An a-priori method is presented for predicting the slope of a non-segregating tailings slurry in an open channel. This method has been validated with experimental data collected at two mine sites.  A new empirical model is also presented.

Various channel shapes have been considered in order to enable the model to be applied for tailings beach slope prediction, and it was found that the shape had very little impact on the predictive ability of the model, thus resulting in the introduction of a robust a-priori tailings beach slope prediction method.

A three-dimensional tailings stack model is also presented, which offers realistic shape predictions and an explanation for beach concavity in non-segregating tailings.