Test plot study of a tailings stack final cover prototype

Waste storage facilities must be protected against weathering once mining operations come to end, in order ensure structural integrity and avoid environmental pollution. Cover systems consisting on earthen materials layers that are placed over the wastes a widely spread solution fulfil such requirement. This paper presents an experimental study of cover system intended protect waste facility case located arid eastern foothills Central Andes range, Argentina. At case, filtered tailings rock stored conjunctly. Both stacked as alternating layers, roughly one-meter thickness each. The prototype is comprised stack topmost layer, which expected act store-and-release element WB cover. design also includes layer top tailings, wind runoff erosion. A total 6 plots have been setup, each equipped with water content matric suction sensors. location was decided tackle response under sloping horizontal ground conditions. performance three different thicknesses being studied both placement inclinations. Available data shows comprising 10cm thick has served satisfactorily deep percolation