Tailings Volume Calculator

Work out tailings volume instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Tailings Volume Calculator

Tailings tonnage is ore processed less the concentrate mass pulled, which for base metals is 95% or more of the feed. Dividing by the deposited dry density gives storage volume: 1.2-1.5 t/m3 for conventional slurry deposition and higher for thickened or filtered tailings, which is why dewatering reduces footprint substantially.

Formula

Tailings volume

Tailings = ore x (1 - concentrate yield); volume = tailings / deposited dry density

Worked example

With the default values below, Tailings Volume Calculator returns Total Storage Volume Required of 51.4286. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Ore Processedminimum 0 t/year: 5,000,000 t/year
Concentrate Mass Yieldaccepts 0–100 %: 4 %
Deposited Dry Densityminimum 0.01 t/m3: 1.4 t/m3
Storage Life Requiredminimum 0.01 years: 15 years

Results

Total Storage Volume Required: 51.4286
Annual Tailings Tonnage: 4,800,000
Annual Storage Volume: 3.4286
Footprint At 20 m Depth: 257.143

Step by step

1Values used
2Tailings volume
3Total Storage Volume Required= 51.4286
4Annual Tailings Tonnage= 4,800,000
5Annual Storage Volume= 3.4286
6Footprint At 20 m Depth= 257.143

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
Tailings storage facilities are high-consequence structures. Design, construction and closure must follow recognised dam safety standards under a qualified engineer of record.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Tailings storage facilities are high-consequence structures. Design, construction and closure must follow recognised dam safety standards under a qualified engineer of record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does deposition method matter?

Thickened, paste and filtered tailings achieve higher densities, reducing storage volume by 20-40% and greatly reducing the stored water that drives dam failure risk.

What drives tailings facility design?

Geotechnical stability, water balance, seepage control, closure landform and, increasingly, adherence to the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management. Volume is only the starting point.