Abstract
At the abandoned hydrometallurgy plant at the Kirki mines, Greece, numerous tailings ponds have been left without adequate consideration for their potential for failure or contamination of the ground water. The paper presents the geotechnical study undertaken to assess the factor of safety of the embankments against sliding and proposes measures to isolate the tailings ponds from the environment and to protect them from potential erosion whilst enhancing the aesthetic environment.
Résumé
À l’usine abandonnée hydrométallurgique dans les mines de Kirki, Grèce, de nombreux étangs de résidus miniers ont été laissés sans examen adéquat pour leur risque de défaillance ou de contamination de l’eau souterraine. Le papier présente l’étude géotechnique entreprise à évaluer le facteur de sécurité des talus contre coulissant et à proposer des mesures visant à isoler les étangs de résidus miniers de l’environnement et à les protéger contre l’érosion potentielle tandis que améliorer l’esthétique de la localité.
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Acknowledgments
This study was conducted in the frame of the Third Community Support Framework of IGME (project 65231) and was financed from the E.E.C and from the Hellenic State.
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Loupasakis, C., Konstantopoulou, G. Safety assessment of abandoned tailings ponds: an example from Kirki mines, Greece. Bull Eng Geol Environ 69, 63–69 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-009-0243-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-009-0243-9