What are the different types of tailings storage

facilities (TSF)?

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The mining industry generally agrees that one area where mining firms need

to focus on is the management of tailings storage facilities. These materials

are often toxic and can cause major environmental hazards if not properly

contained and managed. Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF) are designed to safely

store left over mined materials.

Background

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT T YPES OF TAILINGS STOR AGE FACILITIES?

• Ponds and dams

• Paste tailings

• Dry stacking

• Underground storage

• Submarine tailings

• Phytostabilisation

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The main types of TSF’s explained

PONDS AND DAMS

Ponds and dams are most frequently used when refuse materials are collected in a

slurry, a mixture of waste material and water. Tailings ponds are used to store slurry,

allowing solid materials to collect as sedimentation. Dams are often constructed to

prevent spillage of waste material. The advantage of a tailings pond and dam

system is to prevent fine tailings’ exposure to wind, and thus transportation

outside of the immediate area.

01

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PASTE TAILINGS

Paste tailings are similar to tailings ponds, but use paste

thickeners to increase the percentage of solid material

in the slurry. In paste tailings, more water is recycled but

material transportation costs tend to be higher.

02

DRY STACKING

Tailings can be “dewatered,” removing liquids from

the solid material using vacuum or pressure filters.

The remaining dry tailings can be stacked and moved

as needed.

03Source: WesTech Engineering

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UNDERGROUND STOR AGE

Tailings are mixed with other waste materials and

cement, which can then be used to backfill underground

voids and stopes.04

SUBMARINE TAILINGS

This method uses a pipe to discharge tailings directly

into the ocean. As such, it is highly controversial.05Source: PNG Mine Watch

Source: Barrick Gold

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PHY TOSTABILISATION

Using hyperaccumulator plants (capable of growing in high concentrations of metals,

absorbing these metals through their roots, and concentrating extremely high levels

of metals in their tissues) to both absorb pollutants, reducing wind and water erosion.

This provides and area around the plants where materials can stabilize, reducing

environmental exposure to pollutants.

06

Reducing environmental exposure to pollutants

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How to effectively monitor your tailings storage facility

SatelliteImagery

SatelliteInSAR

DroneInspections

WeatherModelling

BoreMonitoring

Pond Water LevelMonitoring

Drone: ThermalMonitoring

Piezometer (VWP)Monitoring

Ground Based Radar & Lidar

UnderdrainSump Levels

StabilityMonitoring

SurveyPins

VehicleTracking

StandpipeMonitoring

SeismicMonitoring

CCTVMonitoring

DustMonitoring

Guage Monitoring

Flow MeterMonitoring

TechnicalInspectionsChemical

Laboratory

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No other solution on the market brings so many critical components of tailings monitoring and management together like

K2fly. Centralise data from IoT devices, LiDAR, radar, CCTV, drones, inspections and remote sensing into one location to

potential failure modes. K2fly collects real time earth observation data from a variety of sources including Satellite imagery

(Landsat and Sentinel) and drones so you can make informed decisions fast. The Dams & Tailings solution is built to adhere

to industry best practice and compliance requirements such as the Investor Mining and Tailings Safety Initiative, ICMM,

Global Tailings Portal, PRI, UNEP and the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management so that collating and disclosing

tailings data can be done with strong governance, confidence and accuracy.

K2fly’s Dams & Tailings

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√ View real-time data and receive exceedance alerts

√ Monitor land movement with remote sensing and InSAR datasets

√ Visualise real-time LiDAR data with insights into dam movement

√ Securely store and access all of your tailings data in the one place

√ Upload and reference key documentation

√ Visualise facilities across multiple sites in a single screen on a geospatial map

√ Monitor your facilities with InSAR, LiDAR, DEM and more

√ Capture a wide range of monitoring data and indicators such as surface and groundwater, decant pond water levels and quality, and embankment conditions

√ Capture and track obligations and conditions around your licence to operate to manage your key risks and actions

√ Action and task delegation for data collection with reminders

√ Maintain and track environmental monitoring compliance limits and exceedances

√ Manage and engage with all of your stakeholders with one central repository

√ Convert your engagements into actionable outcomes

√ Forecast, plan and track your sites activities using IBM’s Weather data

√ Create corporate report templates and meet requests for data provision from industry groups such as ICMM, Global Tailings Portal, PRI and UNEP

√ Integration capability with third party systems and public portals such as the Global Tailings Portal

Why K2fly?

TAKE A FREE TOUR

See your own operations and data in our platform with a free tour or 30 minute, commitment-free, guided session.

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Web

k2fly.com

Phone

+61 (08) 6333 1833

Locations

Australia | Level 1, Grand Central 26 Railway Road Subiaco WA

North America | 151 W. 1st Avenue, Denver, CO

South Africa | U5, 8 Bauhinia St, Highveld Techno Park , Centurion

Solutions for net positive impact