Overcoming the Challenges of Managing Tailings from Iron Ore Mining in Western Australia

The growing demand for iron ore from Western Australia has led to an increased focus on the development of magnetite and lower grade iron ore deposits. The need to process and beneficiate the ore from these projects can result in the generation of significant quantities of iron ore tailings over the life of a project. Over the coming decades, the management of iron ore tailings will become a significant aspect of the mining landscape in Western Australia.The tailings generated from iron ore projects differ signifi cantly from other mineral tailings currently produced in Western Australia. Iron ore tailings are generated on a scale not matched by any other mineral process and can often contain asbestiform or potentially acid forming components. New iron ore projects are coming under increased environmental scrutiny because of their large scale operations and the sensitive environments in which they occur. This combination of factors creates some unique challenges for the management of tailings generated by iron ore mining in Western Australia.This paper presents the fi ndings of two studies conducted in recent years to overcome the challenges posed by iron ore tailings. The paper discusses the role of laboratory testing in the development of management strategies for asbestiform minerals in tailings. It also presents a numerical modelling approach for evaluating the rates of rise in the storage of magnetite tailings. The paper concludes by outlining how the findings of these studies can be applied to reduce tailings management costs, lower risks and improve environmental outcomes for the management of tailings from iron ore mining.