Advancing Tailings Dam Safety: Integrating Risk Management, Technological Innovations, and Regulatory Reforms

Benjamin Abankwa^1, , Md Mojahidul Islam^2, , Md Ashaduzzaman Shakil³, Hamdan Abdulsamad Abdullah Ali Al-Khateeb⁴, Richard Otoo¹ and Md Asraful Islam⁴

¹Department of Mineral Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro NM, USA

²Petroleum Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA

³School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, China

⁴Civil Engineering, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu, China

Cite this paper:
Benjamin Abankwa, Md Mojahidul Islam, Md Ashaduzzaman Shakil, Hamdan Abdulsamad Abdullah Ali Al-Khateeb, Richard Otoo and Md Asraful Islam. Advancing Tailings Dam Safety: Integrating Risk Management, Technological Innovations, and Regulatory Reforms. American Journal of Mining and Metallurgy. 2025; 8(1):1-12. doi: 10.12691/ajmm-8-1-1

Abstract

Tailings dams are critical structures used in the mining industry to store waste materials from mineral extraction. Despite their essential role, tailings dams pose significant safety risks, as evidenced by several catastrophic failures, such as the Brumadinho disaster in Brazil and the Mount Polley incident in Canada. This research explores the effectiveness of current risk management practices, technological innovations, and regulatory frameworks in improving the safety of tailings dams. A comparative analysis of tailings dam incidents, monitoring technologies, and regulatory compliance was conducted, utilizing both primary data from expert surveys and secondary data from historical case studies and monitoring records. The study reveals that real-time monitoring technologies, such as IoT sensors and drones, significantly enhance the early detection of potential failures. However, AI-based predictive models, while promising, remain limited by data gaps and insufficient model calibration. Additionally, the analysis of regulatory frameworks highlights the positive correlation between strong regulatory compliance and a reduction in tailings dam failures. Stronger enforcement and global standardization are identified as key factors in improving safety practices. The findings suggest that the integration of advanced monitoring systems, improved predictive modeling, and the strengthening of global regulatory frameworks can lead to safer tailings dam operations. This study provides actionable recommendations for industry professionals, regulators, and policymakers to enhance tailings dam safety and prevent future disasters.

Keywords:
Tailings Dam Safety Predictive Models Real-Time Monitoring Risk Management Regulatory Compliance

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