The Critical Role of Integrated Monitoring Systems for Tailings Dam Safety

Tailings dams play a crucial role in mine operations as they serve to store waste materials during the mining activity. However, due to the hazardous nature of mining byproducts, maintaining the structural integrity of tailings ponds and dams is essential to ensure the safety and operational continuity of the mine. A collapse of a tailings facility could result in a catastrophic failure with serious environmental and human consequences. 

Understanding Tailings Dams Risks   

Unlike traditional water retention dams, tailings dams are build-up progressively, becoming larger over time as a result of the mining activity. This unique construction method makes them more susceptible to structural failure. 

Factors such as design flaws, operational inefficiencies and external environmental conditions can trigger failures, with devastating consequences such as loss of lifes, ecological disasters and serious legal and financial issues. 

Effective monitoring is critical to detect structural weaknesses early and mitigate potential risks. By using geotechnical, environmental, geospatial and structural monitoring instruments, along with a robust software to manage their data, engineers can effectively track structural conditions, detect warning signs, and take preventive actions before critical failures happen. 

Case Studies: Learning from Tailings Dam Failures

Unfortunately, our history is full of tragedies caused by infrastructure failures and inadequate management of natural resources. The mining industry has experienced its greatest failures in matters related to tailings management. Here are some examples:  

Mount Polley (Canada, 2014): The dam breach released 25 billion liters of contaminated materials into Polley Lake, Hazeltine Creek, Quesnel Lake and the Cariboo River, a source of drinking water and the main spawning grounds for sockeye salmon. Investigations pointed to inadequate monitoring and misinterpretation of underlying ground conditions as the main causes.  

Kennecott Utah Copper (USA, 2013): A pressure buildup while attempting to drain stagnant water near the mine entrance caused a catastrophic release of toxic tailing water into the Animas River. The main causes were ineffective management and control of the tailings and water in the pond. 

Brumadinho Dam (Brazil, 2019): The tailings dam suffered a catastrophic collapse releasing large amounts of iron ore tailings and causing the death of at least 270 people and extensive environmental damage in the region. This event underscores the critical importance of proper real-time monitoring, proactive alerts system and safety measures. 

When looking at past disasters, it becomes clear that many of them could have been avoided with better monitoring and more accurate analysis of the underlying conditions. These incidents reinforce the importance of using accurate, real-time monitoring systems to prevent catastrophes and protect both nearby communities and surrounding ecosystems.  

Essential Monitoring Practices for Mines and Tailings Dams

Ensuring the safety of tailings dams requires a structured monitoring approach that integrates multiple technologies and tools. A good proactive monitoring system should include:   

Deformation and Structural Integrity Monitoring To prevent failures, tailings dams must be continuously assessed for movement and structural changes. Key monitoring techniques include: 

• InSAR Data: Provides large-scale monitoring of surface displacement, detecting early signs of subsidence or instability. 

• Radars: Enable real-time tracking of dam wall deformations, identifying potential failure zones before they escalate. 

• Geotechnical Instruments: Detect internal stress, ground displacements, and pressure variations that could compromise dam stability. 

• UAVs and LiDAR: Generate high-resolution 3D models of tailings dams, allowing for precise structural analysis and risk assessment. 

  
  

Hydrological Monitoring Effective water management is critical in tailings dam stability. It’s key to collect and analyze data from: 

• Piezometers: Measure pore water pressure to prevent liquefaction and ensure structural integrity. 

• Water Level Sensors: Monitor seepage and detect irregular drainage patterns that could lead to failure. 

• Flow and Seepage Monitoring: Detect changes in drainage efficiency and water accumulation that could compromise dam stability. 

  
  

Seismic and Vibration Control Monitoring vibrations is key to understanding both natural and operational impacts on tailings dams. Essential measures include: 

• Seismic and Vibration Sensors: Detect ground movements and analyze the impact of mining activity, helping to mitigate risks of sudden failure. 

Blast and Operational Vibration Monitoring: Ensures that mining operations do not exceed safe vibration thresholds that could weaken the dam structure. 

Enhancing Tailings Dam Safety with Proactive Monitoring 

For an effective tailings dam monitoring strategy, all collected data should be centralized and analyzed in real time. A robust monitoring platform should provide: 

• Real-Time Data Analysis and Alerts: Automated alerts when risk thresholds are exceeded. 

• Data Correlation and AI Analytics: Advanced models that predict failure risks based on historical and real-time data. 

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensures adherence to global safety standards and best practices. 

  
  

Intelligent Monitoring Solutions for a Safer Mining 

Tailings dam safety is critical to ensure operational continuity and protection of the environment and nearby communities. Real-time integrated monitoring, combining advanced technologies such as geotechnical sensors, radar, InSAR, and 3D models, can detect structural weaknesses before they become serious problems. With the Proqio platform, mining operations can centralize and analyze data efficiently, optimizing decision making, preventing failures and ensuring operational continuity.   

If you want to know how Proqio can improve safety and efficiency in your mining operations and tailings dam monitoring, visit our Mines and Tailings Dams website here.