The subject of the paper is the modes and parameters of operation of mineral processing waste storage facilities. Liquid waste storage facilities that accumulate processing products and mine water from several mining enterprises are considered, taking into account climatic factors of influence, technological limitations on the volume of waste. The analysis of the main results shows that environmental safety in the operation of waste storage facilities is based on two principles: to prevent waste overflow over the edges of the embankment dam and to provide a protective layer of liquid over the bottom, which is formed from particles of dusty and clay fractions. The purpose of the study is to scientifically substantiate the possible modes of operation of liquid waste storage of mineral raw materials processing and mining, as well as the creation of methods for calculating their maximum possible volumes entering the storage during the year, taking into account environmental safety. The study used the methodology of logistic systems, in the framework of which storage facilities are considered as a node of accumulation, and its model includes a system of equations describing the height of the water mirror and the bottom level depending on the volume of placers from the water volumes that entered and withdrawn from it during the period of operation, which is analyzed, taking into account the geometric features of the storage bowl. As a result, a mathematical model of liquid waste storage, which accumulates processing products and mine water from several mining enterprises, has been developed, taking into account climatic factors of influence, technological limitations on waste volumes. This model allows to determine the level of the free surface mirror in any month of the year, as well as to calculate changes in the current height of the free surface mirror in the storage for any period of time. On the basis of these formulas and ecological safety requirements at operation of artificial storages of wastes from processing of mineral raw materials the restrictions on volumes of wastes which enter the storage during a year, or during spring months have been received. The use of these restrictions allowed to determine and justify the rational values of capacities on salable concentrates of mining enterprises, duration of their downtime for a certain period of the year. Keywords: storage of mineral processing waste, height of the water mirror, environmental safety of operation.