Geological-Geotechnical Investigation Of An Old Tailings Dam From A Mine In The Peruvian Highlands

A tailings dam is geotechnical designed to operate in steady-state filtration conditions, an abnormal leak can be a threat to the integrity of the structure. Geological-geotechnical research becomes a constant need; geophysics has long played an important role in these investigations in situ, although the meaning and acceptance of the results have varied considerably, the acceptance and application in geotechnical engineering it has increased considerably years. This paper was carried out in the central highlands of Peru, in a mine of polymetallic ore of lead, zinc, silver and copper with a height of 4,700 meters above sea level, which has an old tailings dam in which the electrical method was used by electrical resistivity tomography with distribution of electrodes to obtain detailed information of the stratigraphy of the study area and delineate areas of possible filtration for the mine closure plan demanded by the competent authorities that ask to generate in the long term the lowest risk to the safety and health of the population and the least possible environmental impact. For the purposes of the case, an evaluation of the study area was carried out, with four profiles reaching the entire tailings dam, with a selected location, the cables were extended, the electrodes were fixed, the electrode conductivity test ordered from the injection equipment, record of the values obtained and an evaluation of each of the measures that the value of the equipment is stable.