A new laboratory apparatus for measuring leakage through geomembrane holes beneath mine tailings

Abstract

The design and performance of a new laboratory apparatus for measuring leakage through geomembrane holes beneath mine tailings is presented. Finite element seepage analysis shows a negligible effect of the lateral boundary on leakage through the geomembrane hole and that the laboratory apparatus provides an excellent idealization of the deep burial conditions expected in the field. Results from four experiments are then reported to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new apparatus and gain insight on the effect of having a low permeable layer on top of the geomembrane on leakage, as may be expected for containment applications involving mine tailings. Two of the experiments simulated having fine grained tailings above the geomembrane (containing a 10 mm diameter hole) in a deep tailings storage facility with applied vertical and pore pressures of 3000 and 1500 kPa. Leakage through the hole with low permeable layer on top of the geomembrane was found to be two to four times smaller than the leakage from two other experiments with a very high permeable layer above the geomembrane (i.e., much more like a solid waste landfill configuration).