Selected results of geoecological monitoring of Unal tailings dump topography

The article describes some selected results obtained within the field geoecological monitoring of topography of the Unal tailings dump. Such research is highly relevant since as a result of dehydration, the test tailings dump is a body which is undergoing evolution and alteration of physical and mechanical properties, and acquires rock-intrinsic features with elements of development of hazardous geological properties which may affect ecological safety. On the basis of the field survey data, the authors put forward a hypothesis on evolution of the stress–strain behavior of the dump due to its dehydration. The subsequent visual monitoring of the dump surface and its experimental levelling revealed dislocation phenomena in the form of cracks, sags and displacements. These phenomena point at development of specific geological processes in the dump because of its dehydration in the course of its evolution starting from the time of reclamation. The presented photomaterials and field test data will create a database framework for monitoring sustainable development of mining industry facilities taken out of service. The express-methods worked out by the authors within the research implementation can enable detection of the stress–strain sites by the data of anomalous radon recording on the surface of the tailings dump.

Fomenko V. A., Lolaev A. B., Sokolov A. A., Kuz O. V., Plakhotin D. A. Selected results of geoecological monitoring of Unal tailings dump topography. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2024;(8):38-50. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2024_8_0_38.

The study was carried out at the Southern Federal University and supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Projects Nos. RNF/23-37-GL and 23-77-00015.

V.A. Fomenko¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: vafomenko@sfedu.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4725-3673,
A.B. Lolaev, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, Deputy Director for Innovative Development, Vladikavkaz Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Mikhailovskoye village, RSO-Alania, Russia; Head of Chair, Kosta Levanovich Khetagurov North Ossetian State University, Vladikavkaz, RSO-Alania, Russia, e-mail: abl-2010@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-0943-6807,
A.A. Sokolov¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, Head of Chair, e-mail: anso@sfedu.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1127-9612,
O.V. Kuz¹, Student, e-mail: okuz@sfedu.ru, ORCID ID: 0009-0005-6710-1521,
D.A. Plakhotin¹, Student, e-mail: plakhotin@sfedu.ru, ORCID ID: 0009-0005-5329-6903,
¹ Branch of the Southern Federal University in Gelendzhik, Gelendzhik, Russia.

A.A. Sokolov, e-mail: anso@sfedu.ru.

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