazards to surrounding ecosystems, including water bodies and forests. They can lead to pollution, metal leaching, and acid mine drainage, posing threats to soil, water resources, and human health. However, mine tailings also present opportunities for remediation and resource recovery. They can be treated in-situ using natural processes like bioremediation and phytoremediation, which involve the use of microorganisms or plants to remove pollutants and restore the ecosystem. Additionally, mine tailings can be utilized as feedstocks for the production of construction materials, contributing to the reduction of environmental contamination and storage facility failures.
Specific gravity of tungsten tailings?2 answersThe specific gravity of tungsten tailings is not mentioned in the abstracts provided.
Fineness of tungsten tailings?2 answersThe fineness of tungsten tailings has been studied in several papers. Zhou Xin-tao found that the content of WO3 in the raw materials ranged from 1×10-6 to 6×10-4, which improved the burnability and formation of Alite in cement clinker. Xing Ke et al. investigated the effects of particle-size distribution on the pore structure properties of coarse tailings used in cemented paste backfill (CPB). They found that the total porosity and small pores decreased with the increase of tailings fineness, and the critical pore diameter was influenced by tailings fineness. Jingping Qiu et al. also focused on the fineness of mill tailings used in CPB, but their abstract was incomplete. Fagui Liu et al. developed a fineness detection method for embedded software, which allowed for real-time monitoring of fineness in a specified process. Youyu Li and Ying Zhang modified tungsten tailings using aluminate as a modifier, and found that the activation index of the modified tailings was 64.5% with an aluminate dosage of 1.2%.