Mine Tailings Storage Facilities Research Articles

The influence of wind dispersion on the presence of cyanobacteria and algae on South African goldmine tailings.

The presence and abundance of cyanobacteria and algae in the air on mine tailings storage facilities that is rehabilitated for different periods were determined.

The presence of sianobacteria and algae in biological soil crusts on South African goldmine tailings

The aim was to investigate the presence of cyanobacteria as well as algae on minetailings storage facilities that have undergone rehabilitation for different periodes of time aswell as to correlate the presence of these species with the physical and chemical characteristicsof the mine tailings.

A semi-empirical approach for estimation of bed shear stress in a tailings pond

Wind-driven waves and currents exert shear stress on the bed of a tailings pond. A semi-empirical approach for estimating this bed shear stress is presented in this paper. For the first time in a mine tailings storage facility, the current-induced component of the bed shear stress was obtained using 1,200-kHz acoustic Doppler current profiler measurements of in situ currents and a log-law fit to the mean velocity profiles, while the wave-induced portion was calculated using empirical wave hindcasting equations. The total bed shear stress was obtained by non-linear addition of wave and current components using a wave–current interaction approach. The study was conducted in the middle cell of the Shebandowan tailings storage facility, northern Ontario, Canada. The measured currents facilitated the visualization of the complex near-bed circulatory flow pattern in the pond. The estimated combined wave–current bed shear stress varied from 0.0006 to 0.16 Pa with an average value of 0.028 Pa. The results also showed that linear addition of bed shear stresses due to waves and currents could underestimate the total bed shear stress. A comparison of the results of the present work to those of previous studies suggests that it is more reliable to obtain current-induced bed shear stress from field measurements than to estimate it from empirical equations.

Evaluation of aeolian emissions from gold mine tailings on the Witwatersrand

Abstract The Witwatersrand is known for the high frequency of aeolian dust storm episodes arising from gold mine tailings storage facilities (TSFs). Source and ambient atmosphere are poorly characterized from the point of view of particle size distribution and human health risk assessment. For years, routine monitoring was limited to sampling of dust fallout ⩾30 μm. Sampling and analyses of source and receptor material was conducted. Thirty-two bulk soils were collected from TSF along the east–west mining corridor, and size distribution analysis was performed in the range 0.05–900 μm using a Malvern® MS-14 Particle Size Analyser. Ambient aerosols in the range 0.25–32 μm were monitored at two separate locations using a Grimm® aerosol monitor, in the vicinity of three large currently active and a dormant TSF. Statistical analyses indicate that TSFs are rich in fine erodible materials, particularly active TSFs. Concentration of ⩽PM5 and ⩽PM10 components in source material was: recent slimes (14–24 vol.%; 22–38 vol.%), older slimes (6–17 vol.%; 11–26 vol.%) and sand (1–8 vol.%; 2–12 vol.%). Concentrations of airborne aerosols were below the South African Department of Environmental Affairs 24-h limit value of 120 μg m−3. With wind speeds exceeding 7 ms−1, ambient concentration reached 2160 μg m−3. This maximum is several times higher than the limit value. Erosion of tailings storage facilities is a strong driver influencing ambient particulate matter loading with adverse health implications for nearby residents.