Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Mining produces massive volumes of waste, called tailings, which are stored forever behind large dams. If a tailings dam breaks, as one did recently at the Mount Polley mine near Williams Lake, British Columbia, the tailings can flow long distances, and major safety, environmental and economic consequences can result. In spite of this, little is actually understood about the behaviour of flowing tailings, and consequently, the methods that are used to predict how far they may travel are not well developed. This research project aims to fill this knowledge gap and equip engineers with better tools, including computer simulations, to help manage these important mining risks. The project team includes researchers from three universities (the University of British Columbia, Queen's University and the University of Waterloo), and industry participants from two large mining companies (Imperial Oil Resources Ltd. and Suncor Energy Inc.) and three consulting companies (BGC Engineering Inc., Klohn Krippen Berger and Golder Associates Ltd.). The work will combine field observations of real tailings dam break events, laboratory experiments and computer modelling using existing world-class research facilities, including a 60 m long experimental flume at Queen's University. The project will train 13 students, position Canadian companies at the forefront of tailings dam engineering and, ultimately, improve the safety and sustainability of mining operations in Canada and around the world.