Abstract
The use of waste rock inclusions (WRI) in tailings impoundments is a novel technique offering various advantages. It is however relatively new and not yet commonly used, so a few key technical issues must still be addressed to optimize the design of WRI. This paper presents an experimental investigation, conducted as a part of a major research program, aimed at assessing the consolidation behavior of tailings during and shortly after hydraulic deposition and the effects of placing a waste rock inclusion in contact with the tailings. The results of a first series of physical model tests performed in an instrumented column with hard rock tailings deposited in successive layers are presented and analyzed to investigate the evolution of pore water pressures, strains and related consolidation parameters at each stage of filling. The results of a second series of experimental tests on tailings with a cylindrical WRI placed at the center of the physical model are then presented and analysed to evaluate how the inclusion influences drainage and pore water pressure at different locations in the tailings. Numerical simulations are also conducted to further assess the consolidation behavior of tailings during sequential deposition and the influence of the WRI. Additional analyses and discussion of the results are also presented to address complementary aspects.
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