On the seismic response of tailings dikes constructed with the upstream and center-line methods

ABSTRACT: Mining operations tend to generate large quantities of waste rock and tailings. The fine-grained tailings are generally disposed hydraulically in surface impoundment whose stability remains a major concern, following several retaining dike failures in recent years. Earthquakes are among the main causes of large-scale tailings dike breaches. Such retaining dikes are raised progressively, often using the upstream method; other, less risky, methods can also be used. This article presents numerical simulation results aimed at analyzing and comparing the seismic response of tailings dikes made of waste rock and built with the upstream and centerline methods. The effect of adding waste rock inclusions inside the tailings impoundment (with the upstream method) is also assessed. The results may help improve the stability of retention dikes and serve to develop an optimization strategy for the use of waste rock inclusions.