An examination of the erosive effect of wind on the slopes and interior surfaces of tailings impoundments

Wind erosion can be a major cause of the loss and dispersion of tailings material from a tailings impoundment into its surrounding environment. Such dust dispersion can be a serious health hazard to inhabitants in nearby settlements and can also damage the health of animals, degrade crops and cause soil and water pollution. The problem of wind erosion can affect tailings impoundments in all types of climate, but becomes worse as climatic aridity increases. The writer presented a paper to Tailings and Mine Waste ‘01 that examined, in general, the factors that cause wind erosion from the slopes of tailings impoundments (Blight and Amponsah Da Costa, 2001). An earlier 5 year program of field measurements and observations (Blight, 1989) had established that most of the erosion from ring dyke tailings impoundments takes place from the windward outer slopes and that very little material is eroded from the leeward slopes or the beaches and interior basin of such an impoundment. The paper to Tailings and Mine Waste ‘01 presented the preliminary results of wind tunnel tests on two simple tailings dam dyke profiles. The present paper will examine the results of these and other wind tunnel tests in more detail, and will by this means show how the surfaces of tailings impoundments can be protected from wind erosion and dust blow.