Mapping and monitoring tailings storage facilities with muography

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Publication Title
Mapping and monitoring tailings storage facilities with muography

Abstract
Tailings storage facilities present a global and growing challenge for mining companies. The management of tailings, which are the by-products of the mine processing plant, requires careful attention due to the potential risks they pose if the storage facility were to collapse. Such incidents can result in severe and lasting damage to the environment in downstream areas. Therefore, it is crucial to continuously monitor the structural stability of these facilities to ensure the safety and sustainability of active mining sites and legacy mines. This paper introduces a novel approach where muon tomography is employed to analyse the internal density structures of tailings dams. This work was conducted at the Prominent Hill Mine site in South Australia. We introduce an innovative method and technology for examining the internal density distribution of tailings storage facilities using muons, a natural source of radiation that can create X-ray-like scans of large structures. Muon technology provides a unique opportunity to provide insights into the inner structure of tailings storage facilities and potentially serves as a foundation for future research on developing early warning systems for detecting structural changes.
Authors
M. A. McLean; F. Scutti; R. Seikel; S. Krishnan; C. Webster; S. Collins; S. Palanisamy; P. H. Panchal; J. Donovan; A. R. Duffy; C. Goss; A. N. Christensen

Published In

18th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE2024)

Theme

B - Geohazards

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