Geomechanics and Engineering

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An alternative upstream method for the Zhelamuqing tailings impoundment construction of a Copper Mine in China

  • Wei, Zuoan (State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University) ;
  • Chen, Yulong (School of Energy and Mining Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology) ;
  • Yin, Guangzhi (State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University) ;
  • Yang, Yonghao (State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University) ;
  • Shu, Weimin (Yuxi Mining Company Ltd.)
  • Received : 2017.08.11
  • Accepted : 2019.11.14
  • Published : 2019.12.10
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Abstract

How to safely and economically dispose mining tailings is a challenge to mine operators. This paper presents an alternative upstream method for tailings dam construction, termed as the template construction method (TCM), which has been successfully implemented at Zhelamuqing tailings impoundment since 2004. By the beginning of 2015, the tailings dam wall had reached 95 m in height for the 46 upstream raises, with the total height of the dam including the starter dyke being 128 m. The proposed TCM is relatively simple and cost-effective and provides a good way for constructing rapidly raising tailings dam based on this case.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : National Natural Science Foundation of China

The authors are very grateful to Dr. Jiayi Shen and Mr. John Craig for their useful comments. This research has been funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11372363) and the Ganpo (Jiangxi Province) 555 Elites Prize.

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