International Case Study of Tailings Dam Failure and Management Standards

Sejin Kim; Ki-Bok Min; Yongkun Choi; Jihye Kim; Jinsoo Lee

doi:10.32390/ksmer.2020.57.6.619

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2020 Vol.57, Issue 6 Preview Page Next Page

Technical Report

International Case Study of Tailings Dam Failure and Management Standards 광물찌꺼기 적치장 붕괴 및 관리기준 해외 사례 조사

31 December 2020. pp. 619-628

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Abstract

A tailings dam is a facility for the deposition of remaining byproducts in the form of a dammed impoundment after the extraction of useful minerals in mines. If an accident occurs, such as collapse or spillage of a tailings dam, environmental pollution, human health effects, and property damage are anticipated. In particular, large-scale failures of tailings dams have occurred overseas recently. This study analyzed these cases and international management standards for tailings dams. The factors affecting the stability of a tailings dam include geometric conditions, geology, groundwater level, pore water pressure, the strength of tailings, and external conditions such as earthquakes and weather. Liquefaction was indicated as the most important mechanism of large-scale failure. Currently, there are no international management standards for tailings dams. However, there are management standards from Canada, Australia, and the International Council on Mining and Metals, which were reviewed in this study.

Keywords

Tailings dam

Mine disaster

Liquefaction

International standard

광물찌꺼기 적치장은 유용광물을 추출한 후 남은 부산물들을 댐 형태로 적치해둔 시설이다. 광물찌꺼기 적치장 붕괴 혹은 유출과 같은 사고가 일어나면 인명, 재산피해 및 환경오염이 예상된다. 특히 최근 들어 큰 규모의 적치장 붕괴사건이 해외에서 일어나고 있고, 본 연구는 그에 따라 이러한 붕괴사례와 해외의 적치장 관리기준을 분석하였다. 광물찌꺼기 적치장 안정성에 영향을 끼치는 인자로는 기하학적 조건, 지질, 지하수면, 간극수압, 강도 그리고 지진, 날씨와 같은 외부조건 등이 있다. 피해규모가 큰 붕괴사례들은 액상화에 의한 붕괴가 가장 중요한 메커니즘으로 지목되었다. 적치장 관리기준에 대한 국제표준은 현재 없으나 캐나다, 호주 및 국제광업금속위원회(ICMM)에서 제시한 기준이 있어 본 연구에서 소개하였다.

키워드

광물찌꺼기 적치장

광산재해

액상화

국제표준

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Information

Publisher :The Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
Publisher(Ko) :한국자원공학회
Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers
Journal Title(Ko) :한국자원공학회지
Volume : 57
No :6
Pages :619-628
Received Date : 2020-12-15
Revised Date : 2020-12-21
Accepted Date : 2020-12-22
DOI :https://doi.org/10.32390/ksmer.2020.57.6.619

Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers ISSN:2288-0291(Print) 2288-2790(Online) 한국자원공학회지

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