ABSTRACT
650More serious environmental problems have resulted from tailings disposal than from any other component of mining operations. In the past, many tailings storage structures failed, some during operation, some after closure, some catastrophically causing loss of life, and others causing chronic or acute environmental damage. In the mountainous wet tropics, in particular, the historical record of tailings disposal includes more failures than successes. And the failures keep happening, including some that happen years after conclusion of mining.
