WASTE DUMP DESIGN

IN SURFACE MINES

P.Balamadeswaran, M.Tech., F.C.C. (Metal),

Assistant Professor
Department of Mining Engineering
Anna University, Chennai - 25
WASTE DUMP
MANAGEMENT
 DUMP TYPES

The waste dumps, based on their location in

relation to the quarry, may be broadly classified
into two categories.
– Internal Dump
Dumps are located on the mined out area of the
quarry.
– External Dump
Dumps are placed outside the pit area and this type
of dumps may be formed for any type of deposit.
 Backfilling with Dragline / BWE

Backfilling with Shovel-Dumper

Combinations
 External Dumping with
Shovel-Dumper Combinations
 DUMP FORMATION METHODS
In case of quarries using excavator-tipper
combination, a dump may be formed by
– Area dumping method
In this method the entire dump base area is
demarcated first and then the dump is created in form
of small lifts.
This method of dump formation is possible when flat
lands are available.
It offers few important advantages – good compaction,
controlled dump slope and simultaneous vegetation of
the dump sides.
The formation of such dump does not provide the
facility of creation of French drain at the bottom
horizon of the dump.
 DUMP FORMATION METHODS
End – tipping method
– When the dump is formed initially with an access road on
a flat topographically up to the designed top level is
gradually made by dumping the waste material following
end-tipping technique.
– Once the designed level is achieved, the dump edges
progresses maintaining the same top level.
– Generally the height in single lift is restricted within 30m.
– Second lift or more lifts may be formed following the
same method but a distance of minimum 30m to 50m
between the crest of one lift and the toe of the
consecutive upper lift is required to be maintained always
for the safety reasons.
– Applicable in case of all types of foundation topography
(flat land, valley fill, hill sides, undulating topography,
mine back fill, etc.) and is most popular in our country.
FACTORS AFFECTING DUMP STABILITY

Dump foundation
– Foundation competence
– Foundation inclination
– Effective friction
Spoil material characteristics
– Cohesion and friction angle
– Specific weight of spoil material
– Moisture content
Dump height – dump slope relationship
Material segregation
 Dump Foundation
While designing dumps a proper assessment of dump foundation is
of paramount importance covering following three aspects
– Foundation competence: it refers to its mechanical strength
parameters, particularly the shear strength parameters.
– Foundation inclination: it is of a major concern from the point
of view dump stability.
The maximum safe dump, foundation inclination may be
calculated from following equation.
Tan α = tan θ / F
Where
α= maximum safe dump foundation inclination .
θ= minimum effective friction of dump material.
F= minimum factor of safety desired.
(Generally a minimum factor of safety of 1.3 is recommended).
- Effective friction between the dump floor and the dump.
 Spoil material characteristics
It includes spoil composition and physico-mechanical
properties.
In terms of material composition, a dump may classify as
rock type, soil or mixed type.
Cohesion and friction angle are two most important
properties of spoil material.
– In case of rock type dump the stability is mainly controlled by
the effective friction angle of the spoil material, whereas in
case of soil type both the cohesion and friction angle play
important role.
Specific weight: It has been found that when all other
parameters remain constant, the increasing specific weight
of material causes decrease in factor of safety.
Moisture content: Increasing moisture content beyond
optimum moisture content affects both cohesion and friction
angle adversely decreases the dump stability.
Dump Height – Dump Slope Relationship
If the dump slope is less than or equal to the effective
friction angle, the dump remains stable for any height.
If the slope angle is increased beyond the effective friction
angle, the height must be controlled.
As the slope increases the dump height must be reduced
an order to achieve the dump stability.

Material segregation
When different types (from the point of view of shear
strength) of material are to be accommodated in the same
dump, it is preferable to segregate the different types of
material.
STABILITY ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUE
Stability of a waste dump, as in case of any slope is
assessed in terms of factors of safety.
Waste dump is composed of broken materials a circular
failure is apprehended.
So, for factor of safety, a circular failure analysis is carried
out in using bishops’ simplified method.
F=∑ {Cn *bn+( Wn+ Un bn tan θn) / (cos αn + tan θn*sin αn) / F} /
∑( Wn sin αn)
Where ,
F= factors of safety
Cn=cohesion acting at the base of n-th slice
bn=width of n-th slice
Wn=weight of n-th slice
Un =water pressure acting at the base of the n-th slice
θn=effective friction angle acting at the base of n-th slice
αn= inclination (w.r.t.horizontal) of the base of n-th slice.
 DUMP DESIGN METHOD
Identification of all the possible locations of dump site
which are located away from drainage lines and natural
waterways.
All these sites are checked for foundation competency.
Only those sites which are found to have acceptable
foundation competence are then subjected to assessment
for environmental acceptability.
In the next step, the maximum volume of waste material
that can be accommodated in each of the sites
(environment acceptable locations only) considered is
determined.
Then followed by evaluating all the finally available sites in
terms of some economic criteria for dump formation (e.g.
ton-km) and dump maintenance.
 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Waste dumps affect the physical environment (land,

water, air, flora, fauna) in different ways.
The formation of dumps directly affects the lands by
changing the topography and creating visual obstruction.
During the rainy season, a good amount of solids are
washed down the dump slope forming gullies and
occasional skin failures causing pollution of near by land in
the form of silt cover.
The above washed solids can effect on adverse change of
pH of water bodies thereby by causing pollution.
The air pollution is caused due to dust raised from the
dump during hot summer and dry windy days. This is
more so in case of barren dumps.
DUMP STABILIZATION MEASURES

Stabilization measures are needed to be taken in order to

ensure its mechanical as well as environmental stability.
If factor of safety is less than 1.3, then suitable measures
such as reducing overall slope of dump by resloping or toe
/ ring dumping are carried out.
For new dumps, the MOEF stipulates maximum of 280
dump slope apart from ensuring the desired factor of
safety.
Proper care is required to be taken regarding the drainage
system for the dump top surface as well as for the dump
slope surface.
From the point of view of protecting the dump top as well
as slope surface, vegetation may be considered as the
most effective measure.
Cracks near berm of spoil pile
 Recommendations

1. Before the start of quarrying operations, a systematic

study of geological discontinuity should be carried
out.
2. Discontinuity data recording should be
simultaneously carried out with quarrying operations.
It will provide a guideline for carrying out excavations
in other parts of the deposit.
3. Identification of place of quarry opening in such a
way that it will reduce the risk factor, minimize the
financial requirement and optimise the stone
recovery, less waste generation, life of the quarry.
 Recommendations
4. Visual assessment of slopes such as development of
tension cracks, etc by a team consisting of Mining
Engineers, Geologists and Geotechnical engineers
should be regularly carried out for stability analysis.
5. It is an absolute requirement that engineering geologists,
geotechnical engineers and mine planners work together
all the time to ensure that
The appropriate data is collected
The appropriate analyses are carried out
The slope designs are clearly conveyed to and understood by the
mine planners and operation crew
Well conceived slope monitoring programmes are established
Contingency plans must also be drawn up to deal with the
inevitable surprises
 Recommendations
6. Only those sites which are found to have acceptable
foundation competence and environmental acceptability
should be considered for dump location.
7. When different types (from the point of view of shear
strength) of material are to be accommodated in the
dump, it is preferable to segregate the different types of
material.
8. As a part of stabilization measures, the drainage system
for the dump top surface as well as for the dump slope
surface is properly implemented.
9. From the point of view of protecting the dump top as
well as slope surface, vegetation may be considered as
the most effective measure.
 Recommendations
10. Finally, implement the steps as recommended in the DGMS
Circular No.2, 2010 to control slope failures:
i. Design mine and the pit as well as dump slope
scientifically taking into consideration of geotechnical
parameters of rock and the dumps including hydro
geologic and weather conditions to ensure stable Pit and
Dump slope profile not only during mining but also
thereafter;
ii. Deploy Slope Stability Radar (SSR) with integrated visual
imaging system or any similar such technology giving a
real time monitoring of displacements of strata or dumps
well in advance of any failure and providing mine
management sufficient time to safely withdraw men and
machinery from such prone areas. Such systems would
not only increase safety but also the productivity and
efficiency of opencast operations.
 Conclusions

Slope failures are usually geological

events that are controlled by physical
processes.
“if you do not know what you are looking
for you are not likely to find much of value”

Glossop, 1968
 THANK YOU
FOR
YOUR ATTENTION!