Environmentally Safe tailings storage facility of Boroo gold mine, Mongolia

In accordance with the emerging development of mining industry in Mongolia environmental protection by introducing internationally accepted technology is becoming now primary important. Tailings facilities are a high risk part of mining as they contain waste products from processing operations which presents a risk to the public and to the environment. When tailings facility fails, the impacts are disastrous for humans and the natural environment. International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) collected 221 case records of tailings facility failure incidents worldwide to determine the causes of these incidents. The main causes of these reported cases of failure and incidents were found to be lack of control of construction, lack of control of the water balance and a general lack of understanding of the features that control safe operations. The important elements to improve the safety and stability of tailings disposal facilities are geotechnical investigation, engineered design, construction, operation and monitoring of the tailings storage facility. Engineering knowledge today is quite adequate to enable of the safe design, construction and maintenance of tailings dams therefore minimize impact to the environment. Design and construction of tailings facility is very site-specific. The paper presents Boroo gold company tailings storage facility design, construction and operation in its hard rock deposit gold mine. Quality engineering is essential in the construction of a fill dam because the materials used have lower strength properties than the steel and concrete required for concrete dams and because placement ultimately determine strength, potential for problems like seepage and settlement, and finally performance and safety. Construction of tailings facility was performed following international standard and construction specifications stated in design and quality control was implemented during construction.