Guidelines for Transporting and Stacking Dewatered Tailings
Author: Christopher S. Olsen FLSmidth Application Specialist in Mining Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
The handling and stacking of dewatered tailings can be handled with either ground haulage vehicles or with belt conveyor systems. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages with transporting and stacking dewatered tailings. Lab testing and analysis have identified that mine waste tailings characteristics vary widely between mine samples due mostly to the ore’s mineral composition, particle size distribution, and moisture content. The characteristics of the mine’s dewatered tailings along with the tailings throughput capacities are used to determine the most economical and safest method of transporting and stacking.
This paper will explore the transportation and stacking methods to evaluate when each method should be used, strategies on how the tailings should be stacked, and guidelines for safe and efficient transportation and stacking at the tailings storage facility. This paper aims to demonstrate different approaches to transporting and stacking tailings that will help mine owners determine which methods will be successful for their tailings handling operations.