Barragens de rejeitos são estruturas que têm a finalidade de reter os resíduos sólidos e água dos processos de beneficiamento de minério. Seu planejamento inicia com a procura do local para implantação, etapa na qual se deve vincular todo tipo de variáveis que direta ou indiretamente influenciam a obra: características geológicas, hidrológicas, topográficas, geotécnicas, ambientais, sociais, avaliação de riscos, entre outras. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre a utilização do método de analise hierárquica como apoio na tomada de decisões para seleção de locais para barragens de rejeitos. A revisão bibliográfica de fatores que influem nesta etapa de decisão resultou em indicadores claros de avaliação, que foram orientadores para a coleta de dados no estudo de caso. O estudo de caso consistiu na avaliação de três locais para a localização da nova barragem de rejeitos de beneficiamento de cobre a ser construída pela MINER S.A. no município de Carmen de Atrato, na Colômbia. Para a seleção do local entre três alternativas, foram considerados dois aspectos: custo inicial total e impacto ambiental. Na aplicação do método de análise hierárquica, o objetivo principal da hierarquia proposta foi o menor impacto ambiental, considerando-se as três causas consideradas mais importantes: implantação da barragem, ruptura da barragem e transporte de rejeitos da usina ao local de disposição. Foram analisados os impactos potenciais na água, solo, fauna, flora e ocupação humana. Os custos foram tratados separadamente. No final foi realizada uma análise conjunta dos custos iniciais totais e dos resultados do método de análise hierárquica, para servir como apoio ao tomador de decisão. Foi também realizada uma análise de sensibilidade, que mostra a influência significativa de um dos critérios nos pesos finais dos locais avaliados. / Tailings dams are structures designed to retain solid wastes and water generated in the processing of metal ore. The overall planning of these dams starts with site selection, step in which all directly or indirectly influential variables should be considered: geological, hydrological, topographic, geotechnical, environmental and social characteristics, risk evaluation etc. This work presents a study of the utilization of the hierarchy analysis process (AHP) as a tool for decision-making in the selection of sites for tailings dams. The bibliographic review of relevant factors resulted in the proposal of a list of indicators, which was very useful as an orientation for data collection in the study case, and is considered as an important contribution from this research. The study case consisted in the location of the new copper tailings dam of MINER Inc. in Carmen de Atrato, Colombia. Initially, a geochemical software was applied to the region to discard unsuitable areas. For the selection of a site among three resulting alternatives, two aspects were taken into account: total initial cost and environmental impact. In the application of AHP, the main objective of the proposed hierarchy was the lowest environmental impact. Three possible causes were considered as the most important concerning environmental impact: dam and reservoir occupancy, dam collapse and transportation of wastes from the plant to the disposal site. Potential impacts on water, soil, fauna, flora and human occupation were analyzed. Costs were treated separately. Finally, a joint analysis of total initial costs and results from the AHP application was carried out in order to convey a support for the decision maker. A sensilibtily analysis was also performed to show the influence of one of the subcriteria on the final alternatives weights.

Barragens de rejeitos são estruturas que têm a finalidade de reter os resíduos sólidos e água dos processos de beneficiamento de minério. Seu planejamento inicia com a procura do local para implantação, etapa na qual se deve vincular todo tipo de variáveis que direta ou indiretamente influenciam a obra: características geológicas, hidrológicas, topográficas, geotécnicas, ambientais, sociais, avaliação de riscos, entre outras. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre a utilização do método de analise hierárquica como apoio na tomada de decisões para seleção de locais para barragens de rejeitos. A revisão bibliográfica de fatores que influem nesta etapa de decisão resultou em indicadores claros de avaliação, que foram orientadores para a coleta de dados no estudo de caso. O estudo de caso consistiu na avaliação de três locais para a localização da nova barragem de rejeitos de beneficiamento de cobre a ser construída pela MINER S.A. no município de Carmen de Atrato, na Colômbia. Para a seleção do local entre três alternativas, foram considerados dois aspectos: custo inicial total e impacto ambiental. Na aplicação do método de análise hierárquica, o objetivo principal da hierarquia proposta foi o menor impacto ambiental, considerando-se as três causas consideradas mais importantes: implantação da barragem, ruptura da barragem e transporte de rejeitos da usina ao local de disposição. Foram analisados os impactos potenciais na água, solo, fauna, flora e ocupação humana. Os custos foram tratados separadamente. No final foi realizada uma análise conjunta dos custos iniciais totais e dos resultados do método de análise hierárquica, para servir como apoio ao tomador de decisão. Foi também realizada uma análise de sensibilidade, que mostra a influência significativa de um dos critérios nos pesos finais dos locais avaliados. / Tailings dams are structures designed to retain solid wastes and water generated in the processing of metal ore. The overall planning of these dams starts with site selection, step in which all directly or indirectly influential variables should be considered: geological, hydrological, topographic, geotechnical, environmental and social characteristics, risk evaluation etc. This work presents a study of the utilization of the hierarchy analysis process (AHP) as a tool for decision-making in the selection of sites for tailings dams. The bibliographic review of relevant factors resulted in the proposal of a list of indicators, which was very useful as an orientation for data collection in the study case, and is considered as an important contribution from this research. The study case consisted in the location of the new copper tailings dam of MINER Inc. in Carmen de Atrato, Colombia. Initially, a geochemical software was applied to the region to discard unsuitable areas. For the selection of a site among three resulting alternatives, two aspects were taken into account: total initial cost and environmental impact. In the application of AHP, the main objective of the proposed hierarchy was the lowest environmental impact. Three possible causes were considered as the most important concerning environmental impact: dam and reservoir occupancy, dam collapse and transportation of wastes from the plant to the disposal site. Potential impacts on water, soil, fauna, flora and human occupation were analyzed. Costs were treated separately. Finally, a joint analysis of total initial costs and results from the AHP application was carried out in order to convey a support for the decision maker. A sensilibtily analysis was also performed to show the influence of one of the subcriteria on the final alternatives weights.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Science / Pollution originating from mine tailings is currently one of the environmental problems South Africa has to deal with. Because of the large number of tailings impoundments and their changing status, authorities are battling to keep their records and controls up to date. This project is aimed at investigating the use of remote sensing as a way of conducting surveys of mine tailings efficiently, regularly and at a low cost. Mine tailings impoundments of the Witwatersrand in Gauteng provide an ideal study area because of the large number of tailings dams of different sizes and conditions and the availability of satellite images and aerial photographs covering the area. Tailings impoundments conditions are analysed through satellite images, airborne multi-spectral data and aerial photographs captured during the Safari 2000 dry season campaign. Remote sensing interpretation of colour composites of multi-spectral bands, Principal Components and supervised and unsupervised classifications are the methods of analysis used. The overall goal of the project has been achieved through the production of a comprehensive database of tailings impoundments and their rehabilitation status, in an accessible format, containing identity, coordinates, area, rehabilitation status and owner of each tailings impoundment, map them and end up with a comprehensive database of tailings impoundment on the Witwatersrand. / AC2017

M.Sc. (Geography) / Severe Aeolian deposition of windblown dust from mine tailings storage facilities (TSFs) is a common phenomenon on the Witwatersrand, especially during the spring windy season. For communities around tailings storage facilities, this poses health and environmental challenges. This dissertation estimates the risk of adverse health effects resulting from human exposure to hazardous elements in particulate matter (sub 20 μm diameter) for selected tailings storage facilities: East Rand Gold and Uranium Company (ERGO); East Rand Proprietary Mine (ERPM); Crown Gold Recoveries (CGR) and Durban Roodepoort Deep (DRD). Samples of surface material from these TSFs were analysed for heavy metal content using the ICP-MS method. Other than the expected gold, five heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and uranium) exhibited enrichments in the tailings material significantly above average (greater than a factor of 2) crustal composition. These elements were selected for comprehensive risk assessment through airborne exposure routes. The mean ambient particulate concentration in air of 540 μg m-3 (used in the risk calculations) was based on a conservative worst-case exposure scenario. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) risk assessment methods were used to determine the inhalation and ingestion hazard quotient and hazard indices for adults and children. The sum of the hazard indices was below the non-cancer benchmark (hazard indices 1.0) considered to be acceptable for a lifetime exposure. The risk cancer included the excess life cancer risk for the inhalation and the ingestion risk. The total risk for both exposures was within the range of 1 in 1 000 000 to 100 in 1 000 000 - taken as “acceptable risk” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for adults and children.

[pt] A disposição de rejeitos tem sido uma preocupação muito importante nas empresas de mineração de todo o mundo, tendo como principal motivo a proteção do meio ambiente. Diariamente geram-se grandes quantidades de rejeitos nas plantas de beneficiamento de minérios, sendo necessário dispor de estruturas de armazenamento adequadas (barragem de rejeito) que, dependendo da produção industrial, devem ser alteadas para aumentar a capacidade de armazenamento destas estruturas. Três métodos de alteamento de barragens podem ser utilizados: o método à montante, o método à jusante e o método da linha de centro. O método à montante, discutido nesta dissertação, começa com a construção de um dique de partida. Terminada esta etapa, os rejeitos são depositados à montante, formando uma praia que adensará com o tempo, aumentando gradualmente a resistência ao cisalhamento do rejeito e servindo de fundação para futuros diques de alteamento. Este procedimento continua sucessivamente, até atingir a cota prevista de projeto. É um método de construção simples e de baixo custo, mas sua principal desvantagem é que velocidades de alteamento excessivas podem induzir a liquefação estática, causa principal do colapso de várias barragens de rejeito construídas no mundo. Neste trabalho é investigado o potencial de liquefação de uma barragem de rejeito de cobre, situada no Peru, com auxílio do método empírico de Olson, baseado em correlações com resultados de ensaios de campo SPT, e do método de elementos finitos, com utilização do modelo constitutivo elastoplástico UBCSand para previsão de liquefação. / [en] The disposal of tailings has been a very important concern in mining companies around the world, with the main objective to protect the environment. Large quantities of tailings are generated daily in the ore processing plants, being necessary the availability of specific storage structures (tailings dam) which, depending on the industrial production, must be successively raised in their lifetime to provide higher storage capacity. Three methods of dam raising can be used: the upstream method, the downstream method and the centerline method. The upstream method, discussed in this thesis, begins with the construction of a starting dyke. After this step, the tailings are deposited upstream, forming a beach which will consolidate over time, gradually increasing the shear resistance of the waste and serving as a foundation for future raising dikes. This procedure continues until the final dam elevation is reached. This method is of simple construction and low cost, but its main disadvantage is that the raising speeds can be excessive and they may induce static liquefaction, a major cause of failure of tailing dams around the world. This dissertation investigates the liquefaction potential of a copper tailing dam, situated in Peru, making use of the empirical method proposed by Olson, based on correlations with data from SPT field tests, and the finite element method, considering the elastoplastic constitutive model UBCSand.

[pt] Sismos são considerados um dos desastres naturais mais catastróficos devido ao seu imenso potencial destrutivo, à extensão dos seus efeitos e pela sua súbita e inesperada ocorrência, podendo desencadear sérias consequencias como deslizamentos de encostas, liquefação de solos, corrida de detritos, etc. O estudo da estimativa da ameaça sísmica é de grande importância na engenharia geotécnica, principalmente em obras especiais como barragens, dos pontos de vista sócio econômico, ambiental e de segurança. Análises sísmicas destas geoestruturas mesmo em zonas de baixa sismicidade, como no Brasil, devem ser consideradas como consequência natural de uma boa prática de projeto, pois tais instalações precisam manter-se seguras e em funcionamento durante a sua vida útil, visando à segurança e bem estar da população em geral. A motivação principal da presente dissertação é reunir informações e apresentar métodos de estudo de ameaça sísmica e da resposta dinâmica de obras de terra. Um sistema de contenção de rejeitos de bauxita localizado na Jamaica, em zona de alta atividade sísmica, é analisado procurando-se estabelecer as características fundamentais do terremoto de projeto a partir de uma análise probabilística de ameaça sísmica regional. A estabilidade dos taludes do dique de contenção, bem como os deslocamentos permanentes provocados pelo sismo, são estimados por metodologias simples (método de estabilidade pseudo-estático, método de Newmark) e soluções mais complexas baseadas no método dos elementos finitos. / [en] Earthquakes are considered one of the most catastrophic natural disasters due to its immense destructive potential, the extent of its effects and its sudden and unexpected occurrence, which can trigger serious consequences such as landslides, soil liquefaction, debris flow, etc. The study of seismic hazard is of great importance in geotechnical engineering, especially in cases involving special structures such as earth dams, under the socio-economic, environmental and security points of view. Seismic analysis of such special structures, even in areas of low seismicity as in Brazil, should be considered as a natural consequence of good design practice, since these facilities do need to remain safe and operational during their entire lifetime. The main motivation of this dissertation is to gather information and to present and discuss methods for the estimate of the seismic hazard and evaluation of the dynamic response of earth works. A tailings dam system located in Jamaica, within an area of high seismic activity, is analyzed in this dissertation, with the objective to establish the fundamental characteristics of the earthquake design from a probabilistic analysis of the regional seismic hazard. The slope stability of the dike and the permanent displacements caused by the earthquake are estimated by simple methods (pseudo-static stability method, Newmark method) and more complex solutions based on the finite element method.

A previsão do comportamento de resíduos constituiu-se em um desafio geotécnico, uma vez que estes materiais apresentam uma resposta distinta dos materiais usualmente encontrados em depósitos naturais. A análise dos recalques da fundação, decorrentes da sobrecarga imposta pelo alteamento, é complexa, tendo em vista que o adensamento de resíduos pressupõe grandes deformações, invalidando o uso de teorias clássicas de adensamento. Atualmente, no Brasil, a técnica de disposição de resíduos de bauxita prevê uma operação inicial de lançamento no interior de lagos artificiais, em forma de polpa. Após o esgotamento do lago e ressecamento do resíduo, inicia-se o lançamento pelo método a montante. Neste método, a polpa é lançada sobre o resíduo pré-existente, que se encontra em processo de adensamento. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo reproduzir numericamente o comportamento de áreas de resíduos durante a etapa de alteamento a montante. A pesquisa tem como enfoque 2 áreas de resíduos de bauxita. Uma delas encontra-se em fase de reabilitação e dispõe de instrumentação de campo (recalques e deslocamentos horizontais). A outra se encontra em fase de operação do alteamento e dispõe de dados experimentais. Desta forma, a metodologia consistiu na reprodução numérica do processo de alteamento da área instrumentada e comparação dos resultados com a instrumentação de campo, com objetivo de avaliar o modelo numérico e os parâmetros do resíduo. Posteriormente, realizou-se a previsão do comportamento do resíduo de fundação da área em fase de alteamento. Os parâmetros geotécnicos foram definidos a partir de um extenso programa de ensaios de campo e laboratório, executado no local em estudo, fazendo-se uso de um tratamento estatístico dos dados experimentais. Os resultados numéricos mostraram a potencialidade do programa na previsão do comportamento de áreas de resíduos durante o alteamento a montante, com previsões de recalques e deslocamentos horizontais coerentes com a instrumentação de campo. / The prediction of solid wastes behavior is a challenge for geotechnical engineers, since its response differ from the materials usually found in natural deposits. The analysis of the settlements of the foundation, due to the embankment raising is complex. Tailings undergo large settlements, which cannot be evaluated by ordinary consolidation theories. In Brazil, bauxite tailings are initially discharged into impoundment areas in a slurry form. After achieving the storage capacity of the reservoir, the tailing is allowed to dry, in order to enhance its resistance. Subsequently, the embankment is raised by the upstream method, and the mud is discharged on top of a material which is undergoing a consolidation process. The present research aims at reproducing numerically the response of bauxite tailings due to an upstream raising operation. The research focused 2 impoundment areas at same site. One area is being environmentally rehabilitated and is instrumented with vertical and horizontal gauges. The other is still in operation and an experimental investigation was carried out at this site. The methodology consisted of simulating the sequence of embankment raises and comparing the results with field instrumentation, in order to evaluate the numerical model and waste parameters. Subsequently, the behavior of the foundation of the area undergoing a raising embankment operation was evaluated. The geotechnical parameters were defined according to a statistical treatment of results of the experimental program (field and laboratory). The vertical and horizontal displacements, predicted by the numerical simulation, fitted reasonably well with field instrumentation and showed the inherent potential of the numerical modeling.

A previsão do comportamento de resíduos constituiu-se em um desafio geotécnico, uma vez que estes materiais apresentam uma resposta distinta dos materiais usualmente encontrados em depósitos naturais. A análise dos recalques da fundação, decorrentes da sobrecarga imposta pelo alteamento, é complexa, tendo em vista que o adensamento de resíduos pressupõe grandes deformações, invalidando o uso de teorias clássicas de adensamento. Atualmente, no Brasil, a técnica de disposição de resíduos de bauxita prevê uma operação inicial de lançamento no interior de lagos artificiais, em forma de polpa. Após o esgotamento do lago e ressecamento do resíduo, inicia-se o lançamento pelo método a montante. Neste método, a polpa é lançada sobre o resíduo pré-existente, que se encontra em processo de adensamento. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo reproduzir numericamente o comportamento de áreas de resíduos durante a etapa de alteamento a montante. A pesquisa tem como enfoque 2 áreas de resíduos de bauxita. Uma delas encontra-se em fase de reabilitação e dispõe de instrumentação de campo (recalques e deslocamentos horizontais). A outra se encontra em fase de operação do alteamento e dispõe de dados experimentais. Desta forma, a metodologia consistiu na reprodução numérica do processo de alteamento da área instrumentada e comparação dos resultados com a instrumentação de campo, com objetivo de avaliar o modelo numérico e os parâmetros do resíduo. Posteriormente, realizou-se a previsão do comportamento do resíduo de fundação da área em fase de alteamento. Os parâmetros geotécnicos foram definidos a partir de um extenso programa de ensaios de campo e laboratório, executado no local em estudo, fazendo-se uso de um tratamento estatístico dos dados experimentais. Os resultados numéricos mostraram a potencialidade do programa na previsão do comportamento de áreas de resíduos durante o alteamento a montante, com previsões de recalques e deslocamentos horizontais coerentes com a instrumentação de campo. / The prediction of solid wastes behavior is a challenge for geotechnical engineers, since its response differ from the materials usually found in natural deposits. The analysis of the settlements of the foundation, due to the embankment raising is complex. Tailings undergo large settlements, which cannot be evaluated by ordinary consolidation theories. In Brazil, bauxite tailings are initially discharged into impoundment areas in a slurry form. After achieving the storage capacity of the reservoir, the tailing is allowed to dry, in order to enhance its resistance. Subsequently, the embankment is raised by the upstream method, and the mud is discharged on top of a material which is undergoing a consolidation process. The present research aims at reproducing numerically the response of bauxite tailings due to an upstream raising operation. The research focused 2 impoundment areas at same site. One area is being environmentally rehabilitated and is instrumented with vertical and horizontal gauges. The other is still in operation and an experimental investigation was carried out at this site. The methodology consisted of simulating the sequence of embankment raises and comparing the results with field instrumentation, in order to evaluate the numerical model and waste parameters. Subsequently, the behavior of the foundation of the area undergoing a raising embankment operation was evaluated. The geotechnical parameters were defined according to a statistical treatment of results of the experimental program (field and laboratory). The vertical and horizontal displacements, predicted by the numerical simulation, fitted reasonably well with field instrumentation and showed the inherent potential of the numerical modeling.

M.Sc. (Geography) / Gold mine tailings deposits in the Witwatersrand are subjected to intensive wind and water erosion the combination of factors responsible for air and water pollution. Numerous efforts to alleviate this problem through vegetation have succeeded in establishing soil cover, although the surviving species are not representative of original indigenous vegetation and longer-term soil establishment has been poor. Contributing to these difficult conditions for establishing stable soil and plant communities are: low pH values; low surface stability; deficient organic matter and nitrogen; and high levels of heavy metal in the tailings. Although the role of cryptogams on nutrient cycling and positive impacts on growth of plants is well documented, their potential use in the planning of rehabilitation programmes of gold mine tailings has not been explored. In this study, the abundance and diversity of cryptogams and their impact on the chemical properties of Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF) surface material were investigated on three selected tailings dams: Fleurhof (2L3), Rand Leases (2L8), and Durban Roodepoort Deep DRD (2L24). On the third TSF, DRD (2L24), the original vegetation on the northern half has been entirely covered by wind- eroded material from the southern half the current surface represents a fresh un-vegetated surface. Field investigation was conducted to determine the abundance, diversity and coverage of cryptogams and their effect on the surface stability of the selected tailings. Bacteria, cyanobacteria and fungi were isolated and identified to evaluate the diversity and abundance of these organisms in the study area. In addition, electron microscopy observations were performed to understand the formation of the TSF crust. Chemical analyses of pH, electrical conductivity and the nutritional level of cryptogams TSF material were conducted to determine the effects of cryptogams on the chemical properties of the TSF material and predict the suitability of the substrate for the establishment of other microbes and vegetation. Abundant cryptogams, with diversified growth and morphological features, were found within the sampled areas. The cryptogam diversity proved similar to those across the three tailings dams, and was dominated by mosses and lichens. The abundance and growth of these mosses and lichens was dependent on the presence of vegetative cover and the direction of solar radiation. On undisturbed sites, cryptogams covered as much as 30% on DRD, 70% on RL, and 80% on FL. It was observed that the TSF surfaces covered by cryptogams were more stable than the bare ones. Ten genera of cyanobacteria were isolated from samples for the three tailings and identified, based on their morphology and growth characteristics, as: Aphanocapsa sp., Chromonas sp., Chroococcus sp., Cyanothece sp., Microcystis aeruginosa; Microcoleus sp., Nostoc sp., Oscillatoria sp, Scytonema sp. and Stigonema sp. Five fungal (Trichoderma gamsii, Phoma sp., Hypocrea lixii, Lecythophora sp, and Ascomycota) and four bacterial species (Bacillus subtilis, Arthrobacter aurescens, A. histidinolovorans, and A. sulfonivorans), representing the most abundant isolates from each group, iv were identified using DNA sequencing. Under the electron microscope, it was observed that the cryptogams being examined constituted diversified groups of organisms. Mycelia mats and sheathe produced by filamentous cyanobacteria and fungi played a major role in the formation of the crust by binding the TSF particles. The substrate had very low pH, EC, organic matter and nutrients essential for plant growth. However, the presence of cryptogams altered the acidity of the surface material into almost neutral and significantly improved the level of the essential nutrients and organic matter. It was concluded that the diversity of cryptogams in the TSF material was comparable to the diversity reported on other (different) soils. In addition, the cryptogams’ role in ameliorating the chemical properties of the surface material of the TSF is a clear indication that these organisms can play a positive role in stabilising the tailings material surface and promoting the growth of other microbes and higher plant forms.

D.Phil. / Over a century gold exploration and extraction on the central Witwatersrand has left a legacy of mine residue deposits. Although there have been numerous complaints and claims of health effects associated with dust from these residue deposits, mostly these have been dismissed as mere nuisance. This study hypothesized that gold mine tailings on the Witwatersrand pose significant health risks to the nearby communities due to respirable airborne tailings material. Preliminary review of information on the tailings led to the insight that tailings source material and atmospheric properties at receptor sites are poorly characterized from the point of view of particle size-mass distributions. For years, routine monitoring of emissions from tailings storage facilities has been limited to sampling of dust fallout (settlable particles ≥ 30 μm). A suite of fifty four source samples (thirty-six slime, six newer slime and twelve sand) were collected from tailings storage facilities along the mining corridor covering deposits in the Carltonville area through to Springs. Size class characterization of source material was performed in the diameter range 0.05 μm to 900 μm using a Malvern® MS-14 Particle Analyser with 64 channels, from which the respirable (dp< 5 μm) and thoracic (dp < 10 μm) components were measured. Secondly, source materials were sieved (using a sieving cloth) in dp < 5 and < 10 μm fractions and the data derived was used in validating the size class results from the Malvern® MS-14 Particle Analyser before subjecting the samples to chemical analyses (elemental, mineralogical and radioactivity). Two years of continuous dust fall samples were collected in two different residential areas close to selected tailings storage facilities and subjected to similar size class characterization with the Malvern® MS-14 Particle Analyser. Further, continuous size-mass characterization of airborne aerosols was conducted in two different locations in the vicinity of tailings storage facilities with the Grimm® aerosol particle counter, in the diameter range 0.25 μm to 32 μm. The Grimm® aerosol particle counter was collocated with the MicroVol® PM10 filter sampler ambient monitor. The risk zones around selected tailings storage facilities were established by conducting dispersion modeling with American Meteorological Society/Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model (AERMOD). The spatial evolution of tailings storage facilities and built-up areas is assessed using multiple aerial photographic images, covering four periods from 1952 to 2008. Overall, detailed spatial analysis was conducted and human inhabitants are now at greater risk than before. We have quantified the number of inhabitants living within the high-risk zone surrounding selected tailings storage facilities. The combined areas occupied by tailings storage facilities have increased from ~4 km2 (1952) to 10 km2 (2002); and residential areas ~4 km2 (1952) to 27 km2 (2002) within a buffer of 2 km. Population grew between 1952 and 2002 by a factor x29 at Crown Gold Recoveries; x43 at Durban Roodepoort Deep (from 1976); and x25 at East Rand Proprietary Mines.