Tailings Management

ATC Williams has built an international reputation encompassing a lifecycle approach to the management of mine tailings, from initial development to closure and post closure performance. A holistic approach is critical to the delivery of safe, sustainable, and efficient solutions that meet the needs of our mining clients.


Understanding the characteristics and behaviour of tailings as it relates to effective management through the life of the containment facility demands a range of skills that has been the focus of ATC Williams over our 40-year history.

The company is actively involved in continued research into tailings behaviour, primarily through support of post-graduate studies supervised by world-class scholars.

— Our Expertise

Specialist Tailings Management expertise includes tailings characterisation, thickening and dewatering technologies, transport, and containment systems. Tailings management draws on ATC Williams’ extensive experience and skills base which offers conventional to innovative fit-for-purpose solutions.

ATC Williams’ journey in tailings management and our proactive contribution to advancement in tailings management technology can be traced through past decades:

1980s   The company was founded with a small specialised tailings laboratory established later.

1990s   Contributors to an advanced paradigm in mine tailings disposal known as “thickened tailings disposal” with a number of tailings storage facilities designed and constructed adopting this scheme.

2000s   Frontline research into efficient and safer technology for tailings disposal, supporting PhD research studies, with emphasis on tailings rheology and beach slope prediction models.

2010s   Addition of Tailings Dewatering and Transport services.

Today   A leading provider of the full range of tailings management and storage technologies to the mining industry in Australia and internationally.

— INTEGRATED LIFECYCLE CAPABILITIES

Clients partner with ATC Williams at any stage of the mining lifecycle. We offer a complete service resourced by professional experts.

  • Tailings management closely aligns to the geotechnical engineering DNA of the company, integrating with our water management service base
  • Dam engineering is synonymous with our tailings management expertise
  • Our tailings and water management practices are supported by a dedicated slurry and mechanical engineering team, focusing on tailings transport and deposition
  • Advanced expertise in seismic hazard analysis, constitutive and numerical modelling, tailings liquefaction and dam break analysis emphasises our commitment to safety as an integral part of design
  • Our NATA accredited testing laboratory provides a full suite of materials characterisation procedures to support accurate selection of parameters for design purposes

— PARTNERSHIP FOCUSED

Our tailings management practice is solutions focused. We deliver systems that align directly to our client’s needs including cost, efficiency, operational expediency, safety, and environmental performance.

— MORE INFORMATION

Please explore our Service Area factsheets to learn more.

— Let's Talk

Connect with a tailings expert today:

Nelson Amoah
WA Operations Manager/Senior Principal

— Projects

Since 1981, our expert team has undertaken over 500 tailings/mining-related projects across the world.

CLIENT
Larsen & Tourbo
LOCATION
Saudi Arabia
The Mansourah-Massarah Gold Project is an open-pit mine located in the Central Arabian Gold Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, approximately 200km southeast of Riyadh.
Slurry & Mechanical Engineering, Tailings Management
Middle East
CLIENT
MMG Limited
LOCATION
Tasmania
Rosebery Mine is approximately 300 kilometres northwest of Hobart and 125 kilometres south of Burnie. The mine is 100% owned by MMG Limited and has been operating continually for over 85 years.
Slurry & Mechanical Engineering, Tailings Management
Australia/New Zealand
CLIENT
Ravenswood Gold
LOCATION
Queensland
ATC Williams undertook the detailed design and construction of the Nolans Tailings Storage Facility, which involved the expansion and encapsulation of the existing facility.
Dams Engineering, Tailings Management
Australia/New Zealand
CLIENT
KAZ Minerals
LOCATION
Kazakhstan
Aktogay copper mine is located in the eastern region of Kazakhstan. Tailings production is 50 Mtpa which shall increase to 60 Mtpa in 2025 from two tailings plants.
Tailings Management, Water Management
Central Asia

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