Tailing disposal − The last 10 years and future trends

Gold mining in the United States has experienced a significant growth over the last 10 years. This expansion has established the United States as the second largest gold producer in the world, with approximately two-thirds of this production coming from Nevada. This very positive trend has created the opportunity to improve tailing storage facility design and operations to meet ever-increasing environmental performance standards. Current designs call for lined storage basins overlain by blanket drainage systems which serve to reduce hydraulic head on the liner, thus seepage through the liner, as well as increasing efficiencies in the return of process fluids which would otherwise have been lost from the system. Integrated planning and design processes for all mine and mill waste have helped reduce disposal costs while providing stable, environmentally sound deposits. Current, historic and future trends in technological advancements in design of tailing storage facilities are presented based primarily on a number of Nevada operations as well as other United States and international operations.