The use of geomembranes in the design of mineral waste storage facilities

The general use of geosynthetics as alternatives to natural materials in construction related to mineral waste management has increased dramatically over the past decade, with the greatest increase being in geomembranes for ponds, ditches, leach pad liners, and composite materials for drainage measures. This paper describes a design methodology for mineral waste management using geomembrane materials which has proven highly successful in a number of facilities operating in environmentally sensitive areas of the western U.S.A. The key to the approach is drainage, the capacity for which has developed with the use in recent years of durable and cost effective geosynthetic materials. Also included is a brief review of mineral waste storage design and construction practice along with a selected case history of a project where geosynthetics have been successfully applied to meet strict performance and cost criteria.